by Katherine Combes, Kalispell
As America celebrates 250 years of freedom and liberty, millions in China are being persecuted for their beliefs. The contrast could not be starker — or more urgent.
I want to thank Congressman Zinke and Downing for their support of House Bill H.R. 1540, which now goes before the Senate as S.4009, the Falun Gong and Victims of Forced Organ Harvesting Protection Act, which is a critical step toward ending the horrific practice of forced organ harvesting and holding the CCP accountable for these crimes against humanity.
For decades, the Chinese Communist Party has forcibly imposed its atheist ideology on generations of Chinese citizens, violently suppressing those who dare to practice their faith. The mass, state-sanctioned harvesting of organs from prisoners of conscience is among the most horrifying human rights atrocities of our time — and the world cannot remain silent.
Our founders understood that religious freedom is not a privilege but a birthright. Upholding that principle is inseparable from America’s identity and its continued strength. When faith and conscience come under attack anywhere in the world, it is the duty of every person who cherishes freedom to speak out and act.
On this momentous 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, I urge you to encourage our senators to cosponsor and support S.4009 and stand on the right side of history. Please protect the dignity of all people — especially those who suffer in silence in China — and help keep our traditional values and freedoms alive, here and around the world.
Happy Birthday, America.