NEW YOR K | DC EDITION | W E D N E S D A Y, M A R C H 17, 2 0 21 Truth & Tradition VOL . X V I I I | N O . 2 , 919 $3.

00
MANUEL BALCE CENETA-POOL/GETTY IMAGES
PANDEMIC
In the News 10 Percent of Illegal
NEWS Immigrants Testing
A federal judge has ordered Positive for COVID-19:
the Department of Health and
Human Services to release
Rep. McCarthy
information about its pur-
BY MASOOMA HAQ
chases of organs harvested
from aborted human fetuses,
a court filing says. ... A7 House Minority Leader Kevin Mc-
Carthy (R-Calif.) told reporters at
A Florida House panel has a press briefing from the south-
advanced legislation backed ern border on March 15 that doc-
by Gov. Ron DeSantis that tors at the U.S.–Mexico border in
would punish companies Texas told him that 10 percent of
should they violate the priva-
illegal immigrants are testing posi-
cy of Floridians and interfere
with citizens’ access to candi- tive for the CCP virus before being
dates during an election. ...A4 released into surrounding com-
munities.
Italian officials have begun “When I talk to the doctor to see
a manslaughter investigation when they’re being tested for CO-
following the death of a man VID, when they get out, more than
hours after receiving Astra- Continued on A5
Zeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine,
local media say. ... A9
The European Union is ex-
HOME DELIVERY ADDRESS :
pected to exclude Chinese-
made vaccines from its “vac- Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin visits National Guardsmen
MILITARY deployed at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 29, 2021.
cine passport” program, while
Vietnam is buying COVID-19
vaccines from Western coun-
tries and Russia, rather than
China. ...A10 Pentagon Criticized for Wrong
President Joe Biden differs
sharply from his predecessor
when it comes to how the fed-
eral government should treat
Priorities Amid China Threat
Americans who identify as
transgender. ...A8 Lawmaker questions Defense Department for focus on ‘extremists’
The recent surge of illegal
immigrants at the U.S.–Mex-
in its own ranks while China continues to expand its military
ico border can be directly at- COURTESY OF MICHAEL WALTZ
tributed to Biden’s immigra- BY DOUGLAS G. BURTON Defense Lloyd Austin has, since be-

A
tion policies, experts say. ...A3 fore he took office, emphasized find-
Defense Department or- ing the enemies in U.S. uniforms.
BUSINESS der on Feb. 5 to root out Austin  told the Senate Armed
“extremists” in the ranks Services Committee during con-
The dangers of a central
of the U.S. armed forces firmation hearings: “The job of the
bank-controlled digital cur-
rency include an unlimited
has drawn fire from the first Green Department of Defense is to keep
power to increase and direct Beret to serve in Congress, and se- America safe from our enemies.
money supply, economist nior officers from prior adminis- But we can’t do that if some of those
Daniel Lacalle writes. ...A22 trations agree with his concerns. enemies lie within our own ranks.”
“When the Chinese Navy is five Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) holds The Secretary of Defense di-
TheSaver’sCredit,a tax break times bigger than ours, when the rank of colonel in the U.S. Army rected unit commanders on Feb.
for low- to moderate-income Reserve and serves in the Maryland VACCINES
China is stealing our tech right 5 to conduct a leadership “stand-
taxpayers who are saving for re- National Guard.
tirement, is a great way to help
and left, and putting more assets down” within 60 days to address Operation Warp
in space, where does the Secre- The Epoch Times. “My concern the issues of extremist ideology in
people struggling to get back
to some sort of normal from tary of Defense see our priorities?” is the message this memo sends.” all branches of service. Speed Helped Spur
Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) told President Joe Biden’s Secretary of Continued on A7
challenges of the past year, a
financial expert writes. ...A23
‘Manufacturing
CHARLOTTE CUTHBERTSON/THE EPOCH TIMES Miracle’ in US
OPINION A6 | NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

INFOGRAPHIC
BY EMEL AKAN
Roger Kimball: For US, Grad- Republicans
p in State Legislatures
g
ual Ruin Is About to Become Push for Voting Integrity
Multiple initiatives across different states to address election concerns WASHINGTON—Operation Warp
Sudden...A13 By EPOCH TIMES STAFF

Speed, which was forged by the

S
ince the hotly contested 2020 election, There are six such states: Arizona, Georgia, Mich-
Republican state legislators have intro- igan, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Wiscon-
duced bills in an effort to bolster election sin. In all of them except New Hampshire, Presi-

Michael Walsh: American

integrity—particularly in states where the
GOP controls the legislature but Democrat
President Joe Biden claimed victory.
dent Donald Trump contested the election results.
Republican lawmakers appear to have been most
active in Arizona and Georgia. MILLERIUM ARKAY/SHUTTERSTOCK
Trump administration to ramp up
the development, production, and
Media and Old Soviet Media ARIZONA 5
TRAVEL DRAWN/SHUTTERSTOCK

benefited Democrats, the Amistad Ban Unsolicited Absentee

Project reported last year. Ballot Request Forms: On
March 4, the House passed a

3 distribution of COVID-19 vaccines,
bill that bans officials from

Are Now Peas in a Pod...A16

Prohibit Same-Day Voter Reg- sending out unsolicited absentee
istration: On March 3, the ballot request forms.
Arizona House passed a bill

6
that prohibits same-day voter
registration. Change Deadline for Post-
marked Date: Another Senate

resembles the U.S. industrial mobi-

4
bill making its way through
Make It a Felony to Change legislative committees

1 2
Election-Related Dates: On would require mail-in ballots to be

Jean Chen: A Mom’s Re- Require ID for Mail-in Voting: On

March 8, the Arizona Senate
passed a bill requiring voters to
include an ID number (such as
Ban Private Funding of Elec-
tions: On March 3, the Arizona
House of Representatives
passed a bill banning private
March 4, the House passed
a bill that would make it a
felony for election officials to change
election-related dates and deadlines
postmarked by the Thursday before
Election Day and received by close
of polls on Election Day. It would
require that mail-in ballots are sent
lization effort during World War II,
from a driver’s license) or their voter funding of elections. The bill is in stipulated in law, unless ordered by a to voters 22 days before Election

search: Who Are the Real Rac- registration number plus at least a
proof of address (such as a utility bill)
response to the unprecedented move
by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg
court. Election officials indeed made
such changes on their own in some
Day, instead of the current 27 days.
Voters who surrender their absen-
with their mail-in ballots. Previously,
an ID was only required for in-person
voting.
to pour more than $400 million
into local election offices last year.
The money was spent in a way that
states last year, using the CCP (Chi-
nese Communist Party) virus pan-
demic as justification.
tee ballot at the polls could cast a
regular ballot, rather than a provi-
sional one. according to experts.
ists?...A17
GEORGIA • voters to include an ID photocopy or • that the counting of ballots continue Because of the partnership be-
RORIUS/SHUTTERSTOCK

ID number with their mail-in ballot ap- until it is complete (currently, election
plications superintendents can stop counting and

• voters to include an ID photocopy, ID

number, or the last four digits of their Social
resume later)

tween the government, military,

FEATURES
Security number with their mail-in ballots Various smaller bills are
making their
their way through
through

and private sector, the vaccines

• early-voting locations to be only at the
board of registrars main office, a county the committees:
committees:

Wristbands, used by smuggling organizations and cartels to identify illegal immi- courthouse, a government office, or an Elec-
tion Day polling place

• non-governmen
non governmentt entities distributing
distributing
Bar Codes for Ballots
One bill would furnish absentee ballots with
barcodes for tracking purposes.
purposes. Another

Despite “cancel culture,” grants, are found discarded near the border, in Penitas, Texas, on March 14, 2021.
On March 1, the Georgia
of Representatives
ofRepres
ranging
ranginge
Georgia
g House
entativespasseda
g g electionr
passed awide
lection reformbil
wide
eform billthat
l that
mark their ballot in the presence of people

INFOGRAPHIC
not authorize
authorized
d to assist tthem
hem

• the elimination of signature compari-

absentee ballot applications to include their
name and a disclaimer
disclaimer that the form was
not supplied by the government
would nix automatic voter registration at the
Department of Motor Vehicl
Vehicles
es. Voters would
would
need to opt in (such as by checking a box) to
get registered.
were delivered within a seemingly
Continued on A4
wouldld require:
i son in the verification of absentee ballots • mobile polling places to be allowed only
((replaced
p byy the ID requir
q ement)) if a judge
j g p permits them and there’s an Better Access for Poll Watchers

we can still find excellent ac- emergency rendering a polling place unsafe Yet another bill would expand poll watcher

PUSH FOR
BORDER SECURITY
• voters to include an ID number or ID • the state to no longer accept provi- for human occupation, or there’s a utility access so that they could observe all the
photocopy with their absentee ballots sional ballots cast at the wrong precinct on outage key processes at a tabulating center with
Election Day minimal restrictions. The bill appears to
• driver’s license numbers or the last four • precinct opening hours on Election Day be in response to complaints by numerous

counts of our nation’s history digits of one’s Social Security number on an

absentee ballot envelope

• limiting the number of drop boxes and

• a ban on “money or gifts” (including food
and drinks) for voters at a polling place or
standing in line to vote
to be extended only by court order

• banning the secretary of state and

county election officials from mailing unso-
Republican poll watchers that they were kept
so far from where the tabulation processes
were happening as to render their observa-
tion meaningless.

for young people. ...B1

their locations to polling places or registrar • replacing the secretary of state as head licited absentee ballot applications (which

Cartels Use Wristbands to Track

offices only of the state election board with a nonparti- officials did in some states usingg COVID-19 Keep Ballot Duplicates
san head appointed
appointed by the legislature as a justific
justification)
ation) One bill would require
require that, aafter
fter count-
count
• drop boxes to be closed for Election Day ing, absentee ballots be sorted and stored
• a ban on sending absentee ballot appli- by precinct in sealed containers, with the

ELECTION INTEGRITY
• the secretary of state to set up an on- Georgia’ss Senate passed
Georgia passed on cations that are pre-filled, even partially chain of custody logged until they are legally
line system for mail-in ballot applications March h 8 its own election
l refform disposed of. Ballot duplicates, which are

ELECTION
bill that
th t would ld require:
i • the elimination of signature comparison made for damaged ballots, would get serial
• absentee voters to sign attestation,, on absentee ballot applications ((replaced by numbers and be kept with the original ballots

When does “classic film

under penalty of perjury, that they didn’t • an end to no-excuse absentee voting the ID requirement) at all times.

music” become “classical Human Smuggling Over Border NEW HAMPSHIRE, MICHIGAN, PENNSYLVANIA, AND WISCONSIN Georgia Judge Might
music,” or can it?. ...B9 In the other states, there seems their way through committees. One says Pennsylvania

Unseal Fulton County

PUBLIC DOMAIN VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

that voters with “unknown dates of birth” Pennsylvania Republicans introduced several
to be much less activity. should get notice to provide their real date bills to remove dead or ineligible voters from

INTEGRITY
BY CHARLOTTE CUTHBERTSON well as discarded on the ground
New Hampshire of birth or get their status changed to “chal- the rolls as well as nix no-excuse mail-in vot-
The New Hampshire Senate passed a bill on lenged,” which means they’d get removed ing. None of the bills, however, has made it out
March 4 that would require voters to include from the rolls after missing two general of a committee so far.
their ID number and the last four digits of their elections and primaries. The notice, when
Social Security number with absentee ballot returned, would get signature-matched to Wisconsin

Photographer Mihaela
Absentee Ballots for
applications. the voter records. Another bill would adopt In Wisconsin, Republican state Sen. Kathy

beyond the river. Some illegal Michigan

Michigan has a few smaller bills working
a similar procedure to purge from the rolls
people who haven’t voted since the 2000
general election.
Bernier introduced on March 8 two bills that
would make a number of small or technical
changes to the election code.

Noroc captures the beauty McALLEN, Texas—Illegal border aliens were found wearing two
Fraud Investigation

BY STATE
of motherhood across a rich crossers are coming into the United different colored wristbands.
spectrum of cultures. ...B3
States wearing wristbands that re- The system “basically outlines a BY JACK PHILLIPS
The spring equinox brings a late to the smuggling organization or process that the smugglers are us-

LEGISLATURES
unique chance to turn with the cartel that they paid to cross the river, ing to know who paid, who didn’t, A judge in Georgia says he might un-
season. ...C2 according to new reports and confir- so that they can start moving them seal absentee ballots in the state’s
mation by Border Patrol agents. through—because they’ve got so Fulton County so that a govern-
Your thoughts can create a
powerful fuel that can either
The wristbands have been spot- many people backing up,” accord- ment watchdog can investigate voter
ted on illegal immigrants in the Rio ing to Jaeson Jones, a former captain See Page 6 fraud allegations.
warm or burn you. ...C6
Grande Valley in south Texas, as Continued on A3 Henry County Superior Court
Continued on A5
DON’T DELAY.
SUBSCRIBE TODAY.
SUBSCRIBE.THEEPOCHTIMES.COM CHINA CONGRESS MICHIGAN

Published in New York,

Medical Expert’s Suicide
Draws Attention to
Pelosi Defends Democrats’ Efforts MICHIGAN SENATOR
ON PROBE OF NURSING
Washington, Houston, Chicago,
Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Questionable Organ to Possibly Unseat GOP House Member
THE EPOCH TIMES
(USPS 21-800) is published
Transplant ‘Model’
BY FRANK YUE
BY JACK PHILLIPS “It was six votes,” Pelosi
told ABC News on March
HOME DEATHS
weekly by The Epoch “Families who
Media Group, 9550 Flair
House Speaker Nancy 14, noting the number of lost loved ones
Dr. Suite 411, El Monte The suicide of Chinese organ trans- Pelosi (D-Calif.) is de- votes by which Rep. Mari- to COVID-19 in
CA 91731-2922. Periodical plant specialist Zang Yunjin has fending Democrats who annette Miller-Meeks (R- nursing homes
postage paid at El Monte,
CA and additional mailing
drawn attention to a questionable are seeking to possibly Iowa) defeated her Demo- deserve to
offices. POSTMASTER: “Qingdao model” of human organ overturn an Iowa U.S. cratic opponent, Rita Hart. get answers,”
Send address changes to transplantation. House race captured by the Speaker Miller-Meeks was ulti- state Sen. Jim
The EPOCH TIMES, 229 W. Runestad said.
28th Street, Floor 5,
Zang, 57, head of the Organ Trans- Republican candidate, ex- of the House mately seated in Congress
New York, NY 10001. plantation Center at the Affiliated plaining that the margin of Nancy Pelosi after votes were counted, Read more on A5
Continued on A10 victory was extremely slim. (D-Calif.). Continued on A4

Accuracy The Epoch Times was founded in 2000 as an independent newspaper with the goal to restore accuracy and
integrity in media. We have received numerous awards for our reporting, including from the Society of Professional
& Integrity Journalists, the Society for News Design, and the New York Press Association.
A2 | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

NEWS BRIEFS
IMAGES BY SHUTTERSTOCK; PHOTOS BY GETTY IMAGES; AP; INSTAGRAM; THE EPOCH TIMES

Abbott Says White House Won’t Tell Texas

Dear reader, Officials How Many Illegal Immigrants
Entering State Have COVID-19

E
arlier this year, the
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the White House has refused to tell state
Pentagon issued a officials how many illegal immigrants who have crossed the U.S.–Mexico
memo aimed at rooting border have tested positive for COVID-19.
out “extremists” from “We need the total number of migrants who have been apprehended
its ranks. This order is now be- at the border who have tested positive for COVID-19,” Abbott told Fox
ing criticized by Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.), a former News during an interview about whether illegal immigrants may be
Green Beret, who is questioning the Department of spreading the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.
Defense’s agencies.
Waltz told The Epoch Times, “When the Chinese
Navy is five times bigger than ours, when China is
stealing our tech right and left and putting more assets
in space, where does the secretary of defense see our
priorities?”
Meanwhile, the situation on the southern border con-
tinues to deteriorate. After downplaying the situation
for weeks, officials are now starting to admit its severity.
“We are on pace to encounter more individuals on
the southwest border than we have in the last 20 years,” FEMA to Assist at Border Amid
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Influx of Unaccompanied Minors
Mayorkas said. The Biden administration said it has
Also on the border, Epoch Times reporter Charlotte directed the Federal Emergency
Cuthbertson found that cartels are using a system of Management Agency to assist at
wristbands to identify the people they smuggle. the southern border in response to
According to Jaeson Jones, a former captain in the the arrival of “record numbers” of
Texas Department of Public Safety, the wristbands are illegal immigrants, including unac-
part of a system that “basically outlines a process that companied minors.
the smugglers are using to know who paid, who didn’t The emergency management
... because they’ve got so many people backing up.” agency will support the federal
government over the next 90 days To even contemplate doing any
Read the full story on page A3.
In Florida, new legislation backed by Gov. Ron
to receive, shelter, and transfer un- type of lockdown, honestly
accompanied children who cross
DeSantis and passed by the House Appropriations the border illegally, according to the Department of Homeland it’s insane.
Committee would punish big tech companies should Security. FEMA is an agency of the department. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, saying during a press
they violate the privacy of Floridians and interfere with conference that he’s opposed to President Joe Biden’s
citizens’ access to candidates during an election. remarks about the possibility of reinstating COVID-19
After providing an overview of the proposed H.R. 1 Almost half of all K–12 lockdowns in the United States if people aren’t “vigilant.”

49
$7
election reform bill last week, this week we provide on students in the United

% States are at schools

BILLION
page A6 an overview of election integrity initiatives by
state legislatures across the country. that have resumed
five-day-a-week,
in-person instruction,
Jasper Fakkert The New York State Legislature has
according to updated
Editor-in-chief proposed nearly $7 billion in new
figures from Burbio.
and increased taxes on wealthy New
Yorkers and businesses.
Top Georgia Republican
House Sergeant-at-Arms Says
Some of Capitol Fence to Come Down Won’t Run for US Senate in 2022
Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan said in an interview aired
Acting House Sergeant-at-Arms on March 14 that he won’t run for the U.S. Senate
Timothy Blodgett said parts of the in 2022.
barbed-wire fence erected around the “You know what, my family and I have talked
U.S. Capitol complex following the Jan. about it and we’re not going to run for the U.S.
6 incursion will be coming down soon. Senate seat. We’re going to stay focused on be-
Blodgett said parts of the fence, ing the lieutenant governor here in Georgia and
which is manned by about 2,500 we’re going to focus hard on trying to rebuild this
National Guard troops and backed
by dozens of heavy military vehicles,
party, refocus GOP 2.0,” Duncan, a Republican, Washington Post Admits
told NBC’s Meet the Press. Falsified Trump Comments on
will be revised or taken down completely. The Guard contingent will also
begin returning to their home bases in coming weeks. Georgia Election
The Washington Post in a recent correction revealed
Texas Judge Allows it printed falsified quotes attributed to former Presi-
Austin Mask Mandate dent Donald Trump.
In a March 11 update to a story originally published
for Now in January, the paper acknowledged its story fea-
A judge in Texas has refused to tured quotes that weren’t actually said by Trump
grant the state’s attorney gen- during a December 2020 conversation with an
eral a restraining order that would investigator working from Georgia Secretary of
force Austin and Travis County to State Brad Raffensperger’s office. A recording of
discontinue enforcing their mask the phone call was recently released.
mandates, according to officials Coca-Cola has rolled out new “The recording revealed that The Post misquoted
and reports. diversity guidelines for out-

30
Trump’s comments on the call, based on informa-

%
Travis County District Ccourt side legal counsel, including tion provided by a source. Trump did not tell the
Judge Lora Livingston decided to requiring law firms to em- investigator to ‘find the fraud’ or say she would be
set a March 26 trial on the mat- ploy “diverse attorneys” to Biden Administration Denies ‘a national hero’ if she did so,” the Jeff Bezos-owned
ter, effectively allowing Austin provide at least 30 percent Request to Hold July 4 Fireworks paper, known for its anti-Trump slant, stated in a
to continue enforcing mask- of billed time, of which at correction.
wearing until then, according to least half must be by African at Mount Rushmore No apology was included.
the Austin-American Statesman. American attorneys. President Joe Biden’s administration has rejected an attempt
to hold a fireworks show at Mount Rushmore National Memorial
in July to celebrate Independence Day.
Herbert Frost, a regional director for the National Park Service,
cited the COVID-19 pandemic in making his decision.
In response to the decision, Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.)
and Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said
in a joint statement: “Let’s be clear, this decision is political,
not evidence-based. President Biden just said himself that
Americans can safely gather by July 4—what’s changed in a
day? Last year millions watched the celebration in awe, and
it’s a shame the administration is denying Americans that op-
Rudy Giuliani to Keep The right answer is portunity this year.” Facebook Adding Labels
Honorary Degree From an economic and to Posts About COVID-19
NY College diplomatic boycott of Vaccines
Former New York City Mayor the Beijing Olympics. Facebook says it will add labels to all posts about
Rudy Giuliani is keeping an honor- COVID-19 vaccines, as part of its efforts to help
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), saying that
ary degree he received from a col- America will be less secure. more people get a shot as well as to counter what
the United States should boycott the
lege in New York, after a motion to it calls misinformation.
rescind the degree failed to pass
2022 Winter Olympics in China because Israel will be less secure.
of the ruling communist regime’s brutal The labels will show information from the World
the school's board of directors.
repression. The Middle East will Health Organization.
St. John Fisher College be- The company is also reducing the reach of posts
stowed a doctorate on Giuliani be less secure, and
from users who have violated its misinformation
in 2015 in recognition of the role the entire region policies or have shared content that Facebook’s
he played in the recovery of New
York City after the Sept. 11, 2001,
will be less stable. fact-checkers deem to be false or missing context.

$10 MILLION
terrorist attacks. Former U.S. Secretary of State
Some people called on the Mike Pompeo, saying that the Biden
school to rescind the degree administration shouldn’t rejoin the
after Giuliani spoke at the Stop nuclear deal with Iran, during an

94 PERCENT
the Steal rally in Washington on interview on WABC Peter Thiel, the billion-
Jan. 6 that immediately preceded 770. aire co-founder of Pay-
the breach of the U.S. Capitol, in Pal, has donated $10
addition to his raising allegations million to Protect Ohio
that the 2020 election was rife Pfizer’s vaccine is 94 percent Value PAC, a newly
with fraud. effective in preventing asymptom- formed political action
Vermont’s Middlebury College atic transmission of the virus that committee backing a
in January revoked an honorary causes COVID-19, according to data potential 2022 Senate
degree it had given Giuliani. from Israel. bid by J.D. Vance.
 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 NATION | A3
CHARLOTTE CUTHBERTSON/THE EPOCH TIMES

Border
Policy
Focused on Border Patrol
agents arrest
seven illegal

Bringing immigrants who

tried to evade
capture near

People in Penitas, Texas,

on March 15.
2021.

Quicker,
Expert Says
BOWEN XIAO pressing her on the administration’s refusal received the provisional CBP data from in- for 100 days with the exception of those who
to call the border surge a crisis. The reporter ternal sources, which were reviewed by The have “either engaged in or are suspected of
The recent surge of illegal immigrants and noted there are thousands of unaccompa- Epoch Times. terrorism or espionage.”
unaccompanied minors attempting to cross nied minors in Border Patrol custody. “We are on pace to encounter more indi- And as of Jan. 21, DHS  no longer en-
the U.S.–Mexico border can be directly at- “We want to expedite the timeline between viduals on the southwest border than we rolls asylum seekers newly arriving on the
tributed to the immigration policies enacted when kids cross the border and when they have in the last 20 years,” Department of southern border in a Trump program known
by President Joe Biden, according to experts are getting to sponsor homes,” Psaki said. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandra as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP).
and the administration’s own officials. “So our focus here is on getting to the root of Mayorkas stated on March 16. Biden in January had promised on day one
Biden, who pledged on the campaign trail the issues and taking actions, and we don’t Carafano said the Biden administration of a Biden presidency to “eliminate President
to reverse his predecessor’s immigration feel the need to play games with what it’s sees it not as a crisis, but an opportunity. Trump’s decision to limit asylum and end”
policies, refuses to describe the historically called.” “When they say there’s a challenge on the the program that ensures asylum seekers
high numbers of illegal immigrants enter- border, from their perspective, they see remain in Mexico while waiting for their
ing the country as a “crisis,” something that the challenge is that they don’t have the re- claims to be adjudicated.
journalists have increasingly been pressing sources to move people, illegal aliens, into Carafano also criticized comments by the
his administration on. Biden refuses to describe the country fast enough,” he said. press secretary and other Biden officials who
But some are starting to question what lies the historically high num- “I think they’re absolutely trying to not be argue they are reversing immigration poli-
beneath the surface of what’s going on. bers of illegal immigrants clear with the American people about what cies to make them more humane.
“I think the real question is, why are they their plan is.” “Well look, you’re incentivizing illegal
doing this?” James Carafano, vice president entering the country as In a March 12 op-ed penned by Carafano immigration, which by definition is inhu-
of the Heritage Foundation’s Kathryn and a ‘crisis,’ something that and former Acting Secretary of Homeland mane,” he told The Epoch Times. “First of
Shelby Cullom Davis Institute, told The Ep- Security Chad Wolf, the pair argue that all, it massively puts illegal immigrants at
och Times. “And you could argue it’s actually
journalists have increas- Biden’s policy changes “clearly signaled risk. It’s incredibly dangerous to come to
a deliberate policy that they’re actually seek- ingly been pressing his that Team Biden is not serious about border the United States illegally across the border.”
ing to attract illegal aliens into the United administration on. security or enforcing present immigration “There’s not just the exploitation by the
States.” laws.” cartels, but the murder, robbery, and all
There are three data points that together “It is hard to believe that the administra- other kinds of things,” he added. “And then
help paint this picture, according to Cara- In early March, it appeared that illegal tion did not foresee that their actions would you’re intentionally encouraging policies
fano. First, it’s the policies that are clearly immigrants were photographed donning spark a run to the border,” the two wrote. that break up families, and they have reports
attracting an unprecedented number of il- T-shirts in support of Biden at the San Ysidro “Perhaps, the surprise has been how fast of parents literally throwing their kids across
legal immigrants, such as the shutdown of crossing port in Tijuana, Mexico. One of them and how voluminous it has been.” the border. So this is not making the world
the border wall, reinstating the “catch and held up a poster that read, “Biden, please let Jeh Johnson, Homeland Security secretary more humane. This is essentially creating a
release” policy, and the restriction of ICE us in!” according to FOX10Phoenix. during the Obama administration, said the massive civil and human rights crisis.”
agents’ ability to do their jobs, among other Roberta Jacobson, the Biden administra- country was “truly in a crisis” when refer- The higher concentration of illegal im-
reversals of President Donald Trump’s bor- tion’s southwestern border coordinator, told ring to the border during a 2019 interview. migrants along the border has encouraged
der policies. Then there’s the H.R. 1 election reporters during a White House briefing that Johnson said that when daily apprehensions gangs to recruit some as drug mules, and
bill, which includes a provision that nonciti- it acknowledged its new immigration poli- surge over 1,000 people, it “overwhelms the kidnap others for money, said Cesar Peniche,
zen residents on a path to citizenship can cies may be driving the migrant surge at the system.” the attorney general of Chihuahua, the state
vote in U.S. elections. And finally, there’s southern border. “My staff will tell you if it was under 1,000 that shares the longest stretch of border with
an amnesty bill that places most illegal im- “Surges tend to respond to hope, and there apprehensions the day before that was a rela- the United States.
migrants in the country on a path to citi- was a significant hope for a more humane tively good number, and if it was above 1,000 Both Mexican and U.S. policy should be
zenship. policy after four years of pent-up demand,” it was a relatively bad number ... I know that more clear-cut so as not to spur illegal im-
Placing these factors together makes it she told reporters. a thousand overwhelms the system.” migration, he told Reuters.
“very, very difficult to not argue they’re just She added that Biden’s vision is to “fix our Border authorities are currently encoun- Biden’s new immigration bill would,
literally trying to import millions of new vot- system and make sure that we are better at tering 4,000 to 5,000 people daily, an un- among other policies, give an eight-year
ers they hope will vote Democrat forever,” dealing with the hopes and the dreams of named Department of Homeland Security path to citizenship for millions of illegal
he said. these migrants in their home country.” (DHS) official told CNN on March 9, noting immigrants. Just hours after being sworn
“The additional resources that the Biden Border Patrol apprehended 100,441 il- that just over 500 of them are unaccompa- in, he sent an immigration bill to Congress
administration is sending to the border are legal border-crossers along the southern nied children. that proposes opening a path to citizenship
not to secure the border—it’s to help move border in February, according to Customs Under Biden’s immigration agenda, con- for illegal immigrants currently living in the
people into the United States faster.” and Border Protection (CBP). At the same struction of the US-Mexico border wall was United States.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki re- time, another 26,000 people evaded capture, shut down and ICE agents are now limited
cently appeared to confirm that. At a March according to Jaeson Jones, a former Texas by narrower guidelines. The DHS is also Masooma Haq and Reuters contributed to
11 briefing, Psaki responded to a reporter Department of Public Safety captain who suspending deportations of illegal aliens this report.

Cartels Use Wristbands to Track Human Smuggling Over Border

CONTINUED FROM A1 popular area for Border Patrol pickup about If an individual doesn’t have enough Jones said that although the United
two miles beyond the river. money to pay, the cartel will collect once States focuses on stopping human traf-
in the Texas Department of Public Safety. One had “Entrega” written on it, which the individual is inside the United States. ficking and drug smuggling, the core of
The wristbands have numbers, words, means “Delivery”; another had “Llegadas,” “They [cartels] set themselves up perfectly the issue is the cartels, which he recom-
and logos on them. “We’ve seen turtles, which means “Arrivals”; and another “Do- to put people into debt bondage,” Jones said. mends be designated as foreign terrorist
we’ve seen devil heads and little snakes,” rado,” which means “Golden.” The cartels collect an individual’s person- organizations.
Jones told The Epoch Times. The Gulf Cartel The numbers on the wristbands relate to al data, including name, phone, address, “We’re not focused on the people who
(CDG) is using the word “metal” to signify a the “peso” or tax that the individual paid and any identification papers, as well as are the core problem, which is the car-
certain leader on the Mexico side, he said. to the cartel to cross. Each also has a per- details and verification of their contacts in tels. They own all the geographic space in
A cinder block wall directly across the sonalized identification number imprinted the United States. Mexico,” he said. “And if we would change
Rio Grande from Roma, Texas, has “CDG” on it, Jones said. “They have their family and country of or- focus as a country and really go after the
and “Metal” tagged on it. It’s in the Mexican “It’s the process that the cartels and the igin to hold them accountable if they don’t cartels who operate today as a parallel gov-
city called Miguel Alemán, which is the smugglers are using to treat people as a pay. And that is debt bondage at its finest. ernment in Mexico ... that’s where we’re
frontline in a territorial battle between the commodity. It’s really a sad situation,” Jones That’s a form of human trafficking,” he said. going to find success.”
CDG and the Cartel Del Noreste, a faction said. “It’s just the gift that keeps giving, and
of the Los Zetas cartel. that’s why they fight so much over these
The Epoch Times found five different col- people.” COR R ECT ION: The article “Epoch Reader Poll: Majority Want Biden Administration to Complete Border
ored wristbands abandoned near Penitas, a In February, Border Patrol agents appre- Wall,” published on March 10, featured a graph containing number and text errors. Please see the corrected
hended more than 100,000 illegal border- graph below. The Epoch Times regrets the errors.
CHARLOTTE CUTHBERTSON/THE EPOCH TIMES
crossers, the highest February number for
14 years. What should the administration do about border security?
On March 15, when asked if the president
believes his administration has a handle 95.69% Finish building the wall
on the southern border, White House press 86.49% Reintroduce the Remain in Mexico program
secretary Jen Psaki said, “We certainly do.”
80.41% Just enforce existing laws
Price Increase
The price to cross the Rio Grande has re- 17.56% Other

cently increased, according to Jones, who 4.1% Give more aid to Central American countries
is in regular contact with border agents.
Mexican citizens are paying up to $2,500; 1.92% Make it easier to get asylum relief

An illegal immigrant wears two wristbands, Venezuelans, Peruvians, Ecuadorians, and 0.88% No need to do anything, it’s working well
which Mexican cartels have been using to Hondurans are paying $3,000; Chinese,
control human smuggling into the United States, $5,000; and Arabians and Russians, $9,000, 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
near Penitas, Texas, on March 15, 2021. according to Jones.
A4 | NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

Florida GOP Bill

Operation WarpSpeed Helped Spur Targeting Big Tech
‘Manufacturing Miracle’ in US Clears Committee
ISABEL VAN BRUGEN
TASOS KATOPODIS/GETTY IMAGES

CONTINUED FROM A1 A Florida House panel has advanced

legislation backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis
impossible timeline. that would punish companies should
Former President Donald Trump initiated they violate the privacy of Floridians
the program in May 2020 with a promise to and interfere with citizens’ access to
have a secure vaccine within months. Ac- candidates during an election.
complishing his ambitious goal defied many The first of a series of bills backed by
experts who had warned that such a vaccine the Republican governor was cleared
breakthrough could take years. by the House Appropriations Commit-
“The development, manufacture, and tee on March 15 in a 19–8 vote, mostly
distribution of the vaccines in record time along partisan lines. Under the proposal
is a true miracle of science,” President Joe from the Florida Legislature, technology
Biden said during his address to the nation companies that deplatform a candidate
on March 11, on the one-year anniversary of during an election will face a daily fine
the COVID-19 shutdown. of $100,000 until the candidate’s access
“It is one of the most extraordinary achieve- to the platform is restored.
ments any country has ever accomplished,” If a technology company promotes a
he said, without referring by name to Opera- candidate for office against another, the
tion Warp Speed. value of that free promotion must be
The media criticized the president for tak- recorded as a political campaign contri-
ing sole credit for America’s vaccine rollout bution enforced by the Florida Elections
and not recognizing the work of the prior Commission.
administration, under which the vaccines The legislation also will empower the
President Donald Trump signs an executive order at the Operation Warp Speed Vaccine Summit in
were developed. state’s attorney general to bring action
Washington on Dec. 8, 2020.
When asked about it the next day, White against Big Tech companies under Flor-
House press secretary Jen Psaki defended ida’s Unfair and Deceptive Trade Prac-
the president’s remarks, saying that Biden approval process and ease bureaucratic re- The U.S. government invested in different tices Act if they violate the new policies
“has applauded the work of medical experts strictions. vaccine candidates because it wanted to have laid out in the bill.
and scientists and the prior administration” at least one safe and effective vaccine avail- Tech companies would have to give
in the past. Vaccine Development able for Americans by January of this year, users advance notice of a rule change
Operation Warp Speed selected the most The U.S. government accelerated the vac- Mango said. before shutting down an account and
promising vaccine candidates and provided cine timeline by investing in manufacturing “We knew way back in August that we had apply the rule consistently.
support for their fast development. It also while clinical trials of vaccine candidates a very high probability of getting at least one Technology firms using their content
used the U.S. military’s logistics capability were still underway. That’s unprecedented good vaccine” by the end of 2020 after con- and user-related algorithms to suppress
to build a secure vaccine supply chain and in drug and vaccine development, as it’s too ducting “a very sophisticated cumulative or prioritize the access of any content
handle the distribution of the vaccines. risky to produce something that may fail in probability analysis,” he said. related to a political candidate or cause
It’s a kind of “manufacturing miracle” to the end. As a four-star general in charge of the U.S. on the ballot would also face daily fines
produce millions of vaccines in record time, With funding from the U.S. government, Army Materiel Command, Perna oversaw under the measure.
Arthur Herman, senior fellow at the Hudson manufacturing began on an industrial scale. the global supply chain and logistics for Op- The bill was filed days after former
Institute, told The Epoch Times. More than 23 manufacturing facilities across eration Warp Speed. President Donald Trump’s Twitter ac-
“What was accomplished with Warp Speed the country have been scaled up with sup- Besides Slaoui and Perna, the operation count was suspended following the Jan.
can be done in other areas, with health care, port from Operation Warp Speed, according recruited many people from government 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol.
with vaccinations for other diseases,” he said. to Paul Mango, former deputy chief of staff and military cadres. Herman listed Trump Republican Rep. Blaise Ingoglia, the
Herman, who calls the COVID-19 pan- for policy at the Department of Health and among the “heroes” of the operation. sponsor of the bill, said it’s needed to
demic a “health care version of Pearl Har- Human Services (HHS) during the Trump “I think you can’t leave him out of this pic- protect Florida’s citizens from arbitrary
bor,” says Operation Warp Speed is a “re- administration. ture by any means. He saw the advantages to sanctions by Big Tech companies.
markable achievement” that resembles the “Our job was to fund and de-risk the phar- a fast and rapid ramp up with a military-style
CHRIS MCGRATH/GETTY IMAGES
model of industrial mobilization during maceutical companies,” Mango told The Ep- operation.”
World War II. och Times. Trump released a statement on March 10
The leaders of Operation Warp Speed, ac- “We were manufacturing tens of millions of saying that if his administration hadn’t acted
cording to The New York Times, were in- doses of vaccine before anyone had it, even in in an expeditious manner during the pan-
spired by Herman’s best-selling book “Free- Emergency Use Authorization, and that was demic, the United States wouldn’t yet have
dom’s Forge,” an account of how American at our cost because the pharma companies the vaccine.
manufacturers helped the United States and never would have taken those risks.” “I hope everyone remembers when they’re
its allies win the war. Mango, who was also a former partner at getting the COVID-19 (often referred to as the
The book, published in 2012, pays tribute consulting firm McKinsey, was part of the China Virus) Vaccine, that if I wasn’t Presi-
to the U.S. business leaders, engineers, and team that developed the strategy for Op- dent, you wouldn’t be getting that beauti-
workers who produced two-thirds of all Al- eration Warp Speed. He said that forming ful ‘shot’ for 5 years, at best, and probably
lied military equipment used in the war, a public-private partnership for industrial- wouldn’t be getting it at all,” he said in an
including 86,000 tanks, 2.5 million trucks, scale production was the idea of then-HHS emailed statement. “We’ve gotten to the point now that
286,000 warplanes, and 8,800 naval ships, Secretary Alex Azar, who refused to accept The U.S. government partnered with U.S. they’ve become so powerful,” Ingoglia
as well as the B-29 bomber and the atomic “business-as-usual timelines” for vaccines. companies including Moderna, Pfizer, John- said. “When you have a handful of
bomb. It also tells the story of innovative auto “He’s the one who conceived of it. He came son & Johnson, Novavax, UPS, FedEx, CVS, companies that are so powerful that
and electrical companies that transformed from the pharmaceutical industry, and he Walgreens, and McKesson for the operation. they sort of dictate what can or can-
their manufacturing to produce war materi- knew that they would never take these risks While Operation Warp Speed was a re- not be seen or heard in order to make
als at a record pace. to accelerate development and manufactur- markable achievement, according to experts, informed choices, I think that that is
Vaccine development typically begins in a ing unless we stepped in,” Mango said. “We it has come under criticism due to the distri- problematic.”
research lab at a university, medical center, went to the president and the president said, bution issues at the state level. Some states Critics of the legislation, however, ar-
or small biotech company, and the entire ‘Go for it. Just let me know what you need.’” vaccinated people successfully in the initial gue that the measure is likely uncon-
process from research to manufacturing Operation Warp Speed was launched by rollout, such as North Dakota, West Virginia, stitutional because it infringes on the
to distribution could take nearly six years. presidential order in May 2020. The Trump and South Dakota, but many states found the social media companies’ First Amend-
During the COVID-19 health crisis, however, administration appointed Moncef Slaoui, a process challenging. ment free speech rights by regulating
Operation Warp Speed shifted the focus from Moroccan-born scientist, as chief adviser and Bottlenecks at the state level prompted the the content allowed on their platforms.
laboratory process to industrial process and Army Gen. Gustave Perna as chief operating Biden administration officials to complain “I share some of your concerns about
mobilized big pharmaceutical companies to officer of Operation Warp Speed. that they had to “start from scratch” on vac- these Big Tech companies, and I do
develop and manufacture vaccines using a Many experts, including Mango, call Slaoui cine distribution. However, getting shots into think we need to do something about
network of facilities across the country. “a great strategist.” He oversaw the develop- the arms of people was a state responsibility them,” said state Rep. Joe Geller, a
In addition, the program set a clear target ment of five major novel vaccines while lead- from the start, according to Herman. Democrat, calling the legislation “ill-
and strict deadline similar to the wartime ing GlaxoSmithKline’s vaccines department. “The distribution stops at the state line and advised.”
operation. The goal of the program was to After his appointment, Slaoui developed then the governors and state governments “Sometimes, I’ve argued on some of
hit 20 million vaccines by December 2020. a portfolio of six vaccines that the U.S. gov- take over from there,” he said. our bills that we’re talking about ‘some-
That helped all parties to stay focused on ernment invested in across three different In terms of distribution, which means ship- thing that ain’t broke, so don’t fix it.’
meeting the target and the deadline, Her- technology platforms—mRNA, viral vector, ping of vaccines, Operation Warp Speed “ac- That’s not the case here. This is broke,”
man said. It also helped to speed up the FDA and protein subunit. complished exactly” what it set out to do. Geller said. “I just don’t think it’s within
our purview to fix it.”
In announcing the legislation last
month during a press conference from
Pelosi Defends had been close, one side or the other saying, the House Administration Committee, to her
‘Let’s take it to the House.’” members saying that “the margin separat-
the Florida Capitol, DeSantis criticized
the manipulation of news and censor-
Democrats She said that the late “Justice Scalia ing the two candidates was only six votes
agreed that the House has the authority out of almost 400,000 cast: less than 1/6 of 1
ship of certain individuals, and called
for open, robust debate on issues that

Launching Probe to seat members,” meaning that “we can percent. That’s six votes—not 6,000; not 600;
count the votes.” not 60 or even 16—just six fewer votes than
affect Americans rather than the cen-
sorship that Big Tech companies are

to Possibly Unseat Several days prior to her interview,

Pelosi told reporters in a press
we have members of this committee.”
According to the Federal Con-
currently engaging in.
The governor said companies are dis-

GOP Member conference that overturning

the election in favor of Hart is
tested Elections Act of 1969, the
House has the ability to decide
criminating against citizens when they
change their rules as it suits them, with-
a “hypothetical” situation, but close congressional races on its out warning or consistency.
CONTINUED FROM A1 later said it’s possible. own aside from the courts. “Floridians should have the privacy
“Well, I respect the work of the Republicans have cried foul of their data and personal information
recounted, and certified by the state. Sev- committee,” Pelosi said on March over the Democratic-led com- protected, their ability to access and
eral days ago, the House Administration 12. “I did see, as you saw in the press, mittee’s actions. participate in online platforms pro-
Committee started a process that could what they decided to—and they Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) said that tected, and their ability to participate
lead to Miller-Meeks being unseated. were following my, as I read it, the Miller-Meeks was declared the win- in elections free from interference from
Mariannette
“It was six votes, and our candidate Rita requirements of the law as to how Miller-Meeks
ner of the contest. Big Tech protected,” DeSantis said on
Hart, the Democratic candidate asked for you go forward. And how you go answers a ques- “Miller-Meeks has won the elec- Feb. 2.
this process to begin,” Pelosi told ABC. “What forward is the path you’re on, and tion during a tion, the majority of Iowa has fairly The legislation has another House
the committee did, the House Administra- we’ll see where that takes us. But debate in Cedar elected their representative. The panel hearing before it can receive a
tion Committee, was very narrow to take there could be a scenario to that Rapids, Iowa, on Democratic majority in Washing- floor vote. It hasn’t yet been heard yet
the process to the next step and see where extent. Yes.” Oct. 8, 2020. ton should not stand in the way in the Senate.
it goes from there. An election of six votes Pelosi, with her March 14 com- and delay this process any longer
out of 400,000 votes cast. This is not unique. ment, appeared to be echoing a statement and spend taxpayer money on unneces- Masooma Haq and The Associated
“This has happened ... before when races sent by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), chair of sary legal fees,” he said. Press contributed to this report.
 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 NATION | A5
CHARLOTTE CUTHBERTSON/THE EPOCH TIMES

10 Percent of Illegal
Immigrants Test Positive
for CCP Virus Before
Release: Rep. McCarthy
CONTINUED FROM A1 the crisis at the southern border,
and specifically about the mes-
10 percent are testing positive,” sage his administration is send-
McCarthy said. “Well, they’re ing migrants.
being stored together. In a time Opponents of Biden’s relaxed
when the president will keep our immigration policies say they’re
country closed, when maybe we fueling the surge of migrants at Border Patrol
have hope for a Fourth of July, to the border. In February, illegal agents arrest
get together just with our family, crossings  rose above 100,000, illegal border-
crossers
how much spread of COVID is he according to official data, with who tried to
creating every single day by his another 26,000 evading capture, evade capture
policies along this border?” according to provisional Customs near Penitas,
Trey Mendez, mayor of Browns- and Border Protection figures re- Texas,
ville, Texas, told reporters in a viewed by former Texas Depart- on March
Zoom call on March 15 that 7.3 ment of Public Safety captain 15. 2021.
percent of illegal immigrants ar- Jaeson Jones.
riving in his city have tested posi- The Biden administration re- “The border’s not open. The has decided to reject that.” Biden administration suggested
tive for the CCP virus, also known cently acknowledged, albeit re- vast majority of individuals ap- Renae Eze, Texas Gov. Greg Ab- it did not have the sufficient re-
as the novel coronavirus. luctantly, that there’s a crisis at prehended or encountered at the bott’s press secretary, implied sources and, remarkably, asked
In addition, the Republican the border. border continue to be denied entry there were “strings attached” to Texas to assist them in aiding their
leader criticized the Biden ad- When pressed by reporters and are returned. the federal funding that Psaki re- illegal immigration program. Tex-
ministration’s immigration poli- about why illegal immigrants “The other piece is, as the ques- ferred to. as refused.”
cies, particularly the reversal of aren’t required to have negative tion about the testing of migrants “The Biden Administration con- He said in a  CNBC interview
Trump-era policies through ex- test results to enter the coun- at the border, or testing of migrants tinues to pressure Texas to assist on March 11, “The Biden admin-
ecutive orders. try like those who enter legally, as they’re coming across, and we them in aiding their illegal im- istration has been releasing im-
“This is where [Biden] should White House press secretary Jen have DHS, and FEMA has stepped migration program,” Eze said in a migrants in south Texas that have
talk to the border agents, and let Psaki defended the administra- in and worked with local mayors, statement. “We are focused on do- been exposing Texans to COVID.”
them know that this is beyond a tion’s policies and said more NGOs, and public health officials ing our job—protecting Texans.” According to a Just the News/
crisis,” McCarthy said. “He can could be done with testing and in Texas to implement a system to Abbott, a Republican, said in Rasmussen poll released on
continue to deny it, but the only quarantining them if the gover- provide COVID-19 testing, and as a statement: “Border security is March 15, 90 percent of Ameri-
way to solve it is to first admit nor of Texas would authorize it. needed, isolation and quarantine strictly a federal responsibility. cans think illegal immigrants
what he has done, and if he will “Governor Abbott has referred for families released from border The federal government alone has should be tested for the CCP vi-
not reverse action, it’s going to to what’s happening at the bor- patrol facilities. the responsibility to test, screen, rus before being released into the
take congressional action to do it.” der as ... an open borders policy. “Their proposal and agreement and quarantine illegal immigrants country.
McCarthy said he sent a letter That is absolutely incorrect,” Psaki would cover 100 percent of the ex- crossing our border who may have
to President Joe Biden in hopes said on March 11 during a White pense of the testing isolation and COVID. Tom Ozimek and Jack Phillips
of meeting with him to discuss House press briefing. quarantine, but Governor Abbott “Instead of doing their job, the contributed to this report.

