This was the most controversial float in Pasadena Rose Parade history, we had security while it was being built and during judging. When I'm ask what I do, I tell people that I design Rose Parade floats among other things and almost always I get a very pleasant response and lots of questions. One afternoon I was visiting a shop owned by Chinese people and was asked that question once again. So I told them "I had design the Rose Parade float for the Beijing Olympics" and expected a nice chit-chat about it BUT not this time. The woman spoke," I protested the float as it went past! The Chinese government put me in jail for my beliefs in FaLung Gong! I spit at it as it went by!.....but it was very pretty." I was surprised by her response and sorry to hear that something I designed represented a horrible time in her life. It represented the good spirit of the Olympics and how proud the people of China are to be hosting the Olympics but it also represented oppression to others.
I have never designed anything that was hated by people that they wanted to spit on it. Of course not my design but what it represented to some people who were put in prison for their beliefs. Individuals and organizations wanted to ban the float from the parade but it went on without a hitch. The funny thing to me was the following days I was at our studio where we build the floats and it was there quietly decomposing...flowers falling off, seeds being taken by birds...looking really sad. After the parade, nobody cared about it anymore. I was happy to have my small spot in Rose Parade history.
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