Very few Americans know this about Sen. Ted Cruz, whose relentless commitment to upholding conservative principles and values has made him a household name in the United States, but the Texas senator also happens to be a longtime champion of freedom for the North Korean people.
He is, in fact, among a group of at least three Republican congressman — Cruz, Rep. Ed Royce and Rep. Chris Smith — “who have continuously lobbied for the freedom of the Korean people” with the assistance of Suzanne Scholte, the chairman of the North Korea Freedom Coalition, as revealed this week by Marisa Martin of WND.
But while few Americans know this, the North Korean people themselves appear to be acutely aware of these three’s efforts, as evidenced by a stunning gift they sent all three congressional Republicans last year.
According to Scholte, in 2017 each received a mysterious small package from North Korea that contained a silk portrait of the representative or senator in question, as well as a heartfelt note of thanks.
“Instead of reactions to 8.15 messages, here are a few arts and craft items for the American politicians who delivered the messages,” the note reportedly read, referencing the National Liberation Day of Korea, an annual Aug. 15 holiday that celebrates Korea’s Independence from Japanese imperial rule.
“My (redacted for safety) and I spent three months making them late into the night. Please send them to the politicians. Please tell them that there are some people in a dark place who still have hope because of South Korea and the U.S.”
For whatever reason, these gifts to Cruz, Royce and Smith never made headline news.
View a collage of the three portraits below, or head to WND for the full versions:
Now think about this: Some anonymous group of North Koreans risked their lives and limbs to produce these portraits and smuggle them out of their dystopian home.
How did they even know about these congressional Republicans, though? Martin suspects they heard about them via “Free North Korea Radio,” a South Korean radio station reportedly run by North Korean refugees.
During a broadcast on the National Liberation Day of Korea in 2016, the station told of Smith, Cruz and Royce’s efforts toward freeing the North Korean people.
The station likewise quoted from a statement published by Cruz that holiday in which he said, “My heart breaks … for the Koreans who saw their precious liberty snatched from their grasp so quickly after winning it.”
He was alluding to the way North Korea fell under the control of current dictator Kim Jong Un’s grandfather, Kim Il sung, within only three years of breaking free of the Japanese. The nation hasn’t been the same since.
Regardless, apparently some in North Korea heard Cruz’s message and felt compelled to risk their lives to thank him, as well as Royce and Smith.
Wow. Just wow.
Thank goodness for men like these and others who are taking a stand against this evil regime and for the innocent Korean people. We can only hope they see the effects of their work in their lifetime.
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