MEGAN VARNER/GETTY IMAGES

Michigan Attorney General Rejects GOP

Calls for Probe Into Nursing Home Deaths
TOM OZIMEK Feb. 24, the eight Republican law- saw “no evidence” in their letter
makers argued that the regional or “elsewhere to suggest that Gov.
Michigan Attorney General Dana hub policy “may have exacerbated Whitmer’s efforts to contain COV-
Nessel says an investigation into the death toll in those facilities.” ID-19 in Michigan’s nursing homes
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s han- The lawmakers also highlighted resulted in increased deaths.”
dling of nursing homes during the “discrepancies” in how CCP virus “The suggestion that these public
CCP virus pandemic isn’t current- infections and deaths were report- health policy decisions, by them-
ly warranted, after a number of Re- ed by the nursing homes, ques- selves, should be investigated be-
publican lawmakers called for a tioned whether guidelines from cause different approaches could
probe into virus-related deaths in the Centers for Disease Control have resulted in fewer deaths is
the state’s long-term care facilities. and Prevention (CDC) were fol- inappropriate and violates well-
Nessel, a Democrat, said in a lowed, and challenged compli- established ethical guidelines for
March 15 statement that she “will ance with Michigan’s Freedom of investigations by law enforcement A Gwinnett county worker begins recounting ballots in Lawrenceville, Ga., on
not hesitate to act when justified,” Information Act. agencies,” Nessel wrote. Nov. 13, 2020.
but that she wouldn’t “abuse the In August 2020, the Justice De- On compliance with CDC guide-
investigatory powers of this De- partment requested governors of lines, Nessel wrote that no spe- Georgia Judge Might Unseal
partment to launch a political at- states that had “issued COVID-19 cifics had been provided by the
tack on any state official, regard- orders that may have resulted in Republican lawmakers as to al- Fulton County Absentee Ballots
less of party or beliefs.” deaths of elderly nursing home leged violations, and “even if be-
It comes after  state Sen. Jim residents”—namely Michigan, havior contrary to CDC guidance for Fraud Investigation
Runestad, a Republican, led a co- New Jersey, New York, and Penn- is identified, there is no criminal
alition of Michigan GOP lawmak- sylvania—to turn over data on penalty under Michigan law for
ers in calling for an investigation deaths in those long-term care such violation.” CONTINUED FROM A1 “I can’t sign an order until such
into whether Whitmer’s policies facilities. Whitmer, joined by She noted a similar lack of speci- time as I’m satisfied that the
around the CCP (Chinese Commu- New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, ficity with regard to alleged Free- Judge Brian Amero said he’s in- manner and method (of review)
nist Party) virus exacerbated the pushed back against those inqui- dom of Information Act violations, clined to order the ballots un- proposed by the petitioners is
outbreak in nursing homes. They ries, arguing that they were but adding that even if present, the Of- sealed and reviewed by experts reasonable,” the judge said.
also called for more transparency a “nakedly partisan deflection” fice of the Attorney General isn’t hired by  Garland Favorito, an Favorito, co-founder of the
around official reporting of data targeting states run by Democrats. the appropriate mechanism for advocate of voting integrity, the Voters Organized for Trusted
on deaths related to COVID-19, “The fact that this letter was sent their investigation. Atlanta Journal-Constitution re- Election Results in Georgia, a
the disease caused by the virus, in during the middle of the Republi- In response, Runestad accused ported. conservative group founded in
Michigan’s long-term care facili- can National Convention week to Nessel of abdicating her responsi- Amero, during a hearing on 2006, has blamed both Demo-
ties, and questioned compliance four Democratic governors should bility and said legislative commit- March 15, said that if the ballots crats and Republicans for le-
with federal health guidelines. make it crystal clear that this is tees had been unable to get data are unsealed, there needs to be a veraging “election integrity for
In the early days of the pan- nothing more than election-year from the state. plan in order to make sure they’re their own benefit.”
demic, Michigan—along with New politics by an administration that “Families who lost loved ones kept in secret and kept secure. “In H.R. 1, the Democrats are
York and four other states—imple- is more concerned with the presi- to COVID-19 in nursing homes “We want to do this in such a way trying to take control of the
mented a policy that sought to dent’s reelection campaign than deserve to get answers. And just that dispels rumors and disinfor- country with a bunch of uncon-
prevent hospital overcrowding by protecting Michigan seniors,” like the Whitmer administration, mation, and sheds light,” Amero stitutional provisions,” Favorito
returning medically stable seniors Whitmer said at the time. today the office of the Democratic said. “The devil’s in the details.” said, according to Politico. “In
who were recovering from CO- More recently, Whitmer de- attorney general let those families He made the comment after a Georgia, the Republicans are
VID-19 to nursing homes. Whit- fended her policies in a March down,” he said in a statement. lawsuit filed in a Fulton County trying to solidify their power
mer issued an executive order in 11 virtual discussion hosted by Scrutiny over Whitmer’s policies Superior Court contended that with certain election provisions
April 2020 to designate 21 nursing Politico, in which she said it was is likely to continue. fraudulent ballots were cast in the omnibus bills, which
homes as “regional hubs,” which a “Republican talking point that Last week, Macomb County during the Nov. 3, 2020, election don’t benefit President Trump,
were expected to provide care for patients were sent back to nurs- Prosecutor Peter Lucido, a former amid other alleged irregularities and they don’t benefit the people
both seniors recovering from the ing homes.” She said her orders Republican senator, called for the as workers counted votes at At- of Georgia, for the most part.”
CCP virus and those who didn’t followed federal guidance and county medical examiner’s office lanta’s State Farm Arena on elec- In recent weeks, Republicans
have the virus. The governor also there were no mandates to re- to create a committee for review- tion night. at the state and federal level
imposed conditions for the ad- turn COVID-19-positive patients ing COVID-19-related nursing The Georgia Secretary of State’s have called for a variety of elec-
mission of COVID-19-recovering to long-term care facilities, only home deaths. office, which dismissed such al- tion reforms while calling on
seniors, namely that the facilities conditions imposed to ensure Earlier, journalist Charlie legations months ago, didn’t im- lawmakers to reject Democrats’
had to set up dedicated isolation their safety. LeDuff and the Mackinac Center mediately respond to a request by proposals.
units and have adequate personal “We never suggested or man- Legal Foundation filed a lawsuit The Epoch Times for comment. Former Vice President Mike
protective equipment. dated, much less, that they take against the Michigan Department The judge discussed an order Pence targeted Democrats’ H.R.
Critics have argued, however, patients back. But if they were of Health and Human Services, that would prohibit  Favorito’s 1 in a Daily Signal op-ed this
that the policy of intermingling going to, that they needed to fol- seeking data related to COVID-19 group from disclosing their month saying that it “would in-
COVID-19 patients with others low these heightened protocols,” deaths at nursing homes. work without permission from crease opportunities for election
in nursing homes exposed those Whitmer said. Whitmer’s office didn’t immedi- the court, adding that he might fraud, trample the First Amend-
most vulnerable to the virus and Nessel, in a letter to Runestad, ately respond to a request by The appoint an official to oversee the ment, further erode confidence
may have led to more deaths. In addressed the areas of concern Epoch Times for comment. analysis. The review of the ballots, in our elections, and forever di-
separate letters sent to Nessel and that the Republicans raised in according to Amero, could start lute the votes of legally qualified
the U.S. Department of Justice on their letter. She wrote  that she GQ Pan contributed to this report. in April, as reported by the AJC. eligible voters.”
A6 | NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

INFOGRAPHIC

Republicans in State Legislatures

Push for Voting Integrity
Multiple initiatives across different states to address election concerns
By EPOCH TIMES STAFF

S
ince the hotly contested 2020 election, There are six such states: Arizona, Georgia, Mich-
Republican state legislators have intro- igan, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Wiscon-
duced bills in an effort to bolster election sin. In all of them except New Hampshire, Presi-
integrity—particularly in states where the dent Donald Trump contested the election results.
GOP controls the legislature but Democrat Republican lawmakers appear to have been most
President Joe Biden claimed victory. active in Arizona and Georgia. MILLERIUM ARKAY/SHUTTERSTOCK

ARIZONA 5
TRAVEL DRAWN/SHUTTERSTOCK

benefited Democrats, the Amistad Ban Unsolicited Absentee

Project reported last year. Ballot Request Forms: On
March 4, the House passed a

3
bill that bans officials from
Prohibit Same-Day Voter Reg- sending out unsolicited absentee
istration: On March 3, the ballot request forms.
Arizona House passed a bill

6
that prohibits same-day voter
registration. Change Deadline for Post-
marked Date: Another Senate

4
bill making its way through
Make It a Felony to Change legislative committees

1 2
Election-Related Dates: On would require mail-in ballots to be
Require ID for Mail-in Voting: On Ban Private Funding of Elec- March 4, the House passed postmarked by the Thursday before
March 8, the Arizona Senate tions: On March 3, the Arizona a bill that would make it a Election Day and received by close
passed a bill requiring voters to House of Representatives felony for election officials to change of polls on Election Day. It would
include an ID number (such as passed a bill banning private election-related dates and deadlines require that mail-in ballots are sent
from a driver’s license) or their voter funding of elections. The bill is in stipulated in law, unless ordered by a to voters 22 days before Election
registration number plus at least a response to the unprecedented move court. Election officials indeed made Day, instead of the current 27 days.
proof of address (such as a utility bill) by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg such changes on their own in some Voters who surrender their absen-
with their mail-in ballots. Previously, to pour more than $400 million states last year, using the CCP (Chi- tee ballot at the polls could cast a
an ID was only required for in-person into local election offices last year. nese Communist Party) virus pan- regular ballot, rather than a provi-
voting. The money was spent in a way that demic as justification. sional one.

GEORGIA • voters to include an ID photocopy or • that the counting of ballots continue

RORIUS/SHUTTERSTOCK

ID number with their mail-in ballot ap- until it is complete (currently, election
plications superintendents can stop counting and
resume later)
• voters to include an ID photocopy, ID
number, or the last four digits of their Social
Security number with their mail-in ballots Various smaller bills are
• early-voting locations to be only at the
making their way through
board of registrars main office, a county the committees:
courthouse, a government office, or an Elec-
tion Day polling place Bar Codes for Ballots
One bill would furnish absentee ballots with
• non-government entities distributing barcodes for tracking purposes. Another
On March 1, the Georgia House mark their ballot in the presence of people absentee ballot applications to include their would nix automatic voter registration at the
not authorized to assist them name and a disclaimer that the form was Department of Motor Vehicles. Voters would
of Representatives passed a wide not supplied by the government need to opt in (such as by checking a box) to
ranging election reform bill that • the elimination of signature compari- get registered.
would require: son in the verification of absentee ballots • mobile polling places to be allowed only
(replaced by the ID requirement) if a judge permits them and there’s an Better Access for Poll Watchers
emergency rendering a polling place unsafe Yet another bill would expand poll watcher
• voters to include an ID number or ID • the state to no longer accept provi- for human occupation, or there’s a utility access so that they could observe all the
photocopy with their absentee ballots sional ballots cast at the wrong precinct on outage key processes at a tabulating center with
Election Day minimal restrictions. The bill appears to
• driver’s license numbers or the last four • precinct opening hours on Election Day be in response to complaints by numerous
digits of one’s Social Security number on an • a ban on “money or gifts” (including food to be extended only by court order Republican poll watchers that they were kept
absentee ballot envelope and drinks) for voters at a polling place or so far from where the tabulation processes
standing in line to vote • banning the secretary of state and were happening as to render their observa-
• limiting the number of drop boxes and county election officials from mailing unso- tion meaningless.
their locations to polling places or registrar • replacing the secretary of state as head licited absentee ballot applications (which
offices only of the state election board with a nonparti- officials did in some states using COVID-19 Keep Ballot Duplicates
san head appointed by the legislature as a justification) One bill would require that, after count-
• drop boxes to be closed for Election Day ing, absentee ballots be sorted and stored
• a ban on sending absentee ballot appli- by precinct in sealed containers, with the
• the secretary of state to set up an on- Georgia’s Senate passed on cations that are pre-filled, even partially chain of custody logged until they are legally
line system for mail-in ballot applications March 8 its own election reform disposed of. Ballot duplicates, which are
bill that would require: • the elimination of signature comparison made for damaged ballots, would get serial
• absentee voters to sign attestation, on absentee ballot applications (replaced by numbers and be kept with the original ballots
under penalty of perjury, that they didn’t • an end to no-excuse absentee voting the ID requirement) at all times.

NEW HAMPSHIRE, MICHIGAN, PENNSYLVANIA, AND WISCONSIN

In the other states, there seems their way through committees. One says Pennsylvania
PUBLIC DOMAIN VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

that voters with “unknown dates of birth” Pennsylvania Republicans introduced several
to be much less activity. should get notice to provide their real date bills to remove dead or ineligible voters from
New Hampshire of birth or get their status changed to “chal- the rolls as well as nix no-excuse mail-in vot-
The New Hampshire Senate passed a bill on lenged,” which means they’d get removed ing. None of the bills, however, has made it out
March 4 that would require voters to include from the rolls after missing two general of a committee so far.
their ID number and the last four digits of their elections and primaries. The notice, when
Social Security number with absentee ballot returned, would get signature-matched to Wisconsin
applications. the voter records. Another bill would adopt In Wisconsin, Republican state Sen. Kathy
a similar procedure to purge from the rolls Bernier introduced on March 8 two bills that
Michigan people who haven’t voted since the 2000 would make a number of small or technical
Michigan has a few smaller bills working general election. changes to the election code.
 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 NATION | A7

Pentagon’s Focus on ‘Extremists’ in Secretary of Defense Lloyd

Austin (L) visits National
Guard troops deployed at the

Ranks the Wrong Priority: Rep. Waltz

U.S. Capitol and its perime-
ter, on Capitol Hill in Wash-
ington on Jan. 29, 2021.

CONTINUED FROM A1 prohibited activity is included

terrorist activity, anarchist
A memo followed, titled activity, etc., as these all are
“Leadership Stand-Down to detrimental to good order, dis-
Address Extremism in the cipline, or mission accomplish-
Force” issued Feb. 26, which ment or are incompatible with
mandates that unit command- military service, and against
ers determine security threats the law.”
by service personnel aligned The Feb. 26 memo requires
with extremists, and specifi- that service members report
cally, “white supremacists.” to their superiors the actions
Media critics have called it a of colleagues that could be of
purity test. The order followed concern.
news that several of the people “Reporting: If you observe a
who breached the U.S. Capitol co-worker exhibiting concern-
on Jan. 6 were active or former ing behaviors, you have a re-
military. sponsibility to report it through
“Yes, we should root out all ex- the chain of command or su-
tremists, but it should be across pervision to your local secu-
all ideologies—anarchist, com- rity manager, and/or directly
munist, Black Lives Matter, An- to the Insider Threat program
tifa, or Nazis, and regulations office. Report issues of immi-
on the books already proscribe nent threats or activity that
that,” Waltz said. may constitute criminal con-
“As far as my Green Beret ex- duct to local law enforcement
perience goes, when the bullets immediately,” the memo states.
are flying, your enemies could Qualifications for security
care less whether you are black, clearances may be denied for
white, or brown,” said Waltz, a personnel who get reported by MANUEL BALCE CENETA/POOL/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
decorated veteran who serves fellow service members.
as a colonel in the U.S. Army “If you observe a Service a threat to morale and recruit- domestic terrorists.” director of cybersecurity policy,
Reserve. member actively participating ment. Orland said, “Creating an en- strategy, and international af-
“This overall focus on race in an extremist organization “This effort will destroy our vironment that is free from dis- fairs in the Office of the Secre-
and skin color is antithetical in a manner that you suspect military,” Boykin told The Epoch crimination, hate, and harass- tary of Defense. Mills contrib-
to our merit-based, mission- violates the UCMJ [Uniform Times. The department-wide col- ment against others will not hurt utes to The Epoch Times opinion
focused military,” Waltz said. Code of Military Justice] or lection of data on serving mem- morale and recruitment.” section.
the Department of Defense’s, bers of the military  who may Boykin says the stand-down “I’ve lived through three phas-
‘Recent Events’ a Military Department’s, or have voiced support for Donald has to be linked with the long- es of these ideological eras,”
A suggested talking point in Service’s extremism policies, Trump will hurt morale, he said. term occupation of the U.S. Mills told The Epoch Times.
the stand-down memo of Feb. report the Service member to Capitol grounds by the National “First were various ‘sensitiv-
26 reads, “Actively espousing a supervisor, commander, or Guard, which is another form of ity’ training sessions during the
ideologies that encourage dis- military criminal investigator. psychological operation. Clinton years that hinted at sig-
crimination, hate, and harass- “Extremist behavior by De- The job of the De- “Fact is, the stand-down is nificant Christian intolerance of
ment against others will not be partment personnel that does squandering time for exercises others. These training sessions
tolerated within our (unit/com- not rise to the level of a violation
partment of De- that are needed to prepare for were shortly curtailed after sig-
mand/etc).” of the UCMJ or other applicable fense is to keep the real war we have been in for nificant pushback.
The memo specifically tar- laws, or the Department of De- America safe from 19 years,” he said. “Our military “Second, within days of the
gets “racially and ethnically fense’s, Military Department’s, cannot be successful until we Obama administration taking
motivated violent extremists, or Military Service’s extremism our enemies. But get back to the primary mission office, a DHS flyer was circulat-
including white supremacists, policies may still be a concern we can’t do that if of winning the nation’s wars.” ed within government that said
and other domestic terrorists under the U.S. Government’s some of those ene- white Christian males with guns
such as anti-government vio- national security adjudicative ‘Ideological Eras’ were a greater danger than Is-
lent extremists.” guidelines, used to assess eli- mies lie within our The focus on weeding out white lamic extremists. This flyer was
Four examples of imper- gibility for access to classified own ranks. supremacists and neo-Nazis, pulled back, but Obama politi-
missible groups cited in the information or to hold a sensi- along with no mention of Anti- cals told me several times that
stand-down memo are either tive position.” Secretary of Defense fa, anarchists, or Jihadist groups white Christian males with guns
Lloyd Austin
white supremacists or neo-Nazi Some active-duty members has riled some active-duty ser- is what kept them up at night—
groups. of the military who attended vice members who talked to The more so than ISIS, China, and
Lt. Col. Uriah Orland, a Penta- the large rally held by President “This is very damaging to Epoch Times on background for Russia,” he said.
gon spokesman, responded to Donald Trump in Washington morale, which will impact re- fear of retaliation. “The chilling and directive na-
queries from The Epoch Times on Jan. 6 have told The Epoch cruitment and retention,” said “We have had a series of attacks ture of the current third wave
about why Antifa, communists, Times that they feel they’re un- Boykin, currently a vice presi- against U.S. servicemen by sol- of indoctrination is concerning.
and jihadists weren’t mentioned der surveillance. dent of the Family Research diers driven by jihadist sympa- “There is extremism, and it has
as domestic terrorist threats. “People have come to me and Council in Washington. thies, including an arrest Janu- to be addressed, but there are
“We’ve been fighting a war said that people are asking “Where is all of this going? ary 19, 2021, of a Cavalry Scout at multiple forms on all sides which
against terrorism for more questions about me,” said one, It is the administration’s Big Fort Stewart, Georgia, yet never must be holistically discussed.
than 20 years. It’s ingrained who declined to be identified. Con, a big psychological op- in 20 years was there a stand- Their program must be altered
and everyone knows it’s bad. eration designed to convince down to examine Islamicist ex- to be fair, impartial, science and
The stand-down is focused at ‘Big Con’ the American people that the tremists in the ranks,” one said. fact-based, and address 360 de-
recent events, as stated in the Retired Gen. William Ger- people who demonstrated in The politicization of the mili- grees of extremism,” Mills said.
leadership stand-down frame- ald  “Jerry” Boykin, a former Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6 and tary by left-leaning social en- “If they’re going to obsess over
work,” Orland said. undersecretary of defense for all the people they represent— gineers isn’t new, according to the Proud Boys, they need to also
“Within [a] broad scope of intelligence, calls the mandates that is, Trump supporters—are retired Col. John Mills, former obsess over Antifa and BLM.”

HHS Ordered to Release Info on Purchase of Aborted Human Fetal Organs

LI HAI The FDA and NIH then provided and a violation of human dignity. Judicial Watch last year uncov-
hundreds of documents but re- Obtaining and transferring fe- ered records from the FDA show-
A federal judge has ordered the dacted some information under tal tissue implicates a number of ing that, between 2012 and 2018,
U.S. Department of Health and the FOIA’s exception 4, claiming laws, according to a Senate Judi- the FDA entered into eight con-
Human Services (HHS) to release such information is confidential ciary Committee report released tracts worth $96,370 with ABR to
additional information about its and commercial. in December 2016. For example, acquire “fresh and never frozen”
purchases of organs harvested U.S. District Judge Trevor N. Mc- the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 tissue from first- and second-tri-
from aborted human fetuses, ac- Fadden ruled in Judicial Watch’s established 42 U.S.C. §289g-2, mester aborted fetuses for ongo-
cording to a recent court filing. favor in a court order dated March which prohibits fetal tissue sale ing research.
Two agencies of the HHS, the 11, ordering the HHS to provide for “valuable consideration.” In 2019, NIH spent $109 million
Food and Drug Administration the information requested. The court noted that ABR could on about 175 projects that used
(FDA) and the National Institutes The American peo- “This court victory will shed ad- collect more than $2,000 on a sin- human fetal tissue. In 2020, NIH
of Health (NIH), both purchased ple deserve to know ditional light on the federal gov- gle fetus purchased from Planned was estimated to spend $116 mil-
organs from California-based ernment’s barbaric practice of Parenthood for $60 because ABR lion, according to its database.
Advanced Biosciences Resourc- how their tax dol- purchasing organs of aborted hu- sold second-trimester livers, The Trump administration
es (ABR) for use in HIV research. lars are being spent man beings,” said Judicial Watch brains, eyes, lungs, and thymi for announced on June 5, 2019, that
ABR partners with Planned Par- President Tom Fitton. “The Ameri- hundreds of dollars apiece, after it would discontinue federally
enthood and other abortion pro-
on this grotesque can people deserve to know how tacking on fees for services like funded research that uses human
viders to dismember fetuses and and potentially il- their tax dollars are being spent shipping and cleaning. fetal tissue from elective abor-
sell their parts for research. legal activity. on this grotesque and potentially “There is reason to question tions conducted by government
Judicial Watch initially filed a illegal activity.” the lawfulness of the transaction scientists.
lawsuit in March 2019 after HHS Tom Fitton, president, Fetal tissue research has been a between the Government and “Promoting the dignity of hu-
failed to respond to a September Judicial Watch subject of controversy, especially ABR,” the court wrote. So HHS man life from conception to nat-
2018 Freedom of Information Act for research conducted on still- cannot invoke a FOIA exception to ural death is one of the very top
(FOIA) request. The nonprofit living aborted fetuses. Supporters “shield illegal business practices priorities of President Trump’s
watchdog group requested all of such research argue it’s neces- under the guise of ‘confidential administration,” the HHS said in
contracts, payment records, com- sary to develop future treatments business information.’” a statement at the time.
munications, and documents re- for diseases, while others argue The HHS didn’t immediately re-
lated to HHS purchasing human that regardless of any scientific spond to a request by The Epoch Janita Kan contributed
organs from aborted fetuses. benefit, the practice is unethical Times for comment. to this report.
 A8 | NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

Biden Champions Transgender Movement,

While Trump Had Reservations
DOUG MILLS-POOL/GETTY IMAGES
MATTHEW VADUM

News Analysis
President Joe Biden differs sharply
from his predecessor when it
comes to how the federal govern-
ment should treat Americans who
identify as transgender.
Biden is a progressive leveler. He
embraces the transgender ideol-
ogy unreservedly, demanding
that society accept and normalize
transgender people, while former
President Donald Trump was
more restrained, respecting the
right of transgender people to ex-
ist without rearranging society to
accommodate them or support-
ing the radical socially trans-
formative goals of the left-wing
transgender movement.
Trump banned some trans-
gender individuals from military
service; Biden welcomes them.
Trump opposed letting transgen-
der persons use school bathrooms
corresponding to their gender
identity; Biden does not. Trump
opposed expanding civil-rights
protections for transgender President Joe Biden, flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, signs an executive order to appeal a ban on transgender
people in employment; Biden fa- people serving openly in the military, in the Oval Office on Jan. 25, 2021.
vors expanding such protections, TASOS KATOPODIS/GETTY IMAGES

not just in employment, but also “Finished. Done,” Blade said. the ‘transgender ban’ for effect resilience of the LGBTQ+ move-
in other realms. “The leadership skills, all the by media outlets and to garner ment into enduring law.”
Biden supports sex-change benefits society gets from letting public support, but in reality, it Former President Trump
operations for 8-year-olds; Trump girls have their protected category was a ban on gender dysphoria: slammed the proposed Equality
did not. Biden has nominated the so that competition can be fair, all a serious mental illness, some- Act during a speech at the Con-
first transgender person for a post the advances of women’s rights— thing I’m all too familiar with servative Political Action Confer-
requiring U.S. Senate confirma- that’s going to be diminished.” because I suffered from it while I ence (CPAC) on Feb. 28, saying
tion. Trump sought to protect Pro-transgender policies hurt served and still do.” its requirement that men who
religious freedom against possible women, said James Shupe, who, Trump’s policy allowed gender- identify as women be allowed
claims made on behalf of newly after serving as an icon of trans- dysphoric individuals to serve “if to participate in women’s sports
recognized gender rights. gender activism, denounced the you remain mentally fit, can ab- would destroy female athletic
movement and the idea that one stain from hormones and surger- competition.
Legal Changes can change one’s sex as a fraud. ies, and can serve in your birth “Young girls and women are
Biden’s quest for radical egalitari- Shupe was the first individual sex” without embracing “a false incensed that they are now being
anism is aided by a changing legal in Oregon to receive legal rec- reality” such as changing your forced to compete against those
environment. ognition for his “non-binary” sex on your personal identifica- who are biological males,” Trump
He signed Executive Order President Donald Trump walks to the sex designation, only to ask after tion, Shupe said. said. “It’s not good for women,
13988, “Preventing and Combat- Rose Garden for the daily coronavirus his epiphany to have the status “What you dressed up as or it’s not good for women’s sports,
ing Discrimination on the Basis of briefing, at the White House on rescinded and his “male” sex who you slept with off-duty was which worked so long and so hard
Gender Identity or Sexual Orien- March 29, 2020. restored on his birth certificate. your business.” to get where they are.”
tation,” which builds on last year’s “Females bear the brunt of the “The records that stood for
6–3 Supreme Court decision ter their gender identity or sexual suffering in all of it, and President Children years, even decades, are now be-
in Bostock v. Clayton County. That orientation.” Biden and the Democrats don’t Biden endorsed sex-change op- ing smashed with ease,” he said.
decision read transgender people The ACLU celebrated the execu- care, all for the sake of politics,” erations for 8-year-olds during an “If this is not changed, women’s
into the Civil Rights Act of 1964, tive order, writing that it was “a he told The Epoch Times in an October 2020 town hall meeting. sports as we know it will die.”
holding that they’re protected salve after four years of relentless email interview. Trump never endorsed such a In weightlifting, “every ounce is
from employment discrimination attacks by the Trump adminis- “Even worse, a lot of females are radical position. like a big deal for many years,”
even though the statute doesn’t tration on LGBTQ people in all perpetuating harm against other Peter Sprigg of Family Research Trump said. “All of a sudden
mention gender specifically. aspects of life.” women and girls while believing Council Action said at the time somebody comes along and
Biden ordered several agencies to “This administration is pre- they’re doing the right thing to that Biden was “wrong to encour- beats it by 100 pounds.”
review policies on gender identity pared to vigorously defend and support these transgender poli- age gender transitions for 8-year-
and report back with recommen- enforce the legal protections that cies, because they think it’s the old children. The implementation Religious Freedom
dations for potential action. LGBTQ people enjoy under fed- right thing to do because they’ve of invasive physiological gender The Trump administration took
That court ruling was a defeat eral law,” the ACLU wrote. been led to believe that.” transition procedures ... upon a stand against the principles ar-
for the Trump administration. At the 2016 Republican nomi- “And it’s sad,” Shupe said. “If minors raises grave concerns.” ticulated in the Bostock decision
During oral arguments, then- nating convention, Trump only everyone would spend more Biden has nominated Dr. Rachel days before it was handed down.
Solicitor General Noel Francisco presented himself as a defender time learning about the sordid Levine, until recently Pennsyl- In an effort to protect religious
said about the consolidated case, of LGBTQ rights, saying, “As your history of gender identity. If they vania’s health secretary, to be freedoms, in June 2020, Trump’s
which also dealt with sexual president, I will do everything in did, they wouldn’t be so quick to assistant secretary of health, the Department of Health and Hu-
orientation, “Sex means whether my power to protect our LGBTQ celebrate having men like me in first transgender individual to man Services (HHS) finalized a
you’re male or female, not wheth- citizens from the violence and op- their female bathrooms.” be nominated for a Senate-con- rule that followed federal court
er you’re gay or straight.” pression of a hateful foreign ideol- firmed position. rulings finding that the Obama
This landmark judicial foray into ogy.” The ideology referenced was Military Levine favors administering administration overreached
the culturally contentious realm Islamism, which doesn’t tolerate Biden changed military policy puberty-blocking drugs to chil- when it issued a rule prohibiting
of sex versus sex roles brought an the LGBTQ movement. on transgender people, accom- dren under the age of 18 if they discrimination in health care
expanded meaning to the phrase The Biden order applies the plishing the change with the identify as the opposite sex and and health insurance on the
“on the basis of sex” that appears court’s reasoning in Bostock on stroke of a pen. reportedly is open to surgical sex- basis of patients’ “internal sense
in the Civil Rights Act. gender identity to laws that al- In Executive Order 14004, reassignment being performed of gender.”
Decision author Justice Neil ready forbid sex discrimination: Biden revoked Trump’s rule that on such children without paren- The rule dealt with Section 1557
Gorsuch wrote that the ruling the Education Amendments Act prevented some transgender tal consent. of the Affordable Care Act, which
dealt with employment alone and of 1972, Fair Housing Act, and individuals from serving in the made it unlawful to discriminate
didn’t apply to “sex-segregated the Immigration and National- armed forces. Equality Act on the basis of “race, color, na-
bathrooms, locker rooms, and ity Act. This means, among other Stating that “an inclusive Critics fear the Biden-backed pro- tional origin, sex, age, or disabil-
dress codes,” all of which are things, that any schools, includ- military strengthens our national posed “Equality Act,” which they ity in certain health programs
regulated under another law, Title ing public high schools, that security,” Biden said it was his characterize as a radical assault and activities.”
IX of the Education Amendments accept federal funding have to “conviction as Commander in on constitutionally protected Biden is widely expected to
Act of 1972, which wasn’t at issue allow biological boys who self- Chief of the Armed Forces that religious freedoms, and that reverse the rule.
in the court case. identify as girls onto girls’ sports gender identity should not be a passed the Democrat-controlled Several Democratic state at-
But Biden’s sweeping order teams or be penalized. bar to military service.” U.S. House of Representatives on torneys general sued Trump’s
declares: “Children should be Biden took a shot at Trump, Feb. 25, will be used to force the HHS to block the rule in a legal
able to learn without worry- Sports writing that “the previous ad- transgender ideology on society. action filed July 20, 2020, claim-
ing about whether they will be If such a policy were widely en- ministration chose to alter” an His comments haven’t reas- ing it “arbitrarily and unlawfully
denied access to the restroom, the forced, girls’ and women’s sports Obama-era policy, “to bar trans- sured critics. strips health care rights statuto-
locker room, or school sports. ... would be in jeopardy, Olympic gender persons, in almost all “Full equality has been denied rily guaranteed by Section 1557
All persons should receive equal track-and-field coach Linda Blade circumstances, from joining the to LGBTQ+ Americans and their from transgender people, women
treatment under the law, no mat- told the Wall Street Journal. Armed Forces and from being families for far too long,” Biden and other individuals seeking
able to take steps to transition said Feb. 19 on the introduction of reproductive health care or with
gender while serving.” the Equality Act. pregnancy-related conditions,
JOHN MOORE/GETTY IMAGES

Instead of “relying on the com- Despite extraordinary progress LEP [limited English proficiency]
U.S. Army prehensive study by a nonpar- by that community, “discrimi- individuals, individuals with
soldiers tisan federally funded research nation is still rampant in many disabilities, and other individuals
retrieve their center, the previous administra- areas of our society,” Biden experiencing discrimination.”
duffel bags tion relied on a review that result- said. “The Equality Act provides HHS asked U.S. District Judge
after returning
home from a
ed in a policy that set unnecessary long-overdue federal civil rights Alvin Hellerstein of New York to
nine-month barriers to military service.” protections on the basis of sexual stay the proceedings, to give the
deployment Shupe said, “President Trump orientation and gender identity, department time to review the
to Afghanistan, really had a fairer and more locking in critical safeguards in case in light of Biden’s executive
at Fort Drum, balanced policy concerning the our housing, education, public actions. The litigants consented
N.Y., on Dec. gender dysphoria ban,” which services, and lending systems— and the lawsuit will be held in
10, 2020. was “often and unfairly called and codifying the courage and abeyance until May 14.
 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 WORLD | A9

Italy Opens Manslaughter Probe as Teacher Dies

Hours After Getting AstraZeneca Vaccine
MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
JACK PHILLIPS

Italian officials have begun a man-

slaughter investigation following
the death of a 57-year-old music
teacher hours after receiving As-
traZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, ac-
cording to local media reports.
Officials have so far said there is
no evidence of a direct link between
the man’s death and his shot.
Prosecutors in the northern Ital-
ian region of Piedmont announced
they opened a manslaughter probe
into the death of Sandro Tognatti,
who received the vaccine in his
hometown of Biella on March 13.
His wife told news outlets that he
went to bed that night with a high
fever. The next day, she said, an
ambulance was called for him,
and he later died.
The local prosecutor in Biella,
where Tognatti lived, announced
the opening of a criminal case for
manslaughter after his death, Italy’s
La Repubblica newspaper reported.
Teresa Angela Camelio, the pros-
ecutor, announced that the move
“follow[s] the decision of the Pied-
mont Region to suspend ‘momen-
tarily’ the administration of the As-
traZeneca vaccine included in batch
ABV5811, pending the decisions of
the judicial authority and the drug Medical workers get vaccinated for COVID-19 at the Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, in Turin, Italy, on Dec. 27, 2020.
supervisory commission.” ANTONIO MASIELLO/GETTY IMAGES

Camelio said that an autopsy re- Agency and the World Health Or-
garding Tognatti’s cause and man- ganization (WHO) asserted last
ner of death has been scheduled
Tognatti’s wife week there is no evidence the vac-
for this week. said that he cine is causing clots.
Italian wire service Agenzia Na- Authorities from the European Doses of the
went to bed on AstraZeneca
zionale Stampa Associata (ANSA) Medicines Agency said that “there
also reported on the manslaughter the night after is currently no indication that vac-
COVID-
19 vaccine,
probe announcement. Batches of the vaccination cination causes these conditions,” allocated for
the vaccine were seized in Piedmont with a high while stating that “the vaccine’s Italian military
on March 15 as a precaution, Cam- benefits continue to outweigh its personnel,
elio confirmed to La Repubblica. fever, and later risks and the vaccine can continue in Rome
British drug regulators and Astra- died in the to be administered.” on March
Zeneca officials have said there is no hospital. Italy, Germany, France, Spain, 5, 2021.
link between the Oxford University- and a number of other European
developed vaccine and a higher in- nations have suspended usage of Dr. Phil Bryan, the chief of vac- lets and clots in small and large
stance of blood clots. the AstraZeneca shot in the wake cine safety with the UK Medicines vessels, as well as bleeding, it said,
In a statement to The Epoch of unusual or adverse reactions and Healthcare products Regula- reported Reuters.
Times on March 15, an AstraZen- that were reported among recipi- tory Agency (MHRA), told the BBC “It was an unusual course of ill-
eca spokesman said that the phar- ents.  On March 16, Sweden became that “we are closely reviewing re- ness around the death that made
maceutical giant is “working with the latest country to join the list of ports but given the large number the Danish Medicines Agency re-
national health authorities and Eu- countries to suspend usage. of [AstraZeneca] doses adminis- act,” it said in a statement late on
ropean officials and look forward to German officials said the Europe- tered, and the frequency at which March 14.
their assessment later this week.” an Medicines Agency was expected blood clots can occur naturally, the Norway said on March 13 that
“Around 17 million people in the to make a decision this week on evidence available does not suggest three people, all under the age of 50,
EU and UK have now received our whether the new information will the vaccine is the cause.” who had received the AstraZeneca
vaccine, and the number of cas- affect the authorization and rollout Tognatti’s death came just days vaccine were being treated in hos-
es of blood clots reported in this of the AstraZeneca shot. after a 60-year-old Danish woman pital for bleeding, blood clots, and a
group is lower than the hundreds Officials in those countries have suffered highly “unusual symp- low count of blood platelets, which
of cases that would be expected said there is no evidence the vac- toms” and died after receiving were labeled “unusual symptoms”
among the general population,” cine caused the blood clots, add- the vaccine, the Danish Medicines by health authorities.
AstraZeneca stated. ing that the clots occurred after the Agency said this week. The woman
Both the European Medicines shot was administered. had a low number of blood plate- Reuters contributed to this report.

RODRIGO PAIVA/GETTY IMAGES

BRAZIL BOLIVIA ISRAEL

Brazil’s Bolsonaro Bolivians Take New Piece of Dead

Names 4th Health to the Streets to Sea Scrolls Jigsaw
Minister During Protest Political Discovered After
Pandemic Arrests 60 Years

With COVID-19 still rag- Tens of thousands of people Israeli archaeologists

ing in Brazil, President in cities across Bolivia took racing against treasure
Jair Bolsonaro has picked Brazilian to the streets to protest hunters to search caves
his fourth health minis- President Jair the arrest of ex-President near the Dead Sea have
ter since the pandemic Bolsonaro in Jeanine Áñez and other discovered a trove of arti-
began, this time the head Pirassununga, political opponents of the facts, including fragments
of the country’s cardiology Brazil, on Dec. ruling socialist party over of a biblical text, the likes
society. 4, 2020. allegations they were in- of which has not been seen
Marcelo Queiroga will volved in a coup in 2019. for decades.
replace Eduardo Pazu- reassure the nation about brace the vaccines to stem Everard is to go on trial in In the lowland city of The finds, preserved
ello, an active-duty army its safety. infections in the country of October after the date was Santa Cruz, the largest by the hot, dry air of the
general with expertise in The Horn of Africa na- 15 million people and one set during a court hear- crowds gathered for a Judean desert, also include
logistics who took the posi- tion, which has recently of the continent’s weakest ing at the Old Bailey in rally around a Christ the the 6,000-year-old partly
tion last May. experienced a surge of health systems. London. Redeemer statue waving mummified skeleton of
— The Associated Press cases, received its first — The Associated Press A provisional trial date Bolivian flags and carry- a child, and a perfectly
shipment of 300,000 doses for Wayne Couzens, 48, ing banners calling for a intact, finely woven basket
SOMALIA of the AstraZeneca vaccine UK
who is a serving officer, has defense of democracy and dating back 10,500 years
through the international been set for Oct. 25 accord- freedom. that the Israel Antiquities
Somalia Starts COVAX initiative to ensure Trial of Met ing to the Met police. He is Bolivia’s leftist govern- Authority said was likely to
1st Inoculations that low- and middle- Officer Accused next due in court on July 9 ment, which came back be the oldest in the world.
With AstraZeneca income countries receive for a plea hearing. into power last November, The fragments of parch-
vaccines. of Sarah Everard Everard, 33, went miss- has sought the arrest of a ment, about 2,000 years
Vaccines Somalia’s first vaccina- Murder Set for ing as she walked home number of former officials, old, bear biblical verse,
tions happened in a small October from a friend’s house near military, and civil leaders written in Greek, and
Somalia has launched ceremony at the Martini Clapham Common on it accuses of conspiring match a scroll discovered
COVID-19 vaccinations hospital in the capital Mog- March 3. Her body was to oust long-term leader about 60 years ago called
with the inoculation of adishu where Health Min- The Met Police officer ac- found several days later in Evo Morales less than two the “Book of the 12 Minor
the health minister, who ister Fawziya Abikar Nur cused of the kidnapping Kent, some 50 miles away. years ago. Prophets.”
received the jab publicly to urged the public to em- and murder of Sarah — By Simon Veazey — From Reuters — From Reuters
A10 | CHINA WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

JIM WATSON/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

and sharing system, according to China’s

news portal Sina.
The workflow of the Qingdao model im-
plies that the organ transplants to be per-
formed at Zang’s center necessitate the
arrival of donors’ organs at the hospital in
advance, and that they are waiting for pa-
tients who need them.

Zang was one of the most

well-known liver trans-
plant specialists in China.
In fact, the brain death highlighted in the
Qingdao model isn’t uncommon in the com-
munity of China’s organ transplantation.
Wang Lijun, a former high-profile CCP
official and head of the Chongqing Public
Security Bureau, as well as a few others,
patented an invention called a Primary
Brain Stem Injury Impacting Machine in
collaboration with the Third Military Medi-
cal University of the PLA.
They received a patent for an innovation
dedicated to causing brain death (patent
number:  CN201120542042), which was
called “A Killing Apparatus” by David
Kilgour, Ethan Gutmann, and David Ma-
tas in their updated 2017-edition of “Bloody
Falun Gong practitioners demonstrate an illegal act of paying for human organs, to raise awareness about the Chinese communist regime’s illegal Harvest / Slaughter.” For an illustration
organ harvesting industry, in Washington on April 19, 2016. see the following screenshot provided by
the WOIPFG.

Chinese Medical Expert’s Suicide Zang’s Career Coincides with CCP’s

Practice of Forced Organ Harvesting
Zang’s career in organ transplantation rose

Draws Attention to Questionable from 2000, coinciding with the emergence

of the CCP’s crimes of forced organ har-
vesting against Falun Gong practitioners,

Organ Transplant ‘Model’ according to Heng He.

