"You know, it's hard to believe this is happening in America."
Well, I know I make people uncomfortable when I say this, but there's such a thing as the worldwide organized hard left (WOHL), the successor to International Communism. Their current priority goal is simple: weaken and/or destroy the US. They are attacking our nation at every in every part of its foundation---one important part, of course, being religion.
Freedom of religion in China is quite illusory. Catholicism is completely banned because it is viewed as adherence to a competitive hierarchy. They have even set up their own "fake Catholic church" that is just like a regular Catholic Church, except that has no connection to the Catholic hierarchy.
nor is there much real freedom of any sort in Russia today, although it is obviously less strictly controlled than under communism.
So much for the "peace dividend."