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I was appalled to find a copy of the Epoch Times in my mail box recently. While I am all for free speech and freedom of the press, it is unnerving to see in my own mailbox the same weapon Hitler used to manipulate an entire country — propaganda. However harmful it is, the Epoch Times, which is no more legitimate news than Tokyo Rose during WWII, is the best example of propaganda I’ve ever witnessed and an admirable knockoff of legitimate journalism written by people untrained as journalists. As a retired newspaper journalist who still has the skills to research for truth, it was easy to spot such an unethical editorial policy that can only be compared to smut magazines. It was infuriating to see how eloquently it sliced lies and slipped them so skillfully into seemingly innocuous stories just to snag the innocent. Reading it was like watching a pervert offer candy to a child. My anger, however, is not with the people who read this rag, but with those who publish it as these are the true culprits who are attempting to destroy this nation by hanging it with its own rope — freedom. People should be aware that the Epoch Times promotes a theocracy under a cult philosophy. The Epoch Times Group, which publishes this and supports other types of propaganda outlets is affiliated with the Falun Gong religious cult that hosts websites in 21 languages and 35 countries, and has print editions in eight languages: Chinese, English, Spanish, Hebrew, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean and Indonesian. It is not delivering unbiased information, nor helping you form your own opinions. It is poisoning you so slowly that you won’t be able to tell whether you are dizzy due to intoxication and about to die or just jazzed up. It’s that slick. The United States form of government will never turn communistic, or socialistic, or theocratical, or anything other than what it is and has always been — a democracy. As a democracy, the people are in charge over any leader through a process that defies tyranny. The conundrum of being a free nation is that free speech applies to everyone, even those whose intent is to destroy us. Ignore those who are free to capitalize on false information, and turn to the sources which rely on providing truth to stay in business — your local newspapers will carry national news on its front cover (avoid the editorial and opinion pages if you wish to remain unbiased); and public broadcasting stations that deliver traditional morning, evening and nightly news: ABC, CBS and NBC. All else is subject to bias, including the affiliated stations to the major stations, such as CNBC, CNN, MSNBC and such. Once you walk away from propaganda and your head clears, you will become free again!

Susan Joyce

Albert Lea