The CCP began its nationwide campaign
of persecution against Falun Gong prac-
titioners in July 1999. Shortly afterward,
hundreds of thousands of them were ille-
CONTINUED FROM A1 the “fast lane” since the center was founded nors. Another important contributing fac- gally detained in detention centers, labor
in 2014, and has seen significant year-over- tor, Heng said, was that the Beijing Armed camps, and prisons.
Hospital of Qingdao University, killed him- year growth, in part due to Zang’s center Police General Hospital—a military unit In September 1999, Zang began to study
self by jumping off a high building on Feb. and his Organ Procurement Organization of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) or transplant surgery at the Thomas E. Starzl
26, a source told the Chinese-language (OPO) team, Qingdaonews.com revealed. the army of the CCP—for which Zang had Transplantation Institute of the University of
Epoch Times around Feb. 27. Wang Zhiyuan, chair of the World Organi- worked, can guarantee confidentiality and Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) with the
He was one of the most well-known liver zation to Investigate the Persecution of Fa- a large-scale supply of organs. assistance of the Chinese government. He
transplant specialists in China and won a lun Gong (WOIPFG), noted in an interview stayed there until December 2000, according
long list of titles and honors over his career with The Epoch Times on March 11 that Zang’s ‘Qingdao Model’ to China’s news portal Sohu.
for his involvement in the sector, based on China is among the countries with the low- In 2018, a nationwide congress of OPO was Zang reportedly returned to China three
China’s state media reports. est average voluntary organ donation rates held between Jan. 26 and 30 in Qingdao, ac- months ahead of schedule due to China’s
China news commentator Heng He said in the world, citing a figure of “only 0.6 per 1 cording to the China Hospital Association. urgent need for liver transplant doctors.
that Zang wasn’t merely an organ transplant million deaths (about 840 donors per year) Zang served as its executive chairman. Since 2000, the CCP expanded its mass
expert who had helped spearhead the trans- in China in The Lancet,” an international At the conference, Zang delivered a speech persecution of Falun Gong followers, mil-
plant industry in multiple cities in China. medical publication. to more than 200 experts from China, Spain, lions of whom were subjected to arbitrary
He noted that all the hospitals where Zang He explained that Chinese people are re- Iran, and Brazil about his “Qingdao model,” detention and imprisonment.
had worked were specifically identified in luctant to donate organs after death due to calling it a platform for China’s “standard- At the same time, data show, China’s organ
reports that investigated the Chinese Com- their age-old respect for the deceased—any ized human organ donations,” according to a transplant surgeries saw explosive growth in
munist Party’s (CCP) crimes of illegal organ removal of their organs would culturally report in China’s state media Qingdao Daily. number, according to the WOIPFG.
harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners. be deemed disrespectful to them or an act “Qingdao model is a summary of our work In December 2000, Zang established a liver
that promotes misfortune to those who did in organ transplant work, an outcome of transplant program in Shandong Provincial
Zang Brought Organ Supply Chain to such a thing. standardization as required by our coun- Qianfoshan Hospital and became the first
Qingdao? Based on more than 10 years of investiga- try,” Zang said. “The feature of the model to perform such a surgery in the province.
According to the website of the organ trans- tions carried out by the WOIPFG and other lies in that all potential donors we find In September 2001, he contributed to the
plant center founded by Zang, the institution researchers, mounting evidence shows a will be transferred to our hospital, which creation of the Shandong Provincial Organ
was formed in February 2014. massive living organ donor pool has existed is unique across China.” Transplant Center.
When he founded it in Qingdao, Zang since the CCP’s brutal persecution of Falun The report didn’t elaborate on the origins From 2004 to 2008, he participated in 1,600
brought with him his team members, whom Gong practitioners began in 1999. of “potential donors” or how transferring all cases of liver removals from donors in Tian-
he had known while he worked at the Beijing In 2019, an independent people’s tribunal potential donors to his hospital was either jin First Central Hospital.
Armed Police General Hospital, according concluded, after a yearlong investigation, unique or a feature. In January 2005, Zang joined the Liver
to his comments during an interview with that the CCP has been forcibly harvesting or- However, WOIPFG’s Wang condemned Transplantation Institute of the Beijing
Qingdao Daily on Feb. 3, 2018. gans from prisoners of conscience for years Zang’s Qingdao model—the so-called Armed Police General Hospital. In April,
The CCP regime declared on Dec. 3, 2014, on “a substantial scale,” with detained Falun OPO—as a pretext to cover up the living or- he was appointed deputy director of the in-
that China would stop using the organs Gong practitioners being the main organ gan donor pool initiated by the CCP regime. stitute. There, he performed more than 1,000
harvested from executed prisoners and that source. The grisly practice continues to this When a potential donor at the hospi- liver transplants.
“organs voluntarily donated” from citizens day, the tribunal said. tal meets the criteria of irreversible brain From 2014 onward, Zang moved to the
would be the only source of donor organs Heng said he suspected Zang brought his death, the hospital authorities will continue Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University
available in China from Jan. 1, 2015. organ supply chain with him to Qingdao to to maintain the functioning of relevant or- and led the transplant activities there until
However, the data show that the number create his transplant center so that he could gans to the best level, and seek suitable re- he committed suicide on Feb. 26 for un-
of “donated organs” in Qingdao city entered be confident in his sourcing of organ do- cipients through an online organ allocation known reasons.

NELSON ALMEIDA/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

regime’s soft power. The Chinese

EU May Exclude China- Communist Party’s mouthpiece
Global Times pressured the EU to
Made Vaccines as Vietnam include Chinese vaccines in the
“vaccine passports” program, and
Looks Elsewhere called the rejection of them “vac-
cine nationalism.”
Meanwhile, according to Radio
ALEX WU At present, the Pfizer, Astra- Free Asia, Vietnam is importing
Zeneca, Moderna, and Johnson & a large number of COVID-19 vac-
The European Union is expected Johnson vaccines are approved by cines from the United States, the
to exclude Chinese-made vaccines the EMA, with trial data for all four United Kingdom, Russia, and oth-
from its “vaccine passport” cer- vaccines published in medical er countries, but has overlooked
tification program because they journals. The AstraZeneca vaccine the Chinese vaccines.
aren’t approved by the European has been temporarily suspended The Health Bureau of Ho Chi
Medicines Agency (EMA). At the by several European nations due Minh City in Vietnam recently
same time, Vietnam is report- to potential side effects. submitted a proposal to import 5
edly buying  large quantities of None of the Chinese-made CO- Employees work on the production line of CoronaVac, Sinovac Biotech’s vac- million doses of the Modena vac-
COVID-19 vaccines from Western VID-19 vaccines have been ap- cine against the CCP virus, at the Butantan biomedical production center, in cine from the United States. The
countries and Russia, although proved by the EMA. São Paulo, Brazil, on Jan. 14, 2021. Ministry of Health of Vietnam is
not from China. China has produced four types also negotiating with other U.S.
On March 12, Euronews report- of COVID-19 vaccines from Sin- because data on the safety and So far, Serbia and Hungary have manufacturers to obtain more
ed that the EU is expected to vote opharm, Sinovac, and CanSino- efficacy of vaccines is required for ordered Chinese vaccines. Earlier vaccines.
on a “vaccine passport” proposal BIO. However, detailed data about approval. this month, the Chinese regime’s In February, Vietnam received
on March 17 as a requirement for their clinical trials haven’t been Adding to concerns, three peo- foreign minister, Wang Yi, said 117,000 doses of the COVID-19
travel within the EU. The “pass- published. ple in Hong Kong died after be- that China has provided vaccines vaccine from the UK. At the end of
port” could only accept vaccines The lack of transparency of the ing vaccinated with the Sinovac to 69 developing countries free of February, Vietnam also approved
approved by the EMA, according Chinese vaccines is the major rea- vaccine, and another three people charge, while exporting vaccines Russia’s “Satellite-V” vaccine, or-
to Ylva Johansson, commissioner son why the EMA hasn’t approved were rushed to the hospital shortly to 43 countries, a move that is seen dering around 150 million doses
for internal affairs of the EU. any of them, according to SCMP, after being vaccinated. by some as pushing forward the from Russia.
 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 CHINA | A11

Beijing Seizes Upon Fauci’s Calls for Solidarity

to Push COVID-19 Propaganda
HU CHENGWEI/GETTY IMAGES
EVA FU

Chinese state media has raved about

Dr. Anthony Fauci’s recent calls for
solidarity to combat the pandemic,
using his comments to bolster the
Beijing regime’s virus narratives.
As a top U.S. infectious disease
expert and chief medical adviser to
President Joe Biden, Fauci appeared
with Chinese epidemiologist Zhong
Nanshan in early March during an
online forum hosted by the Univer-
sity of Edinburgh—their first public
event together over the issue.
In a nearly hour-long video pan-
el discussion themed around “the
future of health,” the two repeat-
edly highlighted the need for col-
laboration, a message that Chinese
authorities have frequently adopted
to fend off criticism of its initial cov-
erup of the outbreak.
Zhong, whom one Chinese official
has described as “China’s Fauci,”
earned international prominence
for helping the regime manage the
SARS outbreak that originated from
the country in late 2002. Zhong has
championed state narratives about
its handling of the COVID-19 pan-
demic, including by stating that the
regime was “completely transpar- A poster of Dr. Anthony Fauci at a bar in Shanghai on Jan. 21, 2021.
ent” compared to SARS, and lending STR/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

credibility to Beijing’s claims that mon enemy of the human being.”

the virus could be spread via im- “Just like dealing with the climate,
ported foods—a theory dismissed
Chinese of- just like dealing with the air pollu-
Zhong Nanshan, a renowned scientist
at China’s national health commission,
by Western scientists. ficials and tion, we were on the same goal to speaking during a press conference
Zhong, during the event, credited state media deal with that,” he said. about a new SARS-like coronavirus
the regime’s heavy-handed lock- Zhong praised Biden for rejoin- (which came to be known as the novel
down policies for China having quickly seized ing the World Health Organization. coronavirus, or CCP virus), in Beijing
“the least” number of COVID-19 upon Fauci’s The Trump administration withdrew on Jan. 20, 2020.
infections and deaths compared to remarks as an from the body last year over its role in
most other countries. Critics and enabling Beijing’s coverup of the out- “Scientists and medical workers of
leaked internal documents, how- endorsement break by repeating its talking points the two countries have been work-
ever, have disputed the regime’s of Beijing’s downplaying the severity of the virus “Dr. Fauci is bought and paid for ing together since the beginning of
official COVID-19 figures as being narratives. in the early stages. Zhong added that by the Chinese Communist Party,” the pandemic. However, their coop-
vast undercounts of the real number. the “politicization” of public health Peter Navarro, former director of eration was disrupted by Washing-
Snap lockdowns across the country, measures was his “greatest fear.” the National Trade Council under ton’s politically-motivated acts,” the
meanwhile, have led to complaints Meanwhile, Fauci described vac- the Trump administration, told The article stated.
of starvation and harsh treatment at cines from China as “highly effica- Epoch Times in an email. “The good news is that the United
quarantine centers. cious,” and cast “solidarity and co- States is now taking a more rational
The virus, Zhong said, is “a com- operation” as a “moral obligation” to Propaganda Coup attitude and adopting more scientific
GREG BAKER/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES bring the virus under control. Chinese officials and state media measures, which are welcomed by
Later in the event, Fauci said, “I quickly seized upon Fauci’s re- the international community.”
would underscore everything that marks as an endorsement of Bei- The newspaper ran an article the
Professor Zhong said.” jing’s narratives. next day saying that such calls have
“We are all in it together, every Hua Chunying, a foreign ministry “struck a chord with international
single country,” Fauci said during spokesperson, said in a same-day scholars.”
the conversation. “To emphasize tweet: “When Dr. Zhong Nanshan The Central Commission for Dis-
something that both of us said, If meets Dr. Fauci. Their consensus: cipline Inspection, China’s top dis-
we do not completely suppress this, solidarity and cooperation against ciplinary body, took the opportunity
we will continue to be challenged by COVID19.” to extol the Party for enforcing “most
variants, which have a way of coming Chinese headlines stressing coop- rigorous virus control procedures.”
back to bite us.” eration also proliferated on the inter- The exchange “demonstrated yet
At no time during the panel dis- net and were reposted on a number again China’s firm resolve to par-
cussion did the two mention the of government sites, including the ticipate in the global pandemic fight”
Chinese regime’s efforts to cover Chinese embassy in Spain. and its sense of responsibility, it said.
up the outbreak and its ongoing ef- State-controlled media Xinhua Fauci, the White House, and the
Two paramilitary police officers patrol in the area south of the Great forts to deflect blame and fend off carried a commentary on March 4 National Security Council didn’t
Hall of the People during the second plenary session of the National genuine independent investigations touting what it saw as “an encourag- immediately return requests for
People’s Congress in Beijing on March 8, 2021. into the virus origins. ing sign for bilateral cooperation.” comment.
A12 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

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OPINION OPINION

The Culture Curators A Mom’s Research:

Want to Think for You Who Are the Real Racists?
Salena Zito Jean Chen

See A14 See A17

OPINION |BUSINESS | ECONOMY|PERSONAL FINANCE WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 A13

LIZ LYNCH/GETTY IMAGES

An American flag stuck in the razor wire fencing that surrounds the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Jan. 15, 2021.

For US, Gradual Ruin Is

About to Become Sudden
ROGER KIMBALL dysphoria with drugs and surgery, but not cast a vote—mandating one came to euthanize him and
Amazon suddenly and without These little same-day voter registration and pulled the plug.
I am not a particu- any explanation dropped the book at least two weeks of early voting, The signs and portents are many
lar fan of Ernest because, they said, they no longer cultural markers and by requiring states to pro- and they are not encouraging.
Hemingway’s “sell books that frame LGBTQ+ suggested to me vide unsupervised drop boxes to Perhaps the most disturbing epi-
novel “The Sun identity as a mental illness.” that we were receive completed ballots. sode last week was President Joe
Also Rises.”  Anderson’s book does no such In other words, H.R. 1 would Biden’s alarming performance,
But there is one thing, but no matter. Amazon is about at an end centralize presidential elections, when he announced the eleva-
exchange between in this respect like the Lord: man of the gradual taking responsibility for oversight tion of two women to the status of
two of the characters, Bill Gorton proposeth, Amazon disposeth. phase of cultural away from the states, where the combat generals.
and Mike Campbell, that has These little cultural markers— Constitution placed it, and arro- Biden went on to underscore
stuck with me. and there are plenty more where decay and were gating it to the clutches of the fed- the “intensity of purpose” with
“How did you go bankrupt?” they came from—suggested to about to embark eral government and its sprawling which his administration would
Bill asked. me that we were about at an end on the sudden bureaucracy. be pursuing “body armor that fits
“Two ways,” Mike said. “Gradu- of the gradual phase of cultural If, as seems almost certain, H.R. women properly, tailoring combat
ally and then suddenly.” decay and were about to embark part of the journey. 1 becomes the law of the land, it uniforms for women, creating
That passage has been running on the sudden part of the journey. would be the final nail in the cof- maternity flight suits, updating
through my head a lot recently. fin of electoral integrity. their hairstyle requirements.”
I thought of it last week when I Elections The widespread irregularities
learned that Dr. Seuss Enterprises Then, there is the more seri- (that’s polysyllabic periphrasis for
had decided to stop selling six ous stuff: the nearly $2 trillion “fraud”) that attended the 2020
books by the famous children’s au- so-called COVID relief package election would be codified into law
This is the reality:
thor because—according to the bu- that all but guarantees a spike assuring that, for as long as anyone Joe Biden has set us on
reaucrats at the concession—they in inflation but shovels much, could envision, 2016 would have to a collision course with
depict various ethnic groups in much more money to teachers’ be counted as the last free, fair, and
ways that are “hurtful and wrong.” unions and favored racial groups open presidential election.
tyranny at home and
I thought of it again last week than to people who have suffered It used to be that American was armed conflict abroad.
when Disney decided that some from the government lockdowns the land of the free and home of
of its most popular shows didn’t during the CCP virus pandemic. the brave. A robust culture of free This wasn’t from a Saturday
pass muster with the “woke” war- There is the passage in the speech was every American’s Night Live skit: it was the Presi-
dens of political correctness and House of H.R. 1, the so-called For birthright. dent of the United States live in
restricted access to Dumbo, Peter the People bill, which would ef- We had free and fair elections, front of the cameras.
Pan, and other children’s classics fectively assure that was never an- unlike the banana republics we I say “live” but I really mean “not
because they, too, were “racially other fair election in this country. were always called upon to bail prerecorded.” Joe Biden is “live”
insensitive.” It would do this by all but oblit- out or police. only in the sense that he cannot
Closer to home, Amazon, the erating voter ID requirements— We also had borders, and even legally be interred.
self-described world’s largest you need an ID to board a plane politicians eager to increase He went on to demonstrate
bookstore, joined the censors by ANGELA WEISS/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES immigration understood the that sad contingency when he
delisting a book I published a few difference between entering the strained, unsuccessfully, to re-
years ago at Encounter, “When country legally and opening the member the name of his Secretary
Harry Became Sally: Responding floodgates to the hordes massing of Defense, Lloyd Austin, who was
to the Transgender Moment,” by on our Southern border. standing right behind him, or the
Ryan T. Anderson. The logo of retail giant That’s all behind us now, or at building where Austin worked,
While the book is a thoughtful Amazon at its distribution least those traditions appear to be the Pentagon.
and scholarly analysis of the psy- center in Staten Island, on life support—no, the patient
chological costs of treating gender N.Y., on March 30, 2020. was on life support, but some- Continued on A15
A14 | OPINION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

The Culture
sands of other Hungarians 60 years ago, scattered much of the educated and
life in post-World War II Hungary was any- intellectual class. The only people who
thing but ideal if you were a free thinker. could afford to leave managed to spread
“At that time, we had become a globally, with many of them going to the

Curators Want to
Stalinized state of the Soviet Union, and United States and the United Kingdom.
Matyas Rakosi ruled the country for over Many intellectuals in the United States
seven years as a dictator who demanded frequently toss around the word “dictator-
no one strayed from the collective ap- ship” or “dictator” about political parties

Think for You

proved government thought,” he said. they don’t like, and with such abandon, it’s
If you did, you disappeared. now deemed normal in some circles to use
“Everything in government was milita- the terms without irony, primarily when
rized, and everything in our culture, the referring to the Republican Party.
arts, the media, where you shopped, was In their zeal to dismantle conserva-
all part of the government,” he explained. tism, they miss the true dictator in our
There was no freedom of thought. You country. They are our cultural curators.
SALENA ZITO believed what the government and, by The corporations, much of the media, the
default, culture and news organizations entertainment industry, major league
Sandor Mecs was a child when told you to believe. sports organizations, academia, and
his family lived in the town of The government force was so oppressive Silicon Valley all demand that we fall in
Szentendre, Hungary. Today, that it established a secret police called line with how they think. They want to
it’s a picturesque town 20 LeBron James (C) and the AVH, or the Allamvedelmi Hatosag, to approve of how we speak, what books we
miles north of Budapest that is teammates of the Los make sure everyone thought the same and read, what movies we watch, what words
lined with winding cobblestone Angeles Lakers kneel dur- that no one dissented from whatever the we use, who we support politically, how
streets, colorful centuries-old ing the national anthem government believed. Mecs explained, “My we educate our children, and what parts
homes, cottages, and churches. It’s a prior to a game against parents and family members lived in fear of history are acceptable to teach.
the Oklahoma City Thun-
tourism center with its flourishing muse- of people overhearing a conversation that Many of these entities have gone from
der in Lake Buena Vista,
ums, charm, and proximity to the capital. Fla., on Aug. 5, 2020. might deviate from accepted thought.” trying to appeal to a wide range of cus-
While the picturesque footprint was the He said his father understood that after tomers based on the products they sell
same for Mecs and his family and thou- the doomed Hungarian Revolution of or services they offer to social justice or-
KEVIN C. COX/GETTY IMAGES 1956 failed, it was time to flee the family’s ganizations, far removed from their core
home country. missions and their consumers.
“You have to understand when you leave, When one of them deems something
you leave everything behind, whether it is unacceptable in its version of the world,
family members, belongings, or the roof many others follow suit, often crumbling
over your head,” he said. “A week after the to their younger employees’ demands.
revolution, my dad realized we’ve got to get The latter has been given enough power in
out of here, and we literally snuck across the this age of corporate social justice to de-
border with Austria in the dead of night.” stroy the very place they work if that cor-
Back then, there were people who, for poration doesn’t bend to their demands.
money, would get you safely across the The decision no longer to publish six
border. “They were taking groups of may- Dr. Seuss books was made internally. So
be 20 people at a time and getting them was Disney’s decision to prevent young
past the barbed wire. One of the border viewers from watching “Dumbo,” “Peter
guards actually caught the group that we Pan,” “Swiss Family Robinson,” and “The
were in when a very familiar face caught Aristocats.”
his eye,” he said. Voice an opinion on social media about
It was the guard’s sister. “So he let us the practice of removing books and the
go,” he said. result is usually ugly, even if you argue
Within a short period, more than that offensive images should exist in the
200,000 men, women, and children marketplace so that you can point out
escaped their homeland, much like the their offensiveness.
Mecs family did. It was an exodus and Last week, Winston Marshall, the banjo

COMICS
DILBERT GARFIELD

PEANUTS GINGER MEGGS

RED AND ROVER

BIG NATE

GRAND AVENUE DRABBLE

MUTT & JEFF FRANK AND ERNEST

 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 OPINION | A15
player for the band Mumford & Sons,
tweeted his support for author Andy Ngo
for his recent book “Unmasked: Inside An-
The Human Need to Feel Important—
tifa’s Radical Plan to Destroy Democracy.”
Within moments, his life changed, thanks
to the culture curators. The next day, he an-
and How Government Squelches It
nounced that he’s “taking time away from
the band” to examine his “blind spots.” CARA DING/THE EPOCH TIMES

His career and life may have been de- DENNIS PRAGER
stroyed because his thoughts were outside
the norms of what our cultural curators If one were to draw up
deem socially acceptable, and why? You a list of human needs,
see, Ngo is conservative. Almost no one food and shelter
within our cultural curators is conservative, would be at the top.
and if a person is, he or she remains silent. With great respect
One of the most significant reasons to Freudians, sex
conservative populism began to rise in would not be No. 2. Congregants
2009 was that these people lacked a con- The need for meaning would be at Elim Roma-
nection or commonality with our cultural second only to the need for food. nian Pente-
costal Church
curators. The people who run things in That meaning is more important to in Chicago
this country have little in common with happiness than sex is easily shown. on May 10,
the very people who use their products or A great many people go long periods 2020.
watch their shows or attend their football without sex, and while many of them
or basketball games. miss it, if they have meaning in their
lives, they can lead quite happy and However, contrary to the expecta- meaning and sense of importance.
fulfilling lives. On the other hand, few tions of the well-educated, women Add to that: Rotary, Kiwanis, and
people who have regular sex but lack becoming breadwinners hasn’t Lions clubs; book clubs; the Masons;
In December 1860, Frederick meaning are happy or fulfilled. provided most women with a sense of bowling leagues; coaching Little
Douglass declared in a speech Third on the list of human needs importance, and certainly not mean- League; volunteer charitable work;
is the need to feel important. This ing in life. Contrary to what femi- teaching Bible in Sunday school.
in Boston that ‘liberty is need is much less often cited than nism, colleges, high schools, progres- These provided people with a sense
meaningless where the right the need for food, sex, and mean- sive parents, and the mass media of importance.
to utter one’s thoughts and ing. But it is so important that a case have claimed for decades, men and The key to all these associations was
could be made that it is tied for No. 2 women don’t have the same natures. being independent of government.
opinions has ceased to exist.’ with the need for meaning. Just as sex with many partners As government has grown, nearly
The infamous “midlife crisis” is a cri- doesn’t provide most women with all these associations have shrunk.
Part of that reason is the culture cura- sis of importance: “I thought I would the same satisfaction it provides Therefore, we have a rule: The more
tor boardrooms have very little diver- be much more important at this stage men, most work doesn’t provide government intrudes in people’s lives,
sity—not only racial or by gender, but in life than I am.” That mostly afflicts women with the same sense of the less important most people feel—
also in culture. Rarely does someone who men—just as feeling less important importance or meaning it provides unless they work for the government.
attended a community college or state after one’s children have left home af- men. For many women, being the Yet, to progressives, government is,
school have any input in how something flicts mothers more than fathers. breadwinner is financially benefi- or should be, almost everything in
is marketed. There is also a scarcity of Among the many psycho-social cial but not especially satisfying. people’s lives. It should take care of
gun owners or churchgoers in news- crises afflicting Americans is a crisis Most women would still like their as many people as possible. How-
rooms getting dispatched to cover gun of importance. Fewer Americans man to be the primary breadwin- ever, at a massive price: The more
control, hunting, religious freedom, or feel important than did Americans ner. That’s why very wealthy women one relies on the government, the
the anti-abortion movement. in the past. so often marry even wealthier men. more one will inevitably lack a sense
When you have little commonality with Why? What has happened? It’s built into female nature. of importance.
those you are marketing to or covering, What has happened is a steep de- This ideal was announced at the
you will often be blind to how they view cline in the number of institutions that 2012 Democratic Party Convention,
the tone in an ad, tweet, or coverage. gave people a feeling of importance. when the narrator of a specially-
But the more significant problem is that Given that work is generally re- The more government created Barack Obama campaign-
none of these cultural curators quite care garded as one of the most ubiquitous intrudes in people’s lives, theme video asserted, “Government
if you don’t like the way they demand you providers of purpose, and that, prior to is the only thing that we all belong
think or if you are going to buy their prod- the COVID-19 lockdown, more Amer- the less important most to.” The DNC also showed a fictional
uct, because their people—the people icans were working than ever before, people feel—unless they storybook ad titled “The Life of
who think the way they do—are the one would think that more Americans work for the government. Julia.” It portrayed a woman from
people who have the largest megaphone. than ever before felt important. childhood to old age, wholly depen-
It isn’t cancel culture. It’s a cultural It hasn’t turned out that way. For dent on the government. Despite her
dictatorship because the suppression of many, work hasn’t provided the sense Moreover, throughout history, having a child, there wasn’t a man
dissenting speech is an instrument that of importance people expected it work was rarely seen as a primary anywhere in the story, nor, appar-
only the most brutal dictators have used to, let alone fulfilled the other great provider of importance or mean- ently, was there a man in her life.
throughout civilization. need: for meaning. This is especially ing—for either sex. Work was little The result? More and more Ameri-
Mecs said the right to free speech was true for women, but first, we will ad- more than a necessity, and the vast can women have come to rely on the
one of the compelling reasons his family dress men. majority of people would have hap- government, not on a husband. The
came here: “It is the very core of Ameri- Work used to provide many men pily abandoned their often back- results have been calamitous.
can exceptionalism and idealism, and it with a sense of importance. It’s breaking, drudgery-inducing work President Joe Biden repeated this
should be cherished and celebrated.” simply a fact that being the bread- if they could afford to. theme last week: “Put trust and faith
In December 1860, Frederick Doug- winner for a family means one is For the most part, people sought— in our government,” he pleaded with
lass declared in a speech in Boston that important. However, since the 1970s and found—importance and Americans. One could accurately
“liberty is meaningless where the right and the rise of feminism, women meaning outside of work. This was say that we are replacing America’s
to utter one’s thoughts and opinions has haven’t only become breadwinners, especially true in America, where motto, “In God We Trust,” with, “In
ceased to exist.” but they have increasingly become “associations” provided both im- Government We Trust.”
His words in that speech emerged the primary breadwinner within a portance and meaning. The bigger the government, the
because of an incident that happened the marriage and for a family. Nongovernmental associations, fewer the institutions in which peo-
week before, when a meeting in which That has helped couples finan- as Alexis de Tocqueville noted in ple can feel important. Therefore,
he was scheduled to speak at on abolish- cially, but it has also deprived a great his brilliant analysis of American given the deep human need to feel
ing slavery was invaded by a mob that many men of their sense of impor- life in the early 19th century, was important, people will look else-
sought to silence him. tance. When regarded by a wife and the key to Americans’ success and where for their importance—like
Those powerful words in Douglass’s children as important, husbands/ happiness. These included, first and fighting systemic racism, hetero-
speech weren’t directed at the mob’s fathers felt important. Progressive foremost, religious associations and normativity, capitalism, patriarchy,
disruption. Instead, they were directed America mocks the 1950s TV series religion in general. Most religious and transphobia. And, most of all,
at the mayor of Boston, who canceled the “Father Knows Best.” But when wives people feel important—to God, to global warming—because you can’t
event rather than defended Douglass’s and children believed that, men felt their community, to their family. feel more important than when you
right to speak. important because they were. The My father was the president of our believe you are saving the world.
Private companies, industries, and price for this, according to feminism, synagogue, and my mother was ac-
organizations aren’t obligated to allow was paid by women, who didn’t re- tive in the synagogue’s “sisterhood.” Dennis Prager is a nationally syn-
your viewpoints to be heard. Still, when ceive the accolades of breadwinning. Though both worked full time, those dicated radio talk-show host and
they hold this much power in our culture And they set about changing it. roles provided them with immense columnist.
and their sentiments are shared by the
ruling party, we are heading down a road
on which we may never be able to reverse
course.
For US, Gradual Ruin Is About to Become Sudden
Salena Zito has held a long, successful
career as a national political reporter.
Since 1992, she has interviewed every U.S. CONTINUED FROM A13 six weeks, and with 60-odd execu- isn’t standing still. Look for a kinetic
president and vice president, as well as top tive orders behind him, Biden has clash with Russia, China, or Iran
leaders in Washington, D.C., including sec- ‘Ruin in a Nation’ largely unraveled all that and more. soon. It’s coming to a theater near
retaries of state, speakers of the House and Adam Smith once remarked to a This is the reality: Biden has set us you by the end of this summer, and
U.S. Central Command generals. Her pas- disconsolate correspondent that on a collision course with tyranny at I do not mean a movie theater.
sion, though, is interviewing thousands of there’s a “deal of ruin in a nation.” home and armed conflict abroad. Expect the velocity of our decliv-
people across the country. She reaches the I quoted that remark to a friend ity to increase—the gauge is set to
Everyman and Everywoman through the some years ago, when America was move from “gradually” to “sudden-
lost art of shoe-leather journalism, having Winston reeling from the twin assaults of the ly” now, and there will be plenty
traveled along the back roads of 49 states. Marshall of financial meltdown and the minis- If, as seems almost certain, of shock and awe when it does.
Mumford trations of Barack Obama. Is this alarmist? Maybe, but that
KEVIN WINTER/GETTY IMAGES FOR IHEARTMEDIA
& Sons
H.R. 1 becomes the law
“Especially this nation,” my friend is appropriate when the situation is
performs replied, and I had to agree. of the land, it would be alarming.
onstage the final nail in the coffin
during
For a moment, during President Expect also to hear many people
the 2019 Donald Trump’s tenure, it seemed of electoral integrity. quoting the poet Delmore Schwartz:
iHeartRa- as though we’d returned to the sun- “Even paranoids have enemies.”
dio Music lit uplands. Leave aside his partisan It’s going to be a wild ride.
Festival at successes, the judges, and tax cuts, He has denominated his political
T-Mobile for example. opponents “domestic terrorists” and Roger Kimball is the editor and
Arena in Concentrate instead on what he directed the FBI to harass and arrest publisher of The New Criterion and
Las Vegas did to secure the borders, to up- them. He has done everything in his publisher of Encounter Books. His
on Sept. grade the military, to make America considerable power to surrender the most recent book is “Who Rules? Sov-
21, 2019. energy independent. country to the woke mob. ereignty, Nationalism, and the Fate
It’s only mid-March 2021. In just Meanwhile, the rest of the world of Freedom in the 21st Century.”
A16 | OPINION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

Is Testing the Norms of Objectivity in

American Media and Old Soviet Journalism,” ran the headline over Jim
Rutenberg’s New York Times piece of
Aug. 7, 2016.
Even before Trump’s surprise victory in

Media Are Now Peas in a Pod November of that year, the corrupt and
ethically compromised media was prepar-
ing the battlespace for what has turned
out to be a years-long campaign of mis/
disinformation, all in the partisan service
of overturning the results of the Trump-
MICHAEL WALSH of State Brad Raffensperger, which was Clinton election. Mission accomplished!
In the interest based on a leaked recording of their pri- “If you’re a working journalist and you
This correction in the “news” vate conversation.) believe that Donald J. Trump is a dema-
pages of The Washington Post of pursuing their A better headline for the Post’s “correc- gogue playing to the nation’s worst racist
a few days ago is simply stun- shared political and tion,” of course, would be “Washington and nationalistic tendencies, that he
ning—and tells you all you social objectives, Post irresponsibly publishes false story cozies up to anti-American dictators and
need to know about the state of based on malicious hearsay,” but that that he would be dangerous with con-
the mainstream media today: the major media would be a bridge too far for the Demo- trol of the United States nuclear codes,
“Two months after publication of have aligned their cratic operatives currently masquerad- how the heck are you supposed to cover
this story, the Georgia secretary of state fortunes with the ing as journalists at newspapers such as him?” wrote Rutenberg. “The question
released an audio recording of President the Post and The New York Times. In the that everyone is grappling with is: Do
Donald Trump’s December phone call Democrats’, and interest of pursuing their shared political normal standards apply? And if they
with the state’s top elections investiga- now no longer even and social objectives, the major media don’t, what should take their place?”
tor. The recording revealed that The Post pay lip service to the have aligned their fortunes with the Well, now we know: outright fabrication,
misquoted Trump’s comments on the Democrats’, and now no longer even pay absolute malice, and reckless disregard
call, based on information provided by a industry’s former lip service to the industry’s former ideals for the truth. From the Russian “collu-
source. Trump did not tell the investiga- ideals of impartiality of impartiality and fairness. sion” hoax to the Kavanaugh confirmation
tor to ‘find the fraud’ or say she would be and fairness. hearings, to the sham impeachment over
‘a national hero’ if she did so. Ethical Principles a meaningless (and willfully mispre-
“Instead, Trump urged the investigator Here’s the preamble to the Society of Pro- sented) phone call to Ukraine, to a second,
to scrutinize ballots in Fulton County, fessional Journalists’ “Code of Ethics”: ex post facto sham impeachment over
Ga., asserting she would find ‘dishon- the Jan. 6 breach of Capitol Hill—falsely
esty’ there. He also told her that she had “Members of the Society of Profes- dubbed by the press an “armed insur-
‘the most important job in the country sional Journalists believe that public rection”—the American news media has
right now…’ The headline and text of enlightenment is the forerunner of jus- turned into the spitting image of their
this story have been corrected to remove tice and the foundation of democracy. counterparts in the old Soviet media:
quotes misattributed to Trump.” Ethical journalism strives to ensure Pravda (the New York Times), Izvestia (The
The story, part of the Post’s scorched- the free exchange of information that Washington Post) and the state-parrot
earth coverage of the former president’s is accurate, fair, and thorough. An ethi- news agency Tass (The Associated Press).
activities in the aftermath of the disput- cal journalist acts with integrity. The
ed 2020 election, sought to depict Trump Society declares these four principles Prerequisite for Tyranny
in the worst possible light, while relying as the foundation of ethical journalism As it happens, I spent a good deal of
entirely on anonymous “sources” who A man walks past and encourages their use in its practice time in the USSR and the Eastern bloc
had a vested interest in destroying the The Washington by all people in all media.” between the years 1985 and 1991, being
Trump presidency. It begins: Post in Washington in country for (among other things) the
“President Trump urged Georgia’s lead on Aug. 5, 2013. Ha ha ha. One formerly ironclad rule meltdown at Chernobyl, the fall of the
elections investigator to identify wrong- BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/
AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
of real journalism was the proscription Berlin Wall, and the immediate run-up
doing in the state’s vote in a December against employing anonymous “sources” to the attempted coup against Mikhail
phone call, saying the official would be (who may have an ax to grind and who Gorbachev just before the Soviet Union
praised for doing so, according to an may or may not even exist) in news sto- collapsed. While there was never a dull
individual briefed on the call who spoke ries. But since Orange Man Bad came on moment, it wasn’t a place you wanted to
on the condition of anonymity because the scene, fairness is out the window: live in, much less admire and emulate.
of the sensitivity of the conversation… “Identify sources clearly,” the Society What the communists understood,
The president’s attempts to intervene in writes. “The public is entitled to as much however, was that state control of the
an ongoing investigation could amount information as possible to judge the media was a prerequisite for tyranny:
to obstruction of justice or other crimi- reliability and motivations of sources. Who were you going to believe, Pravda
nal violations, legal experts said, though Consider sources’ motives before prom- (which means truth in Russian) or your
they cautioned a case could be difficult ising anonymity. Reserve anonymity for lying, counter-revolutionary eyes?
to prove.” President Donald sources who may face danger, retribution Consider this recent headline in The
(This “corrected” story is not to be con- Trump conducts or other harm, and have information that Washington Post, which might have
fused with this one from Jan. 3, which a phone call in cannot be obtained elsewhere. Explain been lifted—as honest leftist journalist
charged Trump with “flagrant abuse of the Oval Office on why anonymity was granted.” Matt Taibbi notes in this piece—directly
power and a potential criminal act” in Aug. 27, 2018. That last bit is particularly laughable. from Pravda: “Biden stimulus showers
a conversation with Georgia Secretary As far as the Post and the NY Times are money on Americans, sharply cutting
SAMIRA BOUAOU/THE EPOCH TIMES concerned, “the sensitivity of the conver- poverty and favoring individuals over
sation” is a perfectly good reason to grant businesses.”
anonymity to one of the Democratic me- The only thing propping up the sham
dia’s useful anonymice, who nibble at the presidency of Joseph Robinette Biden
cheese and then scurry back to their rat Jr.—along with razor wire and 5,000
holes as the media protects them from an armed National Guard soldiers “protect-
exterminator wielding the disinfecting ing” the capital from dangerous radicals
sunlight of on-the-record statements and like you—are the chirping robinettes of
allegations. the national media, who filter, massage,
shape, flake, and form the news into a
Campaign of Misinformation journalistic version of Soylent Green and
Ah, but the ends now justify the means, then shove it down the throats of the
which is why the Post’s correction is only American people. This is called “ethical
seeing the light of day now that Trump journalism.”
has been vanquished. For the truth Had enough yet? And if not, why not?
doesn’t matter anymore—how some
adulterated version of it can be misrepre- Michael Walsh is the editor of The-Pipe-
sented and weaponized is all that counts. line.org and the author of “The Devil’s
After all, it’s better to beg forgiveness, in Pleasure Palace” and “The Fiery Angel,”
the form of a correction that few will read both published by Encounter Books. His
and nobody will remember, than to act latest book, “Last Stands,” a cultural study
responsibly in the first place. of military history from the Greeks to the
It’s not that we weren’t warned. “Trump Korean War, was recently published.

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New York County, for on premises consump- Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 35-01 Bell Control Law at 844 Jamaica Ave., Brooklyn, PASS IT ON TO YOUR NEIGHBOR, A FRIEND, OR A RELATIVE.
tion. Tartine Inc. Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361. Queens County, for NY 11208. Kings County, for on premise con-
on premises consumption. Neptune Bell LLC sumption. NYCS Fried Chicken Dinner Inc.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a license Num- d/b/a Neptune Diner.
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under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at for by the undersigned to sell Wine, Beer & Cider & Cider at retail in a Restaurant under the Alco-
366 Stockton St., #1C, Brooklyn, NY 11206. at retail in a Tavern under the Alcoholic Bever- holic Beverage Control Law at 760 Manhattan
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Fefo Studio LLC d/b/a Ocafe. NY 10014. New York County, for on premises premises consumption. Ramen Spot Inc.
 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 OPINION | A17

A Mom’s Research: Who Are the Real Racists?

STEPHANIE KEITH/GETTY IMAGES

JEAN CHEN

One day, my 17-year-old daughter showed

me a Facebook post that said 74.5 percent
of hate crimes between 1992 and 2014
against Asian Americans were from white
offenders. The purpose of the post was
to ask Asians to fight alongside the Black
Lives Matter movement to “improve mi-
nority communities.”
I reminded her to check online the
percentage of white people in the U.S.
population. It was 76.3 percent in 2019 ac-
cording to Census.gov.
“Look, the percentage of white offend-
ers is less than the percentage of the white
population, even if the statistics are cor-
rect,” I said.
Actually, I have read several media
reports talking about the surge of attacks
against Asian Americans recently. Some
reports blamed President Trump and
“white supremacists” for the attacks, with-
out any factual evidence.
I used this as an opportunity to converse
with my daughter: “You need to be careful
and know how to protect yourself. Howev-
er, if the purpose of a report is to provoke ERSPERNATIA VOLUPTATEM RE ATA VELEST IN COMNIM QUIBUS EX
your resentment toward a specific group
of people, be alert. Nowadays, many jour-
nalists have lost their professionalism.
They push their narratives with lies, or Set the Record Straight About Police Sowell is a famous economist and a
partial truths, or insinuation, or mislead- I found a fascinating video to clarify We don’t senior fellow at Stanford University’s Demonstra-
ing statistics. They exaggerate certain the topics about the allegation of police Hoover Institution. He was born in North tors advo-
things, while intentionally omitting other brutality and racism. It’s an American have a police Carolina in 1930 and moved to Harlem, cating for the
things. Thought Leaders interview of Rep. Bur- problem. We New York, when he was 9. Growing up in New York
“Remember, there are bad people in all gess Owens, an NFL star and a congress- poverty, he was a Marxist in his youth. City Police
have a narrative Depart-
races. There are also people who have ha- man from Utah who grew up in the However, his intern experience in the ment to be
tred because of misunderstandings. As for segregated South. problem. We have federal government in 1960 changed his defunded
COVID-19, it was the Chinese Communist For the sake of providing quick talking a media who worldview. march in
Party that spread the virus to the world. points, I combine some of the information loves to put down Here is what Sowell said about slavery: New York
The CCP cannot represent us. People all from the video and other sources in the “Today, the moral horror of slavery is on June 25,
over the world, including Chinese, are following: everything that’s so widely condemned that it is hard to 2020.
victims of its atrocities.” In 2019, there were more than 10 million good about our realize that there were thousands of years
As we talked, my daughter told me that arrests in the United States, according to country. when slavery was practiced around the
most of her school friends support the the DOJ. Among 54 unarmed civilians world by people of virtually every race.
BLM movement, and even Antifa because who died of officer-involved shootings, Rep. Burgess Owens Even the leading moral and religious
they believe that many black Americans 12 were black and 26 were white, accord- thinkers in different societies accepted
are abused and killed by police. They ing to a Washington Post database. At the slavery as just a fact of life.”
support defunding the police. They think same time, 89 law-enforcement officers “What was special about America was
those looters and rioters are “rightfully were killed in the line of duty, according not that it had slavery, which existed all
angry” because of racism and slavery in to the data provided by the FBI.
their history. My daughter attends a sub- In his interview, Owens pointed out that Continued on A20
urban public high school in a deep-blue there are bad people in every profession.
state. While tragic deaths like that of George
This is an astonishing revelation. I know Floyd and others need to be carefully
some of her friends’ parents. Like me, they
are hard-working first-generation Asian
immigrants who embrace America’s free-
investigated and justice sought in courts,
the police force as a whole is made up
of those who vow to protect others with
Fascism!
dom. They are sad and angry to see their
children being brainwashed by the media
and the education system.
their own lives. “We don’t have a police
problem. We have a narrative problem.
We have a media who loves to put down IBU
TIO
N
Rebellion.
R
Then?
RE T
R
That was exactly how I felt before. But everything that’s good about our coun- FEVE
being angry is never a solution. As time try,” Owens said.
goes by, I realize that if we don’t try our A study by the Skeptic Research Center Mos
s
rd
best to save our children from the com- showed how severely the public opinion icha
Gene R
munists’ propaganda, who will? The effect about police has been misled by media
so far has been encouraging. I have pub- hype. When asked to guess “how many
lished two “A Mom’s Research” articles in unarmed black men were killed by police
A novel.
The Epoch Times. One is about democrat- in 2019,” 38 percent of the respondents
ic socialism, and the other is about global overall answered “about 100,” and 29 1991: After the collapse of the Soviet Union some “experts” predicted
warming. By chatting with my daughter percent answered “about 1,000” or more. that democracy would sweep the world. This author, a well-published
about the contents (she refused to read Among those with liberal or very liberal
them), she was satisfied and no longer had political views, 46 percent estimated
pioneer in the application of Biobehavioral Science, disagreed. More
issues with those topics. She is also more “about 1,000” or more. As mentioned likely, Fascism would be the future. Sadly, his prediction is coming true.
open with me. above, the recorded death number for 1922: Benito Mussolini instituted it in Italy. Mussolini was the Father
Therefore, here I am again, continuing unarmed black men and women was 12. of Fascism. He was successful initially at the cost of individual liberty.
to research and write. This time, it’s about A 2017 study by Harvard researcher
racism. During the process, not only did I Roland G. Fryer, Jr., an African American 1933: Adolf Hitler instituted it in Germany. He, too, was successful
find answers to my daughter’s questions, economist specializing in discrimination initially at the cost of individual liberty ... then millions of lives.
I also figured out who are the real racists. and inequality studies, found no racial 2021: the Democrats in these United States gained control of the
They destroy the black community’s mo- differences related to officer-involved
rality and dignity and fill their hearts with shootings. As for police use of nonle- federal government. Now, they are instituting Fascism here.
poisonous resentment instead of hope thal force, here’s what Fryer said: “If one
and confidence. They have been crippling assumes police simply stop whomever “Think a thousand times before taking a decision but, after taking the decision,
the black community and are trying to do they want for no particular reason, there never turn back even if you get a thousand difficulties!” -Adolf Hitler
the same to Asian Americans. seem to be large racial differences. If one
assumes they are trying to prevent violent
AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES
crimes, then evidence for bias is exceed- Like Hitler, Democrats are making their play hard and fast while
ingly small.” Republicans talk. Democrats have taken the decision. Talk will not
After the death of George Floyd in turn them back.
May 2020, BLM’s rhetoric of “defund the
police” gained momentum. At least 13 “Fight them!” Republicans say.
U.S. cities have cut police funds to differ- “How?” you ask. Republicans don’t say.
ent extents. These cities all experienced
crime surges in 2020. Seattle observed “I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary
the highest homicide number in 26 years.
Chicago’s murders went up by 50 percent. in the political world as storms in the physical.” -Thomas Jefferson
The black community suffered the most.
A Gallup poll released in August 2020 Be such a rebellion successful, then? A return to that which had led
showed that 81 percent of black adults Americans towards fascistic tyranny?
want the same or more police presence in
their communities. No! In this unique novel, Gene Richard Moss, M.D. offers a new
and novel way based upon well-documented Biobehavioral Science.
Legacy of Slavery? The Chinese Communists are employing this powerful science to fulfill
“Some things are believed because they
are demonstrably true, but many other goals hostile to the vision of our Founding Fathers. Patriotic Americans
things are believed simply because they can employ it to fulfill goals supportive of that noble vision.
have been asserted repeatedly.” —Thomas
Sowell
American Communist Party leader Gus Hall
Some people think the current dis- Retribution Fever presents a detailed blueprint how.
(1910–2000) sits and speaks at a press con-
ference in New York City, in February, 1966. advantaged situation of the black com-
As early as 1960, Hall had announced that the munity is a legacy of slavery. But what I
Party was aiming to alienate and radicalize the learned from Owens and Thomas Sowell Available at booksellers everywhere and via e-book.
American Youth. is different.
A18 | OPINION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

The Readers’ Turn

If you would like to submit a letter to the editor, please contact us: 
Email: [email protected]
Mail: The Epoch Times 229 W. 28th St., Fl. 7, New York, NY 10001

Presidential Thinking Capacity: Brilliant or Incompetent?

