真正自尊

真理，正义，自由，尊严 Truth, Justice, Liberty, Dignity

-----------------------------------------------------------



自由的代价
Freedom Is Not Free


每日一语：

The great hope of society is in individual character. --- William Ellery Channing

一个社会的希望在于这个社会中的个人的品质。 --- William Ellery Channing

*************************************

Dear Visitors:

On this memorial day, 2006, I want to take a minute to remember those who have paid a worthy price to the cause of Freedom， some paid their lives -- The American soldiers and the freedom fighters around the world.

I also remembered my dear friend in my youth who died of communist persecution. Many of us now in the West take freedom for granted, I have never taken it for granted, for I know the price I have paid and those who had suffered and died fighting for their own yearning for freedom and happiness.

When I struggled in China to achieve my freedom, I had never tasted freedom and happiness. But somehow there is something inside me that assured me Freedom is not only real, it is worthy of my struggle. Many around me in China either gave up their struggle to achieve true happiness or allowed themselves to be assimilated into the soulless crowd. I fought on and I refused to join the Big Family, for I knew if I gave up my battle for joy and happiness, what awaited me would be endless pain, suffering and the ultimate silent desperation. I bit my lips and continued to learn, to explore, to fight to maintain my own dignity, my own integrity, my own sanity, during those arduous years.

Today I can tell everyone that I finally tasted freedom and happiness. They are real. They are not illusions. They are worthy of every drop of my tear, every drop of my blood, every ounce of my pain and suffering. As long as you never give up and maintain your own dignity and integrity, as long as you are willing to pay the price for true happiness and joy, you will eventually achieve the state of being which is called Freedom. It is never easy and from time to time it is very difficult indeed. I verged on collapse a few times. But somehow this deep faith inside of me told me to hang on, to fight on, not only for myself, but for this hope and ideal that the state of being free is not an illusion, or some cheap kicks, but a state of profound of joy and peace. This deep faith sustained me through hardship and deadly traps set by the collective to subdue individuals. Now I have to say there is indeed God, a presence of sacred being, a providence that guided me and supported me over those insane years of the Cultural Revolution.

First I thought there must be many who did just what I did, not giving up on the individual struggle, then after many years and deep reflection, I have realized there are just too few of us who refused to give up. This has prompted me to write my memoir "One In A Billion", to tell people and to inspire people not to give up hope and struggle and paying a price for freedom. I have to say, after all I have been through, it is all worth it. And if I have to do it again, I will not hesitate to make the same difficult decisions I had made, again, and again.

I thought I was insane to keep my individual yearnings and dignity, eventually I would realize I was the one who was sane and clear-minded, against the multitude of the confused and the insane. I was one of a very few normal persons in China while most are either bi-polar or schezophrenic. Now I am a normal person in a normal and great country, I am finally home.

Do not give up! Keep your ideals and hopes! Pay the necessary price for your freedom - your constant vigilence and your courageous actions. This is my message to you on this memorial day in America.

Best. Kai Chen 陈凯