World-Renowned Human Rights & Democracy Activist Dr. Yang Jianli will be speaking at the 2019 Skagit County Republican Party Lincoln / Reagan Day Dinner. The annual gala will be on Saturday, May 11th, beginning at 5 PM. Dr. Yang will be joining Washington State Treasurer Duane Davidson and State House Republican Floor Leader Jacquelin Maycumber as featured speakers for this power packed event program! To view the evening program click here. To RSVP click on the 'RSVP Today' button on this website.
Dr. Yang grew up in China and at age 15 enrolled in Beijing Normal University where he graduated at age 19 with a Masters Degree. He quickly was indoctrinated into the Chinese Communist Party, but soon became disillusioned by the corruption he experienced, and in 1986 he left China to pursue a PH. D. and career in mathematics at UC Berkeley. When the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests began he went to Beijing to support his comrades in the demonstrations for democracy; while actively protesting he witnessed the massacre of thousands of innocent and peaceful protesters by the guns and tanks of the Chinese Communist Army, including tanks running over protesters. He narrowly escaped capture and returned to the U.S. to study democracy and continue his activism; in the next few years he founded 'Foundation for China in the 21st Century' and co-authored 'A Constitution for a Democratic China' under the theme of understanding and trust (which was endorsed by the Dali Lama).
In 2002, after completing his Doctorate in Political Economy at Harvard University, Dr. Yang returned to China to help the labor movement with non-violent struggle strategies. He was then arrested by the Chinese Government and sentenced to five years in prison, spending 15 months of the time in solitary confinement, and also was subjected to ongoing physical and psychological torture. Following an international outcry for his release, including a UN Resolution, a call by George W. Bush, and a unanimous vote of both houses of the U.S. Congress Dr. Yang was freed in April of 2007. Immediately following his return to America he formed 'Indicatives for China / Citizen Power', a Pro-Democracy movement committed to a peaceful transition for democracy in China.
Dr. Yang's accomplishments are many: He is consistently elected as a Top 100 Chinese Public Intellectuals. He founded the annual 'Interethnic / Interfaith Leadership Conference.' In 2010 he co-chaired the 'Committee on Internet Freedom' at the Geneva Human Rights and Democracy Summit. In December 2010 in Oslo at the Nobel Peace Prize awarding ceremony, he represented imprisoned Chinese Democracy leader Liu Xiaobo (Nobel Peace Laureate who would eventually die in the CCP regime's custody in 2017). In December of 2011 he joined the Dali Lama and four other delegates, to attend 'Forum Democracy and Human Rights in Asia', hosted by former Czechoslovakia President Vaclav Havel. He has been the recipient of dozens of international awards including the 2013 'Truman - Reagan Medal of Freedom Award' for demonstrating a life-long commitment to freedom & democracy and opposition to communism and all other forms of tyranny.
Dr Yang is also a frequent contributor to and interviewee by the international media, panelist at hearings held by U.S. Congress, European Parliament, UK Parliament, Taiwan Legislative Yuan, and speaker on various international forums, on topics ranging from human rights in China, China's democratization, China's politics, ethnic relations in PRC, Taiwan - China relations, U.S. - China policies and more. With the genocide happening in Venezuela the timing could not be more appropriate to learn first hand from Dr. Yang as to what Socialism/Communism eventually brings. * See video links at bottom of page.
WA State Treasurer Duane Davidson has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting, is a licensed Certified Public Accountant and he is a former Chief Financial Account and Treasurer for Benton County; as County Treasurer he was elected to four consecutive terms. While a County Treasurer Duane served three terms as President of the Washington State Association of County Treasurers and earlier served as the organization's Treasurer. In 2016 Duane became Washington's 23rd State Treasurer, in that election he won every single county in the state, something that no Republican has done in a statewide election in more than 50 years. That puts him in very exclusive company, as he is only one of two Republicans elected to statewide office on the west coast.
WA State House Republican Floor Leader Jacquelin Maycumber lives in the town of Republic representing the 7th Legislative District. She has a Bachelors Degree in Biochemistry and spent time working as a Biomedical Research Scientist. She is also a former Law Enforcement Officer and Elected School Board Member. Jacquelin has earned many honors including this year being named the State House Republican Floor Leader (becoming the first woman to hold the position since 1983), and being selected to give the Republican response to Governor Inslee's "State of the State" speech.
Jacquelin also was named "Legislator of the Year" by the Washington Hunters Association and last month was awarded "Legislator of the Year" by the Washington Council of Metropolitan Police and Sheriffs. Also earlier in the year she was given the Slade Gorton "Rising Star" Award.
* To view Dr. Yang Jianli's Biography Click here, and to view a few short YouTube videos please click, here and/or here.
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