Comparing Presidents Ronald Reagan and Joe Biden
MORRIS GRAHAM, PH.D. Highly effective executives, “true north” direction that phenomenon, i.e., able to hold (neuro-plasticity), and spontane-
especially U.S. presidents, must others can trust and follow. the world visually in his mind the ously generate many creative,
America desperately needs an have a unique balance of good way a sailor or pilot navigates the probable, long-term doable solu-
ultra-smart president—an indi- leadership skills, adaptable per- We contend that these five large spatial world. tions. President Barack Obama
vidual who securely possesses sonality and style, and capacity to “bright” thinking dimensions As president, Reagan was very was equally lacking.
both the thinking capacity and think about issues from three- or powers must be operative for good at processing and synthe- In terms of being a leader,
adaptable personality to come dimensional perspectives with brilliance to be manifested in any sizing several competing ideas there are notated reports on Joe
to grips with accelerating and moral integrity. They will pursue U.S. president. or options simultaneously and Biden’s diminishing qualities of
unpredictable changes and prob- and encourage personal feedback Recently, then-President-elect creating a new integrated picture smallness of character, infantile
lems in complex, often chaotic, that may reveal an error in their Joe Biden was assessed and or solution. President Reagan pettiness, and just old-fashioned
turbulent environments. judgment, their personal biases profiled using historians and brought together very gifted ex- meanness.
A brilliant president will know and limitations, and their ac- political scientists on our five ecutives to assist him. He would President Biden came to the
how to spontaneously think and tions, and then make appropriate dimensions of executive think- invariably ask them to describe presidency with a thinking capac-
tackle—verbally, quantitatively, changes for the better. ing (10-point scale). Results were their mental imagery and ideas ity that is clearly lacking, exclu-
and spatially—to get the most out compared back-to-back with for future improvements. This all sive, and rigid with a frustration
of emergent trends, resolve seem- President Ronald Reagan, who translated into his people pro- relative to his inability to control
ingly intractable contradictions, 5 Powers of Executive was clearly identified as the most cessing ideas faster and initiating his own Democratic Party and
discern insight from perplexity, Thinking Capacity brilliant and highest performer of together. heal our fractured country. With
and lead in designing unifying nine presidents evaluated. Profile Uniquely, Reagan, as an ex- advancing age, there is a question
futures through a strong moral A meta-analysis of our exten- means for both presidents were traordinary leader, possessed the of senility wherewith he often
character with decisiveness and sive data on brilliant executive determined as such: character, integrity and honesty doesn’t seem to know what’s
direction. A smart “president” thinkers formulated the following that came with his humility, going on. We should expect to wit-
should be “wired-in” to idea five-dimensional capacities for President Ronald Reagan: authenticity, and wisdom. He ness his failure to synthesize cre-
spaces “between-the-lines” of “brilliance.” An assessment brief, Verbal Height = 9 sustained self-confidence, dig- ative ideas to advance plausible
our uncertain times and with a 12-item instrument, calibrated Quantitative Width = 8 nity, and positive growth in all proposals to sustain our nation’s
nimbleness, connectivity, inven- with a 10-point scale (1 = low- Spatial Depth = 8 that that worked with him. The lead and prosperity. Much will be
tiveness, and courage to come up est, 10 = highest) for each item as Global Decisiveness = 9 fact that he was able to overcome beyond his competence and con-
with new ideas rather than hop- follows: Character-Capacity = 9 the stigma that leadership was fidence as it was with President
ing that answers will fortuitously once about hard skills such as Obama to think through and deal
arrive from partisan directives. Verbal Height Processing President Joe Biden: planning, finance, and business with the complexity of the job.
With accelerated processing 1. Exercises strong reading and Verbal Height = 7 analysis is amazing to me. He The unspoken with many politi-
capacities for three-dimensional writing, listening, and effective Quantitative Width = 5 constantly was able to see things cal observers is reflective of an
thinking, our “bright president” speaking capabilities. Spatial Depth = 3 and bring things together to “incompetent factor” primarily
would be able to grasp compet- 2. Organizes information and Global Decisiveness = 5 stimulate creative conversation focusing on promoting socialism
ing and conflicting ideas and knowledge in a linear, sequen- Character-Capacity = 5 and vigorous debate. and government totalitarianism.
integrate important pieces in his tial, step-by-step order/fashion. Reagan knew how to prioritize President Biden will be like an
mind at once. He would openly and focus his leadership as a NFL quarterback who contin-
debate and quickly resolve ir- Quantitative Width Processing A comparative assessment result of moral convictions. To ues to be directed by “side-line”
relevant ideology—the “thorny” 3. Uses symbolic, quantitative, on the two presidents repeat, he exemplified all of the coaches, frequently sacked in the
problems that come with the numerical information to uncovered the following: spatial capacities to be a true backfield and throwing intercep-
job and decisively craft superior tackle and solve problems and “brilliant” leader. More amaz- tions when pass-receivers are
global frameworks with char- to make informed decisions. Ronald Reagan ing is the fact that Reagan navi- spatially open in the end zone,
acter, keen insight, and shared 4. Analyzes possibilities by means Ronald Reagan graduated (1932) gated with a “moral-goodness” ready to receive and score touch-
direction. In truth, he will wel- of symbols and numbers that with honors from Eureka College compass that inspired and set downs. With diminished capacity
come complex and challenging come to mind through quanti- with a major in economics and directions that all could trust and for spatial processing and moral-
problems because he believes tative investigation/analysis. sociology. Only 4 out of 100 high follow. character strength, President
that better insights will come school graduates completed col- President Reagan did more to Biden will be known, at best, as a
more wisely through the crush of Spatial Depth Processing lege during his time. He played touch the hearts and minds of “puppet president” for the Demo-
opposing views from both sides of 5. Visualizes multiple perspec- football, was captain of the millions of Americans than any cratic Party.
the aisle. tives/initiatives holistically, not swim team, did acting, and, as a other U.S. president in history. All should not be lost. We live
After years of international ex- just in words and numbers, but young leader, was student-body in a scientific world where the
ecutive consulting and leadership with pictures and visualization. president. He was active in more Joe Biden neuroscience of spatial thinking,
research, our consulting firm was 6. Three-dimensionally synthe- than one thing at a time with a Historically, Joe Biden spent two creativity, and inventiveness can
invited to assess past U.S. presi- sizes several conflicting ideas photographic memory and keen years in the third grade after now be developed with visual-in-
dents with our five-dimensional and options simultaneously leadership skills. being determined below average formation processing technology,
“brightness” criteria. We found and creates a whole new inte- On April 19, 1942, Reagan, after intelligence. His college grades which can significantly enhance
few presidents among the last grated idea/option/invention. scoring a very high score on the and class standing were barely the way any of us could and
eight who could demonstrate Officer Candidate Exam, was passing. He finished near the should process our world more
extraordinary problem-solving Global Decisiveness: Insight, recruited into active duty as a bottom of his law school class intelligently.
ability loaded with moral charac- Direction, and Speed military officer. Subsequently, he and admitted to plagiarism and We can historically respect
ter and spatial intelligence. Our 7. Evaluates quickly and acts became a striking chair of the Ac- received an F in a particular class our former president who was
research affirmed that strong decisively with confidence on tors Guild, and a brilliant thinker for doing so. wired to take a tougher approach
spatial capacity is the single best challenging opportunities to as a California governor and then Interestingly, Biden as a vice against the CCP, creatively ignit-
predictor of leadership success, innovate, change, and improve. U.S. president. president was seen as another ing needed changes, improve-
i.e., insight, plasticity, and di- 8. Conceives sound, rapid di- Reagan aptly processed all hard-left socialist, elusive, intrac- ments, and innovations to move
rectionality. An individual with rectives in an atmosphere of five thinking capacities to cre- table, sequential-linear thinking our nation forward around its
strong spatial intelligence is increasing time pressures, ate extraordinary depth, global leader—unable to free himself founders’ principles. He was able
thereby able to capture and hold uncertainty, conflicting advice, decisiveness, direction, and from improbable thought- to mentally digest competing
multi-dimensional streams of and crisis. spatial speed with moral integrity streams and unworkable party information, massage and distill
consciousness required in higher 9. Formulates intuitive, novel, in helping to make this country politics. Mark Levin used to call it down to the most relevant and
levels of intellectual complexity. inspiring solutions/directions strong and respected again. His Biden “the dumbest man in the substantive elements, while si-
Few U.S. presidents were con- and insightfully moves team/ unique ability to mentally visual- U.S. Senate.” multaneously evaluating incon-
sidered “brilliant”—able to view organization to a higher place, ize, invent, construct, and decon- Biden is neither clever nor sistencies in thinking and actions
their linear world “spatially” with function, and direction. struct and masterfully commu- smart. He left a 47-year political of those around him in the politi-
unseen multiple options and nicate was especially noted with legacy of insignificant and non- cal arena. He will be compara-
frameworks. Those few were like Character Capacity: Integrity and key national and international notable accomplishments. He tively missed by many of us.
exceptional Superbowl quarter- Authenticity initiatives—something critically garnered a reputation of dishon-
backs, able to take a backfield 10. Personifies goodness through needed in our nation’s leadership esty and deception—of making Dr. Morris Graham heads a Hono-
vantage point with unfolding humility, honesty, authentic- to sustain our future lead and stupid and insane remarks or lulu-based, international executive
dynamic systems and simul- ity, integrity, and wisdom. prosperity. gaffes. Vice President Biden ap- development firm specializing in
taneously perceive in spatial 11. Sustains the self-confidence, Reagan had a rare capacity to peared to be unable to globally executive capacity-building. He
combinations of height, width, dignity, self-esteem, and posi- think spatially, to create, to per- visualize and process in a way is the author of “Executive Think-
and depth that directed them to tive growth of others. form, and to improve on the con- that allowed him to fluidly move ing: from Brightness to Brilliance.”
smartly execute with insight, de- 12. Navigates with a moral com- ventional status quo. His mental from different starting points, Comments are welcome: morri-
cisiveness, direction, and speed. pass that inspires and sets a “visual-spatial” ability was a real change direction as needed [email protected]

A Grandmother’s DREAM American Values

My name is Suzie Snead, and I their own choices. mined to 1) raise our taxes to Concerning the tragedy that tion, job training, hard work,
am a 73-year-old grandmother I DREAM of freedom of speech pay for more illegal aliens, etc.; occurred on Jan. 20, 2021, determination, personal
living in Florida. that CAN NOT be controlled by 2) open our border to more I must ask a question to all responsibility, and, lastly,
I, like Martin Luther King, the far-left CEOs, who, through illegal entrants; and 3) defund Americans: Where do you honesty.
have a DREAM. their power of monopoly, decide our police and army—making stand as an American? These are the American
I DREAM that my grandchil- what is heard by all of us. us less safe, bankrupting our I do not know, but as for me values and dream.
dren and all innocent youth I DREAM of a government nation with big government. and my family, I stand for: Let us pray that the Ameri-
will be allowed to grow up in an that defends legal citizens, our MONEY and POWER seem to The love of my Christan can people will wake up
open and free society, a society borders, and our homeland, and be what motivates most of our God. from their idle slumber and
that is based on our Constitu- allows only legal entry into the politicians. Maybe we need to The love of my family and remove the cancerous folly
tion and Bill of Rights. USA. DEFUND them until our rights friends. of the totalitarian Marxist
I DREAM of a continued capi- We are moving into an era that are restored. The love of my flag and state.
talistic economy where small is not the AMERICA that I have country.
SINCERELY, BEST REGARDS,
businesses can thrive and our known and loved. SUSAN SNEAD The love of American JOHN MERIWETHERS
citizens are allowed to make We have the “far left” deter- FLORIDA values, which are educa- MISSISSIPPI
 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 OPINION | A19
NICHOLAS ROBERTS /GETTY IMAGES

Stephen Gregory, Publisher

Jasper Fakkert, Editor-in-Chief
Channaly Philipp, Life & Tradition,
Travel Editor
Chrisy Trudeau, Mind & Body Editor
Crystal Shi, Home, Food Editor
Sharon Kilarski, Arts & Culture Editor

ABOUT US

The Epoch Times is a media

organization dedicated to seek-
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and independent journalism.

Standing outside of politi-

cal interests and the pursuit of
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goal is to create a media for the
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Thousands of anti-war demon-
SPECIAL SERIES: HOW THE SPECTER OF COMMUNISM IS RULING OUR WORLD strators organized by International As an independent media out-

Chapter Fifteen:
ANSWER gather near the Washing- let, we use our freedom to inves-
ton Monument before marching to
the White House on March 15, 2003.
tigate issues overlooked—or
avoided—by other media outlets.

The Communist Roots of Terrorism

We seek to highlight solutions
and what’s good in society rather
than what divides us.

We report respectfully, compas-

sionately, and rigorously.
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The Epoch Times here serializes around the world and throwing up a We stand against the destruc-
an adaptation from the Chinese diversionary smokescreen to confuse tion wrought by communism,
of “How the Specter of Communism and misdirect its enemies. including the harm done to cul-
Is Ruling Our World,” a new book Radical Islamic terrorism has taken tures around the world.
by the editorial team of the “Nine the spotlight in international con-
We are inspired in this by our
Commentaries on the Communist flict since the end of the Cold War.
own experience. The Epoch
Party.” However, as the United States and
Times was founded in 2000 to
its allies became embroiled in costly
bring honest and uncensored
and protracted military campaigns
news to people oppressed
5. The Convergence of Terrorism in the Middle East, the Chinese
by the lies and violence in
and the West’s Radical Left communist regime quietly worked
communist China.
After 9/11, radical Western leftist to become a superpower capable of
intellectuals cheered the event and challenging the free world. The chaos We still believe journalism is a
defended the perpetrators. Days after that prevailed in the Middle East and noble vocation, but only when it
the attacks, an Italian playwright and said that the United States was “one elsewhere distracted Western govern- genuinely seeks to serve its com-
Nobel laureate in literature said, “The Manhattan of the leading terrorist states.” [57] An ments and the public from the resur- munities and help them to flour-
great speculators wallow in an econo- attorney Lynne assistant professor of anthropology at gent threat of communism, as well as ish. In all that we do, we will hold
my that every year kills tens of mil- Stewart (C) Columbia University told a crowd of the unprecedented crimes against hu- ourselves to the highest stand-
lions of people with poverty—so what speaks to the about 3,000 students that he “person- manity being committed by the CCP ards of integrity. This is our
is 20,000 dead in New York?” [52] A news media after ally would like to see a million Moga- despite its having greater economic
leaving the United promise to you.
professor at the University of Colora- dishus,” referring to the 1993 Battle of and cultural ties with the West.
do–Boulder characterized those who States Court- Mogadishu, in which alleged al-Qae- Founded on hatred and struggle,
house April 9,
had died in the World Trade Center as
2002, in New
da-trained fighters killed eighteen US communism is the fundamental CONTACT US
“little Eichmanns” (referring to one of York City. Stew- Special Forces soldiers. The professor cause of terrorism around the world.
the architects of the Nazi Holocaust), also expressed hope that American While the media focuses its atten- The Epoch Times Association Inc.
art and three
saying the victims were part of the other people were soldiers would kill each other. [58] tion on terrorist attacks that target 229 W. 28th St., Fl. 7
“technocratic corps at the very heart indicted April 9, Some left-wing figures have aided Western society, the vast majority of New York, NY 10001
of America’s global financial empire” 2002, on charges terrorists directly. In 1995, Omar those killed by Islamic extremists are Advertising
and implying that the attacks were a that they helped Abdel-Rahman was convicted for ordinary Muslims living in Islamic [email protected]
just punishment. [53] imprisoned conspiring to carry out the 1993 countries. Similarly, the more than
On February 11, 2003, a month Islamic militant World Trade Center bombing. One of 100 million deaths caused by com- Subscriptions
before the United States attacked Iraq, Sheik Omar Abdel his defense lawyers, Lynne Stewart, munism were nearly all of the victims Help.TheEpochTimes.com
bin Laden released an audio record- Rahman commu- was sentenced to prison in 2006 for living under communist regimes. General Inquiries
nicate with the
ing through Al-Jazeera Television, helping to smuggle messages from Until the toxic roots of communism Help.TheEpochTimes.com
Egyptian-based
saying that “there [would] be no harm terrorist organi- Abdel-Rahman to his followers in the are dug out, humankind will not enjoy
Letters to the Editor
if the interests of Muslims converge zation known Middle East that told them to con- a single day of peace. Only by recogniz-
[email protected]
with the interests of the socialists in as the Islamic tinue their terrorist activities. Stewart ing the role of communism in the ter-
the fight against the crusaders,” and Group. She was became a political idol for the Left rorist activities that plague our world,
calling on people to fight against the released on and was repeatedly invited to give and by standing on the side of tradi-
US military in the streets. [54] $500,000 bond. lectures on college campuses. [59] tional moral values and faith, can this
Hoping to prevent the United States Standing with terrorists against menace be defeated and the “global
from carrying out military opera- Western democratic society is part war on terror” be brought to an end.
tions in Afghanistan and Iraq, and of the radical Left’s long march to
later to hamper its efforts in the War destroy and take over Western society Notes
on Terror, various radical left-wing from within. The Left is willing to use
forces launched a large-scale anti-war any method that helps it achieve this 52. Daniel Flynn, “Why the Left Hates
America: Exposing the Lies That Have
protest movement. Most members of goal. At a deeper level, though Western Obscured Our Nation’s Greatness” (United
the prominent anti-war organization leftist ideology has no superficial rela- States: Crown Publishing Group, 2004).
ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and tionship with Islamic extremism, their
End Racism), founded in 2001, are common roots lie in the hatred and 53. “Ward Churchill” [profile], Discover the
socialists, communists, and leftists struggle of the communist specter. Networks, accessed on May 5, 2020.
or progressives. Many of its found-

SUBSCRIBE
54. Transcript of Osama bin Laden tape,
ers had ties with the International 6. Ending the Fundamental BBC, February 12, 2003, accessed on June
Action Center and the Workers World Cause of Terrorism 9, 2020.
Party, a communist radical organiza- From the Paris Commune and Lenin’s
tion aligned with the North Korean institutionalization of violence to the 55. Jamie Glazov, “United in Hate: The Left’s

TODAY
Romance With Tyranny and Terror” (Los
regime. ANSWER is thus a front-line CCP’s state-sponsored persecutions,
Angeles: WND Books, 2009), 164–165.
force aligned with Stalinist commu- communism has always used terror-
nism. Also participating in the anti- ism to achieve its aims. Terrorists use 56. David Horowitz, “Unholy Alliance:
war movement was Not in Our Name, violence to throw society into disor- Radical Islam and the American
a front organization of the Revolu- der, and use fear to bring people under Left “(Washington DC: Regnery Publishing, Get the
tionary Communist Party, which is a
Marxist-Leninist party linked to the
their control. They violate the moral
values held universally across human-
Inc., 2004), 37.
independent news
57. Glazov, “United in Hate”, 159–176.
Chinese communist regime. [55]
More than ity in order to achieve their ends.
58. “Nicholas De Genova” [profile], Discover
you won’t find
In his 2004 book “Unholy Alliance: The roots of communism can be
Radical Islam and the American Left, 100 million seen in the core ideas and methods the Networks, accessed on May 5, 2020. anywhere else.
American scholar” David Horowitz deaths of modern terrorist groups, as it is 59. “Lynne Stewart” [profile], Discover the
described the nefarious connection caused by communist ideology that provides a Networks, accessed May 5, 2020. Subscribe and get the
between radical leftists and Islamic communism theoretical framework for their evil insights only The Epoch Times
extremists. According to his analysis, were nearly agendas. This concludes Chapter Fifteen. can provide, delivered to your
the radical Left around the world has Moreover, beyond the territories door every week.
served to indirectly defend Islamic
all of victims directly controlled by communist re- See next edition for the next installment.
jihadis. [56] living under gimes, communism has manipulated
communist ReadEpoch.com
During a meeting with Hezbollah a variety of groups and individuals to To purchase the books, visit Epoch-
officials, a prominent leftist professor regimes. carry out terrorist acts, sowing chaos Shop.com
A20 | OPINION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

A Mom’s Research: Who Are the Real Racists?

SHAWN THEW/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
CONTINUED FROM A17

over the world, but that Americans were

among the very few peoples who began
to question the morality of holding hu-
man beings in bondage. That was not yet
a majority view among Americans in the
18th century, but it was not even a serious
minority view in non-Western societies at
that time.
“Then how did slavery end? We know
how it ended in the United States—at the
cost of one life lost in the Civil War for
every six slaves freed. But that is not how it
ended elsewhere.”
Is slavery the reason for the high crime
rates and broken families in the black
community? Owens provided his own
experience on this issue:
“I grew up in a community that was
truly living the American dream and the
most competitive minority race in our
country, the ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s, and this
is something you were not taught. It is not
taught on purpose.
“[In the] ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s, the black
community led our country in the growth
of the middle class [and] led our country
in men matriculated from college. Men
committed to marriage: over 70 percent
of men committed to the mothers of their
children. Those who didn’t were looked
at as lowlifes. They were not respected. ...
Over 40 percent of black Americans were
entrepreneurs, business owners within
the community, a segregated community schools in Britain and America where Members of the New Black Panther education system, media, and politics.
that did not have any white people, any both children and their teachers have Party march through the streets of It’s distorting our history, bending objec-
other folks at all.” been targets of young thugs allowed to run Washington to demonstrate against tive standards, and poisoning our minds
“You have an upbringing in which you amok; single mothers on welfare in New the inauguration of President George through all these channels.
think: ‘I can do anything. I can literally do Zealand saying, ‘If I don’t have another W. Bush on Jan. 20, 2001. Just as Owens said: “We have people
anything I want to because I see it in front baby, I’m going to have to go back to work;’ out there [with] an evil ideology. I have to
of me. I understand that there are those and a woman in an American public make this point very clearly: When I talk
who don’t want me to succeed, but guess housing project responding to an account about Marxist, socialist, communist, I’m
what? We’re going to work hard, and we’re of a brutal gang-rape of a woman in her not talking about a person. I’m talking
going to ride harder, we’re going to study own apartment with: ‘So a lady was raped. about ideology. People change. Ideologies
harder, we’re going to do whatever we Big deal. There’s too much other crime do not. So we have here a movement that’s
have to do to show them wrong. We’re not happening here.’ We have already noted been lying in wait, waiting for an opportu-
going to demand respect. We’re going to an international and centuries-long de- nity to pounce on American people.”
command respect.’ That was the commu- cline in homicides that suddenly reversed
nity I grew up in.” in the 1960s and shot up again, to levels What’s Behind the Black Lives Matter
Sowell also pointed out that teenage not seen since the previous century.” and Antifa Movements?
pregnancy, husband desertion, and Before moving on, I wish to remind Black Lives Matter is a Marxist move-
unemployment were much lower before readers again: The situation of the black ment. Its founders have publicly stated
the 1960s than they are now. He said in a American community 60 years ago was Former NFL player that they are trained Marxists. They close
documentary: “As late as 1930, blacks had very different from the situation now. Burgess Owens testifies every meeting and every action with a
lower unemployment rates than whites. Sowell quoted a 2009 New York Times during a hearing on “Communist Manifesto” slogan: “We have
slavery reparations,
... All these things that we complain about article talking about the public housing nothing to lose but our chains.” They’re
on Capitol Hill in
and attribute to the era of slavery, those projects in New York: “These were not the Washington on June financially sponsored by the Chinese
things should have been worse in the past projects of idle, stinky elevators, of gang- 19, 2019. Progressive Association of San Francisco,
than in the present, but in fact, they’re controlled stairwells where drug deals go a storefront of the Chinese Communist
worse in the present than in the past. And down. In the 1940s, ‘50s, and ‘60s, when Party on the West Coast. They follow
I think if you want to look for a turning most of the city’s public housing was built, the model of the Black Panther Party, a
point, it would be since the 1960s. ... You a sense of pride and community perme- radical Marxist group in the 1960s that
began to have not only the welfare state, ated well-kept corridors, apartments and I think if you want worshipped Chairman Mao. They care
you began to have the mind-set that goes grounds.” to look for a turning nothing when black businesses are looted,
with the welfare state so that there was no or when more and more black people are
stigma any longer attached, for example, Who Are the Real Racists? point, it would be killed by criminals. They care only about
to being on relief or welfare.” Decaying morality and leftist policies since the 1960s. ... You taking advantage of tragedies, like the
are probably the biggest reasons for the began to have not only death of George Floyd, to incite hatred.
Turning Point for the Black Community downturn of the black community. But The Antifa (anti-fascist) movement
The 1960s was the turning point for the what is behind the bad policies? Sowell the welfare state, you originated in Germany in the 1930s. It was
black community. It was a time when pointed out that it was a prevailing “social began to have the started by members of the Communist
American morality was hijacked by vision”: mind-set that goes Party of Germany (KPD), and described
communism. Author Cleon Skousen “Much of the social retrogression that itself as a “red united front under the lead-
wrote in his book “The Naked Capitalist”: took place on both sides of the Atlantic with the welfare state ership of the only anti-fascist party, the
“As early as 1960, the U.S. Communist is traceable to the central tenet of the so that there was no KPD.” The contemporary Antifa move-
leader, Gus Hall, had announced that the prevailing social vision, that unequal stigma any longer ment is formed mainly by communists,
Party was going to alienate and radical- outcomes are due to adverse treatment socialists, and anarchists. The “fascism”
ize the American Youth. Within a short of the less fortunate. This preconception attached, for example, it refers to actually means longstanding
time, Castro beards, hippy clothes, filthy became a fount of grievance-driven at- to being on relief or American traditions and values. Commu-
speech, Communist salutes, Communist titudes, emotions, and actions—including welfare. nist symbols are often seen in its protests.
songs, Communist peace symbols, drugs, what has been aptly called ‘decivilizing’ Its only interest is to burn all traditional
pornography, nihilism, and riots became behavior in many contexts. Thomas Sowell values and social structures to ashes.
the order of the day.” “There is no question that human biases Let’s spread the word and start conver-
Traditional marriage became one of have contributed to unfair prospects. sations with calmness and evidence. It
the first casualties of the cultural war. But it is a complete non sequitur to say took communism more than 100 years to
The black community was affected more that human biases are the sole, or even infiltrate our country. With strong deter-
severely. Deserting families was no longer primary, causes of unequal prospects, mination, we will save our young people,
a shame, but considered cool. Feminism, without hard evidence to support that one heart at a time.
“sexual liberation,” and the promotion of conclusion.”
abortion have also damaged families. “No two leaves are alike.” We were all Jean Chen is originally from China, and
The welfare state policies that began in born with different backgrounds. We all Members of Antifa during an action in writes under a pen name in order to protect
the mid-1960s further damaged marriage have different resources, face different Washington on Dec. 12, 2020. her family in China.
in addition to penalizing good work ethic challenges, and have some prejudice in
or willingness to work. According to Rob- our minds. But we all can work hard and
ert Rector, senior research fellow at The treat others nicely to achieve success,
Heritage Foundation, welfare programs conquer others’ prejudices, and earn their
made single parenthood financially pos- respect. Those who deprived us of dignity,
sible and punished low-income married humility, and confidence, but fill our
parents. “When a low-income mother and hearts with bitterness and resentments,
father marry, they will generally experi- and those who told us to blame others and
ence a sharp drop in benefits, and their to rely on the government or looting to get
joint income will fall.” our “fair share,” are the real racists. They
As morality degenerated in the 1960s, are the ones who insult us and paralyze
everything took a downturn. And it wasn’t our races.
just limited to the United States. Sowell Sowell wrote, “History is too often
wrote in his book “Discrimination and taught today under the banner of ‘social
Disparities”: justice,’ and using the same toxic mixture
“The widespread changes wrought in of heady rhetoric and heedless visions
human behavior during the triumphant that led to such monumental tragedies in
era of the welfare state and its accompany- the totalitarian dictatorships of the twen-
ing social vision have included fear-filled tieth century.”
people in a French public housing project I believe he is referring to communism.
where cars are “burned for fun”; fear-filled Communist ideology has infiltrated our
STEPHANIE KEITH/GETTY IMAGES
 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 OPINION | A21
SETH HERALD/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

ship of my posts.
One of the many written messages I
received from the LinkedIn represen-
tative included the following apology:
“I apologize for any errors or incorrect
information I initially gave you with
regards to your case. While there is cer-
tain information I can’t divulge regard-
ing your post/content, I assure you that
LinkedIn doesn’t suppress or censor con-
tent simply because it differs in opinion.
We welcome content and articles that are
robust, meaningful, and factual.”
The representative advised that the
post containing the link to the article
“Thank You, President Trump,” had
finally been restored nearly a week after
it had first been censored by LinkedIn.
She later told me via phone that they had
given it a second review and found it
hadn’t violated any of their policies.
Of course, I had to initiate and go through
a long and tedious process with LinkedIn
for them to eventually restore this post.

Objectionable Information
My first censored post containing the
article “Why I’m Protesting for the First
Time on Jan. 6” continues to be censored

As an American, by LinkedIn, however.

While unwilling to answer specific
questions in writing about why and how
my posts were censored, the LinkedIn

I Was Censored in China: representative offered to provide further

information via a phone call. During
the call, the representative told me that
she couldn’t go into detail about why my

Now I’m Being Censored posts were censored by LinkedIn.

But the issue was that any allegations
of fraud in the 2020 election hadn’t been
confirmed.

in My Own Country In response to this, I noted Navarro’s

extensively sourced series of scholarly
reports prominently cited in the article
attached to the censored post in question.
But that wasn’t sufficient, the repre-
sentative told me, because they couldn’t
ADAM MOLON censors apparently see it, is that I had the (Top) A couple watches verify it themselves.
audacity to point out the allegations of the election results at a The representative stated that LinkedIn
“In America, I post comments without widespread fraud that took place in the Republican watch party at checks with multiple sources regarding
fear of disgrace 2020 presidential election, which was Huron Vally Guns in New Hud- the accuracy of posts that are flagged to
In China, they’re censored, what a great plainly witnessed by Americans across son, Mich., on Nov. 3, 2020. be censored. When I asked for specif-
loss of face!” the nation and documented in detail in a (Below) Adam Molon. ics regarding which sources LinkedIn
Ironically, these lines about online cen- series of scholarly reports by Peter Na- utilizes, she responded that she couldn’t
sorship, translated here from the origi- varro, a professor who holds a doctorate in COURTESY OF ADAM MOLON
divulge specific sources, but that they
nal Chinese, were what led to me being economics from Harvard University. were basic sources such as CNN.
censored for the first time in my life. It’s evident that the inconvenient truth As has been widely reported, record-
As an American exchange student in of the undermining of the integrity of our ings of conversations with CNN employ-
Nanjing completing the U.S. Defense electoral system during the 2020 election ees during the past two years, including
Department’s Chinese Language Flagship is viewed with trepidation by many mem- raw recordings of numerous internal
Program, I competed in a Chinese-lan- bers of the political establishment and CNN conference calls from late 2020,
guage competition for foreign students, allied social media platforms. And, given were leaked, revealing and confirming
co-sponsored by China Central Television the near-impossibility of convincingly a heavy anti-Trump bias among CNN
and the Confucius Institute headquar- disputing the evidence and statistical executives and reporters.
ters. I’d been invited to participate by an receipts of the allegations documented After exchanging dozens of writ-
administrator at Nanjing University, and, in Navarro’s reports, major social media ten messages with LinkedIn over the
rather than emulate the studious and firms have decided to forego intellectu- course of weeks and receiving multiple
self-serious efforts that other students ally honest debate and instead resort to apologies from LinkedIn, in writing and
made to showcase their “true knowledge” the blunt force of censorship. verbally, for the acknowledged “errors
of Chinese language and culture, I instead I was first censored by Facebook. I was or incorrect information” that LinkedIn
decided to speak the truth. then censored for the first time by Linke- made and provided regarding my cen-
I wrote an irreverent poem in Chinese, dIn on Jan. 8. Both of these instances sored posts, I had finally received some
titled “Forever a Foreign Devil,” which were detailed in the piece, “I’m Sounding meaningful information—seemingly
humorously addressed the reality, learned the Alarm: PRC-Style Censorship Has Ar- given in unplanned candor—from the
over time while living in China, that no rived in the United States.” LinkedIn representative via phone.
matter how advanced my Chinese lan- Perhaps even more surprising, I was The representative admitted that while
guage skills became or how deeply I came later censored for a second time by the information in my censored post
to understand Chinese culture, I would LinkedIn. My post, which included the pertaining to protesting election fraud
EDWARD SMITH/GETTY IMAGES

always be identified in China’s insular simple statement, “My latest piece. Today, “could be accurate,” LinkedIn may have
society, first and foremost, as a foreigner. Americans say, ‘Thank You, President deemed it “objectionable” after checking
Following my performance, judges Trump,’” was removed by LinkedIn the with sources that include CNN, which is
selected me to advance from the regional next day without explanation. demonstrably anti-Trump in its bias.
competition in Jiangsu Province to the After this second post was censored by As we have seen recently, the type of
televised national competition in Beijing, LinkedIn, I reached out to an executive politically driven censorship that I’ve
and my poem was printed the next day in contact at LinkedIn to ask why my experienced during the past two months
The Yangtse Evening Post, one of China’s posts were censored and sup- has also been experienced by countless
most widely circulated newspapers. pressed, and was put in touch other Americans across major social
The poem—included under the headline with a LinkedIn representa- media platforms, including Twitter, Face-
“Foreign Students Are ‘Cool,’ Local Stu- tive via LinkedIn’s help page. book, and LinkedIn. And, as an Ameri-
dents Are ‘School’: Young Foreigner’s ‘Hip I wrote to the LinkedIn can who has experienced and witnessed
Poem’ Leaves Chinese Audience in Stitch- representative: “I would ap- systematic censorship in authoritarian
es”—was printed in its entirety, with the preciate detailed information China, I understand how important it is
exception of my lines critiquing censor- on why and how my posts were that we protect our freedom of speech
ship in China. There were other portions censored. ... Will censorship of in the United States and stop censorship
of the poem that I thought to be edgier, but free speech continue on LinkedIn? here before it becomes a new normal.
pointing out the systematic suppression of “My experience with social media In the final lines of my poem, I closed
speech in authoritarian China turned out censorship in the U.S. this past month with this statement, translated here from
to be the real red line for censors. reminds me of the social media environ- the original Chinese:
In The Yangtse Evening Post and, ment I witnessed firsthand when living “But don’t worry about me, my story’s
later, when the poem was reprinted in a in authoritarian China, where there is an epic,
Chinese-language textbook published systematic censorship and suppression And when all’s said and done, I’ll use
by Peking University Press, the lines on of speech. This is truly alarming, not English to tell it.”
censorship were deleted and replaced by only to me, but to other Americans who Censorship of this poem is just the tip of
an ambiguous row of dots. care about the fundamental right of free the iceberg of what I experienced during
At the time, as a student in my early 20s, speech without censorship.” my years living in authoritarian China.
I was proud of the censorship of my poem, After several days of what felt like a And now, after being censored in the
and saw it as a badge of honor. Authoritar- stonewalling back-and-forth process As Americans, we United States, I’m exercising my freedom
ian China is afraid to acknowledge to its in which I provided detailed informa- cannot take for of speech to share this truth today: As
own people the suppression of their funda- tion about the censored posts, including granted—and must Americans, we cannot take for granted—
mental human rights, including freedom of screenshots, the representative flatly and and must continue to maintain and de-
speech, I realized. I felt secure in the knowl- falsely denied that my posts had been continue to maintain fend—the free society and fundamental
edge that in the United States, freedom of censored, and attempted to close the and defend—the rights, including free speech, that we’ve
speech without censorship is a fundamen- inquiry. She stated in writing: “LinkedIn free society and built up over generations.
tal right that is strongly protected. has not removed any of your content
Adam. If we did, I would be happy to ex- fundamental Adam Michael Molon is an American
US Censorship plain what happened and why; however, rights, including writer and journalist. He holds a mas-
Fast forward a decade to 2021, and within that is not the case with your account.” free speech, that ter’s degree in journalism from Columbia
the past two months, my free speech has After several more days of correspon- University and undergraduate degrees
been censored for the first time on U.S. dence, the representative apologized we’ve built up in finance and Chinese language from
social media. The problem, as anonymous and acknowledged LinkedIn’s censor- over generations. Indiana University–Bloomington.
A22 | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

“In an era of trillion-dollar deficits and a $27 trillion debt, it is
hard to imagine how we will ever be able to restore any form of
financial responsibility if big spenders in the halls of Congress
are able to use earmarks to keep spending money we don’t have.”
Letter signed by 35 Senate and House Republicans

THOMAS LOHNES/GETTY IMAGES

digital currency could be a dream

come true for a central planner as
the ultimate tool for the expropri-
ation of wealth and taking control
of an economy to put it entirely in
the hands of governments.
A digital currency could open
up the risk of eliminating all
controls on government spend-
ing, as politicians would be the
first recipients of all newly cre-
ated money and able to spend
without budget control. As such,
a digital currency could be a
dangerous tool used for the na-
tionalization of the economy.

The most important

risk of a digital currency
is that it would provide
unlimited power to
central banks to
increase money supply
and direct it where
governments want it.

When banks and the credit

mechanism are erased from the
transmission of monetary policy,
the risk of inflation and the de-
struction of the purchasing power

The Dangers of a Central

of the currency rises massively.
The headquaters It would eliminate the demand
of the European part of the credit mechanism as a
Central Bank in
brake on inflation.

