I had not bothered looking into Falun Gong before but this video is a really good summary.
Please bare with the vacuous liberal anti-CCP stuff. If anything it makes the video more accessible to those needing to hear its core message.
If anyone has seen a better video on this topic please post in the comments.
I remember in the old sub, someone posted memes in Asian American communities about Shen Yun following you everywhere you go. When I found out what Shen Yun and the Falun Gong are, I basically realized their likely CIA / FBI money allowed them to do this.
OKAY WAIT THIS MIGHT ACTUALLY ANSWER A QUESTION I'VE HAD FOR AGES. I've lived in LA my whole life and as a kid used to go to the Santa Monica Pier a lot, and I remember a few times there was a tent/canopy set up at the top of the ramp right under the sign that had what looked like someone performing surgery on someone else? I looked away whenever we walked by cause I was really squeamish and scared of blood, but in retrospect I had no idea what the actual point of that demo was. Could it have been some sort of Falun Gong thing to bring attention to "organ harvesting"?? That would make a lot of sense.
Edit: This would've been around 15 years ago for reference... god I'm old
I have no idea, but searched google images "organ harvesting falun gong" which was not that bad; although I used to watch horror movies so...
I made a screenshot then removed and censored everything I consider disturbing or irrelevant. All these 'surgeries' are street side performances: https://i.imgur.com/kzN8g2Y.jpeg
Falun Gong crackdown started in 1999 so 15 years ago is totally possible.
Ok so I'm from west coast Canada like this dude is and I have literally never - EVER - heard ANYBODY ever in my life pronounce "about" in the "stereotypical Canadian" way like this guy does. He must be doing it as a bit.
I thought is was kinda odd and distracting, but then I've never been to Canada.
Reminded me of how many overeducated Blacks have reclaimed 'axe' pronunciation to oppose prescriptivist bigotry.
Although this can't be entirely similar because it seems the real Canadian pronunciation is 'aboat' but even that is uncommon.
It could be more of a gimmick than a bit, he could be trying to seem like a uniquely Canadian voice for outsiders.
And his whole shtick is country stereotypes, so that might be all there is to it.
Something something death of the author.
