(Minghui.org) The documentary State Organs was screened at the Lewes Public Library in Lewes, Delaware on October 3, 2024. The film exposes the forced organ harvesting by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The screening was hosted by Ending Forced Organ Harvesting Rotary Satellite Club of CAAHT (EFOH.org) and was co-sponsored by advocacy groups including Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH.org), the Delaware Medical Freedom Alliance (DelawareMFA.org), and the Greater Philadelphia Falun Dafa Association (GPFDA.org). A panel discussion led by experts was held at the end of the film.
The 76-minute-long film describes two families’ search for their missing loved ones, Falun Gong practitioners in China, and reveals how the CCP harvests organs from prisoners of conscience, primarily Falun Gong practitioners.
Many attendees were deeply moved, shocked and angered by the chilling reality depicted in the movie and said they would oppose the CCP’s forced organ harvesting, support the passing of the Falun Gong Protection Act in the U.S. Senate and ensure justice for the millions of victims who cannot speak for themselves.
Numerous people attended the screening of State Organs at the Lewes Public Library on October 3, 2024.
People who attended the screening of State Organs signed the petition calling on their senate member to support the Falun Gong Protection Act.
Audience Shocked by Testimony of First Known Survivor of Forced Organ Harvesting
Cheng Peiming, a Falun Gong practitioner and the first known survivor of forced organ harvesting, attended the panel discussion. He was imprisoned for practicing Falun Gong. During his detention in China, parts of his liver and lung were removed without his knowledge. Through a translator, Cheng narrated in detail the extreme pain and trauma he went through, as well as his miraculous escape from China. “When I realized I was going to be the subject of organ harvesting, I knew I must escape or I will be killed for my organs,” Cheng said. “I stand here today not only for myself but also for countless victims of live organ harvesting.”
Cheng Peiming, a Falun Gong practitioner and first known survivor of forced organ harvesting, (second on left) spoke of his painful experience after the screening of State Organs.
His testimony shocked many people. Victor Carlstrom, a heart transplant recipient from Lewes, called Cheng’s story a “miracle of survival” and expressed his profound shock at the documentary’s revelations.
“What really hit me was that it wasn’t just condemned prisoners—they’re targeting people because of their beliefs. It’s an atrocity,” Carlstrom said. As a transplant recipient, Carlstrom was astonished to learn that in China, people can get a transplant in weeks.
Victor Carlstrom, a heart transplant recipient from Lewes, attended the screening of State Organs.
“So many people here passed away, waiting for organs—not just hearts, other vital organs as well,” said Carlstrom. “It certainly implies that (in China) the organ-on-demand thing means they’re being taken not by people who pass away … It’s hard to understand any other cause or reason behind how they’re producing organs on demand.”
Organizers Call for Conscience and Action
Abraxas Hudson, the president of DMFA, called on the audience to stand against the evil of forced organ harvesting.
Abraxas Hudson, president of DMFA, gave a speech before the screening.
“It’s a horrifying story and a very sad reality. This level of criminal human rights abuse anywhere in the world is not okay,” Hudson told the Epoch Times. “A lot of people in America are apathetic because it’s happening thousands of miles away, and they don’t know what they can do about it … But we have to stand up against evil, and we have to protect the future by taking responsibility for the future we want.”
He emphasized that raising awareness is the first step toward fighting such crimes and praised Cheng’s courage in sharing his experience. “The fact that he’s able to stand up and speak out here is amazing,” Hudson said. “If everyone stands up against evil, it just dissolves and dissipates, same with tyranny or totalitarianism.”
Hudson’s sentiments resonated with the audience, many of whom expressed a renewed sense of responsibility.
“That’s inhumane ... We need to get the word out to people. We need to understand what’s going on, and we need to get the people that we vote into power to make it stop,” said Janine Fitzgerald, president-elect of the Lewes-Rehoboth Beach Rotary Club.
Janine Fitzgerald, president-elect of the Lewes-Rehoboth Beach Rotary Club attended the film screening.
Another audience member Linda Sidowski, who is secretary of the DMFA, added, “I took pictures of all the screens. I’m going to explore different ways to make my voice heard and help those who are being persecuted.”
Linda Sidowski, secretary of DMFA, attended the film screening.
Call for Senators to Support the Falun Gong Protection Act
The emotional impact of the documentary was perceptible. Deborah Bergman, a retired teacher, was deeply moved by the connection drawn between the atrocities in China and the Holocaust.
Retired teacher Deborah Bergman was deeply moved by the film.
She said, “The comparison of Nazism during World War Two and what’s going on now—we’re doing the same thing. We’re pretending it doesn’t exist, but it’s existing. And if it can exist for one religious group, where are they going to stop?”
Constance Higgins, another attendee, called for more awareness and action. “I signed the petition to go to our senators, and I want to write them a personal note to encourage them to do something about it,” she said.
Constance Higgins signed the petition to senators to support the Falun Gong Protection Act.
Many attendees echoed this call, urging their senators to support the Falun Gong Protection Act, a bill passed by the U.S. House in June and currently in the U.S. Senate. The bill aims to sanction individuals and entities involved in forced organ harvesting, a step toward ending this human rights violation.
Carlstrom found it inconceivable that there are few reports on the CCP’s forced organ harvesting in the mainstream media in the U.S. “How haven’t the media in the United States really latched on to this and made a bigger deal out of this story, because it truly is incredible?” He thought the bill represents a critical opportunity to hold the perpetrators accountable and prevent Americans from becoming complicit in these atrocities.
We Must Be Brave in the Presence of Evil
The documentary and subsequent discussion highlighted the broader global implications of forced organ harvesting. Dr. Jessica Russo, a representative from DAFOH, explained how the Chinese regime’s control of the transplant industry has led to a thriving international black market for organs.
“Westerners who travel to China for transplants are unknowingly complicit in this system of mass murder,” she said. “We need stricter regulations, such as the Falun Gong Protection Act, to prevent Americans from seeking transplants in countries where human rights abuses are rampant.”
As the event concluded, there was a clear sense of urgency among attendees. “Forced organ harvesting is just beyond comprehension. I’m not going to sleep tonight. I don’t think half these people here will either,” said Fitzgerald. “The world has to come together and get rid of all the power-hungry individuals who treat people as mere commodities, not people.”
At the end of the event, Hudson said, “In the presence of evil, we must be brave. That’s the only way we can stand up against it and stop it.”
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