Bank Digital Currency

Frankfurt, Germany,
on Dec. 4, 2014. The reader may think that the
above is too negative and that
this wouldn’t necessarily hap-
pen. However, the reader must
think of the following question:
If governments are given a tool
EITAN ABRAMOVICH/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES that allows them to spend all
DANIEL LACALLE is used in less than 4 percent, they want and take control of the
according to the Bank for Inter- IMF Director Christine
economy, do you really believe
Commentary national Settlements (the total is Lagarde (L) speaks with they won’t use it?
200 percent as each transaction Chairman of the Federal The reader may say that cen-
In recent weeks, involves two currencies), and Reserve Jerome Powell tral banks are independent, and
Jerome Pow- most payments and transfers are during the family picture that this independence prevents
ell at the Fed- already electronic. at the G20 Finance Min- governments from crowding out
eral Reserve and The euro is the second-most- isters and Central Bank all money supply and taking un-
Christine Lagarde at used currency and is also mostly Governors meeting in limited risk. Unfortunately, the
the European Central Bank have used through electronic trans- Buenos Aires, Argentina, independence of central banks
commented on the likelihood of fers. One can say that the U.S. on July 21, 2018. is increasingly questioned, and
implementing digital currencies dollar and the euro are already monetary policy has gone from
in the next few years. “digital.” being a tool to help make struc-
The positives have been well All this sounds good. So, why tural reforms to a tool to avoid
explained: more transparency, should we worry about a central These “brakes” are and have them. The fact that central banks
ease of use, and lower cost. bank “digital currency”? been essential to containing are on almost all occasions tak-
The European Central Bank There are important risk factors inflation and excessive govern- ing actions to facilitate more
(ECB) has stated that “a digital to consider. ment control of money creation. crowding out of the public sector
euro would guarantee that citi- The first one is privacy. The cen- In quantitative easing, the and more government control
zens in the euro area can main- tral bank would control almost credit system works as a tool to and spending doesn’t help either.
tain costless access to a simple, all transactions in a currency prevent the inflationary pres- A digital currency can only be a
universally accepted, safe and and have all the information on sures of money supply. When good idea if central banks had no
trusted means of payment.” It how deposits and savings are central banks increase their power over the increase in money
describes the digital euro as “an kept. The gradual implementa- balance sheet, it doesn’t imme- supply, if they had clear and un-
electronic form of money issued tion of the central bank digital diately translate into inflation breakable rules—such as a Taylor
by the Eurosystem (the ECB and currency would involve impor- because we, citizens and busi- rule—regarding their policy, and
national central banks) and ac- tant risks to privacy but also nesses, limit the risk of money discretionary measures were
cessible to all citizens and firms.” raise concerns about the central supply destroying the purchas- impossible. Keep dreaming.
The digital euro wouldn’t bank controlling the amount of ing power of the currency by tak- The only way in which a digital
replace cash, the ECB says: “The savings and their form. A central ing less credit than the increase currency would work for savers
Eurosystem will continue to bank that controls all transac- in money supply. If citizens and and real wages is if there was
ensure that you have access to tions and how savings are kept is businesses don’t demand more clear evidence that it wouldn’t
euro cash across the euro area. also able to act against those sav- credit, the transmission mecha- be controlled by central banks,
A digital euro would give you an ings by “dissolving” them with nism of monetary policy has curbing the ever-increasing gov-
additional choice about how to monetary policy. enough back-stops that prevent ernment control of the economy.
pay and make it easier to do so, The most important risk of a an excess of money from creat- Unfortunately, that’s not the
contributing to financial inclu- digital currency is that it would ing massive inflationary pres- case. When neo-Keynesians talk
sion alongside cash.” provide unlimited power to sures in goods and services. about “innovation” in central
In the United States, many central banks to increase money Yes, quantitative easing does banking and digital currency,
voices call for a digital dollar to supply and direct it where gov- generate massive inflation in what they’re talking about is
compete with China’s yuan. How- ernments want it. asset prices by making the most simply Argentina-style money
ever, the U.S. dollar is already the The digital currency would secure asset—sovereign bonds— printing to advance government
world’s reserve currency; it’s used eliminate the banks as inter- very expensive, but it certainly control of the economy.
in more than 80 percent of global mediaries in the transmission works well as a brake on infla- The risks of a digital currency
transactions, while the yuan mechanism of monetary policy. tionary risks. Governments are are enormous. Privacy could dis-
ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES also limited in their borrowing appear and the limits to govern-
desires by their budgets and ment spending would be elimi-
internal financial controls. nated. Even worse, the power of
Money creation is never neu- governments to decide who and
tral, and it disproportionately why people receive new tokens
benefits the first recipients of of this money would be unchal-
new money created—govern- lenged.
ments—while massively hurting In today’s world, we shouldn’t
the last recipients—savers and even discuss any tool that could
real wages. open the gate to giving even
The digital currency would more power and control over the
not only open the flood gates economy, wages, and savings to
of much higher money supply governments.
growth, but also destroy all the
mechanisms that prevent new Daniel Lacalle, Ph.D., is chief
Pedestrians walk past money from being absorbed en- economist at hedge fund Tressis
ATM machines for tirely by political spending and and author of “Freedom or Equal-
the digital currency eroding the purchasing power of ity,” “Escape from the Central
bitcoin in Hong Kong salaries and wages. Bank Trap,” and “Life in the
on Dec. 18, 2017. In essence, a central bank Financial Markets.”
 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 BUSINESS & ECONOMY | A23

Social Security—It’s Not Rocket Science

SEAN GALLUP/GETTY IMAGES

TOM MARGENAU dent child’s benefits (usually on for his or her benefits so they can
the Social Security account of a do the file-and-restrict thing.
I am constantly deceased parent) until age 22 as I know my explanation of those
hearing from long as they were in college. But in twists might have sounded com-
readers who 1981, Congress changed the law to plicated. But my point is they are
comment on the say those benefits ended when the pretty much a thing of the past. So,
perceived com- child reached age 18. again, we are back to essentially
plexities of Social The only real major reform that that same Social Security program
Security laws. They has affected almost everyone was I first learned about in 1973.
liken the program to something the increase in the retirement age Having spent a whole column
just shy of rocket science or brain to 67 from 65. But I think just about trying to convince you how simple
surgery. And they marvel that I can everybody knows about that. So Social Security is or, at least, how
keep up with “all the changing and even that’s not a change that has relatively unchanged it has been
complex rules and regulations.” too many people stumped. for many decades now, I can hear
Well, I’m no rocket scientist. Nor As I said, other than that one big some of you asking, “Well, then,
am I a brain surgeon. Not even change and several smaller chang- why did you have to write a book
close. I’m just a frumpy old retired es to some ancillary benefits, the explaining the program?”
Social Security Administration Social Security rules I learned in to play around with their benefits Good question. The deal is this:
employee of average intellect who my training class in 1973 are pretty in an effort to maximize their ben- Social Security rules are relatively
happens to know a little bit about much the same rules that exist efit payout. So, “maximizing your stable and simple. It’s just that there
the program’s policies and how today. So, I really don’t deserve too Social Security” became all the are thousands of those rules! What
they affect you. much credit for “keeping up with rage and, admittedly, confused an I’ve been able to accomplish over
I will elaborate on that point all the changes to Social Security.” awful lot of people. the past 48 years is to accumulate a
by answering this question I got That also means that you don’t File and suspend allowed a working knowledge of most of those
from one of my readers. have that much to worry about retiree to file for benefits at age 66 thousands of rules and regulations.
when it comes to staying on top and then immediately suspend And that’s what’s in the book.
Q: How in the world do you keep of the nuts and bolts of Social those payments. The retiree did If you’d like to learn more about
up with all the changes to Social Security—at least with respect to Other than that that so that a spouse could claim those many thousands of simple
Security? You constantly amaze retirement benefits. I mean, here dependent wives or husbands rules, the book is called “Social
me with your knowledge of the is Social Security in a nutshell. one big change benefits on the account. Then, at Security: Simple and Smart.” It’s
subject! You work and you pay Social and several 70, the retiree would “unsuspend” a collection of fact sheets I have
A: Well, I’m pleased that I amaze Security taxes. And then, one day, smaller changes his or her benefits and collect a 32 written that explain those rules in
you. But with all due respect, I’ve you retire and you have to decide percent delayed retirement bonus. easy-to-understand language. You
got to ask you: What changes are if you want to take reduced ben- to some ancillary But that loophole closed a couple can get the book online through
you talking about? efits at 62 or wait until your full benefits, the of years ago. It’s gone. So, forget my syndicator at Creators.com/
I retired from the Social Secu- retirement age to get full benefits Social Security about it, and don’t worry about it. books or find it through retailers
rity Administration in 2005. And or wait until 70 to get an aug- The other maximizing strategy, such as Amazon.
except for a few minor twists (that mented benefit (up to 32 percent rules I learned file and restrict, allows retirees
I will get to in a minute), the Social more). That’s it. I can’t say it often in my training to claim spousal benefits on a Tom Margenau worked for 32 years
Security program we have today enough: It’s not rocket science. class in 1973 are husband’s or wife’s Social Security in a variety of positions for the So-
is essentially the same program Earlier, I mentioned a few minor record at age 66 and continue to cial Security Administration before
that existed when I retired 16 years twists to the program. I will admit pretty much the collect those benefits until age 70 retiring in 2005. He has served as
ago. And for that matter, the Social that those twists complicated same rules that when they would switch to 132 the director of SSA’s public infor-
Security program that was around things for a while. But those twists exist today. percent of their own retirement mation office, the chief editor of
in 2005 was pretty much the same are now essentially gone. So, we benefit. That strategy is almost more than 100 SSA publications,
program that was around when I are back to the same simple Social gone. To clarify, the rules say you a deputy press officer and spokes-
started working for the SSA in 1973. Security program that’s been must have reached age 66 before man, and a speechwriter for the
In last week’s column, I dis- around for decades. Jan. 2, 2020, and you must have a commissioner of Social Security.
cussed some Social Security The twists I’m referring to are spouse already getting Social Se- For 12 years, he also wrote Social
reforms that took effect in the loopholes in the law that grew out curity. There are still a few people Security columns for local news-
1980s. But almost all of those of some Social Security amend- out there who turned 66 before Jan. papers, and recently published
changes affected some of the ments in the late 1990s. Those 2, 2020, and who haven’t filed for the book “Social Security: Simple
more minor auxiliary program loopholes, which became known Social Security yet because they and Smart.” If you have a Social
benefits. For example, students as “file and suspend” and “file and are waiting for a younger spouse to Security question, contact him at
used to be able to collect depen- restrict,” allowed potential retirees get to retirement age and sign up [email protected]

However, for a lot of folks, sav- when filing your taxes for 2020, ing. If you need help determining
Struggling With ing—especially for retirement—is
an ongoing challenge.
a single filer’s AGI can’t be more
than $19,500. The AGI limit for a
whether you qualify for the Saver’s
Credit, check out the IRS Interac-
Retirement Savings? So, I’m happy your question gives
me the chance to talk about a ben-
20 percent credit is $21,250. For a
10 percent credit, it’s $32,500. The
tive Tax Assistant. If you need more
help with tax preparation, you may
efit from Uncle Sam that few people AGI limits for married filing jointly also qualify for free tax assistance
Uncle Sam May Give are aware of: the Saver’s Credit—a
special tax break for low- to moder-
are $39,000, $42,500, and $65,000,
respectively. These income limits
from the IRS Volunteer Income Tax
Assistance (VITA) program.
You Extra Credit ate-income taxpayers who are spe-
cifically saving for retirement. And
are due to go up in 2021.
Of course, the final qualification Other Ways to Boost Your Savings
with April 15 just ahead, there’s still is that you make a contribution to The Saver’s Credit can be a wel-
time to take advantage of it for this a retirement account. It’s impor- come extra if you qualify, but even
CARRIE SCHWAB-POMERANTZ tax year. Here’s how it works. tant to note that rollover contribu- if you don’t, there are other ways
Americans on tions don’t qualify for the credit to give your savings a boost. First,
Dear Carrie: I What It Does and eligible contributions may make sure that saving is included
work for a small average have The Saver’s Credit gives you a tax be reduced by recent retirement in your budget. Then, set up auto-
nonprofit. I love been saving credit of 50 percent, 20 percent, account distributions. There’s lots matic monthly transfers from your
my job but don’t more. However, or 10 percent on the first $2,000 in of flexibility here because a wide checking account to a savings
make a lot of contributions you make to a retire- range of retirement accounts are account to make it easy. Think of it
money, so sav- for a lot of folks, ment account. The percentage you included: traditional and Roth as paying yourself first.
ing for retirement is saving—especially get depends on your adjusted gross IRA, traditional and Roth 401(k), If you have a company retirement
hard. The company offers a retire- for retirement— income (AGI) and filing status, but 403(b), 457 plan, SIMPLE and SEP plan, make sure you contribute
ment plan that I contribute to, but you could potentially claim a credit IRAs, and TSP (thrift savings plan) enough to get any match. Upping
there’s no match. How can I save is an ongoing of up to $1,000—or up to $2,000 if and ABLE accounts. your contribution by even a small
more?—A Reader challenge. you file jointly with your spouse. Let’s say you’re single, your percentage will increase your sav-
Dear Readers: This is a great You might think of it as a retire- income is $21,250, and you con- ings in the long run. No company
question—and a great time to be ment match from the government. tributed $1,200 to your company plan? Stay-at-home spouse? You
asking it. With the challenges of The Saver’s Credit is applied di- retirement plan. You could claim and your spouse may still be able
the past year still fresh and people rectly to your tax bill to reduce the a 20 percent tax credit of $240. to open an IRA and start making
struggling to get back to some sort amount of income tax you owe. For Now let’s say you file jointly with regular contributions. Also, look
of normal, saving money is on instance, if your tax bill is $1,000 your spouse, your combined AGI is into a Health Savings Account
everybody’s mind, whether it’s for and your credit is $400, you’d only $39,000, and you each put $1,000 (a (HSA) if you have a high-deduct-
planned expenses, an emergency owe $600. If your tax bill is $1,000 total of $2,000) into an IRA. You’d ible health plan. This is a great
fund, retirement, or all of the and your credit is $1,000, it’s a both be able to claim a 50 percent way to plan ahead for medical
above. On the positive side, Amer- wash. You’d owe nothing. tax credit for a total of $1,000. expenses, supplement retirement
icans on average have been saving What if your tax bill is $500 and savings—and save on taxes.
more, with personal savings rates your credit is $1,000? Unfortu- When to Claim It Finally, whenever you get a
the highest they’ve been in years. nately, you’d only get the $500 First, be sure to make any 2020 IRA windfall—a raise, a bonus, a tax re-
JACOB LUND/SHUTTERSTOCK
applied to your bill. The Saver’s contributions by April 15, 2021. fund, even a gift—consider putting
Credit is nonrefundable, meaning Then, you may be able to claim the some of it in savings. The amounts
if your credit is larger than your Saver’s Credit when you file your you save may seem small at first,
bill, you don’t get the difference. regular income taxes. (The dead- but don’t get discouraged. They will
line for making 2020 contributions add up over time. Then, take the
How You Qualify to other types of accounts eligible next step and invest your savings to
To meet the AGI requirements and for the Saver’s Credit mentioned help it potentially grow faster.
qualify, you must be 18 or older, above was Dec. 31, 2020.) You’ll With both saving and investing,
not a full-time student, and not need to file IRS form 8880, which time and consistency are two key
claimed as a dependent on some- will ask for your AGI. factors in achieving your goals.
one else’s tax return. (AGI is your And remember, a retirement con- Stick with it!
gross income minus adjustments tribution may be tax-deductible,
such as deductible retirement con- which can lower your AGI. So you Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, a certi-
tributions, self-employment taxes, could potentially get the benefit of fied financial planner, is president
educator expenses, and student the tax deduction for your contri- of the Charles Schwab Foundation
loan interest.) bution as well as the tax credit. It’s and author of “The Charles Schwab
To qualify for a 50 percent credit kind of a double reward for sav- Guide to Finances After Fifty.”
A24 | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

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MUSIC TIMELESS WISDOM

Can ‘Classic Film Music’ The Age of Postman

Become ‘Classical Music’?
Neither is better or worse than the other, and it is more Never before has America been so inundated with
of an apples-versus-oranges comparison than some information and at the same time so bereft of wisdom.
people may realize.
See B9 See B6

TRADITION|VALUES|FAMILY WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 B1

LIFE & TRADITION

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF HARVEST

Pastor Greg Laurie’s

Message for Tough Times:

‘Turn Your
Panic Into
Prayer’

Greg Laurie is a senior

pastor of Harvest
Christian Fellowship.

MAUREEN MACKEY ‘Best of Times, Worst of Times’

Evangelical leader

P
But Laurie, speaking in his clear and reso-
stresses personal astor Greg Laurie of Harvest
Christian Fellowship has long
People ... nant voice, points to the silver lining for all.
“Remember the opening line of ‘A Tale
relationship ministered to the faithful. He has need others of Two Cities,’ ‘It was the best of times,
been holding his well-known who care it was the worst of times’? Well, in many
with God—and evangelical events, called Har- ways, that is the case today,” he said. “It’s
vest Crusades, for more than 30 years on about them, very bad times right now, yes, but there are
compassionate campuses in California and Hawaii, and good things happening as well. We find
he has a strong online presence as well. someone to that when God closes one door, he then
outreach to others Today, especially, when so many Ameri- say to them: opens another.”
who are hurting cans are suffering through extremely chal-
lenging times as a result of the coronavirus, ‘You know,
Laurie and his fellow ministry leaders
had to, quite literally, close the doors of
this dedicated faith leader says we must turn you are loved. their church for a number of weeks last
to God above all else and remain focused on year due to COVID-19.
our personal relationship with him. Your life “Then we went outside to the big tent on
“Our faith is so important at this time in matters. I care our campus in Riverside [in California]
our culture,” he said, “and it seems that, and in our parking structure at Harvest
more than ever today, even nonbelievers about you.’ in Orange County. And we’ve been having
are asking spiritual questions.” services there. But what also happened is
He noted that, because of COVID-19 lock- Greg Laurie that we found a brand-new audience on-
downs and limits, instances of depression, line,” he said. “Where we would have, on
suicide, and drug use are up, and marriages average, perhaps 9,000 people watch our
are unraveling. “We’ve never been through service online in pre-COVID times, now
a time like this that I can recall, certainly
Laurie at a Harvest open house. not in my lifetime,” he said. Continued on B4

US HISTORY

Time Machine Books: The Story of Our Past

HAKAN NURAL/UNSPLASH
JEFF MINICK has canceled or derided in the past accounts of our nation’s past for
decade, men such as Andrew Jack- young people. Here are some of my
In February, I was browsing the son, Robert E. Lee, and Abraham personal favorites, books I read as
shelves of our local secondhand Lincoln. The years and the fingers a child, shared with my children,
bookstore, looking for birthday of earlier generations have left this or discovered from other sources,
gifts for two grandchildren, when volume tattered and worn, but for and which can supplement your
I came across Hermann Hagedo- $5, it was still a bargain. Today it study of American history.
rn’s “The Book of Courage.” This sits on my “grandkids’ shelf” in the
90-year-old collection of biogra- living room, awaiting new explor- Elementary School
phies for young people salutes ers of the past. “A Child’s First History of Ameri-
luminaries as diverse as Clara Frequently, readers write me ask- can History” by Earl Schenck
Barton, Daniel Boone, David Liv- ing for book recommendations for Miers seems a fine narrative his-
ingstone, Mahatma Gandhi, and students, particularly those having tory for readers 8 to 12 years old. “History is who we are and why we are the
Queen Elizabeth I. to do with history. Despite “cancel way we are,” wrote author and historian
Here, too, are figures our culture culture,” we can still find excellent Continued on B2 David McCullough.
B2 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

FIRST GLIMPSE PHOTOGRAPHY/SHUTTERSTOCK

US HISTORY

Time Machine
Books: The Story
of Our Past
Continued from B1

The history runs from the days when the

Vikings came to North America up to the
mid-20th century. Though I have never read
the book in its entirety, homeschool book
reviewer Cathy Duffy urges readers to buy
it in the hardcover edition “because you
will probably want to hold onto it forever.”
DK Publishing puts out the “Eyewitness”
books and other works on American history,
many of which can be enjoyed by primary
grade children. Even my 3-year-old grand- “A Child’s First History
son enjoys the pictures in the Eyewitness of American History” by
books on cowboys, the American Revolu- Earl Schenck Miers.
tion, and the Civil War.

Boyhood Favorites Novels based on historical events are a great way to explore the past.
Some of my favorites books as a youngster
were those found in the “Childhood of Fa- for teens,” and you’ll find several textbooks wonderful way to explore the past. Here are
mous Americans” series. Suitable for read- available that might provide excellent over- just a few suggestions.
ers in grades 3 through 6, these biographies views of American history. I’ve read “A Pa- Esther Forbes’s “Johnny Tremain” recre-
tell the stories of the early years of famous triot’s History of the United States” by Larry ates Boston just before the American Revo-
Americans, and then, in the last chapter, Schweikart and Michael Allen; I used Paul lution. Michael Shaara’s “The Killer Angels”
relate their accomplishments as adults. Bi- Johnson’s “A History of the American Peo- vividly recounts the Battle of Gettysburg, a
ographies of Amelia Earhart, Henry Ford, ple” as a text for my Advanced Placement novel in which Schaara brings characters
Ronald Reagan, and some 40 other men U.S. history class; and I have raved to friends like Robert E. Lee and Joshua Chamber-
and women remain in print. and in reviews about Wilfred M. McClay’s lain to life on the page. An earlier novelist,
“Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great Kenneth Roberts, did the same for Colonial
American Story” and the workbook that America and the Revolution in stories such
accompanies it. All of these books offer a as “Rabble in Arms” and “Arundel.” In “True
Despite ‘cancel culture,’ “Up From Slavery” by balanced account of our American past. Grit,” author Charles Portis introduces us
Booker T. Washington. If you are considering using one of them to Mattie, a girl determined to avenge the
we can still find excellent as a textbook, I would highly recommend murder of her father and who embodies the
“Land of Hope.” Code of the Old West. Betty Smith’s “A Tree
accounts of our nation’s Let me suggest as well including “The 1776 Grows in Brooklyn,” another book read by
past for young people. Report” in your home studies of America. some of my students, transports the reader
It’s a fine summation of our story. to immigrant life in that borough at the turn
of the 20th century.
Other favorites of my boyhood were Hol- Famous Lives, Great Events
ling C. Holling’s stories of our past. In “Minn Biography is an excellent vehicle for teach- Loving the Past
of the Mississippi,” for example, which I still ing our teenagers about the past. Many complain today of the widespread
own, a snapping turtle, Minn, floats down When I was teaching, my students read ignorance of so many Americans regarding
America’s longest river, and we accompany autobiographies such as Booker T. Wash- their heritage. We blame their education,
it, learning science and history along the ington’s “Up From Slavery” and Louis and perhaps rightly so, but if we fail to teach
way. Also at home on my bookshelf is Hol- L’Amour’s “Education of a Wandering that past, we are responsible as well.
ling’s “Tree in the Trail,” which focuses on Man,” which offers an excellent look at With all the resources available—we’ve
a cottonwood tree and through its history “The 1776 Report” by The that writer’s reading habits and adventures only reviewed a fraction of them here, and
tells the story of the Great Plains and the President’s Advisory 1776 during the Depression. Older students we haven’t even looked at the many fine
Santa Fe Trail. These books are appropriate Commission. studied the early life of Theodore Roos- movies about the past—we have little ex-
for upper-elementary and middle school evelt in David McCullough’s “Mornings cuse for our failure to hand on our culture
students. on Horseback” and read his biography of to the next generation.
Genevieve Foster’s “World” books might John Adams as well. David McCullough once wrote that “his-
also enhance your children’s study of Amer- Students might also explore historians tory is who we are and why we are the way
ican history. In volumes such as “George such as Stephen Ambrose, whose books we are.”
Washington’s World,” “Abraham Lincoln’s such as “Undaunted Courage: Meriwether If we learn some history, we’ll know who
World,” and “The World of William Penn,” Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Open- we are.
Foster explores not only the lives of such ing of the American West” and “Citizen
historical personages, but also spends time Soldiers” deservedly became bestsellers. Jeff Minick has four children and a grow-
introducing the young to the era in which Here I would highly recommend making an ing platoon of grandchildren. For 20
they lived. Students ages 8 and up should expedition to your public library, introduce years, he taught history, literature, and
find these biographies chock-full of informa- your teens to the American history section, Latin to seminars of homeschooling stu-
tion, and even adults might learn from them. and spend some time browsing with them. dents in Asheville, N.C. He is the author
There you should find a large number of of two novels—“Amanda Bell” and “Dust
Textbooks for Teens good, interesting books on the history of on Their Wings,” and two works of non-
Depending on the reading abilities of your our nation. fiction, “Learning as I Go” and “Mov-
“True Grit” by Charles
teenagers, they can find plenty of solid his- ies Make the Man.” Today, he lives and
Portis.
tories for their edification and enjoyment. Historical Fiction writes in Front Royal, Va. See JeffMinick.
Google “classical American history books Novels based on actual events are another com to follow his blog.

PARENTING Haims explains that success in later life is it takes more of our time to train them, and
directly related to childhood chores, for even then, the chores aren’t always done

Tackling Chores, Teaching Humility

“those who were most ‘successful’ began up to our standards. We want our houses to
doing chores at three to four years of age, look good to others, so dishes or vacuuming
whereas those who waited until their teen done by a child still learning the task might
years to start doing chores were compara- not make the house as presentable as we
ANNIE HOLMQUIST Doucleff recommends in a recent article tively less successful.” would like.
for NPR. So why are children who learn to do chores Likewise, we claim we don’t have time to
Years ago, one of my little sister’s least fa- Doucleff is the author of “Hunt, Gather, early on more successful at life in general? I teach our children these tasks because we’re
vorite jobs was sweeping the kitchen floor. Parent,” a new book that looks at other cul- would suggest it’s because chores not only too busy with work, or helping on a school
Although the kitchen was small, the chore tures and examines the ways in which they teach life skills, but because they teach hu- committee, or organizing an event at church,
would take her forever, and she would often raise children to be helpful, uncomplain- mility as well. or orchestrating the community garage
sit there amidst the scattered chairs, broom ing laborers in the journey of life. One of the Family physician and author Dr. sale. These activities are public-fac-
in one direction, dustpan in another, par- main tricks to raising children in such a way, Leonard Sax makes such a claim ing and can make us feel like we’re
ticles of dust and crumbs trickling into an Doucleff says, is to have them do the same in his book “The Collapse of Par- Taking the accomplishing a lot of good.
attempted pile. chores their parent is doing at the same time. enting,” saying that kids who are time to train But what if we adjusted our
Suddenly, however, this forlorn picture was Such a task, while it sounds easy, isn’t, for let off the hook when it comes children to do perspective, recognizing that
transformed. Although young, my little sister getting children involved in an adult’s work to chores get the idea that they their chores has our children are the most im-
soon became one of the best sweepers. I’d is both messy and time-consuming. Yet if “‘are too important to do me- long-lasting portant things in the world? If
also venture to say that this chore became parents want to take the easy way out and do nial tasks.’” This “unintended benefits. we pause to remember that chil-
one of her favorites. What changed? everything themselves, they are program- message puffs up the bloated self- dren are a parent’s legacy, then the
One day, our dad—likely when my sister ming their child to lose interest and later esteem that now characterizes many time we spend training them, while
was sitting amidst a pile of scattered dust complain when asked to pull their share of American kids,” Sax explains. time-consuming and not always initially
and crumbs—came up to her and walked the load around the house. In reflecting on his comments, however, I rewarding—perhaps even humbling—will
her through the chore, teaching her to me- But in doing so, parents aren’t only train- started thinking. Our children may get too eventually reap a huge return on investment
thodically go over each floorboard. ing their children to be lazy at home; they puffed up when we don’t train them to do as we see our children turn into responsible,
That simple training, parent with child, are also training them to be less success- chores ... but is it possible we aren’t train- successful, and hard-working adults.
side-by-side, doing a chore together, turned ful at life in general. That point is one made ing them because of our own prideful, self-
that miserable job into something my sister, by Julie Lythcott-Haims in “How to Raise absorbed mentalities? Annie Holmquist is the editor of Intellectual
young as she was, could be quite successful an Adult.” Citing research by family educa- As the NPR article suggests, we neglect Takeout. This article was originally pub-
at. That same tactic is one that Michaeleen tion professor Marilynn Rossman, Lythcott- teaching our children these things because lished on Intellectual Takeout.
 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 B3
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHELLY SHEPHERD

Bomb Survivor Double-Amputee

Aims for 2021 Paralympic Games
LOUISE BEVAN Haven said that she was rushed to a hos-
pital by her grandmother; the medics am-
Nearly 16 years ago, a baby girl survived putated Haven’s legs beneath the knee. Too
an explosion when her impoverished poor to pay the bills, Haven’s grandparents
birth parents detonated a bomb inside accepted donations to keep the baby girl Shepherd hopes to qualify for the 2021
their home in Vietnam. She lived but lost in the hospital for a total of 38 days. Paralympic Games in Tokyo should they
her legs. proceed as scheduled.
After being adopted by a loving fam- A New Family
ily from the United States, Haven Faith Overseas, Shelly and Rob Shepherd of Car- ity also presented themselves. Haven also
Shepherd, an inspiring double-amputee thage, Missouri, were thinking of adding began modeling and doing some motiva-
swimming star in the making, has found to their brood of six biological children. tional speaking.
ways to own her identity. Reading about Haven’s horrific ordeal in Haven said her mother encouraged her
As an advocate and a hopeful paralympic the news, Shelly’s heart was set on helping. when she briefly struggled with the pres-
swimmer, Haven takes joy and pride in Working with their close friends’ organi- sure to perform, fearing her failure might
being an amputee. zation, Touch a Life Foundation, the couple discourage all those people who had put
“It is what makes me ... me,” she said flew to Vietnam and brought Haven back their hopes in her.
in her story she submitted to Love What to the United States on a medical visa. The “One thing [my mom] told all of us over
Matters. Shepherds adopted her, giving Haven four and over is: ‘Your sport is something you
“I was supposed to die that night, and I older sisters and two older brothers. do. It’s not who you are. You always need
almost did. I was found 30 feet away from “I became a part of the most amazing to have a grasp on who you really are. That
the destroyed, flaming hut, mangled and family,” Haven wrote. “I was taught to em- way when you fail at what you do, you will
burned with shrapnel in my head and tiny, brace my differences, along with pursuing have a firm foundation to land on.’”
little body. I know this from the scars I still my destiny, with everything I had. Haven learned never to see herself as a
have today.” “They didn’t just teach their adopted dis- victim; she knew she was living an amaz-
Haven, born Do Thi Thuy Phuong, was abled child these things because I was a ing life.
just 16 months old when her desperate ‘miracle.’ They taught and expected these “I have met the most amazing people
Haven with her adoptive mother Shelly
parents set off a bomb inside their tiny, Shepherd. things from all their children because we with amazing stories, because let’s face
thatch-roofed hut in Vietnam’s Quang were all ‘miracles!’” it, everyone has a story,” she reflected. “I
Nam province on July 19, 2004. Haven Haven’s siblings were all budding ath- have traveled to other countries, and I have
doesn’t remember the explosion, nor does letes. Encouraged to pursue her dreams gotten to share my story with thousands of
she know why the bomb went off. Her par- despite her disability, 7-year-old Haven young people. ... I am so thankful.”
ents died in the blast. One thing [my mom] told got running blades and tried track, but At 17, Haven chronicles her life on her
“I’ve had to piece together my story from running was painful, she recalled. At 10, Instagram page, @HavenFaithShepherd.
things told to my adoptive parents, news- all of us over and over is: Haven changed lanes and tried competi- She hopes to qualify for the 2021 Paralym-
paper articles translated from Vietnamese, ‘Your sport is something tive swimming. She loved it. pic Games in Tokyo, Japan, should they
and later interviews done with my biologi- “I was hooked,” she wrote. “I could take go ahead. Her swimming coach, Shawn
cal grandparents,” Haven wrote. you do. It’s not who you off my prosthetics and move freely in the Klosterman, is behind her every step of
The media reported that Haven’s father are. You always need to water without anyone’s help, or any piece the way.
lied about having another family, was of equipment.” It’s a far cry from her tragic start in
kicked out by Haven’s birth mother, and re- have a grasp on who you At the age of 12, Haven was put on the life. “As the saying goes, the rest is history
turned vengeful, with a bomb. Her grand- USA Paralympic Emerging team. As her ... although I’m just 17 and have a lot more
parents told a different story of hopeless really are. athletic star burned brighter, opportu- history to make!” she said.
lovers believing a murder/suicide was “the Haven Faith Shepherd
nities for advocacy work and educating “It’s a lot of pressure saying you’re a mir-
only way they could be together forever.” young people about diversity and disabil- acle, but I guess I am.”

Mihaela Noroc: Capturing the Beauty of Motherhood

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF MIHAELA NOROC

JENNI JULANDER “A Hindu

mother and
One remarkable photographer is captur- her boy.”
ing the beauty and wonder of mother- Kathmandu,
hood—along with the hearts of those who Nepal.
see her photos—by taking some extraor-
dinary portraits of mother and child from
all parts of the world.
Mihaela Noroc, a Romanian photog-
rapher, is known for her book “Atlas of
Beauty,” which features her photographs
of 500 women from more than 50 different
countries, which she took while back-
packing across the globe.
Her latest collection now focuses on the
bond between mothers and children from Noroc said, Photographer
a rich spectrum of cultures throughout “Rachelle Mihaela
the world—from Kathmandu in Nepal, to told me: Noroc with
Peru’s Andes Mountains, to New York City. ‘We are her daughter
resting after Natalia.
a long day
at work.’”
Amsterdam,
Her latest collection Netherlands.

now focuses on the bond

between mothers and
children from a rich
spectrum of cultures
“Juliana
throughout the world. and her son
Alex.” Andes
Mountains,
Noroc said of the bond between mother Peru.
and child: “There’s always an intimate
chemistry between them. And there’s
always so much beauty and kindness in
these special moments.” erywhere in the world.
It was during her travels that the photog- “I think the mother’s love is the most
rapher noticed something unique about intense feeling that exists,” she said. “And
mothers in every country. we must talk more about it; we must show
“There are so many differences between it more often in mass media because it can
the cultures of the world when it comes to be a cure for all the hate and negativity
raising a baby. The way a newborn is fed, that surrounds us today.”
carried, or educated is never the same,” Mihaela added that her own journey of
she said. “But what’s [most] similar all over motherhood also served as an inspiration.
the world is the intense love of a mother,” This particular project has helped her grow
she said. closer to her daughter Natalia, who has trav-
Before long, she realized that she wanted eled the world with her for the past two years.
to capture this “universal feeling” in her “Traveling with my little daughter in all
photography. corners of the world is both challenging
Her collection of photographs, from six and amazing,” she said. “There are [many]
continents and 28 countries, celebrates more stories waiting to be discovered, and
the deep love between mother and child. now, as a mother, I feel an even stronger
Through these photos, Mihaela says desire to bring my small contribution in
she hopes to prove that a mother’s love making this world a better place for future
knows no bounds, and that it prevails ev- generations.”
B4 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF HARVEST

(Left) Greg Laurie and his family. (Right) Laurie with his son Christopher, who died in a car accident in 2008.

Pastor Greg Laurie’s Message for Tough Times:

‘Turn Your Panic Into Prayer’
Continued from B1 when he lost one of his children—his first- that person. Be present,” he said.
Pastor it’s about 400,000 people who are watch-
born son, Christopher—in a car accident in
2008. He doesn’t shy away from discuss-
“The good news is, God has not forgot-
ten us. He is always there for us. He says
Greg Laurie ing. And we’re having thousands of people ing the grief and the pain that he and his in Scripture, ‘You are calling me and I will
at a Glance come to faith in Christ.”
Last year alone, he noted, some 150,000
family went through due to that tragedy
and still are going through—but he comes
answer and do wonderful things for you.’
Sometimes, when you’re on your back, the
• Born Dec. 10, 1952 people made a profession of faith to follow back, again and again, to the blessings of only way you can look is up. So, look to the
Jesus through the Harvest ministry. Jesus Christ. Lord and call upon Him—He’s there, and
• Born in Long Beach,
“So this is the open door,” Laurie said. “When our son died in an automobile He will help you and encourage you.”
Calif.
“While COVID has brought so many bad accident 13 years ago now, our life changed In addition to his ministry work, Laurie is
• Became a devout things, there are some good things to forever. It changed permanently,” he said. the prolific author of more than 70 books.
Christian at age 17 keep in mind as well. People are spend- “We grieved then, and we still grieve now. His latest book, published in September
and led his first Bible ing a lot more time at home with family. But the Bible says we don’t have to grieve 2020, is “World Changers: How God Uses
study at age 19 That’s a good thing. It’s also challenging hopelessly. We have hope—and as believ- Ordinary People to Do Extraordinary
• Began holding large- for all of us. But we need to remember that ers, we know we will see our loved ones Things.”
scale evangelical events, we have a relationship with God. And we again if they’ve died in faith. And my son “It’s about how God can use you to change
known as Harvest shouldn’t worry. Instead, pray to God. The was a strong believer in Jesus Christ, so I your world,” he said. “I ask the question,
Crusades, in 1990 Bible says: ‘Don’t worry about anything. don’t grieve hopelessly. I grieve hopefully. ‘Are you a thermostat or a thermometer?’
Pray about everything and God will give A thermometer tells you what the tempera-
• Launched Harvest
America in 2012,
you His peace, which surpasses human ture in the room—but a thermostat sets the
which uses the internet understanding.’ temperature. So my question is, Are you a
to simulcast live HD “So I encourage people: Turn your panic We’ve never been through world changer, or is the world changing
video to thousands of into prayer. Turn your worry into wor- you? I base the book on the great men and
locations nationwide; ship. And look to God, who will give you a time like this that I can women of the Old Testament who took bold
Harvest Crusades have
also been held across
the strength to get through what we’re all
going through together. recall, certainly not in steps of faith—and how that made all the
difference.”
the globe “With so many people spending so much my lifetime. They were very “flawed people who made
• Served as honorary time on their phones and tablets and a lot of mistakes and sinned,” he added.
chairman of the National screens in general—there is a whole new Greg Laurie But it was their faith that motivated them
Day of Prayer in 2013 audience to reach, and people are coming to make a difference.
back to God.” “Yes, I still miss him, and I mourn him—
• Has been married to his and that’s an important process we have Billy Graham
wife, Cathe Laurie, for Harvest to go through when we’ve lost a loved one, Laurie also has a new book due out in April
over 40 years
Laurie shared the history of his Harvest because communication is now cut off, about the life of the great evangelist Billy
• Has two sons, Christian Fellowship ministry with The and so many dreams and aspirations and Graham, called “Billy Graham: The Man
Christopher and Epoch Times. “For 31 years, we’ve been hopes that you had are shattered. But we I Knew.”
J onathan,
h and
Jonathan, d five
fi doing our stadium events, our Harvest Cru- believe, as Christians, in the afterlife—and “I wanted to introduce Billy to a whole
ggrandchildren
grandc
dchild
dreen sades. And for the first year in our history, we believe that there will be opportunities new generation, to younger people who
we couldn’t hold them because of COVID. to have more conversations, more adven- have heard his name but may not have
So we did what we called a cinematic cru- tures, more time together in the future.” known the role he played in our culture.
sade. We created ‘A Rush of Hope.’ We took He also realized early on that “there was He was a pastor to every president from
the elements of a crusade and put them into no manual to get me through what I was Truman to Trump—and he shared the
this film—that way, we’ve reached more going through. But there was Immanuel. Gospel with more people than any other
people than we would have reached in a And that meant leaning into my faith. And man in human history,” Laurie said.
usual stadium event. Oh my goodness, it I’ll be honest with you: If God did not come
was an audience of perhaps 2.5 million through for me during that time, I would Laurie with
people—maybe more—who have viewed have given up preaching. I needed God. He evangelist Billy
it so far. Then a huge number—20,000-plus helped me. And now I’ve been preaching Graham.
people—made a commitment to follow for almost 50 years.”
Christ.” When his son died, he said, “it wasn’t like
The faith leader urged all of us, no matter I was a pastor dealing with it; I was a father
where we live or work, or what our station dealing with it—a father like any other fa-
in life might be, to reach out to others—and ther who experiences loss and pain and
to share faith. “There may be neighbors, or grief in his life.”
family members, or coworkers, or friends, “And I know that God the Father under-
that you’ve tried to have spiritual conver- stands what it’s like to lose a son. And He
sations with before that haven’t gone all was with me, and He is with me—and He
that well. Now, all of a sudden, they may helped me through it and helps me through
be coming to you with problems they’re it today, as I know He will in the future, too. Laurie knew Graham personally. “I’ve
facing, or challenges, or a sense of despair “The experience has given me a deeper been on his board of directors, at his re-
or depression. We can point them to God. compassion for others who have lost loved quest, for 25 years, and I spent a lot of time
There is a God who cares about them.” ones, especially children. I know that sense with him privately,” he said. “It was my
He noted that many young people who of devastation that people experience when privilege to learn evangelism as taught by
have been isolated from their friends and they hear the worst news imaginable.” the greatest evangelist who ever lived. But
Greg Laurie in New York
communities especially need our atten- Laurie says he takes the time to reach out what I show in the book is the human side
in August 2018.
tion and care. “People need personal in- to those who are suffering “to talk to them. of Billy—and what you discover, as you get
teraction. They need communication and They’re dealing with the same pain. And to know him, as I did, is that the private
friends. They need others who care about I can help comfort them because I myself Billy was even more impressive than the
them, someone to say to them: ‘You know, have been comforted.” public Billy. He was a humble, gracious,
you are loved. Your life matters. I care about The most important thing, when offering caring guy, and the most godly man I’ve
you.’ So I think this is a great moment for compassion and help to another person, ever met. So I wanted to share my stories
believers and the church in general to step isn’t to try to explain tragedies or offer to and insights.”
into that gap.” “fix” the situation, he said, since no one can
“fix” it. Instead, it’s best to simply say, “I’m Maureen Mackey is a digital content execu-
‘A Deeper Compassion for Others’ sorry. I love you. I’m here for you.” tive, writer, and editor based in the New
Laurie experienced great tragedy in his life “Just be there with the person. Walk with York City area.
 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 B5

‘What We Do in Life Echoes in Eternity:’ Embracing the Arena

IULIIA KHABIBULLINA/SHUTTERSTOCK

JEFF MINICK illness or an accident might have killed or

maimed them. Once averted, these disasters
“Nothing in life,” Winston Churchill once can act as teachers for us, reminding us of
wrote, “is so exhilarating as to be shot at the preciousness of life and leading us to
without result.” see the world through a new pair of glasses.
Though I’m a Churchill fan, and though Many of us, for example, may fall more
no one’s ever shot at me with or without re- fiercely in love with the world. Life is short,
sult, here I must disagree with him. Falling and all too often we fail to appreciate it. We
in love, and having that person love you, is get so wrapped up in obligations and duties
surely exhilarating. An inheritance of a cou- that we overlook beauty: a sunset, the smile
ple million dollars or a big-time winning of a child, the laughter of a young stranger
lottery ticket might also induce euphoria. at the next table in the coffee shop. In the
As for me, escaping death three times in as past 10 years or so, I’ve gotten better at ap-
many years certainly proved exhilarating. preciating the little things, but the deer and
the two health care visitations underscored
Doe and Heart my need to find even more time for such
A little more than two years ago, I was driv- diversions.
ing from North Carolina home to Virginia Those five hours in that hospital bed with-
on I-81 at 74 miles per hour when a deer out diversions also made me think of those I
appeared out of nowhere and smashed into cared for or loved. Some of them, I am con-
the side of my car. Both the car and the poor fident, would miss me were I to hit the dirt
doe were totaled. Although at another point rather than sticking around for as long as
in my life I might have cursed this piece of possible. My daughter and my friend John
ill luck, this time I stepped from my totaled have already told me they’d be angry with
vehicle and silently thanked whatever pow- me for failing to take better care of myself.
ers that be for my salvation. Had that deer It’s past time to reform some of my habits
struck my Honda Accord a split-second ear- and aim for longevity. Plus, I have prom-
lier, she would undoubtedly have broken ised a beloved and adventurous 8-year-old
through the window shield, separating my granddaughter that when she turns 21 we’ll
body from my soul. have a wild party.
Finally, I told myself I needed to get my
personal affairs in order. If I were to die sud-
denly, I would leave behind a huge mess for
All of us, whatever we my children. Bank accounts, life insurance,
the phone numbers and emails of friends,
do, however long we live, funeral arrangements, a will: all these need
however insignificant our to be recorded in an orderly fashion, and I
will soon have in hand a workbook that will
deeds, leave a footprint. help me in this endeavor.

