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In this powerful episode of the Joy of Living, Barry Shore welcomes Jan Jekielek, senior editor of The Epoch Times and host of American Thought Leaders, for a conversation that confronts one of the most serious human rights violations of the 21st century. Jan's book Killed to Order lays out the evidence behind the Chinese Communist Party's forced organ harvesting program, a state-sanctioned system that targets religious minorities, ethnic minorities, and political dissidents.
Jan explains how he first encountered the evidence in 2006 and why it took years before social consciousness caught up with the horrifying reality. He walks through how an ethical organ transplant system works, and why the CCP's version operates in reverse, with prisoners serving as living organ banks matched on demand to paying transplant tourists.
The conversation broadens into the CCP's United Front Work Department, what Mao called his magic weapon, and how it systematically dismantles civil society both inside China and in diaspora communities around the world. Jan connects this to the American founding, individual rights, and why Western nations were slow to recognize the true nature of the Chinese Communist Party.
Barry brings his trademark warmth and the lens of purposeful living to a difficult topic, reminding listeners that understanding evil is part of building a more just and joyful world. Jan Jekielek is a senior editor at The Epoch Times, host of American Thought Leaders, and author of Killed to Order.
Show Notes:
- 00:00 — Barry Shore introduces the episode and the power of living a purpose-driven life.
- 02:00 — Barry shares his experience with paralysis and the meaning behind “SMILE — Seeing Miracles in Life Every day.”
- 05:00 — Jan Jekielek joins the conversation and introduces his work and book, Killed to Order.
- 07:00 — Jan explains his investigation into forced organ harvesting in China and the evidence that changed his perspective.
- 12:00 — The discussion explores the CCP, human dignity, and totalitarian control.
- 17:00 — Jan explains the United Front and its role in influencing civil society and overseas communities.
- 23:00 — Jan explains how ethical organ donation works and contrasts it with the system he describes in China.
- 28:00 — The conversation turns to propaganda, “class enemies,” and the dehumanization of targeted groups.
- 30:00 — Barry and Jan reflect on freedom, human dignity, political power, and confronting difficult realities.
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About Jan Jekielek
Jan Jekielek is a NYT bestselling author and award-winning journalist and filmmaker with over 20 years at The Epoch Times, where he now serves as senior editor and host of the show American Thought Leaders. His career has spanned academia, human rights work, and most recently, media. Jan specializes in long-form discussions that tackle the grand narratives of our time. He’s the author of the NYT bestseller Killed to Order, and has produced the films DeSantis: Florida vs. Lockdowns, The Unseen Crisis, Finding Manny, and The Newlyweds.
