At the Chicago “L” train station, a kindly Chinese grandma approached me, asking me to sign her petition, to end the Communist Party of China (CPC).

I can't tell how how a petition would end the CPC. However, I can tell what organization someone like this would belong to. The same one that performs Shen Yun: the Falun Gong, or Falun Dafa.

On the back of the pamphlet, I spotted the website of The Epoch Times. Published by the Falun Gong, The Epoch Times has embraced far-right politics, peddling misinformation including anti-vaccine screeds. The Falun Gong have found a curious coalition in their fight against the CPC.

Savvy to this, I acted stupid. I pretended to not understand Chinese, and refused to sign the petition. After I got off the L train, I threw the pamphlet away, grateful I avoided some sketchy email newsletter.