Last September, I had planned a trip back Gladiator

to North Carolina. I had cleaned the house, The morning after my latest adventure, and
packed my luggage in the car, and was 20 for no particular reason, the movie “Gladi-
miles into the trip when I pulled from the ator” popped to mind. Ridley Scott’s film
interstate into the parking lot of a gas sta- contains some memorable lines about
tion in Woodstock, Virginia. For a couple of death, and three in particular seem ap-
weeks, I had suffered an aching in the left propriate here.
side of my chest, a pressure I’d ignored—I’m At one point, Maximus, a Roman general
often a fool in such matters. enslaved and forced to fight as a gladiator,
At any rate, I sat for five minutes in the says of his mentor, Marcus Aurelius, “I knew
car, contemplating the pain, which seemed a man who once said, ‘Death smiles at us
worse, and then ordered the fool temporar- all. All we can do is smile back.’”
ily banished. I drove back to Front Royal’s To be afraid of death, which comes to us
urgent care center, fearing the whole way all, seems to me a fruitless enterprise. I do
I might drop dead from heart failure. After fear a prolonged fatal illness, one that would
the staff had administered various tests, make my hours on that gurney look like a
including an EKG and a blood pressure stroll in the park, but regarding death itself,
check, the doctor informed me I was suffer- I find myself in agreement with a remark
ing from costochondritis, an inflammation made by Giovanni Falcone, the Sicilian
of the upper rib cage. He prescribed some prosecutor and hero murdered in 1992 by
cheap medication, and I left that clinic with the Mafia: “He who doesn’t fear death dies
a spring in my step and a smile on my face. only once.” As we get caught up have fathered children who learned love
“When a man sees his end, he wants to in obligations, we may from him or inspired friends to emulate
Visit to the ER know there was some purpose to his life.” So forget and overlook his generosity and humility. His was but a
In mid-February came the latest travail. says Marcus Aurelius to Maximus, and the beauty in our lives, be it tiny ripple in the big pond of history, but a
Not only had the inflammation returned, emperor then questions his own purpose a sunset or the smile of ripple nonetheless.
but my heart rate and blood pressure had and how others will remember him. a child. That line from “Gladiator” then led me
both accelerated, like some race car shoot- Those words set me to thinking. What has to recollect Theodore Roosevelt’s “Man in
ing out of the starting post. Encouraged been the purpose of my own life? Why am the Arena” speech. Here is the core of that
by two friends, and by the readings from a I here? What is the meaning of my life and address:
blood pressure cuff I’d purchased earlier, how will others think of me when I am gone?
off I drove once again to the urgent care Big questions, and I continue to mull over “It is not the critic who counts; not the man
center. A nurse listened to my complaints, the answers. who points out how the strong man stum-
and then advised me to go to the emergency FOTOSEARCH/GETTY IMAGES bles, or where the doer of deeds could have
room at our local hospital. done them better. The credit belongs to the
For the next five hours, I lay on a gurney man who is actually in the arena, whose
in a room without books or magazines. An face is marred by dust and sweat and blood;
attendant gave me the remote control to the who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes
television, but I haven’t watched TV in years short again and again, because there is no
and didn’t intend to start then. The cubicles effort without error and shortcoming; but
around me, rooms with porous walls and who does actually strive to do the deeds;
in some cases curtains rather than doors, who knows great enthusiasms, the great
provided some diversion. One man across devotions; who spends himself in a worthy
the way complained of excruciating back cause; who at the best knows in the end
pain, a young woman vividly described her the triumph of high achievement, and who
suffering from kidney stones, and a poor at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while
child in the next room spent three hours daring greatly, so that his place shall never
crying, whimpering, and intermittently be with those cold and timid souls who
throwing up. neither know victory nor defeat.”
My bed faced the hallway, and as I
watched the sick and wounded pass my Every day, I see men and women who enter
door, I thought what a sad parade of hu- that arena, who rise from their beds and
manity they made, and even sadder, that I assume their responsibilities. They go to
was a member of that parade. I pondered work, raise children, and perform a thou-
the stupidities I had practiced in my life- sand small tasks every day.
time—smoking at times, drinking too much These people along with heroes from
wine and other spirits, failing to exercise history and literature inspire me to enter
these past two years—and thought, “Well, that arena as well, no matter my advancing
whatever’s coming down the pike, you have years, to stay engaged and in love with life.
no one to blame but yourself.” Like the aged Ulysses in Tennyson’s poem,
Then once again came the reprieve. The I have been “made weak by time and fate,”
doctor recommended I notify my family but must push myself, as must we all, “to
physician about the incident and my symp- strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”
toms, which I had already done, and then
ask him whether I needed to begin taking Jeff Minick has four children and a
medication to reduce my blood pressure. growing platoon of grandchildren.
Otherwise, I was good to go. For 20 years, he taught history, literature,
Once again came a feeling of exhalation. In the Arena The speech by and Latin to seminars of homeschooling
On arriving home, had it not been for the As Maximus prepares to lead his men into Theodore Roosevelt, students in Asheville, N.C. He is the author
melting snow and patches of water on the battle against the Germans, he says to them, popularly known of two novels, “Amanda Bell” and “Dust
ground, I might have dropped to my knees “What we do in life echoes in eternity.” as “Man in the on Their Wings,” and two works of non-
and kissed the earth. I believe this to be true. All of us, what- Arena,” was entitled fiction, “Learning as I Go” and “Movies
“Citizenship in a
ever we do, however long we live, however Make The Man.” Today, he lives and
Republic,” and given at
Lessons Learned insignificant our deeds, leave a footprint. the Sorbonne in Paris writes in Front Royal, Va. See 
Many of my readers, I am certain, have un- That now-unknown Roman foot soldier on April 23, 1910. JeffMinick.com to follow his blog.
dergone similar experiences, times when an in the legions of Marcus Aurelius may
 B6 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

TIMELESS WISDOM one who wanted to read one. Orwell And that is the great risk of a free soci-
feared those who would deprive us of ety—that its people can become utterly

The Age of Postman information. Huxley feared those who

would give us so much that we would
be reduced to passivity and egoism.
Orwell feared that the truth would be
corrupted, and that its government even-
tually, in one way or another, becomes a
reflection of its people. Our politicians have
obliged us, and in turn, we experience the
concealed from us. Huxley feared the bitter fruits of a populace dumbed down
JOSHUA CHARLES truth would be drowned in a sea of by a constant stream of external stimula-

W
irrelevance. Orwell feared we would tion that requires zero mental exertion. It’s
hen I was 19, I read a It is thus a become a captive culture. Huxley feared overwhelmingly sensory, appealing merely
book that would forev- we would become a trivial culture. ... In to our passions and our baser nature—the
er change my life. It was
great twist 1984, Huxley added, people are con- parts we share with animals. And yet it’s
Neil Postman’s “Amus- of irony that trolled by inflicting pain. In Brave New the mind that distinguishes man from
ing Ourselves to Death.” World, they are controlled by inflicting animals. Its debasement, therefore, is a
Though published in 1985, with each pass- perhaps never pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that debasement of our most fundamental hu-
ing year, its insights have become more and before has what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared man nature.
more relevant and ominous. that what we love will ruin us. Postman warned of how this is precisely
Postman contends the following: Elec- America been This book is about the possibility that the sort of thing tyrants of all ages have
tronic media is dumbing us down, trans- Huxley, not Orwell, was right.” sought to achieve:
forming our dialogue into mere forms so inundated
of entertainment driven by profit rather with How can we read these words—surrounded “Tyrants of all varieties have always
than substance, which in turn prevents by the ruins of a bankrupt and exhausted known about the value of providing the
us from not only speaking like adults, but information culture—and not conclude that, in Post- masses with amusements as a means of
even thinking like one. He traces this phe- man’s words, we have become “a trivial pacifying discontent. But most of them
nomenon in the realm of politics, religion,
and at the culture,” and are thus well on our way to could not have even hoped for a situa-
and education. same time becoming a captive one? tion in which the masses would ignore
The introduction makes his terrifyingly The Founding Fathers made two things that which does not amuse. That is why
prophetic thesis plain: so bereft of exceptionally clear: For a society to remain tyrants have always relied, and still do,
wisdom. free, its citizens must be both virtuous and on censorship. Censorship, after all, is
“We were keeping our eye on 1984. When knowledgeable. Freedom can’t be main- the tribute tyrants pay to the assump-
the year came and the prophecy didn’t, tained by a society full of passion but de- tion that a public knows the difference
thoughtful Americans sang softly in void of reason. between serious discourse and enter-
praise of themselves. The roots of liberal And this is precisely why our politics has tainment—and cares. How delighted
democracy had held. Wherever else the gone insane, and constantly extends itself would be all the kings, czars, and
terror had happened, we, at least, had not deeper and deeper into our daily lives: We, führers of the past to know that censor-
been visited by Orwellian nightmares. as a culture, don’t hold these values in high ship is not a necessity when all political
But we had forgotten that alongside esteem. We denigrate them. discourse takes the form of a jest.”
Orwell’s dark vision, there was an- We don’t value the pursuit of truth (do we
other—slightly older, slightly less well even believe it exists?); we value the self-rein- But we didn’t need Postman to recognize
known, equally chilling: Aldous Hux- forcing echo chambers of our own creation. this danger. We simply needed to heed the
ley’s Brave New World. Contrary to com- We don’t value knowledge; we value talk- warnings of our founders. They told us that
mon belief even among the educated, ing points and tweets (self-reinforcing, of while the American experiment was spe-
Huxley and Orwell did not prophesy the course). cial, we ourselves were not. We Americans
same thing. Orwell warns that we will In “Amusing Ourselves We don’t value the self-control of virtue; are human beings, the same as all the rest.
be overcome by an externally imposed to Death, author Neil we value the unrelenting narcissism of un- “We make ourselves popular,” John Ad-
oppression. But in Huxley’s vision, no Postman asserted inhibited self-expression and actualization. ams warned, “by telling our fellow-citizens
that people were more
Big Brother is required to deprive people oppressed by their
We don’t value history, and all the trea- that we have made discoveries, conceived
of their autonomy, maturity and history. addiction to amuse- sures of the human experience available inventions, and made improvements. We
As he saw it, people will come to love ment, as reflected in for our training and growing in wisdom; may boast that we are the chosen people,
their oppression, to adore the technolo- “Brave New World” we value anything new, fresh, hip, and con- we may even thank God that we are not
gies that undo their capacities to think. by Aldous Huxley (R), temporary that will satisfy our moment-to- like other men. But, after all, it will be but
What Orwell feared were those who rather than by the state, moment desires and inexhaustible supplies flattery, and the delusion, the self-deceit
would ban books. What Huxley feared as portrayed in “1984” of boredom. of the Pharisee.”
was that there would be no reason by George Orwell (L). We don’t value substance, depth, and ra- As I wrote in 2016, “To echo our Declara-
to ban a book, for there would be no tionality; we value whatever can be sold, tion of Independence—when a long train
marketed, and peddled with glitz, glamor, of trivialities and amusements, pursuing
and pizazz. invariably the same object evinces an
And all of these tendencies, in the “Age of obsession with comfort, fun, and enter-
Postman,” are now being used against us, tainment, it is the people’s burden, their
to undo our capacity to think, and thereby punishment, their harvest, to bear the af-
dissolve our society which was always de- fliction of a politics likewise made rotten
pendent on a thoughtful, informed citi- and corrupt by their loss of moral health
zenry to survive. and intellectual energy.”
It’s thus a great twist of irony that perhaps Absent what Churchill in the 1930s called
never before has America been so inun- “a supreme recovery of moral health and
dated with information and at the same vigor,” a new age has dawned, or at least
time so bereft of wisdom. In a phrase I’ve been consummated—one far more sinister
used for many years, social media trans- and insidious than we realized.
forms adults into children with their own Ours is the Age of Postman.
HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES

enthusiastic consent. This is exactly what

Postman predicted: a time in which dis- Joshua Charles is a former White House
course would “abandon logic, reason, speechwriter for Vice President Mike Pence,
sequence, and rules of contradiction” in No. 1 New York Times bestselling author,
favor of mere entertainment. Aesthetically, historian, columnist, writer/ghostwriter,
Dadaism; philosophically, nihilism; and and public speaker. Follow him on Twitter @
psychologically, schizophrenia. JoshuaTCharles or see JoshuaTCharles.com

DEAR NEXT GENERATION:

Bring Back Real Romance and Love to Your Life

FPG/HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES

« Advice from our readers you are not an authentic husband or wife, If you want a quality, romantic, loving
you are pretending. relationship, it will cost you. Real love is
to our young people I have seen some pretty good ceramic never free. Just think about the best love
fruit in my day. It’s pretty to look at, but you relationships you have witnessed. The hap-
Dear Next Generation: can’t eat fake fruit, no matter how attrac- piest couples are real husbands and wives,
tive it looks. Bringing back real love and not just play-acting. They are patient with
You have been witnessing a cheap, dollar romance requires patience and integrity. one another, they sacrifice their own needs
store version of love in our current cul- You will be much happier in your relation- to honor the other. The happiest couples
ture. From TV shows to music to popular ships if you don’t play a role you haven’t have created a beautiful garden filled with
magazines—what is portrayed looks like signed on for. Being the husband who delicious fruit that has grown over time.
the most fantastic love, but in the end, it’s sacrifices and puts his life on the line to It certainly wasn’t free. They paid a great
only a fantasy. It isn’t real. The quality of protect his wife, and being a woman who price, but what they have is of the highest
our lives is based upon the quality of our desires to love and care for her husband quality. You won’t find this kind of love in
relationships. There are ways to have qual- in tender moments are the scenes of the the dollar store.
ity, romantic, loving relations with people, romantic movies we watch. We yearn to
but it isn’t what they are selling in Hol- live like that. —Alyson Hudson, Florida
lywood—those are dollar store relations
that are cheap, come apart at the seams,
What advice would you like to
and they don’t last very long. give to the younger generations?
Real love is patient. It takes time. A gar- Real love is patient.
dener plants a seed, waters the soil, pulls We call on all of our readers to share the
the weeds, and waits for the fruit to grow It takes time. timeless values that define right and
and ripen. If he picks the fruit before it is wrong, and pass the torch, if you will,
ready, it’s hard and sour and not good for For quite a while now, the culture has A man helps a woman out of a car, circa 1935. through your wisdom and hard-earned
eating. Patience. espoused “free love.” Love anyone, any- experience. We feel that the passing down
When you fall in love with someone and where, anytime—whatever makes you tionally. The quality of your life deterio- of this wisdom has diminished over time,
and that only with a strong moral founda-
decide to move in together, you are essen- feel good. Sex is what they are selling rates as your body and your mind write
tion can future generations thrive.
tially picking the fruit before it’s ready to and who doesn’t love free stuff? Even free the checks for this so-called free love. I
come off the vine. You are acting like a hus- love! Well, like every good sales pitch, the could prove it to you by listing statistics Send your advice, along with your full name,
band and a wife—sharing bills, moments, culture has left out some pretty valuable like diseases, divorces, babies without sta- state, and contact information to NextGen-
chores, meals, and a bed, but that’s just it: information about the free love it’s ped- ble homes, and depression, but statistics [email protected] or mail it to:
You are acting like something you are not. dling. Love isn’t free and sex does have a don’t change people’s minds. Thinking Next Generation, The Epoch Times, 229
Until you say “I do” in the public arena, cost. It will cost you physically and emo- changes minds. W. 28th St., Floor 7, New York, NY 10001
 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021   B7
DALLOYAU JEROME SCHWAB

(Above) The Royal Chapel of the Trinity

was built during King Francis I’s reign
(1515–1547). The chapel connects to
the Francis I Gallery.
(Left) Since the reign of King Henry IV, in
the late 16th century, carp have been in
the pond at the Château de Fontainebleau.

LARGER THAN LIFE: ART THAT INSPIRES US THROUGH THE AGES

The Heart of the French Renaissance:

Château de Fontainebleau
The art and architecture of the Château de Louis VII built a hunting lodge and chapel architects and craftsmen, as well as Italians impact on French Renaissance art.
Fontainebleau in France influenced the on the site. Then in the 13th century, King such as the painter Francesco Primatic- Other notable works at the site included
evolution of art not only in France but also Louis IX (St. Louis) transformed the lodge cio and sculptor Benvenuto Cellini. These when Louis XIV commissioned French
across Europe. into a château. great artists combined the best of Italian landscape architect André Le Nôtre to re-
From the 12th to the 19th century, the In the 16th century, King Francis I had and French art to create a style called the design the gardens, resulting in the elegant
kings and queens of France lived at the the grand vision to make a “New Rome” on School of Fontainebleau. And it was this grand parterre, the formal ornamental
Château de Fontainebleau. First, King the site. He commissioned the best French Italian art influence that made a lasting garden.

JEROME SCHWAB SOPHIE LLOYD SERGE REBY

(Left) In 1808, Napoleon converted the king’s bedchamber into a throne room. Today, the room is the last Napoleonic throne room in existence. (Middle) Oak-paneled pillars with fluted pilasters
are some of the stunning features in the ballroom. (Right) The Francis I Gallery shows remarkable Renaissance craftsmanship, the extravagance of which France had not seen before. In this gallery,
carved wood paneling and stucco blocks with rolled leather motifs dominate the space, and magnificent sculptures frame the frescoes.
BEATRICE LECUYER-BIBAL BEATRICE LECUYER-BIBAL SERGE REBY

(Left) Anne of Austria’s bedroom at the Château de Fontainebleau when she was queen of France, first as the wife of Louis XIII and then as the regent queen for their son, Louis XIV.
(Middle) Successive queens of France, from Marie de Medici to Marie Antoinette, once slept in the empress’s bedchamber, which is lavishly decorated with symbols of fertility and femininity.
(Right) The council chamber at the Château de Fontainebleau.
RMN GRAND PALAIS BEATRICE LECUYER-BIBAL

(Left) Louis XIV commissioned landscape architect André Le Nôtre and architect Louis Le Vau to create the Château de Fontainebleau’s Grand Parterre. The elegant formal gardens were created
between 1660 and 1664 and cover around 35 acres. (Right) The Court of Honor is the main courtyard at the Château de Fontainebleau and faces out to the town of Fontainebleau.
B8 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

FILM

‘Little Nellie Kelly’:

A Great Day for the Irish
PUBLIC DOMAIN

TIFFANY BRANNAN

S
t. Patrick’s Day, and the whole
month of March by extension, is
dedicated to celebrating all things
Irish. However, many complain
that American celebrations of “St.
Paddy’s” Day are primarily cheap com-
mercialism, ignoring Ireland’s tradition-
al, genuine culture. Even “Plastic Paddy”
celebrations, though, are few in 2021. Af-
ter claiming St. Patrick’s Day as its first
canceled event, the ongoing pandemic is
dampening the popular March holiday for
the second year. New York City’s famous
St. Patrick’s Day parade was canceled in
2020, and the 260th year will be virtual
on this 17th.
Whether you normally celebrate at home
or in public, St. Patrick’s Day is about much
more than drinking green beer. It’s an op-
portunity to appreciate the influence that
Irish immigrants have had on America’s
history, especially in the late 19th and early
20th centuries. You can celebrate by watch-
ing a movie from the era when Hibernians,
the traditional Latin name for the Irish,
reigned supreme in Hollywood: the 1930s–
1950s. For this St. Patrick’s Day, we recom-
mend MGM’s charming Irish-American
musical from 1940, “Little Nellie Kelly.”

‘Little Nellie Kelly’

Stubborn Irishman Michael Noonan
(Charles Winninger) dearly loves his young
daughter, Nellie (Judy Garland), but hates
working almost more. He is furious when
she decides to marry local boy Jerry Kelly
(George Murphy). When the couple emi-
grate to America soon after the wedding, he
grudgingly accompanies them, still refus- “Little Nellie Kelly” was I Love You,” appear in this movie. “Singin’ to the lyrics of Thomas Moore’s “We May
ing to speak to his son-in-law. not only a vehicle for Judy in the Rain” was added as another solo for Roam Through This World”:
In New York City, Jerry studies to become Garland but also for the Irish. Garland.
a policeman, but Mike refuses to seek em- The Irish celebration reaches its pinnacle “In England, the garden of beauty is kept
ployment. When the couple’s first baby is with New York City’s famous St. Patrick’s By a dragon of prudery placed within call;
born, Nellie dies in labor. Jerry and Mike Day parade. Capt. Jerry Kelly walks in the But so oft this unamiable dragon has slept,
must raise little Nellie together, but the parade with other policemen, and Mike, That the garden’s but carelessly watch’d after all.
father-in-law remains hostile. Tim, and Dennis Fogarty also march. Lit-
Years later, Nellie (again Judy Garland) is tle Nellie joins the festivities, much to her “Oh! they want the wild sweet-briery fence
a grown-up girl, the image of her mother. grandfather’s displeasure. While marching Which round the flowers of Erin dwells;
She gains the admiration of young Den- ‘It’s a Great Day along, she sings the memorable “It’s a Great Which warns the touch, while winning the sense,
nis Fogarty (Douglas McPhail), the son of Day for the Irish,” which Roger Edens wrote Nor charms us least when it most repels….
Mike’s friend Timothy (Arthur Shields). for the Irish’ for the film.
Although her father is delighted, her grand- One of very few songs specifically about “In France, when the heart of a woman sets sail,
father is just as disagreeable about her ro- showcases Judy St. Patrick’s Day, “It’s a Great Day for the On the ocean of wedlock its fortune to try,
mance as he was about her mother’s. Little Garland’s pop- Irish” showcases Judy Garland’s popular Love seldom goes far in a vessel so frail,
Nellie loves her father, her grandfather, and vocals as well as Douglas McPhail’s clas- But just pilots her off, and then bids her good-bye.
possibly Dennis, so she determines to bring ular vocals as sical singing. This tune is a lovely tribute to
them all together. New York’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, com- “While the daughters of Erin keep the boy,
For St. Patrick’s Day
well as Douglas plete with a comical, tongue-twisting list- Ever smiling beside his faithful oar,
This movie is appropriate for St. Patrick’s McPhail’s classi- ing of Irish surnames. Through billows of woe, and beams of joy,
Day from start to finish. The opening cred- The same as he looked when he left the shore.”
its roll to standard Irish tunes with sham- cal singing. The Values of Erin
rocks and Celtic harps as background art. Irish themes and characters were common England’s “dragon of prudery” is like a cen-
The first scenes take place in Ireland, and in Golden Age films. This is hardly acci- sor board, which artlessly butchered pre-
even after the story moves to New York, all dental. Filmmakers intended this frequent Code films (1930–1934), ruining their sto-
the main characters are Irish and played by representation of Emerald Isle descendants ries without improving their moral content.
Irish actors, often with noticeable brogues. as tribute to one of Hollywood’s most pow- France’s “vessel so frail” could be the mod-
Irish folk songs play a key part in this mu- COURTESY OF TIFFANY BRANNAN
erful people. If you’re trying to remember ern Classification and Rating Administra-
sical’s score. Nellie Noonan often sings “St. whether Louis B. Mayer or Samuel Gold- tion, which merely categorizes finished
Patrick Was a Gentle Man,” a traditional wyn was Irish, don’t bother. films instead of guiding them throughout
folk song about Ireland’s patron saint, both The person to whom I am referring was production. Only the Code, like Ireland’s
before and after leaving the Emerald Isle. neither a mogul nor any other studio em- “sweet-briery fence,” charmed while doing
She also sings Roger Edens’s arrangement ployee. He was the head of the Produc- its job, since it made entertaining films that
of the traditional “A Pretty Girl Milking Her tion Code Administration (PCA), the were appropriate for all ages.
Cow.” Later, her daughter sings a swing Hollywood branch of the Motion Picture
rendition of the song. Producers and Distributors of America Vintage Irish Charm
“Little Nellie Kelly” was originally a 1922 (MPPDA), later called the Motion Picture If you love entertainment from Hollywood’s
Broadway musical written by George M. Association of America. This organization, yesteryear, explore the vast world of old
Cohan. In typical Hollywood fashion, the independent of any studio, religion, or po- movies! They offer charm, music, heart-
movie adaption featured a significantly al- litical affiliation, self-regulated American warming stories, wholesome romances,
tered story and retained little of the original film content for decades. While Will Hays, and genuine portrayals of family. “Little
music. Only two songs from the original MPPDA president during 1922–1945, is Nellie Kelly” is a beautiful example of all
score, “Nellie Is a Darling” and “Nellie Kelly generally associated with this organiza- these attributes. It shows a young woman
PUBLIC DOMAIN tion, Joseph I. Breen deserves the credit who is torn between her love for her father
(Above) Joseph I. Breen in for film decency. and her love for her husband. A generation
the 1950s, working at the The PCA was called the Breen Office for later, her daughter faces the same dilemma
Production Code Adminis- the two decades when Irishman Joe Breen with her grandfather, the same stubborn
tration. ran it (1934–1954). He ensured that all films Irishman, in fact.
complied with the Motion Picture Produc- This movie teaches the value of American
(Left) MGM’s supplied 1940
tion Code, guidelines for inoffensive movie citizenship, work’s importance, and how
photos of Judy Garland for
the Argentine magazine content. Although commonly called the love, no matter how sincere, can be mis-
Cinelandia. Hays Code, publisher Martin J. Quigley guided if it allows someone’s bad behavior
and Father Daniel A. Lord, not politician to continue.
Will Hays, penned the famous document. This St. Patrick’s Day, elevate your celebra-
Like a lovable Irish constable in an old tion by viewing this classic. Whether you’re
movie, Joe Breen was a public servant with Irish or not, this movie will leave you doing
a club and a smile. He quickly befriended a jig while singing, “It’s a great, great day!”
Hollywood folks, who realized he had their
best interest at heart. They hoped to appeal Tiffany Brannan is a 19-year-old opera
to Irish-American Breen’s love of country singer, Hollywood history/vintage beau-
by making Hibernian-themed movies. This ty copywriter, travel writer, film blogger,
may have charmed him, but it never made and ballet writer. In 2016, she and her sis-
him lower PCA standards! ter founded the Pure Entertainment Pres-
The uniquely strong but flexible moral ervation Society, an organization dedi-
values that Messrs. Quigley and Breen in- cated to reforming the arts by reinstating
stilled in American films are comparable the Motion Picture Production Code.
 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 B9
PUBLIC DOMAIN COURTESY OF MICHAEL KUREK

(Above) A film score demonstrating the musical

idea (L) created by the composer and the fleshed
out arrangement composed by the orchestrator.
(Left) With the rise of composer Bernard Her-
rmann, film compositions changed. Here he is
pictured conducting the orchestra in a scene
from the trailer of director Alfred Hitchcock’s
“The Man Who Knew Too Much” (1956).

MUSIC

When Does ‘Classic Film Music’

Become ‘Classical Music,’ or Can It?
PUBLIC DOMAIN

MICHAEL KUREK in one key, while a symphonic movement are assembled into a “suite” or medley of
in sonata form may have a vast outline, excerpts. Such suites are also common in
In recent years, as symphony orchestras weaving themes and developments of the concert hall from ballets and operas,
have struggled to remain in the black, themes through many keys to a musical though.
they have adopted increasingly innova- climax. When classical music is brought into
tive programming to sell tickets. One Also, an obvious difference is that film a film, then the reverse is done: It gets
way to do that has been to increase the music requires collaboration between chopped up into shorter cues, and
number of better-attended pops concerts the composer and the filmmaker, in the original new underscoring is added
and decrease the number of classical sense that film music must “obey” what where needed. At that point, it might be
concerts during their season. Even in is on screen, or be compatible with it, speculated that it ceases to be a classi-
the classical concerts, they have taken moment by moment. A classical work cal composition in that form, but rather
to playing suites of film music excerpts, is autonomous and its own master, in makes reference to the original classical
which used to be performed only in the terms of content. piece from which it was taken.
pops concerts. Often, these have taken Finally, and as an arguable general-
the place of the concert’s “new music” Hidden Differences Between ization, much film music seems to be
slot, formerly reserved for often disso- Film Music and Classical Music purposely derivative of a particular
nant contemporary pieces. If I’m not mistaken, not everyone realizes classical source. For example, one mo-
While leading pre-concert discus- that almost all film composers work with ment in the “Star Wars” score is al-
sions, I have frequently been asked by an one or more orchestrators, so the music most identical to one in Holst’s “Mars”
audience member something like this: itself is actually a collaboration between movement from “The Planets.” It can
“Isn’t film music really the new classical them. While a classical composer is be argued that much classical music is
music?” It seems a reasonable question, personally responsible for creating a also derivative of other classical pieces,
given that fewer people than ever in the finished, written conductor’s score with though perhaps more often accidentally
populace as a whole even know that the every note for every instrument on it, or less obviously.
so-called contemporary, “academic” film composers usually create only a Erich Korngold’s composition for “Adventures
genre of classical music even exists. piano sketch, or a “short score” of a few The Marriage of Film of Robin Hood” is ranked 11th by the Ameri-
It also seems reasonable because so staff lines, and hand it over to an orches- and Classical Music can Film Institute as one of the greatest of film
much film music has long endured and trator. The orchestrator is sometimes not Perhaps the lines between the two scores. But is it classical music or a different
is loved. It is often written for the same credited on screen at all, or is listed in genres were most genuinely blurred by genre entirely?
orchestral instrumentation as many the “fine print,” somewhere among the the very successful classical composer
classical pieces and in a late Romantic hundreds of names that scroll by at the Austrian-born Erich Wolfgang Korngold
style, influenced by classical composers end of the film. (1897–1957), whose classical works were
like Richard Wagner or Gustav Holst. John Williams, for example, has long performed worldwide, including at New
However, there are also some crucial worked with an orchestrator named York’s Metropolitan Opera. Korngold
differences between film and classical Conrad Pope, who created the full scores was invited to Hollywood in 1934 to NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
music, from which to argue that they are for such films as the “Star Wars” prequel rework classical composer Felix Men-
fundamentally different genres. That is trilogy, the “Indiana Jones” films, and delssohn’s music for a film adaptation
not to imply that one might be better or the “Harry Potter” films. However, John of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s
worse than the other, only that it is more Williams is known as a composer who Dream.”  With the rise of Hitler at that
of an apples-versus-oranges comparison includes in his sketches a great num- time, the Jewish Korngold decided to
than some people may realize. ber of detailed prose notes about what stay in Hollywood, where he became a
instruments should play what parts, for pioneer film composer, scoring a total of
the orchestrator just to flesh out on the 16 films.
large score. Williams, in a sense, both In those early films, Korngold went on
composes and arranges the music, only writing his classical compositions for
Simply in terms of in a condensed version. movies like “The Adventures of Robin
length, film music may However, many other composers Hood” (1938) with Errol Flynn and Olivia
provide far less to the orchestrator, so de Havilland, and without bothering to
be likened to a collection the orchestrator really must also become shorten it into cues. In those early days
the arranger of the music, composing of film, music was often playing almost
of poems, while a things like countermelodies and accom- continually as a classical piece and,
classical symphony is paniment figures not supplied by the sometimes to its detriment, would just be
composer. This is a much more signifi- turned down lower when dialog required
more like a novel. cant creative role, as may be evident in it to be. Later, especially with the rise
the accompanying illustration. On the of film composer Bernard Herrmann
left, from an actual film (which shall (1911–1975), for example, with his 1958 Erich Wolfgang Korngold, 1934–35. The photo
Differences of Length, remain nameless), is what the composer score for “Vertigo,” the modern method is a gift from the Musical America Archives.
Form, and Purpose provided to the orchestrator: just a tune of shorter cues was born.
The most obvious difference between with chords. And on the right are the In recent years, some of Korngold’s film
film music and classical music, with same measures done by the orchestra- music has been recorded and performed
some exceptions, is that film music must tor on the finished conductor’s score. It in the concert hall as fully classical mu-
be parsed into short “cues,” being fre- would seem fair, if such a score were ever sic—a marriage of two worlds, indeed.
quently interrupted by dialog or a com- to enter the canon of classical music, to
plete change of scene or mood on screen. credit the name of the orchestrator as a American composer Michael Kurek is the
Simply in terms of length, film music co-creator. author of the recently released book “The
may be likened to a collection of poems, Another fundamental difference be- Sound of Beauty: A Composer on Music
For more
while a classical symphony is more like a tween film music and classical music is in the Spiritual Life” and the composer of arts and culture
novel. No one can say that the novel as a that film music almost always contains the recent Billboard No. 1 classical album articles, visit
genre is “better” than poetry as a genre, what is called “underscoring,” music of “The Sea Knows.” The winner of numerous
just different. an ambient nature to be played while composition awards, including the presti- TheEpochTimes.
However, the literary analogy to music actors are speaking in the foreground, gious Academy Award in Music from the
com
also holds in terms of form and structure. to set a mood. However, every moment American Academy of Arts and Letters,
A sonnet, for example, may have a form of a classical composition is on center he has served on the Nominations Com-
of 14 lines, usually in iambic pentameter, stage, must command the listener’s mittee of the Recording Academy for the
while a novel may require a vast outline interest, and move the musical “plot” classical Grammy Awards. He is a profes-
weaving many elements into a climax forward. When film music is brought sor emeritus of composition at Vanderbilt
near the end. A film cue may, typically, to the concert hall, the underscoring is University. For more information and
have one or two statements of a melody omitted and only the memorable parts music, visit MichaelKurek.com
B10 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

PARENTING

Making the Mundane Magnanimous

PUBLIC DOMAIN

TRICIA FOWLER Attention is key. Using the story about

D
the fridge, we can easily see what matters
innertime again in a typi- first and foremost. The mother can safely
cal house on a typical day in assume from the little gasp that an ac-
America. The mother’s hands cident occurred. Parents should react as
are elbow deep in dishwater though an accident is different from willful
when she hears a little gasp disobedience. Discipline again changes
across the kitchen as her 6-year-old shuts accordingly for chronic carelessness, and
the fridge. Mothers know these small but of course, maturity.
significant sounds. She turns to survey the More importantly, the 6-year-old is trying
damage while shutting off the water and to hide something she sees as wrong. Hid-
listening for the overflow of boiling water ing and lying are close cousins, which cer-
from a simmering pot. tainly is more concerning than any acci-
“What happened, honey?” dent that could have occurred in the fridge.
“Nothing,” says the 6-year-old. This child obviously knows her mother is
Mommy walks over and looks hard at aware of a problem yet persists in hiding
the little one who is now bracing herself it. This child has spontaneously revealed
spread-eagled against the fridge as if all her tendency to distract this mother from
hell is about to break out. the truth. Although the mother doesn’t
want to see her child hiding the truth, she
Interruptions is blessed. She has been given the oppor-
When I had my first couple of children, tunity to help her child turn from hiding
scenes like this were still new to me and, and lying to transparency and truth.
quite frankly, I didn’t handle them well
inwardly even if I may have handled them Magnanimous Discipline
well outwardly. My children’s mistakes left What if parents treasured up, planned
me feeling disrupted as if their upbringing for, and practiced executing discipline
wasn’t my main purpose. I was unprepared magnanimously during the times when
for the unexpected. Life with children, of their children don’t act as expected? The
course, is a series of interruptions just as children of our nation need strong, heroic
the sea is a series of waves. As parents, we parents like never before. Could it be so
either navigate each wave and ride it in simple as distinguishing the important
with grace and poise, or we wipe out. from the unimportant, and the urgent
C. S. Lewis once stated this very elo- from the things that can wait? As parents
quently: “The great thing, if one can, is to take inventory, they should know that
stop regarding all the unpleasant things as many activities and programs they trust
interruptions of one’s ‘own’, or ‘real’ life. The to raise up the next generation, the par-
truth is of course that what one calls the in- enting books, and the latest fad in child
terruptions are precisely one’s real life—the discipline are nothing compared to these
life God is sending one day by day.” magnanimous moments.
I’m not certain that Lewis was speak- The mother looks down at the 6-year-
ing of parenting specifically when he said dane, that are critical for relationships and old who is still bracing herself against the
this, but it certainly does apply to all the “The unpack a parent’s most powerful weapon door. Concern about this child’s character
disruptions caused by my children. Doz- Embroidery in training children: magnanimity. C. S. Lewis is front and center in the mother’s mind. As
ens of divinely appointed clashes between Lesson” To understand magnanimous parenting, the moment swells and the mother seizes
the true character of my children and the by Hugues look at its Latin roots. “Magnus,” meaning
once stated it, the child is made accountable. The child
true character of myself. When the rubber Merle. “great,” and “animus,” meaning “spirit,” this very understands that what matters isn’t spilled
meets the road, the true health of the home are combined to portray a brave person milk but covering up truth. The child is
is revealed. who notices and studies the hearts of her eloquently: held accountable by cleaning up the milk.
children. This parent is generous not with “The great The mother realizes that she has allowed
Full Attention money or possessions but with full atten- her daughter to use distraction instead of
Taking inventory at intervals is good for tion to the details that are most critical; thing, if one facing weaknesses and failures head-on.
parents and doesn’t have to be a guilt-rid- even as the full-tilt chaos of life with young Mommy rode this wave well and accessed
den process. We are all hopelessly flawed people arises.
can, is to stop what needed fixing in her own heart. Then
human beings so there will be temper regarding she puts her hands back in the dishwater
flares, indolence, and indifference at times. Mundane Moments and smiles. She knows the 6-year-old will
Parents must never underestimate these Some may not believe mundane moments all the soon be 16, and the next wave could come
seemingly insignificant moments and have so much importance. In my earlier unpleasant any minute.
assume that some great school program, parenting years, the fridge mishap would
church group, or planned family time is have meant another mess to clean up and things as Tricia Fowler is a Christian homeschool-
going to train up a child in the way she another way my child was failing. Now I am ing momma in the Midwest. She currently
should go. wide awake and see the potential in these interruptions spends much of her time teaching math,
We may believe we guide our children conversations. Knowing our children’s of one’s ‘own’, feeding sourdough, and helping with
well because we have them in the right hearts and specifically how they respond whatever is in season on the hobby farm
school, church group, or playdates. How- to our personalities should be our first and or ‘real’ life.” she shares with her husband and seven
ever, it’s unrehearsed moments, the mun- foremost goal as mothers and fathers. children.

HALFPOINT/SHUTTERSTOCK

EDUCATION

School Year Homestretch:

4 Things to Do Before It Wraps Up
BARBARA DANZA school. Perhaps the writing program is
more robust than you realized. Perhaps
Some of us have been homeschooling, you’ve been surprised to see what qualifies
some of us have been “virtual” schooling, as history these days.
some of us have been “hybrid” schooling, The information this forced situation has
and a few of our children have actually en- bestowed upon you is invaluable to you and
joyed “in-person learning,” to add to the list your children. You’ll be able to make more
of terms we never needed before. informed decisions about their school-
It has been a year colored with worry ing going forward and better help them
about physical health, mental health, “fall- or supplement their schooling as needed
ing behind,” and potentially “ruining the based on what you’ve learned. Take note
kids.” So much worry. and commit to staying involved in your As the weather warms up, put some fun outings on your calendar.
But, wait—look out there just past spring child’s educational journey.
break and a hair beyond Memorial Day— Let the increased sunshine entice you
it’s the finish line! We’re almost there! Plan Next Year and the kids outdoors. Consider whether
As you fling open your windows and en- This is a great time of year to think about This school you can get some fun day trips or outings
joy the sights, sounds, and smells of spring, next year. Many people have been con- year called for on the calendar. Plan a simple celebration
take a moment to reflect on this year. You sidering homeschooling. Now’s the time for the last day of school.
may find there have been more lessons to make those plans. Continuing home- all the tools in Do what you can to process, heal, let go,
learned than you would have thought. schoolers are likely gathering next year’s and find peace within your spirit to carry
curriculum and looking forward to more the parenting on without the shadow of worry looming
Review the Year options for field trips (fingers crossed!). toolbox. so close.
For example, you may realize that you did Perhaps you’d like to look for different
quite a bit of learning. Perhaps you find schooling options for your child based on You’ve almost Pat Yourself on the Back
yourself more informed than ever before your experience. If so, use the early spring- This school year called for all the tools in
about your children’s academic prowess time to nail down those details so they’re
made it the parenting toolbox. You’ve almost made
and areas of interest. Who knew Johnny in place by summertime. through. it through. Pat yourself on the back, and
was a whiz at geometry? You have also allow yourself a personal celebration by
likely learned a thing or two about your Lay Down Your Worries doing whatever you enjoy most. Congratu-
children’s learning styles. Sally is a visual As the year presses on, start letting go of late your children for their valiant efforts in
learner, while Mary is an auditory learner. the worries you may have been holding these most unusual circumstances. Make
What’s more, you may find yourself sig- onto. It’s understandable, of course, but sure they know how proud you are of them.
nificantly more informed about the cur- you don’t want to allow it to become a per- As for their teachers, whatever end of the
riculum being offered at your children’s manent fixture. year gift you usually give—double it.
 FOR KIDS ONLY
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

This
Week in
History
AN IRISH
Limerick WHAT DO THE

ST.
YOU CALL A
There was a young person of Bantry,
FAKE
PATRICK’S
Who frequently slept in the pantry;
DIAMOND

ALE X
When disturbed by the mice,
She appeased them with rice,

A NDE
That judicious young person of Bantry. IN IRELAND?

DAY PARADE

R _ P/S
HU T T ER S TO CK
A SHAM ROCK. IS BORN
FAMVELD/SHUTTERSTOCK

O
n March 17, 1762, before the United States
May the road was even a country, New York held its first St.
Patrick’s Day Parade.
rise up to meet you. Those marching were colonists from Ireland
who enjoyed the freedom to wear green (something
May the wind be they couldn’t do in their home country at the time),
always at your back. sing the songs of their homeland, and revel in all
things Ireland.
One of the most famous parades in the world,
the tradition continues today—marching up New
IRISH BLESSING York’s Fifth Avenue each year and culminating at St.
Patrick’s Cathedral.
SHABBY DATWIN/SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTOCREO MICHAL BEDNAREK/SHUTTERSTOCK

By Aidan Danza, age 14

FARMING IN AMERICA (PART 2)

CATTLE

W
Cattle, whether used for beef or milk, are the most important livestock
in the country. Beef cattle comprise America’s most important
agricultural industry, generating $66.2 billion in 2019 alone.

Other cattle, called dairy cows, are used for their milk, which is used in
its raw form and made into various products like cheese. Since more
L e previ- people are eating these products, the dairy business is booming. Most
dairy cattle are Holsteins, the classic black-and-white cow. Most dairy
ously talked about cow herds live on family farms, but in the beef cattle industry, there are
the large crops many large cattle ranches making up a large percentage of the industry.
grown on Ameri-
can farms. HOGS
Hogs are produced solely for pork. Many hogs live in Iowa and eastern
The other large sector of North Carolina. In the past years, the pork industry has changed. It
American agriculture is used to be that most companies producing pork were small and many,
livestock. Livestock is just but now these have given way to larger establishments. There are a few
another name for farm different breeds of hog used in America. These include the Yorkshire,
which is large, fat, and white, the Duroc, which is chestnut brown,
animals. There are three grows quickly, and is very lean, and the Berkshire, which is
important animals in the very large. The Berkshire is black, with white feet, tail tip, and
livestock industry: cattle, face.
hogs, and chickens.
CHICKENS
Chickens are used for both meat and eggs. Because of certain
ALL PHOTOS BY SHUTTERSTOCK

diet programs such as the keto diet and the paleo diet, which
encourage the eating of eggs, many people in America
are eating more eggs, causing the industry to boom. Also,
chicken is regarded as a very healthy meat, and it’s less
expensive than other meats like steak and ribs. Most
chickens reside in the southeastern United States.

3 4
1 2
Down
2 What happens outside in March (4)

AMAZING
5 6
3 The Easter ____ may visit! (5)
7
4 Shoot (6)
8

ESCAPES!
START 6 They are born in the Spring (4,7)
9 10 10 Kind of egg (6)
11 12 11 Another name for a raincoat (7)
13 14 12 A robin may build one in the Spring (4)

15 13 The early bird gets the ____ (4)

16
15 Arc of the covenant? (7)
18 Buds of onions, lilies, etc. (5)
17 18

USE THE FOUR NUMBERS IN THE CORNERS, AND THE OPERANDS 20 April follower (3)
19 20
(+, - AND X) to build an equation to get the solution in the middle. There may be
more than one “unique” solution but, there may also be “equivalent” solutions. 21
For example: 6 + (7 X 3) +1 = 28 and 1+ (7 X 3) + 6 = 28

Easy puzzle 1 Medium puzzle 1 Hard puzzle 1 22 23

3 3 5 17 5 30
24 24 24 Y
A
E R S

E S
S H O W
B
G A L O S H
Y W I N D
O
B R
Across 14 It follows Winter (6)
15 Spring jacket (8)
2 3 3 10 2 9 A M B L
L A
U
U M B R E L
N
I
E
K
1 What robin’s eggs do in the Spring (5)
16 What snow does in the spring (4)
E L T M R E A C 3 What you will find on a cherry tree in the
+ − × ÷ + − × ÷ + − × ÷ spring (7) 17 Piece of rain gear (8)
S I C O A T R A I N
E G I N W S P R L

19 March goes out like a ____ (4)

N A T A S
L Y U T T E R F Y B 5 Cottontail (6)
U D B O N
Solution For Easy 1 Solution for Medium 1 Solution for Hard 1
A R C H W N M A 7 In like a lion! (5) 21 Pair worn on a rainy day (8)
(3 × 3 + 3) × 2
I T B B P R A U
(3 + 3 + 2) × 3 (5 − 3) × 17 − 10 30 + 5 − 9 − 2 S O M H B L O S 8 It will appear on a branch in the Spring (3) 22 Kite flying weather (5)
C H H A T
9 What a caterpillar turns into (9) 23 April _____ brings May flowers (7)
B12 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

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the gasoline on censorship. represent the full picture of what happened. updates on the events as they unfolded.
After the violence on Jan. 6, they took While this online censorship is not new, the While we can’t do anything about big tech’s
down videos and photos, blocked or put pace and scale of it is, and we’re afraid this is a censorship, what we can do is to bring you
warning labels on posts, and suspended trend that’s going to continue. more and better coverage of events like these.
accounts en masse. We had multiple reporters and photographers To do this though, we need your support.

What Our
Readers Say
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your investigative presentations financially support you to offset the to others information for which
by Joshua Phillip as well as demonetization efforts by YouTube. your reporters have done all the
presentations by Roman Balmakov. God bless! spadework and talked at least 3
I was discouraged to hear that
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other people into subscribing. Your
YouTube is now trying to shut you
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down. That makes me all the more
Tradition are scarce commodities we are sending a contribution for
determined to support you as an
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MARGIE MCMILLAN

TRUTH AND TRADITION

 HALFPOINT/SHUTTERSTOCK PRESSMASTER/SHUTTERSTOCK
SEASONAL LIVING MINDSET MATTERS

Our Bodies Tune to Think Well to Live Well

Nature’s Balance Your thoughts can create a powerful fuel
The spring equinox brings a unique that can either warm or burn you.
chance to turn with the season.

See C2 See C6

WELL-BEING|DIET|FITNESS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 C1

DOTSHOCK/SHUTTERSTOCK

R ETHIN K ING

War
the

Salt
on

Salt has been

wrongly vilified,
with guidelines
based on flawed
science, say
experts
CONAN MILNER

A
fter sweet, salty is probably our Concerns about
favorite flavor. Yet for decades, our favorite spice
health experts have warned us look to have been
to watch our sodium intake. overblown. 
Too much salt is said to cause
high blood pressure, the top risk factor in
heart disease, kidney disease, and strokes.
But according to Dr. James DiNicolan-
tonio, author of “The Salt Fix: Why the Ex-
perts Got it All Wrong—and How Eating
More Might Save Your Life,” many of us
may actually be salt starved.
For nearly a decade, DiNicolantonio, a
cardiovascular research scientist at Saint
Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute in Kan-
sas City, has sifted through the history, re-
search, and policy regarding salt and its
impacts on our health. His new book paints
a very different picture of salt than the one
typically promoted in modern medicine.
DiNicolantonio noticed the dangers of
salt deficiency early in his medical career
as a community pharmacist. Patients came
in to pick up their prescriptions and com-
plained of dizziness, dehydration, and a
rapid heartbeat. All of them were on medi-
cations to lower their blood pressure, so in
every case, doctors had also told them to
restrict their salt.
But their symptoms suggested signs of
low sodium, so DiNicolantonio sent pa-
tients back to their doctors to get their levels
tested.
“Sure enough, when their doctors tested
their sodium levels, they were very low,”
DiNicolantonio said. “At that point, the
doctor either stopped the medication or
Research strongly suggests that not
cut the dose in half, and the doctor would getting enough salt could be a more dan-
tell them to add salt back to their food.” gerous risk than getting too much. 
Continued on C4

Today Is the
Day to Start a
Healthier Life
C2 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

CHINESE WISDOM FOR SEASONAL LIVING

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From this point forward, the yang en- energy is revolving inside one’s body and
ergy associated with the light begins to overtaking the yin energy, the blockages
build in the body as the days lengthen, built up from a heavy diet and lack of

Planned Giving Consultant Needed suppressing the dark yin.

