Where else would you read this?
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) spoke on the House floor on Thursday about the origins of The Epoch Times, telling the story of John Tang, founder of the publication, who was pursuing a doctorate in physics at Georgia Tech in 1999 when, after an unexpected turn of events, he decided to launch a newspaper.
"He never imagined that 20 years later he would be heading the fourth-largest American newspaper by subscription count," Mr. Norman stated.
In 1999, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) initiated a brutal campaign against the spiritual discipline Falun Gong, which an estimated 70 million—100 million Chinese people were practicing at that time. The CCP, deeming the practice’s popularity a threat to its power, sought to demonize and isolate the group using state and private media outlets, "playing nonstop hate propaganda attacking the peaceful group" in order to justify the persecution, he said.Mr. Tang, who had immigrated to the United States, watched from afar in horror as friends were persecuted for their beliefs while Western media amplified the CCP’s propaganda. Mr. Tang felt compelled to take action, Mr. Norman explained.
With no prior experience or resources, Mr. Tang established Dajiyuan, the Chinese-language edition of The Epoch Times, in his Atlanta basement. Mr. Tang’s goal was to provide uncensored information not only to people in China but also to everyone worldwide. Soon, other Chinese Americans, including those with advanced degrees, abandoned their well-paying careers to join Mr. Tang in "this seemingly impossible endeavor," Mr. Norman said.
The congressman talked about the paper’s first reporting group, which was established in China in 2000 and mainly focused on the CCP’s human rights abuses. Independent reporting on such sensitive topics, however, posed a direct threat to the CCP’s control.
Within months, Chinese police raided the newsroom in China, arresting all reporters and editors, some of whom faced harsh sentences and endured frequent torture, the congressman said, noting that two Epoch Times staff members, Zhang Yuhui and Shi Shaoping, were each sentenced to 10 years in prison.
They also publish a monthly 100-page magazine called American Essence, - "For Everyone Who Loves This Country". I read most of it every month.