According to traditional Chinese solar
terms, at the spring equinox, we are al-
movement in the winter come to the
fore. When the energy circulation hits
the places where we are already weak,
The Epoch Times is hiring planned giving consultant/firm. ready halfway through spring. In other we feel discomfort.
If interested, please contact Lisa at [email protected] words, it’s the peak of spring. Before this We have already said that yang energy
time, spring’s energies are intangible yet is pouring in at this time, so we must be
gradually moving beneath the surface. careful that this energy isn’t too hot, as it
Yet, the Western calendar says spring can overpower the yin, and cause stress
begins at the equinox. This contrast is or problems to our bodies.
TRUTH AND TRADITION
a perfect example of the difference be- To avoid hot energy, try to detox in early
tween Eastern and Western approaches. spring by emphasizing fresh seasonal
Chinese culture values intangible phe- vegetables and beans. This prepares our
nomena and philosophical concepts bodies to let the yang energy flow through
and treats them as being just as impor- and strengthens overall health. Barefoot
tant as the tangible. Western culture walks on the grass, in forests, and in fields,
tends to value the material world or what can help our bodies wake up and absorb
can be seen directly. the yang energy from nature.
Another example of the Chinese ap- To help open up all the body’s energy
proach is seen in the work of renowned channels and meridians, try gently
Tang Dynasty medical doctor Sun Sim- pressing at their entry points, located
iao (581–682), who classified disease into on both sides of your fingertips and on
three stages: the fingertip pads. Also, touch and press
gently on the edges of the facial bone
r
Prior to the arrival of disease below both eyes. This helps reduce pres-
r
Disease just setting in sure on the eyes, enhances eye and face
r
Having the disease health, and beautifies the skin.
The peak seasons for flowering plants are
Sun said: “Ancient people were good at just right around Spring Equinox. Those
being medical doctors. [At that time,] who have weaker respiratory systems
the best doctors worked on preventing should wear face masks to avoid pollen.
disease, mediocre doctors worked on
disease just setting in, and the lowest Seasonal Foods
level doctors worked on diseases that This is a good time to eat fennel, spinach,
already existed.” spirulina, leeks, chives, dark green veg-
This theory emphasizes the impor- etables, black beans, green beans, black
tance of preventative medicine, nutri- sesame, and soy products.
tion, or more fundamentally, the impor- The herbs Roman chamomile, German
tance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle chamomile, geranium, frankincense, ce-
both physically and mentally. darwood, and Douglas pine are also good.
Spring Equinox is a very important
date for plantation. In ancient China, Epoch Times contributor Moreen Liao
Ying and Yang by Sandra Kuck before this date, farmers were grow- is a descendant of four generations of
ing beans and peas, for the protein traditional Chinese medicine doctors.
in them for both living creatures to She is also a certified aromatherapist,
consume and for supplementation former dean of the New Directions In-
of the land for following crops. Rice stitute of Natural Therapies in Sydney,
was usually the one to grow after the and the founder of Ausganica, a certi-
Spring Equinox. fied organic cosmetic brand. 
BJOERN WYLEZICH/SHUTTERSTOCK

Just as traditional
Chinese medicine
emphasizes the
underlying energetic
Original artworks, canvas wraps,
systems in the body,
and prints of Award-winning oil it also attunes to the
energetic nature of
paintings now available at the seasons.

InspiredOriginal.Org/Store
 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 C3
TOCK
U T T ERS
HIN/SH
SAMOK
ROM AN

Kiwifruits are
nutritional
powerhouses with
vitamins A, B, C, K,
E, potassium, folate,
and fiber.
High Blood
Sugar Is No
Good for
Your Brain
MAT LECOMPTE

When you hear about high blood sugar,

what comes to mind? Diabetes risk,
weight gain, and maybe a risk to heart
health? But what about your brain?
High blood sugar—even below
diabetes levels—may boost the risk of
dementia.
A new study from University College
London in the United Kingdom found
that “prediabetes”—a condition where
blood sugar levels are high but not
as high as full-blown diabetes—may
threaten brain health. The research
was published in the journal Diabetes,
Obesity, and Metabolism.
reducing the risk of diseases such as dia- Looking at data from the UK Biobank

What Is betes, stroke, and hypertension. Finally,

the antioxidant power in kiwifruits may
help neutralize free radicals that can dam-
age cells.
on a half-million people between the
ages of 40 and 69, researchers found
people with prediabetes had a 42 per-
cent higher risk of mental decline over

Kiwifruit Despite these benefits, be sure to con-

sume kiwifruit in moderation, as it con-
tains fructose, which can be harmful to
your health in excessive amounts. That
four years than people with normal
blood sugar.

Good For? said, the water, fiber, and phytonutrients in

fruit make a fructose binge from kiwifruit
an entirely different thing from getting
the same amount of fructose from a can
of soda.
When blood sugar is
high, it can lead to
This ancient Chinese inflammation and arterial
Studies on Kiwifruit blockages that reduce
berry offers health Research has shown kiwifruit to have a
notable protective effect against asthma blood flow to the brain.
protection in a and other respiratory difficulties, such as
wheezing. One report indicated that young
delicious package children eating 6 to 7 servings of kiwifruit
and other vitamin C-rich foods per week
They were 54 percent more likely to
develop vascular dementia, a com-
had a 29.3 percent lower incidence of mon type of dementia resulting from
JOSEPH MERCOLA wheezing. Even those eating these foods reduced blood flow to the brain, over
only once or twice a week had fewer symp- eight years. Researchers found no as-
Known in ancient China as Yang Tao, Kiwifruit is one toms, in comparative studies. sociation with Alzheimer’s risk.
the kiwifruit earned its place in Chinese of the few foods Both the green and gold varieties of When the team examined people
culture not just for its flavor, but also its kiwifruit are rich in polyphenols and with full-blown Type 2 diabetes, they
medicinal properties, which science has that contain were studied to compare their antioxi- were three times more likely to develop
substantiated in areas such as digestive dant strengths. Researchers found that vascular dementia and more likely to
health and metabolic health. vitamin B6, not only were the kiwifruit antioxidants get Alzheimer’s than people who had
The commercially grown varieties of which supports more potent than those in oranges and normal blood sugar.
kiwifruit can be traced to a China and grapefruit, the gold kiwifruit variety It’s easy to compartmentalize health
a Church of Scotland mission station in the immune was found to have greater antioxidant and overlook how interconnected your
Yichang in 1878. They were referred to as strength. Researchers concluded that entire body is. But the blood sugar to
“Chinese gooseberry” before kiwifruit be-
system. kiwifruit consumption may be useful in brain connection is quite strong.
came the moniker. reducing the development of diseases When blood sugar is high, it can lead
Kiwifruit is named in honor of New Zea- caused by oxidative stress. to inflammation and arterial blockages
land’s native bird—the kiwi—by an enter- Another small study explored the effects over time. This can lead to reduced
prising food distributor, and its subsequent of kiwifruit on patients with irritable bowel blood flow to the brain, which is associ-
cultivation grew around the globe. Today, syndrome. The study involved 54 patients ated with dementia.
France, Italy, Greece and the United States and 16 healthy individuals eating either You might be able to limit the risk for
are some of the biggest producers of ki- kiwifruit consumption or placebos in a six- dementia by regulating blood sugar
wifruit. China remains at the very top of week study. Researchers found the colon levels. A diet low in processed and
the list. Kiwifruit is not only a scrumptious transit time significantly decreased in the refined foods, including sugary snacks
food but is used to tenderize meats due to Kiwi fruit provides group consuming kiwifruit, and conclud- and beverages, is the best place to start.
the compound actinidin. special benefits for ed that eating kiwifruit improved bowel Regular exercise can help, too.
Kiwifruit is both unique and surprising. pregnant mothers and function in adults diagnosed with irritable When you can keep blood sugar at
While it’s small and has a light brown outer their fetuses. bowel syndrome. safe levels, you can prevent the onset of
surface, the inside of the fruit is lime green, prediabetes and full-blown diabetes,
studded with tiny black seeds, and packed Kiwifruit Fun Facts potentially protecting your brain in the
with a flavor similar to a strawberry or Before the kiwifruit became its given name, process.
pineapple. Peeled, sliced, and chilled, other names, such as “melonette,” were
kiwifruit can be an excellent addi- considered. If the kiwifruits you purchase Mat Lecompte is a freelance health and
tion to any fruit salad combination or are underripe, placing them in a brown wellness journalist. This article was first
served by itself. paper bag for 4 to 6 days will help them published on Bel Marra Health.
ripen. Keeping them in a paper bag with
Health Benefits of Kiwifruit an apple or a banana will speed up the
Kiwifruit provides 92.7 milligrams of ripening process even more.
vitamin C, a nutrient that helps boost
the immune system to stave off colds Summary A new study found
and scurvy, in every 100-gram serving. It Kiwifruits can legitimately be called people with prediabetes
has 40.3 micrograms of vitamin K—best a super fruit. This fuzzy brown power- had a 42 percent higher
known for its role in bone health and car- house with bright green flesh contains risk of mental decline
diovascular function. vitamins A, K, E, and B, potassium, over four years than
Kiwifruits contain vitamin A (great for folate, and fiber. The health benefits people with normal
the skin, respiratory health, and vision), kiwifruits provide translate into blood sugar.
vitamin E (for lowering the risk of platelet protection against heart disease and
aggregation), and potassium to help bal- stroke, potential relief from asthma
ance the body’s electrolytes and manage and irritable bowel syndrome, and
blood pressure levels. support for pregnant mothers and
Kiwifruit is one of the few foods that their fetuses.
contain vitamin B6, which supports Kiwifruit is a sweet little fruit that ex-
the immune system. B6 is particularly pands the diversity of your plate by its
important for pregnant mothers to color, flavor, and health advantages.
support them throughout their
gestation. The folate in kiwifruit, Dr. Joseph Mercola is the founder of
on the other hand, is more help- Mercola.com. An osteopathic physi-
ful for the fetus. It may protect cian, best-selling author, and recipi-
against neural tube defects and ent of multiple awards in the field of
ADRAGAN/SHUTTERSTOCK

congenital heart disease. natural health, his primary vision is to

You’ll find 3 grams of dietary change the modern health paradigm by
fiber for every 100-gram serv- providing people with a valuable resource
ing of kiwifruit. Dietary fiber to help them take control of their health.
has been shown to help keep the This article was originally published on
digestive system running well, while Mercola.com
PROSTOCK-STUDIO/SHUTTERSTOCK
C4 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

JASON BRISCOE/UNSPLASH

R ETHIN K ING

War
the

Salt
on

Salt has been

wrongly vilified,
with guidelines
based on flawed
science, say
experts
Continued from C1 els, and insulin resistance. A lack of salt has was our main food preservative because
also been shown to increase artery-stiffen- it protected against unhealthy pathogens,
Blood Pressure: A Red Herring? More than a ing hormones—the same hormones that while allowing healthy bacteria to prolifer-
In the ancient world, salt was sacred and flavoring, salt medications designed to prevent strokes ate. Cheese, pickles, and sauerkraut—and
valuable. It gave flavor to bland ingredi- and heart attacks are used to block. all the lacto-fermented foods that research-
ents, helped to preserve food, and was even has been used “There are very few people who are getting ers now say are so beneficial for our micro-
considered a medicine. Over the past cen- too much salt,” he said. “We know that be- biome—are traditionally made with large
tury, attitudes toward salt have changed medicinally cause low sodium levels in the blood are the quantities of salt.
dramatically. and as a most common electrolyte abnormality in Our ancestors ate a lot more fermented
In the past 40 years in particular, doctors, both the inpatient and outpatient setting.” foods, so they likely ate a lot more sodium.
health officials, and leading health orga- preservative Further studies reveal that a low salt diet In ancient Rome, where nearly every major
nizations have reframed salt as a danger- may reduce a woman’s chances of becom- city was built near a salt source, the aver-
ous and addictive drug. According to the
throughout ing pregnant and increase the likelihood age Roman consumed about three times
Center for Science in the Public Interest, history. of miscarriage, infant mortality, and pre- the salt we do today. In 17th-century Swe-
salt is “perhaps the deadliest ingredient eclampsia. den, the average intake of salt was up to 10
in our food supply.” “Somehow they’ve gotten away with times more than today, thanks to all that
Salt mostly consists of two essential min- sweeping those harms under the rug,” said salted cod.
erals, sodium and chloride, but it’s the DiNicolantonio. Today, health organizations pressure
sodium that gets the side-eye. Our body governments, restaurants, and food manu-
requires sodium for many processes: fluid Dehydration Danger facturers to lower the sodium in prepared
balance, cardiovascular function, trans- Health experts use a simple story to illus- foods, but this advice may have unintended
mission of nerve impulses, and muscle trate salt’s damage: More salt makes us consequences.
contraction. But because salt can also in- thirsty, so we drink more water. This causes Lower salt intake can actually encourage
crease blood pressure, health experts urge the body to hold that extra water in order to bacterial overgrowth, increasing the risk of
us to consume as little as necessary. dilute the saltiness of the blood. The result- foodborne illness. And since salt is the most
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration ing increase in blood volume leads to higher natural and longest-tested food preserva-
recommends that we consume no more blood pressure. tive, any chemical substitute is likely to be
than 2,300 milligrams of sodium (about a But a critical detail missing from this il- more harmful.
teaspoon of salt) per day. lustration is that for most of us, our bodies Salt also provides food with a touch of
Most people consume double this can effectively manage this salt–fluid bal- sweetness because it cuts the bitterness.
amount in their diet. But health experts ar- ance, even if we consume large amounts So food manufacturers inevitably add more
gue that cutting our intake could save lives of sodium. sugar (or flavor-enhancing chemicals) to
and money. According to the American However, all bodies will run into prob- low-salt foods in order to make them taste
Heart Association (AHA), if all Americans lems when our salt level is too low. Since more appetizing.
changed their intake to 1,500 milligrams the medical establishment recommends we Less salt may also cause us to eat more
of sodium per day, it could result in an es- consume the minimum amount of sodium in order to satisfy our sodium needs. Most
timated $26.2 billion in health care savings necessary for survival, many people may people generally seek between 8 and 10
and reduce deaths from cardiovascular be inadvertently hurting their health, says grams of salt (about 2 teaspoons) per day,
disease by almost 1.2 million over the next DiNicolantonio. says DiNicolantonio, so eating low-salt
decade.
These figures make a strong case, but LOW Sodium helps manage hydration by con-
trolling the movement of water in and out
foods may prompt us to eat much more to
satisfy our bodies’ needs.

ON SALT?
something doesn’t add up. A number of of our cells. When we’re dehydrated, the “We’re over-consuming refined carbs,
studies show that the drop in blood pres- sodium in the blood increases because it over-consuming sugar, and that’s obviously
sure by virtue of less salt is quite small has to work harder to pull water out of the going to drive diabetes and obesity,” he said.
(from 1 to 5 points), and it’s a phenomenon A study published cells and into the blood where it’s needed.
that only affects a fraction of the popula- in The Lancet That’s why highly concentrated sodium in Sugar’s Free Pass
tion. Other studies show that low levels found a link the blood is almost always a sign of dehy- While health officials have pushed for de-
of salt consumption actually cause more between low dration. cades to limit our salt intake, they’ve been
damage than benefit. sodium intake and It is also why you need more salt when extremely slow to take note of sugar. That’s
A Cochrane review (typically considered increased risk of you exercise. One hour of vigorous activ- strange, because if improving our health
the gold standard in independent scien- cardiovascular ity can cause us to lose 1,500 milligrams of is the goal, sugar poses many more prob-
events and
tific analysis) of 185 randomized controlled death in people
sodium—the amount some experts suggest lems to take issue with. For one, while your
sodium studies found that low-sodium with or without we should consume for an entire day. health suffers if you don’t get enough salt, it
interventions lowered blood pressure an hypertension. People healing from burns, trauma, and will probably improve if you remove added
average of one point for people without hemorrhages may require even more salt. sugar.
high blood pressure (5.5 points for people Research shows that salt needs also increase Calories from sugar are especially detri-
with hypertension) while significantly when one is pregnant or nursing, fighting mental when it comes to weight manage-
raising levels of kidney hormones, stress infections, suffering from inflammatory ment. That’s in large part because increased
hormones, and triglycerides. bowel disease, and more. sugar intake stimulates more insulin re-
DiNicolantonio says that the mortality sistance and fat storage than other types
risks of high levels of sodium are actually Food Preservation of calories.
much lower than that of low levels. But ex- Only about 5 percent of our salt intake For decades, studies have also implicated
perts are so focused on the blood pressure- comes from the shaker—most comes sugar in the very symptoms for which salt
lowering effect of minimal sodium that from the prepared foods we eat. gets blamed—high blood pressure, kidney
they ignore the damage it inflicts on the Food manufacturers have always loved disease, and heart disease.
body when it gets too little: increased heart salt because it provides flavor and pre- The November 2016 issue of JAMA re-
rate, hypothyroidism, elevated insulin lev- vents spoilage. Before refrigeration, salt ports that researchers already saw signs
 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 C5
ALL PHOTOS BY SHUTTERSTOCK UNLESS NOTED OTHERWISE

Humans have MADE TO MOVE

cooked with salt

Research
for millennia and
some research
suggests our

Links Activity
ancestors ate far
more of it than
we do.

With Health
Care Costs
Staying active
throughout adulthood
pays dividends in later
years, study finds
DIARMUID COUGHLAN

Exercise is good for your health at every age—and

you can reap the benefits no matter how late in life
you start. That said, our latest research has shown
that in the United States, people who were more
physically active as teenagers and throughout adult-
hood had lower health care costs.
For our study, we drew on data from the National
Cancer Institute’s study on diet and health, which
looked at more than half a million adults. As part
of this study, adults in 1996 who were aged 50 to 71
were asked how physically active they were dur-
ing this time in their life. They were also asked to
estimate how much exercise they got in late
adolescence and early and middle adult-
hood.
Lower health We followed up with participants be-
care costs tween 2004 and 2006. During this time,
means fewer some consented for their study respons-
sick days.  es to be linked with their Medicare data.
Medicare is the major health insurance
program for American adults aged 65 years
and older.
To ensure results were accurate, we only looked
at respondents who were 65 years of age, as this is
the age a person first qualifies for Medicare. We
also adjusted our results to take into account other
things that could influence the outcome, such as
that sugar led to coronary artery disease in with hypertension who consume high- ethnicity, education, marital status, and whether a
the 1950s. But in the decades that followed, sodium diets,” not as a blanket restriction person smoked. This way we could be fairly certain
the sugar industry sponsored a Harvard re- that applies to everybody. The USDA that we were only looking at the effect of physical
search program that successfully cast doubt In a press release, Andrew Mente, con- activity on health care costs.
on the hazards of sugar while promoting fat tributing researcher and professor at recommends Based on our data, people were clustered into
as the cause of the disease. McMaster University in Ontario, said consuming groups according to their exercise habits through-
DiNicolantonio says that the demoniza- that in addition to a small reduction in out adulthood. We identified nine groups, which fell
tion of salt happened in a similar fashion. blood pressure, restricting sodium can no more than into four main categories: maintainers (36 percent of
“If a health organization is fund- also adversely raise certain hor- the group who maintained moderate to high activity
ed by the sugar industry, which mones, “which may outweigh
one teaspoon throughout adulthood), decreasers (30.5 percent of
white crystal do you think any benefits.” of salt per the group who were active in early adulthood but
they’re going to pin their hats “The key question is not became less active as they aged), and increasers
on?” he asked. “All of the whether blood pressure is day. Most (14.5 percent of the group who weren’t active in
harms that have been placed lower with very low salt in- Americans early adulthood but became more active throughout
on salt lie at the feet of sugar, take. Instead, it is whether it their lives). Around 18.5 percent of the group were
and people are just starting to improves health,” Mente said. crave double consistently inactive throughout their lifetime.
realize that.” But these voices of dissent
Whereas our taste for salt stays aren’t likely to change official that amount. A Lifetime of Activity
fairly constant, our taste for sugar Different salts policy anytime soon. According We found that adults who maintained or increased
escalates like in any other addic- come from all to the  AHA website: “The sci- their physical
p y activityy from adolescence throughout
tion. This wasn’t a problem in over the world, ence behind sodium reduction is adulthood had lower
lowe average annual health care
the past, because our sources of offering different clear. Robust evidence has linked costs than adults wh who were consistently inactive
SERHII BOBYK/SHUTTERSTOCK

sweetness (primarily fruit) were nutrients—and excess sodium intake with high over time—between $824 and $1,874 per year. This
harder to come by and were con- contaminants. blood pressure, which increases is around 10 percent tto 22 percent lower than those
veniently packaged with water, the risk of heart attack, stroke, who were less active or inactive.
fiber, and phytonutrients. and heart failure.” In contrast, adults w who were active earlier in life
Today, with mass production n Sounds convincing, but those
So but less active in middle-age
mi (decreasers), didn’t
of refined sugar, we eat about ut low sodium recommendations benefit from lower health
h care costs after age 65,
30 times as much sugar as our ur are still far from proven, says despite being active
act earlier in life. In fact, their
ancestors did. A growing body dy DiNicolantonio.
DiN Medicare costs were akin to those who had
of research reveals that all this is “There
“Th has never been a single been consisten
consistently inactive all their life.
sugar is at the heart of our mod- d- study where people are given the
stud Although the th study’s respondents came
ern chronic disease epidemic. same diet but the only difference
sam from different parts of the United States, it’s
the level of salt intake to prove
is th hard to sa
say whether these results would
Voices of Dissent their recommendations,” he said.
thei be true for people in other parts of
Although the medical establish- h- “We can say that with certainty.” the world.
w And, as our study was
ment suggests that the verdict ct based on self-reported informa-
bas
on sodium restriction is settled ed Choosing a Healthier Salt
Cho tion obtained from a survey, we
tio
science, doctors and researchers rs Table
T
Ta b salt provides sodium and ccan’t say whether activity lev-
have been railing against low- w- cchloride,
hll but there are unhealth- eels caused lower health care
salt recommendations since ce ffull byproducts that come along
fu ccosts. Also, we weren’t able
the correlation between sodium with it. Modern salt is bleached to control for all factors that
consumption and elevated blood Better salts to make it bright white, has a bit may hav
have affected the results, such as
pressure was first proposed more come from of added sugar, and also contains whether a person developed an injury
than a century ago. ancient dried anti-caking agents to allow for a that lim
limited their activity levels.
In a 2015 Washington Post article sea beds that free flow from the shaker. However, similar findings to ours
Howev
questioning the validity of low- were never Celtic sea, Himalayan pink, have als
also been seen in other research,
sodium recommendations in the polluted. Hawaiian black, and other arti- such as an Australian study which
U.S. Dietary Guidelines, Suzanne san salts have come to market in found that
th middle-aged women who
Oparil, professor of medicine at the Univer- recent years to offer consumers a more were active
activ throughout their life had 4
sity of Alabama–Birmingham and former natural product. But even some of these percent lolower health care costs over the
president of the AHA, said the low-salt ad- pricier, unrefined salts may also contain three years
year that the study took place.
vice is “based on almost nothing.” unwanted additions, such as radioactive Given that 1
tha in 4 adults worldwide doesn’t
“Some people really want to hang on to elements, ocean pollution, and microplas- get enough exercise, large-scale efforts
this belief system on salt. But they are ig- tics. Some of these fancy salts also lack to improve physical activity—especially
noring the evidence,” Oparil said. iodine, and other essential minerals that among adolescents
adol and young adults—
An analysis of salt studies involving more we otherwise lack in our diet. could help reduce
r health care costs and
than 130,000 people from 49 countries To minimize contamination, DiNicolan- improve hea
health later in life. Strategies such
published in the July 30, 2016, edition of tonio advises consumers to choose a salt as working w with people one on one, in small
the Lancet found an association between harvested from an ancient, dried-up body groups, or on a community level to change
low-sodium intake and “increased risk of of water, rather than a modern ocean. His their physica
physical activity levels are all proven
cardiovascular events and death” in peo- top pick is Redmond Real Salt. It comes to work.
ple with or without hypertension. from an ancient lake in Utah, is much less
Since a low-salt diet was found to only expensive than a lot of the unrefined sea Diarmuid Cough
Coughlan is a research associate in
have a modest effect on blood pressure, salts on the market, has much less con- health economics at Newcastle University in
study authors concluded that sodium re- tamination, and contains a good amount the UK. This article was first published on
striction was “best targeted at populations of iodine and calcium. The Conversation.
 C6 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

FIZKES/SHUTTERSTOCK

Think Well
to Live Well
Your thoughts are the
ingredients to a powerful
fuel that can either warm
or burn you
JEFF GARTON

B
efore arriving to work in the morn- When our emo-
ing, you’ll have processed 7,500 tions flare, our
thoughts. By noon, that total will mind can reel.
have risen to 22,000. Then as you’re This is when we
falling asleep, you’ll have reached ap- need to take a
breath, calm
proximately 66,000 thoughts for the day.
ourselves, and
That’s about one thought per second. take control of
Thoughts aren’t just words floating in our thoughts.
your head or spewing out in an effort
to connect and communicate. Each
thought is material. It’s an electrical
and chemical event within the most worth a lifetime of effort, one made much Let’s say this call is routine, and every
complex structure in the known uni- easier if you don’t think quite so much. week it’s awful. And so over the weeks,
verse. From that mysterious formula, For most people, there are too many you’ve unwittingly engaged in the same
which science knows only so little thoughts flying through our heads at habitual thoughts each time the call
about, comes emotion. lightning speed. loomed. A terrible and beautiful thing
Emotion is an immediate reaction. It The idea is to prevent yourself from about the brain is that once it has learned
comes from the limbic system deep in thinking habitually without regard to something, even a repetitive thought,
our brain. As we look at the feelings you’re creating. You have to it is easier to formulate that thing later.
the event that spurred own the experience you create through All those weeks of ill thinking turned an
the emotion, think- your own mental proclivities. If you can’t idea into a rut.
ing about what has still your mind, it’s wise to think inten- Think of your thoughts as the engine
happened and what it Emotion is an tionally with the purpose of emotional to human performance and your result-
means for us, we form immediate reaction. self-regulation. Think purposefully to ing feelings as the fuel. To ensure you
feelings from emotion. create helpful feelings. deliver the best performance, you need
Feelings come from It comes from the The notion that events outside of you solid control over the engine and the best
the abstract thinking cause your feelings is untrue. Only you fuel you can formulate.
happening at our fron- limbic system deep have the power to create and regulate Here are a few examples that will help
tal lobe. in our brain. Feelings your feelings. You may have an initial you think well to work well:
This is the distinction emotional response to the events of life, Don’t live or work in response to cir-
between emotions and come from the but the long-term experience of your feel- cumstances you can’t control. Live
thoughts in the eyes of ings is a whole other matter. and work in response to what you can
some researchers and abstract thinking By supervising your thoughts, you control—most importantly your own
clinicians, and it’s use- happening at our gain the option to create any emotion thoughts.
ful for this article. you think will help you deal with life’s Choose to think intentionally in a non-
So as your thoughts frontal lobe. challenges. negative manner as often as possible.
process the emotion’s Consider what this means. If you’re Keep your thoughts realistic but also
chemical-electrical ex- thinking well when something unpleas- energized with optimism. “I don’t en-
plosion, you experience a feeling. Wheth- ant happens, you can still cause yourself joy placing those calls, but it’s not that
er that feeling is pleasant or painful de- to feel well and perform well. You don’t bad and I do feel more connected to the
pends largely on how you think about have to feel sad, blue, frustrated, or any- different departments.”
whatever it is that happened. thing unless you allow these feelings. If you’re anticipating that an upcoming
Emotions tend to pass. Feelings are a There are surely unique experiences event may be difficult, prime the feelings
force of their own and can siphon our that challenge our ability to do this. you prefer to experience by planning how
thoughts for the fuel they need to keep Sometimes awful things need to be felt you’ll think when the event occurs.
burning. Thinking generates feelings. for their own reality, and the mental ef- Although thoughts create feelings, you
Supervising your thoughts is impor- fort needed to generate an unnatural can choose a helpful feeling and use it to
tant since feelings can supply your self- feeling would likely be self-defeating. energize your thoughts. Think enthusias-
motivation. If you want to do something, But in the vast majority of situations, tically about performing the task. Think
create something, or change yourself in how you feel and perform isn’t caused toward courage to rise above any fears.
some meaningful way, you’ll depend on by external events, but by whether you Create an affirmation and use it re-
the support of your feelings. take ownership of your thoughts. peatedly. “I help others in making those
You’ll likely not be able to supervise Few people think about supervising calls. I’m good at handling those con-
every thought. That is an achievement their thoughts. versations. I get excited when we solve
Here’s an example. problems together.”
Let’s say your job requires placing a Use your imagination to envision your-
conference call to several individuals self enjoying a task and succeeding with
whom you don’t enjoy speaking with. a high degree of confidence and enthusi-
As the time of the call approaches, your asm. See yourself making the call without
palms become sweaty, and instead of any fears or worries. See yourself smiling
preparing for the call, you distract your- while placing those calls.
self with cat videos. Each time you look Decide how you’ll reward yourself for
at the phone, you become more nervous. successfully performing a task and think
You send an email saying you’re tied how good you’ll feel when enjoying that
up and will have to postpone the call reward.
until later. Keep yourself mentally fit to supervise
You don’t intend for this wimpy behav- your thoughts with good rest, exercise,
ior, but your motivation to make the call diet, and hydration.
was sabotaged by the unintended feel-
ings of fear and worry. Buzzing furiously Jeff Garton is a Milwaukee-based au-
CHAIKOM/SHUTTERSTOCK

at some level of your mind were thoughts thor, certified career coach, and former
of dread about this call. You can try to HR executive and training provider. He
distract yourself, but a belief is a thought holds a master’s degree in organization-
and it can generate a feeling. And in this al communication and public personnel
instance, you believed that conference administration. He is an originator of
You process more than 60,000 thoughts. Many of them will leave you feeling stressed or worse. call was an unpleasant and unwelcome the concept of and instruction on career
You could change that. intrusion on your day. contentment.

stress and isolation of the pandemic. Think

Spring Cleaning the Mental Doldrums about it: Most of us rarely leave the house
these days because we’re all working from
home. When we do leave the house, most of
With passing of winter comes the warmth we need to plant our dreams us rarely hang out with other people. When
we do have the good fortune to see others,
it’s usually at the supermarket, or at work,
MONROE MANN ter, spring brings magic. Your dreams grow and always with masks covering our faces.
bigger, your vision grows clearer, and every Worse, as a result of the masks, it’s harder to
Every spring, I get rejuvenated. goal becomes more attainable. This spring may be talk and understand each other, and worst
In the northern latitudes, people notice And this spring may be the most powerful of all, we have been suffering from a huge
when the “harshness” of winter fades. In you ever experience. the most powerful smile deficit for more than a year now.
this climate, when the snow melts and Why? you ever experience. Think about that last point: Most of
warmer weather arrives, you feel inspired. Because this has been one of the toughest us haven’t seen smiles very often over
No matter how down you felt during win- winters of our time thanks to the added these past 12 months, and that has a real
 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 C7

BECOMING MINIMALIST

Spring Decluttering Is Better Than Spring Cleaning

Before you take the time to dust and polish, make sure it’s worth the effort

JOSHUA BECKER spacious, and easier to keep organized. 4. Ask 3 questions.

But more than that, the positive effects Ask yourself three questions for every
’Tis the season for spring cleaning. Spring cleaning should spilled over into other rooms as well. Re- item you touch:
No doubt, all over the internet and in turning clothes at the end of the day be-
countless magazines, there are going to
always begin with came easier so there were fewer clothes B Do I need it?
be articles in the next month about how to spring decluttering. left out in the bedroom. Putting clothes B Why do I have it?
spring clean your home. And I get it, I lived away after the laundry cycle became less B What would I use if I didn’t own it?
in that world for many years. burdensome. As was returning accessories:
I lived through plenty of winters growing room—including the decorations. We had shoes, belts, jewelry, even coats and gloves. 5. Donate, donate, donate.
up and can fully appreciate the arrival of shelves and shelves of them. I remember The less we owned, the less we cleaned. As you begin removing clutter from
spring and the feeling of life and newness vividly removing the decorations that were That is why I say spring cleaning should your home,  donate as much as you
that accompanies it. And I know the beau- no longer important to us, leaving just a few always begin with spring decluttering. can. Trying to sell all your clutter only
ty of being able to open the windows and that told our story. Here are a few quick tips to get you started: adds stress and burden to an already
doors after being cooped up in the house When I was finished, I decided to dust difficult process. Expensive items (or
all winter. the shelves and immediately noticed how 1. Start in your easiest spaces. if you desperately need the money) are
Spring is a natural time of year to deep much easier it was to dust the shelves with Don’t try to declutter your attic, home of- the only exceptions.
clean your home. And I’m all for it. I think fewer items on them. Go figure. I don’t fice, or sentimental collections first. Start For the most part, find a local char-
you should do it and do it well. know why this had never occurred to me. with easier wins such as the living room, ity that you believe in and donate your
However, before you jump into your Fewer things to move meant the room was bedroom, or car. things there.
spring cleaning, and every time you stum- easier to clean.
ble upon an article about spring cleaning, I 2. Begin in your lived-in areas. 6. Find inspiration to keep going.
want you to remember one phrase: Toy Room Again, avoid the attic and the basement Find as much motivation and inspi-
Spring decluttering is better than spring Another great example is the toy room. Our when getting started. You can spend ration as you need. The reality is this
cleaning. kids were 5 and 2. We eventually declut- hours decluttering, shut the door, and process is going to take more than
In fact, the best spring cleaning  be- tered many of the toys they didn’t need, never see the results. one day, or even one weekend. So,
gins with spring decluttering. Because the had stopped using, or had broken along the But if you declutter your living room, find your places of encouragement.
less you own, the easier it is to clean. way. Everything that remained fit comfort- you’ll notice the calm every time you You can watch my YouTube channel,
Plus, the benefits of decluttering extend ably against one wall. sit to watch television. If you declutter check out my blog, or download the
far beyond the springtime. Spring declut- The following evening when we went to your kitchen, you’ll notice it the next Clutterfree App.
tering results in a home that is easier to clean up their toys, the entire project took time you prepare a meal and again when Either way, the more you are remind-
clean every week of every season. And less than a few minutes. Fewer toys meant you clean up afterward. ed that owning less is better, the easier
owning less results in a home that is calmer the entire room was easier to clean, daily. it will be to declutter your stuff—and
and more peaceful every day. 3. Physically touch every item in keep it clean.
Closets your home.
Consider just 3 rooms as an example: A third example is the closet. While we When you hold an item in your hand, you Joshua Becker is an author, public
didn’t begin our decluttering journey in are forced to make a decision about it. speaker, and the founder and edi-
Living Room the closet, I eventually removed 75 percent Every item you touch can either be relo- tor of Becoming Minimalist where he
One of the first rooms we decluttered on of the clothes from my side of the closet. My cated, removed, or returned. Put as many inspires others to live more by owning
our minimizing journey was the living closet immediately became stream-lined, things as you can in the remove pile. less. Visit BecomingMinimalist.com

JORM S/SHUTTERSTOCK

Make Better Decisions by

Only Making Them Once
Reduce decision fatigue by automatically putting
some tasks on your list—with no option to back out

JAY HARRINGTON One-and-Done Decisions

The antidote to decision fatigue: Make a
Most mornings, I’m a model of productiv- decision once, so you never have to make
ity. I get up early, make coffee, and am at it again.
my computer by 5:30 a.m. I get important Here’s a small example of how one-and-
work done, make a to-do list for my day, done decision-making works.
and fit a workout in before my kids get up. In October, I decided to post content
I eat a healthy breakfast, get the kids off to on LinkedIn every day. LinkedIn is the
school, and then it’s back to work. In other most important platform for our market-
words, I have a good morning routine. ing agency to develop new business, so vesting, to snacking and website browsing. Each day
However, by the time the sun sets, things it’s important for me to be visible to our Here’s how: we have to
typically start to unravel. By the time the audience there. Examine Examine what decisions you routinely make hun-
kids get to bed, I’m usually exhausted and Had I decided to post on LinkedIn “more wrestle with. dreds of deci-
default to beer and Netflix. Often, I com- often” or “three times a week,” every day
what Systematize as many of them as possible sions. This is
exhausting.
plete the gluttonous trifecta with a salty I would have been confronted with the decisions by making one big decision, not many
That means
snack. It’s pretty obvious: My evening rou- decision of whether or not to post. That little ones.
tine, if you want to call it that, is lacking. would have made it easy to decide that you Continue looking for ways to simplify
whatever
you can do to
Of course, I’m not alone in making sub- tomorrow would be better or that I didn’t routinely your life to the point at which the deci- stop remak-
optimal decisions, especially late in the have anything interesting to say. sions you do have to make relate to things ing the same
day. And that’s largely the result of having By making the decision once, I didn’t wrestle you really care about. decision over
to make so many decisions throughout have to grapple with it every day. I don’t Nobody is perfect. Willpower rises and and over will
the day. have to rely on willpower. I just do it ha-
with. falls. There’s no way to get around the fact save you
For example, one study found that we bitually. It’s automatic. that decision fatigue will result in Netflix energy.
make an average of 217 food-related de- Undoubtedly, there are people who have binges and one too many beers. But it’s
cisions, alone, in a single day. Is it any greater willpower and discipline than I possible to take some small, positive steps
surprise, then, that I’m reaching for chips do for whom a one-and-done approach forward by taking more decisions off the
instead of an apple at night? isn’t necessary. But for me, and perhaps table. “One and done” is an approach that
Every decision we make throughout a for you, too, if I leave the door open even can help you make fewer decisions, and
day progressively depletes our ability to a crack, I’ll find a way to make an excep- therefore make those decisions better.
make good decisions. This is called “de- tion despite my best intentions. It’s far
cision fatigue.” We run short on mental easier for me to shut the door completely Jay Harrington is an author and lawyer-
energy. The more decisions we make so that I leave no choice but to take some turned-entrepreneur who runs a north-
throughout the day, the harder each one beneficial action. ern Michigan-inspired lifestyle brand
becomes for our brains. We start default- I remove the variable of my fatigued called Life and Whim. He lives with his
ing to easy, comfortable choices, which decision-making. wife and three young girls in a small
helps explain why my morning routine This principle can be applied to things town and writes about living a purpose-
is solid but my evening one is lacking. big and small in life, from exercise and in- ful, outdoor-oriented life.

effect on our moods. After the past 12 months of are worth getting excited about. It’s time world tour got canceled, get over it and make
The feeling that we get when COVID winter, we are all ready to put together bold plans based on big a new plan. If you lost that promotion, create
someone smiles at us is palpa- to spring into action. visions and forge ahead with great hope. the plan to find a replacement position. Or
ROLAU ELENA/SHUTTERSTOCK
ble. Even when we don’t know Don’t let this year of pandemic winter keep if you have just been going stir crazy being
the person. Those pleasant you down. stuck inside with nothing to do but scroll and
interactions with strangers perhaps Texas, mask wear- Ever since I graduated college, with the stream, take heart—summer has returned.
at the grocery store tell us the ing hasn’t been as pronounced. arrival of every spring, I would always say
world is a safe and pleasant place. Nonetheless, life has been very to myself, “This is the summer when ev- Monroe Mann holds a doctorate in psy-
But over these past 12 months, we’ve different everywhere these past 12 erything comes together!” That bountiful chology, an MBA, a law degree, and is also
heard that strangers are dangerous, and we months. That’s added an emotional and summer never quite arrives precisely as a bronze-star nominated Iraq war veteran.
need to stay away. psychological weight on us, whether we I envision it. But this year, this summer, He is the founder of the positive psycholo-
And those smiles we once shared freely? realize it or not. summer 2021, I am starting to feel it like gy-based social network, BreakDiving.io
When we’ve needed them the most, we And now is the season for that weight never before. and the author of “Time Zen,” “Successful
haven’t been able to see them. to lift. Make it happen. Don’t give up. Don’t stay New Year,” and “T.R.U.S.T.” For more info,
Sure, in some states, such as Florida, and Despite everything, these next 12 weeks depressed. If you lost your job, or if your visit MonroeMannLaw.com
C8 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

ALL IMAGES BY SHUTTERSTOCK

finished the second glass, I started feeling

the effects of the first one. In a split sec-
ond, I knew I was on the verge of choosing
something dangerous.
I looked at my young adult daughter
and asked her to take away my glass and
(gasp) dump the rest of the bottle down
the drain. To my surprise, I didn’t have
the strength to do that on my own and I
didn’t have the willpower to stop.

Grieving is hard work. It

takes energy and effort,
and often wipes you out.
My vulnerability in that moment scared
me. I’m a lightweight by nature so the two
glasses I had downed hit me hard. As I
waited for the effects to wear off, I realized
I was in trouble. I quit drinking right then.
I needed to institute a period of abstinence
to get clarity. What surprised me was how
easy it was for me to misuse alcohol. I
didn’t have an “issue” with drinking, but
it suddenly became an issue when I drank
with impure motives.
I eventually reintroduced alcohol back
into my dining experience but with an
increased awareness of how and when
my grieving may influence my drinking.
I periodically hit the pause button on al-
cohol consumption if I sense I’ve had a
lot of grief triggers and the temptation to
Alcohol can offer a numbing respite from grief but it doesn’t truly help us recover from the loss of a loved one. imbibe too much is high.
This experience taught me how impor-
tant it is to be brutally honest with myself

The Subtle Dangers in my grieving. Grieving is hard work. It

takes energy and effort, and often wipes
you out. To ensure I use healthy coping
methods, I have tried to be more mindful

of Alcohol and Grieving

of how the energy drain of grief affects
my normal capacities. Alcohol is an easy
trip to numbing land but doesn’t aid my
grief progress.
These days, I stay attuned to what’s trig-
Alcohol can numb certain kinds of pain gering a sad moment, adjust my expecta-
tions of myself, and express my grief as
but only at the risk of creating another needed. No hiding. No numbing. Just be-
ing real and raw with the ebb and flow of
my grieving when it comes.
CHRISTINE LISTER surprises). Initially, I kept the member-

M
ship as a memorial to something we had Christine Lister is a licensed therapist in
y history with alcohol has done together before John died. But that private practice in Southern California,
been fairly tame. In my meant I now would have a regular supply offering in-person and telehealth
teen years, I partied with of wine whereas before I didn’t buy wine sessions. She specializes in anxiety, grief
friends, but eventually my for daily use. (especially loss of spouse), parenting, and
drinking tapered off as I Along with my two bottles a month, I young adult transitions from a faith-
got older and focused more on physical could partake in a free wine tasting ev- based perspective as desired. To find out
and spiritual health. ery day of the year, and I could include a more about Christine, visit her website:
Over the years, my attitude toward friend. The winery was a short 50-minute ListerCounseling.com
drinking ranged from indifference to drive that included scenic rolling hills of
suspicion as I noticed how others used or other vineyards. My first drive was alone,
misused alcohol. My own use as an adult and I used that time to contemplate what
went through long periods of complete would’ve been. When I got to the winery to
abstinence. My late husband, John, and pick up my wine, I sat on the same bench
I weren’t regular or heavy drinkers. But where John and I had taken a selfie weeks
we did have the occasional bottle of wine, before and just wept. I couldn’t let go of
and he liked his microbrews. the connection to that winery.
Prior to my husband’s death in 2017, we Instead, I drank more wine. At first, I’d
had steadily increased our alcohol con- give a bottle away to someone I knew
sumption as a result of influence from couldn’t afford expensive wine as I knew
friends who were wine connoisseurs. We they’d appreciate it. But soon I found that
even joined a local wine club the month I could polish off two bottles a month.
before John died. We’d spent our last Eventually, I let go of the wine club and
wedding anniversary at a winery and switched to buying less expensive brands
on a whim we joined their club. We had at Trader Joe’s or Sprouts. My wine in-
planned to make it a monthly date day take stayed steady at about two bottles
out when we’d go pick up our two bottles. a month. The amount I drank wasn’t the
That never happened. issue—my motive for drinking was.
I thought I’d cancel my membership af- One night when I had had enough of be-
ter he died since I didn’t need to spend ing sad, crying my eyes out, and just feel-
the money on two bottles of pricey wine ing grief-weary, I downed a glass. I imme-
each month, but as with many things, diately poured myself another glass and The pain of losing a loved one can be hard to
I balked at doing so (the psychological proceeded to drink that. In that moment, bear, but avoiding it with drugs or alcohol can
impact of a partner’s death brings many I knew I was misusing alcohol. Before I lead to even greater suffering.

UPDATED

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 BRENT HOFACKER/SHUTTERSTOCK TRAVEL FAERY/SHUTTERSTOCK
FAMILY TRADITIONS HERE’S HOW

Sweet Syrup, Picking the Right Rope

Sweeter Memories for Your Project
My father-in-law dreamt of using his own maple Rope comes in handy for many home projects, but this
trees to make one of his favorite treats, to share range of projects requires many different types of rope.
with his grandchildren.
See D6 See D7

HOME IMPROVEMENT|FOOD|MONEY WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 D1

HOME
ALL PHOTOS BY SHUTTERSTOCK

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Mini
Home
Makeovers
6 surprisingly easy
home upgrades you
can accomplish
in an afternoon

CAYLIN HARRIS

Trying to create the home of your

dreams? Never underestimate the
satisfaction of completing small
house projects. Here are six mini
home makeovers that can be ac-
complished in an afternoon.

Get Creative
With Wallpaper
Subtle and less of a commitment
than wallpapering an entire room,
try adding just a touch of patterned
wallpaper to the back of a bookcase
or to a small accent wall to create
some visual interest. To really make
an impression, choose a pattern or
color that complements the rest of
the decor in the room.

A brand-new sconce or
chandelier can create an
entirely new ambiance
within a room.

Using wallpaper in creative ways can add

visual interest to any room.

Swap in New Hardware

Make a standard piece of furni-
ture feel more custom by adding
intricate hardware. It takes just a
few minutes and can have a huge
impact. Attaching leather drawer
pulls to a dresser or a colorful knob
to your nightstand gives the piece
an entirely new look and feel. For
a really big change, switch out the
hardware on your kitchen cabinets.

Continued on D2

A GREENER VIEW
IRZHANOVA ASEL/SHUTTERSTOCK

More People Are Becoming Plant Parents

JEFF RUGG average respondent started buying plants three years
ago, but 12 percent purchased their first plants in 2020.
Do you consider yourself a plant parent? It used to be When purchasing the plants, 45 percent bought plants
that we just grew houseplants because we liked plants. because of their appearance; 36 percent bought them
Some of us were a bit more fanatical about it, and we because the plants would produce food; and only 19
knew that if a room had a window, it had to have a plant. percent bought plants based on the environmental con-
A few of us had culinary aspirations, and we grew herbs ditions the plants needed to grow.
on a windowsill over the winter. The 81 percent of people who didn’t consider the plants’
For us, houseplants have always been a thing, but for needs when purchasing the plant may be disappointed
many people, 2020 was the beginning of a new journey. when the plant doesn’t grow very well. Not knowing the
But even before the pandemic, growing plants indoors conditions that will make a plant thrive is possibly why
and out was becoming a trend again. 67 percent of millennials say taking care of a plant is
Stoneside Blinds and Shades recently authorized a sur- harder than they thought it would be.
vey of plant purchasers. They have a lot more details on For many people, 2020 was the beginning
their website, but I will cover a few highlights here. The Continued on D3 of a new journey in growing houseplants.
D2 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

ANDY DEAN PHOTOGRAPHY/SHUTTERSTOCK

get from here to there, whether you’re walk-

ing or driving a vehicle.
Caution: Do not use clay-based kitty
litters for this purpose, since they will
turn into watery sludge once they come
in contact with moisture, and that will
make the ground even more slippery than
it was before.

No. 5: Salt
Salt—rock salt or ordinary table salt—is the
most basic ice melt found in just about any
house. Simply sprinkle the plain salt across
the snow-covered area, steps or porch. Salt
will then spread through the ice layer, turn-
ing it into slush. Interestingly, salt is only
effective to keep ice sloshy to 15 F. So, if it’s
14 F and lower, you need to use an alterna-
tive method.
According to the University of Minnesota
Extension, salts are less effective when ap-
plied in excess. Lesson to be learned: Use
salt sparingly to treat treacherous ice on
your driveway, steps and sidewalk. This will
improve its effectiveness while protecting
your landscape and hardscape.
Why this works: Salt (sodium chloride)
lowers the freezing point of water. It is a
perfect ice melt for your icy areas at very
Household items can help you safely deal with ice and snow. little expense.
EVERYDAY CHEAPSKATE
No. 6: Baking Soda
Generously sprinkle baking soda on the

Homemade Ice Melt for Steps, ice- or snow-covered area, and wait for
the ice to start melting. This may take a
bit longer to melt than other options, but

Walkways, and Driveways it will work. Do not use the soda-sprinkled

path until the baking soda has done its job.
Why this works: Baking soda (sodium
bicarbonate) contains salt, and as we know,
MARY HUNT Because this recipe contains water, the crystals are completely dissolved. that lowers the freezing temperature of ice.
mixture would freeze at a warmer tem- Pour the saltwater solution into a sprayer.
Got ice and snow on top of super cold tem- perature of perhaps minus 50 F. As for the Spray the solution on frozen hard surfaces. No. 7: Rubbing Alcohol
peratures this winter? “Everyday Cheap- Blue Dawn, just a few drops help break the The saturated force of the sprayer will pen- Mix equal amounts of rubbing alcohol and
skate” reader Jennifer does, and she wrote, surface tension of the ice and snow to get etrate through all the layers of the snow water in a sprayer. Spray solution on snow
“Do you have a solution for melting ice and the melting process started. and melt it. and/or ice to melt it. You can use this ice
snow on walkways, driveways, steps, and Neither the alcohol nor the Blue Dawn Why this works: Salt (sodium chloride) melt for windshields as well, without worry
windshields?” content is harmful to landscape, pets, or melts ice because adding salt lowers the of damaging the vehicle’s paint job.
I do, and at least one of these homemade the environment, due to this being a very freezing point of the water. Why this works: The freezing point for
recipes is sure to come to Jennifer’s rescue, weak dilution. rubbing alcohol is way below zero. Com-
and quite possibly yours, too. All of these No. 3: Vinegar pared to ice and snow, it’s very warm.
recipes and methods use ordinary house- Mix equal amounts of vinegar and water
hold items most of us keep on hand. to produce an effective de-icer. Pour the Mary Hunt is the founder of Everyday-
All of these recipes and mixture on iced surfaces, and the ice will Cheapskate.com, a frugal living blog
No. 1: Basic De-icer slowly turn to liquid. and the author of the book “Debt-Proof
Into a large container or bucket, pour 2
methods use ordinary Why this works: The freezing point of Living.” Mary invites you to visit her at
quarts water, 6 drops Blue Dawn dishwash- household items most of plain white vinegar is 28 F, which is lower her website, where this column is archived
ing liquid, and 2 tablespoons rubbing al- than water. complete with links and resources for all
cohol (70 percent or 91 percent). Dispense us keep on hand. recommended products and services.
using a spray bottle or other type of garden No. 4: Grit Mary invites questions and comments at
sprayer. Spray the mixture on icy area or No. 2: Liquid Ice Melt A light application of sand, gravel, non- EverydayCheapskate.com/contact, “Ask
steps, and watch the snow and/or the ice Pour warm water into a bucket. Add rock clay-based kitty litter, or birdseed gives Mary.” Tips can be submitted at Tips.Ev-
melt, which is going to make your job of salt crystals to it. (A good ratio is 1 gallon walkways more traction. erydayCheapskate.com. This column will
making those areas safe so much easier. water to 1 cup rock salt, but this is not an Why this works: In most situations, just answer questions of general interest, but
Why this works: Rubbing alcohol won’t exact science; you want to create salty wa- adding a scant layer of grit to snowy surfac- letters cannot be answered individually.
freeze until it reaches at least minus 97 F. ter.) Stir occasionally until all of the salt es provides the traction you need to safely Copyright 2021 Creators.com

ALL PHOTOS BY SHUTTERSTOCK

HOME IMPROVEMENT Hang Some

(Custom) Artwork

Mini Art adds color and life to a room, and can

also hide dents, scratches, or imperfections
on the walls. Find frames and matting for
your favorite artwork or photos. Then,
Home spend a few minutes with a hammer and
level to hang them on the wall.

Makeovers
6 surprisingly easy
home upgrades you
can accomplish
in an afternoon
Continued from D1

Add Open Shelving Brighten Up the Lighting Repot Your Plants

If you like to collect beautiful things, why A brand-new sconce or chandelier can Leaving houseplants in their original con-
not show them off? It’s a great way to incor- create an entirely new ambiance within tainer isn’t always a great idea. Not only will
porate small pops of color and pattern into a room. Swap in a modern chandelier for the nutrients in the soil deplete eventually
Caylin Harris is an Emmy- a room without having to buy new piec- the traditional brass one that came with (and need to be replaced), but the greenery
nominated producer, writer, es. Instead of tucking away your favorite the house. It will instantly give the space a will also look better in a beautiful planter.
crafter, stylist, and branded books, travel souvenirs, and glassware, put more contemporary feel. If you’re already Choose a fun terracotta or ceramic option
content creator. Real Simple them on display. in love with your lighting, install a dimmer to add color and texture to your space.
magazine provides smart, Installing a simple floating shelf takes switch: Wall colors and furniture can look
realistic solutions to everyday very little time and usually doesn’t require different depending on the brightness.
challenges. Online at fancy equipment. Make sure to use a stud
RealSimple.com. Copyright finder when deciding where to hang the Never underestimate the
2021 Meredith Corporation. shelves, and buy sturdy enough hardware satisfaction of completing
Distributed by Tribune Content for what you’ll be placing on top.
Agency, LLC. small house projects.
 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 D3

ASK THE VET

How to Keep Cats From Scratching Furniture

LEE PICKETT feather on the string or a stick with crinkly,
plastic foil ribbons on the end. Start by filling
Q: We read your column about the impor- Pheromones can also help. Apply Felis- your home with
tance of not declawing cats—or, as you put cratch paw pheromone to each scratcher to a variety of cat
it, amputating their toes. We’re convinced! chemically lure your cats and visually sig- scratchers, such
Now our question is: What can we do to pre- nal where to scratch. Spray Feliway calming as scratching
vent our cats from scratching our furniture? facial pheromone on furniture you want the posts and cat
cats to stop scratching. trees.
A: Multiple toe amputation, euphemisti- Trimming claws at least once a month
cally called declawing, causes long-term helps decrease destructive scratching. Plas-
medical and behavioral problems in cats. tic nail caps also work for some cats.
Readers who missed the column you cited If your kitties persist despite these mea-
are welcome to contact me for a copy. sures, apply double-stick tape or alumi-
The best way to teach cats not to scratch num foil to surfaces they’re scratching but
furniture is to attract them to more appro- shouldn’t. If they still damage your furni-
priate surfaces through behavior modifi- ture, a veterinarian board-certified in ani-
cation and pheromones. Punishment isn’t mal behavior will be able to help.
effective.
Start by filling your home with a variety of Q: Max, our 8-year-old German shepherd,
cat scratchers, such as scratching posts and was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma of
cat trees. Provide at least one more scratcher the spleen. Our veterinarian removed his
than the number of cats in your home. Po- spleen and recommends chemotherapy. 5 SECOND STUDIO/SHUTTERSTOCK
sition them near doors and windows and What causes hemangiosarcoma? Does che-
where your cats socialize with the family, motherapy help? coma. The only way to determine whether life, but not for long. Typical survival time
nap, and sleep. a spleen mass is cancerous or benign is to after removal of the spleen is one to three
Make sure each scratcher is tall enough or A: I’m sorry to hear about Max’s heman- biopsy it, as your veterinarian did. months. Post-operative chemotherapy
long enough that the cats can fully stretch giosarcoma, which is a blood (hem-) vessel The cause of hemangiosarcoma is un- lengthens survival to six to nine months.
their limbs and backs while scratching. The (-angio-) cancer (-sarcoma). known, as it is for most cancers. However, Yunnan baiyao, a popular Chinese herb,
scratcher also must be stable so it won’t Since hemangiosarcoma forms in blood dogs that are middle-aged and older are may reduce tumor bleeding, extending
topple over while the cat is using it. vessels, it can occur anywhere in the body. at increased risk, as are large-breed dogs, survival even further. Still, fewer than 10
Offer several surfaces, including sisal, The spleen is the usual location, but other especially German shepherds, golden re- percent of dogs are alive one year after di-
corrugated cardboard scratching mats, common sites are the liver, the heart’s right trievers, and Labrador retrievers. agnosis.
and thick, padded carpet. Some scratchers atrium, and sometimes even the skin or just Clinical signs can be inapparent, or they
should be vertical, others tilted, still others beneath the skin. Unfortunately, heman- may comprise decreased energy, poor ap- Lee Pickett, VMD, practices companion
horizontal. giosarcoma quickly spreads through the petite, pale gums, or an enlarging belly, animal medicine in North Carolina.
Entice your cats to use them by covering blood to other parts of the body. because the tumor is growing or oozing Contact her at AskTheVet.pet. Copyright
the scratchers with catnip. Attract your kit- Two-thirds of spleen masses are cancer, blood into the abdomen. 2021 Lee Pickett, VMD. Distributed by
ties with toys, such as a fishing pole with a and two-thirds of those are hemangiosar- Chemotherapy is effective at prolonging Creators.com

A GREENER VIEW PERSONAL FINANCE

More People Are Becoming Plant Parents Limit the

Continued from D1
Potential
for Damage
On average, the respondents spent $124.50
on plants after the lockdowns began in
March. People who spent more than $200
on plants were much more likely to have
had a fight over the cost of the plant pur- DAVE RAMSEY
chases.
More than half of the gardeners talk to Dear Dave,
their plants, and 43 percent have named My husband started working at a new
their plants. The researchers didn’t ask company about a year ago. As part of his
if the plants talked back or if they liked sign on, they gave him $5,000 in compa-
the names they were given. People who ny stock. The stock has nearly doubled in
talked to their plants at least sometimes value since then, and we were wondering
were 3.5 times more likely to say garden- if we should buy more, considering how
ing had decreased their stress levels over well it has done.
the past few months. —Cathi

In the Stoneside survey, I’d never recommend

people growing fruits putting more than 10
were most likely to say percent of your nest
gardening has greatly egg into a single stock.
decreased their stress Dear Cathi,
levels over the past I totally get why you two might be excited
over a stock that doubled in value over the
few months. course of a year. But what you’re talking
about doing right now is a very risky propo-
The National Gardening Bureau and the sition. The truth is any stock that doubles
National Gardening Association also did in value over the course of just one year is
surveys of gardeners last year, and they highly volatile. It’s unusual for stocks to do
found several trends. Tropical house- things like that, and it also means it could
plants, vegetable gardening, and attract- go down just as fast—or even faster.
ing birds and butterflies will remain hot I don’t know where you and your husband
trends for the foreseeable future. are in your overall financial situation, but
In addition, many gardeners are start- I recommend people become debt-free ex-
ing to grow fruits. Two-thirds of garden- cept for their homes, and have an emergen-
ers are growing or planning on growing cy fund of 3 to 6 months of expenses saved
edible plants. In the Stoneside survey, ited shelf space indoors. Growing smaller up before investing. Once you reach that
people growing fruits were most likely to plants allows the gardener to have more point, I strongly advise to begin putting 15
say gardening has greatly decreased their Vegetable gardening variety. Tomatoes, peppers, squash, cu- percent of your income toward retirement
stress levels over the past few months. continues to be cumbers, watermelons, pumpkins, and before you start any outside investing.
Another new trend indoors and out is popular, and many carrots all have dwarf varieties. These Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind a little
growing tiny or dwarf plants. Many peo- gardeners are starting smaller vegetables can be grown in con- selective and educated dabbing here and
ple have limited garden space and lim- to grow fruits. tainers on decks and patios, giving more there once the basics are taken care of first.
gardeners a chance to grow vegetables. However, I’d never recommend putting
Indoors, there are dozens of small plant more than 10 percent of your nest egg into a
species that grow very well in teacup- single stock. The reason? If the single stock
sized containers. The soon-to-be pub- tanks and you lose it all, then your loss is
lished book titled “Tiny Plants” by Leslie only a blip on your financial radar.
Halleck is the perfect resource for plant Of course, it would be fantastic if this
parents who need more plants but don’t single stock went through the roof and you
have a lot of room. two made a ton of money. Just make sure
you limit the potential for damage in this
Email questions to Jeff Rugg at info@ kind of scenario by limiting your exposure.
greenerview.com. To find out more —Dave
about Jeff Rugg and read features by
other Creators Syndicate writers and Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solu-
cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate tions, host of The Dave Ramsey Show,
website at Creators.com. Copyright and a best-selling author, including “The
2021 Jeff Rugg. Distributed by Creators Total Money Makeover.” Follow Dave at
Syndicate. DaveRamsey.com
AMPOL SONTHONG/SHUTTERSTOCK
D4 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

CROSSWORD CONSTRUCTED BY
CHRIS HERNANDEZ
7. Insert the wrong word in a
crossword puzzle
CHESS CHALLENGE DAILY BRIDGE CLUB
8. Sophia Vergara to her BY MICHAEL GIBBS
Loss of focus
nephews Fischer vs Gligorich (1959)  Chess
BY FRANK STEWART, TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY

9. Constitutes a substantial players today are still learning from ©2021 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
portion of a crossword puzzle Bobby!  White to move for a win.
One of my club’s older members was
10. I can go for that, to Hall complaining to me about his memory
and Oates lapses and loss of focus.
11. Sign off “It’s so bad,” he told me, “that when
12. Deckhand’s duty Easter Sunday gets here, I’ll be able to hide
13. Thornton Wilder’s ac- my own eggs.”
claimed 1938 play, “Our ____” My friend said he went down as declarer
at today’s four hearts and was annoyed
15. Like the deckhands in Con- with himself.
rad’s “Heart of Darkness” “West led the jack of diamonds,” he told
16. Composed a crossword me, “and I played dummy’s queen. When
clue East’s king covered, I took the ace and drew
22. Sign language trumps. Next I led a club to the ace and
24. Bert’s BFF finessed with my jack. When West took the
queen, he found the winning defense: He
26. AKA Mrs. Eric Trump WORK SPACE led the deuce of diamonds. East won and
27. Solved a crossword clue led a spade, and I lost two spades.
29. Stood fast “If I had half a brain, I would have made
30. Located between Micah the contract.”
and Habbakuk
31. Chemist and chromatog- FIRST TRICK
raphy specialist L. S. _____ South must not let East get in for that
32. Europa and Io, but not fatal spade shift. At the first trick, South
should play a low diamond from both
Jupiter hands.
33. What Texas hold’em
tables hold (4) 4NUMBERS CONSTRUCTED BY C. CHANG
AT 4NUMS.COM
South wins the next diamond, draws
trumps and finesses in clubs as before.
35. Make pun of someone’s Use the four numbers in the corners, and When West takes the queen, he can only
accent the operands (+, - X, and ÷) to build an cash his ace of spades to hold South to no
36. Came in first equation to get the solution in the middle. overtricks.
37. Thoroughfare named for a There may be more than one “unique” so-
lution but, there may also be “equivalent” DAILY QUESTION
Muslim holiday solutions. For example: 6 + (7 X 3) +1 = 28 You hold: k K 4 j A Q 10 6 2
38. The NBA’s Derek and and 1+ (7 X 3) + 6 = 28 iA 6 3 hK J 6. The dealer, at your right,
Jalen opens one spade. What do you say?
Across 39. At peak condition 67. Mothers of mother of 41. No creatures did this, one ANSWER: You might double, planning
1. Pickets Charger 40. Anarchist’s idyll pearl notable Christmas Eve to bid hearts next to show substantial
5. Weather girl 42. The border, to those 69. Beehive State’s school 46. Neutralize strength. But opponents have the habit
10. Acted as a team south of it board (Abbr.) 49. Came out of the closet of getting in your way. If you double,
70. Psychoanalysis tool the next player may raise the spades,
14. Instrument for licensing 43. A code among surfers late last year forcing you to mention your long suit at
software (Abbr.) 44. Transmission type, 73. Useful for navigating 51. Deckhand´s affirmations an uncomfortable level. Bid two hearts.
15. Villain of Iron Man 3, ____ briefly (3) streams 54. 1994’s WWF sequel, If the bidding continues with two spades
Killian 45. An abbreviated list of 74. Blacksmith’s byproduct Super ____ and two passes, double for takeout.
17. Soprano’s underling ancient Romans 75. Apocalyptic substance 56. Bo-Peep’s business South dealer
47. When united with a band, from Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle 58. Conehead’s country N-S vulnerable
18. Scientology guru, infor-
76. Short version of a Wash- 60. Quadriceps, to Lopez
mally they promote healing NORTH
ington political spot Obrador
19. Mustachioed P.I.’s trans- 48. Pertaining to a waste k6 2
77. Has a role in the sound of 61. Dude’s distinguishing trait jK J 9 4
portation product found in urine music Hard 1 - 1 Solution iQ 5
50. Rules over Saudia Arabia 62. Capitol offense
20. Sugar substitute’s sec- 78. Air one’s opinion online hA 8 5 4 2
63. Fruit of bovine loins
ondary benefit 52. Star Wars’ setting 79. 1988 Kevin Bacon rom- 64. He’s an old member of WEST EAST
21. On A$AP Rocky’s resume 53. Italian brand of Scotch com, “____ Having A Baby” kA Q J 10 3 k9 8 7 5
Genesis j8 7 j5 3
23. Clue found in every mints 65. Grammy-nominated iJ 10 2 iK 9 8 7 4
crossword 55. Weather Underground Down singer and actress Valisia hQ 10 7 h9 3
25. Sign of tooth decay leader’s books 1. Money-making scheme 66. Lose a hand, or a dupli-
26. Cheap seats 57. At Bruce Wayne’s service 2. Brand of dressing SOUTH
cate head kK 4
28. A household nickname 59. Classed in the super 3. Kevin McCallister’s recur- 67. Category of armor pierc- jA Q 10 6 2
29. Scandinavian surname heavyweight division ring predicament ing ammunition (Abbr.) iA 6 3
30. When it comes to cross- 60. They made Mr. French 4. Dish featuring sliced fruit hK J 6
68. Often seen on daytime
words, they’ve impressed wealthy 5. Gold panner’s collection soaps South West North East
many 63. A tool of many free process 71. Actor Hart, to his buddies 1j 1k 3j Pass
4j All Pass
34. Features several late- masons 6. Enzyme that causes RNA 72. Add to balls or cones to
night stars 66. Ukrainian powerhouse synthesis (Abbr.) make sweet treats Easy 1 - 1 Solution Opening lead — i J

WORDSEARCH CONSTRUCTED BY TOM HOUSTON

EPOCH TIMES STAFF SUPER KAKURO CONSTRUCTED
BY EPOCH TIMES STAFF

Help with Today’s Crossword Puzzle? Kakuro puzzles are like crosswords that use numbers instead of words. The goal is to fill the blank squares associated with a clue (called a “run”) with the numbers 1-9
so that the numbers add up to the corresponding clues. Like Sudoku, digits in a run cannot repeat. When the grid is filled, the puzzle is complete.

ACROSS CURAD GRETA ONEDOWN

ALDRICH DENTIN HANSEN PRIOR
ALFRED DIPPER HINTED ROSES
ALLOW EIDRD ICENINE SHARIA
SIEGE
ALONE ELRIO LEKAE
SLAMII
ANSWERED ENOCH MENTOS STOWS
AYERSWORDS ERNIE MUSLO TBONE
BURISMA ETTRE MUSTARDS TROWEL
CANDO EVOTE NAHUM URBAN
CASTRATE FRANCE NEWSPAPERS UREIC
COATS GLEAN NOLAWS WOMEN

SOLUTIONS
CROSSWORD SUPER KAKURO 4NUMBERS

HARD 1

EASY 1

CHESS CHALLENGE
7.  Qh7+ 
6.  Rh1  Qxd4 
5.  g6  fxg6
4.  bxc3  Rxc3 
3.  Qxh6  Rxc3
2.  Qxh5  Be8
1.  Rxh5  gxh5
 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 D5

SUDOKU CONSTRUCTED
BY KANNAN SANKARAN SUPERSUDOKU CONSTRUCTED
BY KANNAN SANKARAN

Fill in the boxes using numbers between 1 and 9 so that each column, each Fill in the boxes using numbers from 0 to 9 and letters from A to F so that each column, each row, and
row, and each 3x3 square contain all nine numbers only once. each 4x4 square contain all ten numbers and six letters only once.
Hard

[email protected]
Easy
WE HAVE MADE SOME CHANGES TO
OUR PUZZLE PAGE IN RESPONSE TO
PUZZLER’S FEEDBACK. LET US KNOW
WHAT YOU THINK!
[email protected]

CRYPTIC QUOTE
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
20

EPOCH DOKU CONSTRUCTED

BY EPOCH TIMES STAFF

WORK SPACE

KAKURO CONSTRUCTED
BY EPOCH TIMES STAFF JUMBLE BY DAVID L. HOYT
& JEFF KNUREK

Kakuro puzzles are like crosswords that use numbers instead of words. The goal THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME
is to fill the blank squares associated with a clue (called a “run”) with the numbers By David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek
1-9 so that the numbers add up to the corresponding clues. Like Sudoku, digits
Unscramble these Jumbles,
in a run cannot repeat. When the grid is filled, the puzzle is complete. one letter to each square,
Get the free JUST JUMBLE app • Follow us on Twitter @PlayJumble

to form four ordinary words.

Easy
MOCAE
EPOCH ESCAPE MAZE
SUPAE

CYTIKS

PMASYW
Now arrange the circled letters
©2021 Tribune Content Agency, LLC to form the surprise answer, as
All Rights Reserved. suggested by the above cartoon.

“ ”
WORK SPACE

SOLUTIONS
SUPERSUDOKU SUDOKU: EASY JUMBLE EASY KAKURO
“SEW” TO SPEAK Sitting Bull
her own clothing, —
fashion designer made
The talkative young
Answers:

SWAMPY
STICKY
PAUSE
SUDOKU: HARD EPOCH DOKU
CAMEO
Jumbles:

CRYPTIC QUOTE
the results of chance.
chance must abide by
Those who trust to

Contact the Puzzle Master @: [email protected]

 D6 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

Sweet Syrup,
BRENT HOFACKER/SHUTTERSTOCK

Sweeter Memories
Every winter, my father-in-law makes maple syrup
from his own trees, to share with his grandchildren

RACHAEL DYMSKI A Sweet Tribute

T
Jim’s syrup is something of a delicacy in
he driveway of my in-laws’ our house. My daughters call it “Pop’s
10-acre farmette is lined with Sauce,” after their name for their grandfa-
Autumn Blaze Maple trees, ther, and love to pour it over their pan-
which are every bit as stunning cakes with a generous side of sprinkles
as they sound during the fall on Saturday mornings. I could eat it as its
months. My sister-in-law was married own course, but lately, I’ve been adding it
there, in the thick of fall, while all 19 of to my baked goods for a different flavor.
those maples burned red in the backdrop A few weeks ago, Jim and his wife Lisa
of the altar. As pretty as they are, my came up to our house for dinner. I wanted
father-in-law, Jim, didn’t plant them just to make something special with Jim’s
for looks. He dreamt of using the trees on maple syrup as a surprise for him. After
his own land to make one of his favorite researching my options, I decided to
treats: maple syrup. make an Old Vermont burnt sugar cake
“When I was a boy, we used to visit an- with maple cream cheese frosting. It just
other family in Bemus Point, New York,” felt like the kind of cake that embodied
said Jim. “They used to tap maple trees for Jim’s memories of tapping maple syrup in
syrup. Some of my best memories from the snowy outdoors with his family when
childhood are getting to be involved with he was a child.
that process.” He remembers putting the I wanted to show him how much we
sap buckets out and making maple syrup appreciate the work he does for each and
candies when the syrup was ready. every tablespoon of his maple syrup—and
Jim so fondly remembered these experi- to be honest, I wanted to ensure that we
ences that he wanted to create the same continue to receive it from him.
environment in his own home. In the cake, I decided to substitute sugar
“I want my grandchildren to be able to in the recipe for maple syrup. The burnt
trudge through the snow with me, and sugar gives the cake a caramel-like flavor,
put the buckets out by the trees,” he said. which feels warm and nostalgic. As I
He wanted them to know the process of whisked eggs and butter, I thought about
boiling down sap to make sweet, sticky how Jim’s hobbies do so much to shape
syrup. He planted the maples 20 years the culture of our extended family.
JIM DYMSKI
ago and waited patiently for them to be Jim doesn’t just make syrup. He also
My daughters call Jim’s homemade
old and healthy enough to tap. keeps bees, raises cows for beef, shears
syrup “Pop’s Sauce,” after their name
In January, when the Central Penn- sheep for wool, and is becoming an avid for their grandfather, and love to pour
sylvania temperatures still drop below bird watcher. He invites his children and it over their pancakes with a generous
freezing at night but rise above freezing grandchildren into each of his hobbies. side of sprinkles on Saturday mornings.
during the day, the sap starts to flow. Jim As a result, my own girls know so much
walks around to each of his maple trees about where their food comes from. They
and drills a hole into the trunk, then caps are connected to the syrup, the honey,
it with a metal spike and hangs a bucket the meat, and the eggs we get from their
on the end. For nearly two months, the chickens in a way buying from the store
tree will drip sap through the spout into could never provide. My girls have a rela-
MAPLE SYRUP CREAM
the bucket below. tionship with their food that is dynamic CHEESE FROSTING
On those quiet, winter mornings, Jim and rewarding. They engage with it differ- It’s important to make sure both the
walks the frozen path down by the trick- ently because of their grandfather. They butter and cream cheese are at room
ling stream to check on his trees. When haven’t yet trudged through the snow car- temperature, to prevent lumpy frosting.
the buckets are full, he drives around the rying a metal bucket, but they can point In January, Jim drills a hole into the
property on his four-wheeler, collecting out the maple trees to me and where the trunk of each of his trees, caps it with a MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS, OR ENOUGH TO
the sap. sap buckets are, which is a lot more than I metal spike, and hangs a bucket on the FROST ONE 9-INCH LAYER CAKE
It’s time to make maple syrup. knew at their age. end, ready to catch the dripping sap. 1 cup butter, at room temperature
“The best part about making maple The cake was good, but the maple cream JIM DYMSKI
16 ounces full-fat cream cheese, at
syrup,” said Jim, “is that it can be as cheese frosting was the real star of the room temperature
simple or as complicated as you want to evening. A little bit of cream cheese and
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
make it.” butter highlighted the sweet syrup in a
His own process for turning the sap to way that turned the cake from good to a 2/3 cup pure maple syrup
syrup has evolved and shifted over the showstopper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk
years. After Jim took his first bite, I told him attachment, beat the butter on medium
“When I first started out, I boiled the that it was made with syrup from his speed for about 1 minute. Add the cream
sap on the grill,” he said. “After I got more trees. When he smiled at me in return, I cheese, and continue to beat for about
into it, I bought a maple evaporator. It got a small taste of the satisfaction I think 2 minutes, until smooth and blended
takes about 40 gallons of sap to make one he gets from making so many memories together.
gallon of syrup, so you’re cooking for a around food with us. Add vanilla and continue to blend. Add
long time if you’ve got a small container.” in the maple syrup. Mix on medium-high
The sap has to be brought to about 219 Rachael Dymski is an author, florist, and speed for about 5 minutes. When the
degrees in order to turn to syrup. At that mom to two little girls. She is currently frosting is well blended and smooth,
SHUTTERSTOCK

point, he transfers the syrup to a smaller writing a novel about the German Jim’s homemade maple sap it is ready.
pot to finish it. The syrup is filtered occupation of the Channel Islands and evaporator, repurposed from from This frosting will keep in the refrigerator
through a cheesecloth for any impurities. blogs on her website, RachaelDymski.com a heating oil tank. for up to a week.

(PASTIES) ANNA MENTE/SHUTTERSTOCK; (FRAME) AVS-IMAGES/SHUTTERSTOCK

THE FAMILY TABLE

Readers share their treasured recipes

A Hearty MAUD OLIVE

MEDSKER’S PASTIES Dear Readers,
Meal The recipe the way my grandmother
Do you have a treasured family
recipe that holds a special place

From a
made them: in your family history, heritage, or
traditions? We would be honored if
Take two large handfuls of flour, add salt you would share it with us.
and a large dollop of lard. With fingers, cut

Mining the lard into the flour until it feels soft. Add
a sprinkle of water to the dough until it can
be handled easily.
Along with the recipe, tell us its
story—who gave it to you, its journey
through the generations, and the

Town Roll dough out on the kitchen table. Unlike

pie crust, it should be somewhat thick. In
the middle, add a small handful of cubed
personal meanings and memories
it carries. Is it a special-occasion
dish, or an everyday family favorite?
Does it connect you to your cultural
round steak and a smaller handful of cubed
pork steak and a plentiful handful of cubed heritage, or to a certain loved one?
Submitted by  ner in a bucket. Their meal had to be hearty
PAT KING|SEATTLE, WASHINGTON because those hard-working men, many who potatoes. My daughters said that Grandma
How have you kept the recipe alive,
eventually died of the “con,” worked 12 hours added a small bit of cut-up onions. In hard
and why is it important to you to
In 1900, my grandmother Maud Olive Med- a day in the mines. My grandmother taught times, pasties were made with potatoes
do so?
only and the free trimmings from the
sker came to Butte, Montana, from Indiana my mother to make pasties, my mother butcher. Add salt and pepper generously.
and married Martin Setzer, who was from taught me, and I taught my daughters. Send your recipe and comments,
Dot with butter. Fold dough over the meat along with your full name, state,
Kentucky. In all the years of their marriage, I am old now, 86, but back when I was in and potatoes and pinch sides and top. and contact information, to food@
they never quit arguing about who won the my 60s, they were the most favorite food of Place pastie in a pan and bake in a hot oven epochtimes.com, or mail it to:
Civil War. Meanwhile, my grandmother all for family gatherings. We didn’t make (about 375 degrees F) for an hour. Remove
learned to make pasties from her Welsh them often. They were a lot of work to make from the oven and wrap pastie in a flour Food, The Epoch Times
neighbors. for a crowd. Nevertheless, the work was sack to soak for a half hour. It can be eaten 229 W. 28th St., Floor 7 
Butte was a mining town and every man worth it to keep that contact with genera- cold, or one of the boys could carry it to the New York, NY 10001
who worked in the mines carried his din- tions gone by. mine to his dad.
 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 D7

EVERYDAY CHEAPSKATE

What Is a Grace Period, and How Does It Work?

MARY HUNT interest, but a grace period of 20 or 25
days is more common. Some have no
Dear Mary: Is there a law that says how grace period at all.
long the grace period must be? (And if
you don’t mind, exactly what is a grace Dear Mary: The ad promised a great in-
period?) —Justin terest rate, but when I got approved for the
credit card account, my rate was much
higher. Did I get scammed? —Samantha
Your credit card’s grace Dear Samantha: I don’t know if I’d call
period affects the interest it getting scammed, but you’ve definitely
experienced the old bait and switch.
you pay but doesn’t They drew you in with promises of a low-
interest rate (it was a tease) and got you to
change the due date. apply, and when they decided you didn’t
qualify for the better deal, they made the
Dear Justin: In the world of lending switch.
and borrowing, the “grace period” is These days, only an excellent credit
the number of days between the time score—generally above 740—will get
you make a credit card purchase and those advertised rates. If you have a lower
when you will begin to pay interest on score, your application will be rejected
that short-term loan. or you’ll be offered a card with a higher
Here’s how it works: interest rate. It’s in the fine print.
When you pay your credit card balance
in full during the “grace period,” you don’t Dear Mary: Are credit card companies wreak havoc on your credit score. When you pay
have to pay any interest—the operative allowed to send you to collection, even Assuming you’re asking this for yourself your credit
words here being “in full.” That means though you’ve been making monthly Continual and your account has gone to collection— card balance
you pay the entire balance owing every payments, just not meeting the payment and even though you didn’t ask my advice, in full during
month. If you don’t pay required? —Ben ‘past-due’ here it is—call the issuer directly right the “grace
period,” you
the entire balance and entries will now. Find out the status of your account
don’t have
instead roll it over to Dear Ben: They sure and how you can bring it current to get
the next month, you can. If you don’t wreak havoc it out of collection. If it’s possible, you’re
to pay any
interest.
forfeit the grace peri- abide by the terms on your going to need to come up with enough GPOINTSTUDIO/
od until your balance and conditions of money to do that. It might mean selling SHUTTERSTOCK

returns to $0. your contract with credit score. assets, working extra hours, or even get-
If you don’t pay that the company, you are ting a side job for nights and weekends. As
credit card account in default. rough as that might be for a season, it will
balance right down PIXEL EMBARGO/SHUTTERSTOCK While a credit card be worth the effort. Good luck!
to $0 every month be- company is required
fore the due date, you forfeit the grace by law to accept any amount of money Mary Hunt is the founder of Every-
period, and interest commences the min- at any time and apply it to the customer’s dayCheapskate.com, a frugal living
ute you make a purchase with that card. account, if the amount received by the blog and the author of the book “Debt-
Your credit card’s grace period affects due date is less than required by the terms Proof Living.” Mary invites you to visit
the interest you pay but doesn’t change of the agreement, they’ll slap you with a her at her website, where this column
the due date. You’re still required to pay late fee. And if that late fee pushes your is archived complete with links and
by the due date to avoid late payment outstanding balance over the credit limit, resources for all recommended products
penalties. Paying late also causes you they’ll slap on an over-limit fee, too. and services. Mary invites questions
to forfeit your grace period and triggers If the account remains in default, and comments at EverydayCheapskate.
a late fee and possible damage to your they can and probably will send it to com/contact, “Ask Mary.” Tips can be
credit score. collection. submitted at Tips.EverydayCheapskate.
Credit card issuers aren’t required by Here’s something else to consider: As com. This column will answer questions
law to grant a grace period in their terms long as you are in default, they will con- of general interest, but letters cannot be
and conditions; however, most do. Some tinue to report you to the credit bureaus answered individually. Copyright 2021
card issuers give 30 days to pay without as late. Continual “past-due” entries will Creators.com

HERE’S HOW for rot. It’s commonly used on boats and

around swimming pools because it’s the
only common type of rope that floats on
Various Types water.
One drawback of polypropylene rope is
it’s stiff and difficult to tie into a knot. Poly-
of Rope for propylene plastic is often used for living
hinges in plastic items, so it has a memo-
ry. If you try to tie it into a knot, it usually
Various Tasks springs back and unties itself. When poly-
propylene rope gets old, it has an unpleas-
ant prickly feel when handling it.
and Projects White polyester rope is better to use for
supporting items because it’s relatively
strong and has very low elasticity. The
JAMES DULLEY combination of its stiffness and strength
makes it particularly good when lifting
Dear James: It seems like I always need heavy items. It costs slightly more than $1
rope of some sort for various indoor and per foot for typical 5/8-inch-diameter rope.
outdoor projects. I don’t like that cheap, If you have to make knots with polyester
thick yellow stuff. Are there better types rope to tie something down, select a soft-
of rope? —Ethan L. laid type of rope, which is more flexible.
For straight lifting and strength, a hard-
Dear Ethan: Rope comes in handy for laid type is best. Being made of plastic, it’s
many home projects, ranging from hold- rot-resistant and can be stored and used
ing a cabinet in place during installation in damp locations.
to putting tension on a tree when cutting it Nylon rope costs about the same and
down. This range of projects requires many has similar properties to polyester rope.
different types of rope for the best outcome. The major difference is nylon rope is much
The prices and sizes can vary significantly. more elastic. This makes it less applicable
Keep in mind for safety reasons that the to lifting and tying heavy loads but much
size (diameter) of the rope isn’t the best better for a safety rope. If you fall and are
indicator of its strength. Actually, the rope supported by nylon rope, its elasticity will
material has a great impact on its strength. ease and absorb some of the shock. This is
Always read the strength specification also a benefit when pulling out a car that
shown on the package for the maximum is stuck in mud.
weight it can handle. Don’t compromise to The other two less expensive types of rope
get something cheaper. are made from natural materials. Manila
As you probably found, most rope you rope is moderately strong and good for pul-
find at hardware and home-center stores is ley applications because it doesn’t stretch
made of three-strand twisted yellow plas- much and is stiff. It’s often coated with oil
tic. The type of plastic is actually polypro- so it resists rot. Natural sisal fiber rope is the
pylene. It’s inexpensive, but it’s really not most inexpensive, and it’s a good general-
the best type of rope for most applications. purpose rope for packaging and bundling
Three important factors to consider when yard waste. It isn’t oil-coated, so it can go
selecting the proper type of rope for a job in the compost pile.
are relative strength, elasticity, and knot-
forming characteristics. No one type of Send your questions to Here’s How, 6906
rope is best in all these factors, so it’s best Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244,
to have several types of rope on hand. or visit Dulley.com. To find out more
Yellow polypropylene rope has medium about James Dulley and read features
strength and low elasticity. This makes it by other Creators Syndicate writers and
fine for holding light loads. It’s made of cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate
plastic, so it isn’t harmed by moisture and website at Creators.com. Copyright 2021
can be stored anywhere without concern Creators.com
D8 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

LAUREN VOLO/TNS

Add a Little Spring My Family

Charoset
to Your Dinner Plate Recipe, for
LYNDA BALSLEV and aromatics to release their flavor. Fresh
herbs and arugula are then added to lightly
Your Passover
Spring is right around the corner, and while
the weather might not look like it’s received
wilt and release their aroma.
This is a delicious side dish or a light main Seder
the memo in some areas, this recipe is a bit course. Either way, it’s guaranteed to bring
of spring inspiration that will surely lighten a breath of fresh air to your kitchen table. LISA FREEDMAN
up your dinner plate no matter where you
sit. It’s a fresh and lovely pasta dish, bright Lynda Balslev is a cookbook author, food Passover isn’t a holiday known for its
with citrus and brimming with sweet and and travel writer, and recipe developer food. In fact, it’s largely known for the
snappy peas, fresh herbs, and baby aru- based in the San Francisco Bay Area, food you can’t eat during it (no leav-
gula. where she lives with her Danish husband, ened or fermented foods; ditto for
The pasta in this recipe is orzo, which two children, a cat, and a dog. Lynda foods made with wheat, oats, barley,
resembles rice, but is, in fact, made from studied cooking at Le Cordon Bleu Ecole rye, and spelt). And yet, I find myself This charoset is sweet (but not too
semolina flour. It’s toothsome and satis- de Cuisine in Paris and worked as a looking forward to it every year be- sweet), crunchy, and juicy.
fying to eat, and the little morsels bind personal chef, culinary instructor, and cause there is one thing I can’t wait
together this garden-fresh pasta salad. In food writer in Switzerland and Denmark. to stuff into my mouth: my mother’s
this recipe, the orzo is cooked and drained, Copyright 2021 Lynda Balslev. Distrib- charoset. It’s the world’s simplest rec- APPLE WALNUT
and while still warm, tossed with the peas uted by Andrew McMeel Syndication. ipe (chop stuff up and throw it into a CHAROSET
bowl!) but unlike, say, matzo ball soup,
which I order often at diners, I don’t get MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS
to eat it any other time of year.
PEA AND ORZO SALAD When I emailed, asking for her
2 medium Granny Smith apples
8 ounces toasted walnuts (about
recipe, here’s what I got in return: 2 cups)
PREP & COOKING TIME “Two apples, chopped walnuts, and
LYNDA BALSLEV FOR TASTEFOOD

Active Time: 15 minutes kosher wine. I don’t measure any of it. 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Total Time: 25 minutes I eyeball it. Add wine but make sure it or honey
SERVES 3 TO 4 isn’t soupy.” 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 ounces orzo pasta Why are all good family recipes writ- Pinch salt
ten out like this? Luckily, we have a
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/3 cup kosher sweet wine, such as
staff of expert recipe testers who Manischewitz concord grape
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice turned my mom’s gibberish into a real
recipe that all of us can use. Matzo, for serving
1 cup defrosted frozen peas
Technically used on the Seder plate Peel and core the apples. Chop into very
1 garlic clove, minced small diced pieces, and place in a large
to resemble the mortar and brick
1 teaspoon lemon zest made by the Jews when they were bowl. Chop the walnuts into pieces the
slaves in Egypt under Pharaoh, the same size as the apples and add to the bowl.
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
dish isn’t as dense or cement-like as Add the sugar or honey, cinnamon, and salt,
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Add the wine and stir
one would think. It’s actually sweet
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (but not too sweet), crunchy, and juicy. to combine. Let the charoset sit until the
flavors meld, at least 30 minutes. Serve
1 handful baby arugula, about 1 cup packed I eat it directly out of the container with matzo.
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped (using a spoon, of course!) or I pile up
pieces of matzo and use them as little RECIPE NOTES
1/4 cup fresh dill sprigs
unleavened delivery vessels. You can chop the apples and walnuts in
2 tablespoons chopped chives
a food processor fitted with the blade
Grated Parmesan or crumbled feta cheese Lisa Freedman is the lifestyle direc- attachment. Pulse them separately until
for garnish pepper. Stir to combine and gently warm the peas. tor at TheKitchn.com, a nationally finely chopped but not a paste.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the arugula, mint, dill, and chives and stir to gently known blog for people who love food Leftovers can be stored in an airtight
Add the orzo and cook until al dente, following wilt the arugula. If the pasta is too dry, add 1 more and home cooking. Submit any container in the refrigerator for up to three
package instructions. Drain the orzo and transfer tablespoon oil and taste for seasoning. comments or questions to edito- days, but the apples may discolor as they
to a large bowl. Serve garnished with the grated Parmesan or feta [email protected]. Copyright 2021 start to oxidize.
Stir in the oil and lemon juice and then add the peas, and freshly ground black pepper. Serve at room Apartment Therapy. Distributed by If you want sweeter flavors but happen to
garlic, lemon zest, salt, red pepper flakes, and black temperature or chilled. Tribune Content Agency, LLC. be vegan, swap the honey for agave syrup.

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