NEW YOR K | DC EDITION
00
In the News
NEWS
PolitiFact has quietly re-
tracted a September 2020
fact check that labeled
a Hong Kong virologist’s
claim that COVID-19 origi-
nated in a lab as inaccurate
and a “debunked conspiracy
theory.” ... A7
Arizona’s secretary of
state has warned Maricopa
County that election ma-
chines currently being au-
dited may have been com-
promised. ... A8
The Arizona Department
of Public Safety has con-
firmed it visited state Sen-
ate President Karen Fann’s
office to investigate reports
of a suspicious package with
an unidentified substance in-
side, amid the audit of Mari-
copa County’s Nov. 3 election
results. ... A8
An informal coalition of
prominent lay Christians
from six continents are call-
ing on people around the
world to pray for persecuted
prisoners of conscience in
China. ... A11
The Chinese regime’s
threat against Taiwan, home
to the most critical firm in the
semiconductor industry, is
too dangerous to ignore, ex-
pert says. ... A9
A judge in Georgia has
ruled to unseal absentee bal-
lots submitted in the 2020
presidential election. ... A1
The Texas state Senate
has passed a bill that prohib-
its schools from mandating
the teaching of critical race
theory. ... A1
A proposed three-year
ban on plastics production,
in legislation being pushed
by congressional Democrats,
would collapse the oil and gas
industry, Rep. Bill Johnson
says. ... A1
OPINION
Rob Natelson: It’s Time for
the Supreme Court to Overrule
Roe v. Wade...A13
Roger Kimball: Waking Up
From Wokeness...A17
Wesley J. Smith: The Attack
on Religious Liberty Is an At-
tack on All Our Freedoms...A18
FEATURES
For Memorial Day, a re-
membrance of the men and
women who lost their lives
fighting for our country. ...B1
How does the younger gen-
eration bring forth the beau-
ty, care, and respect of old?
A look at Frederic Leighton’s
“Winding the Skein.” ...B8
From the Middle Ages to
the present, the legend of
Faust has spoken to people
in every time and place. ...B9
Living with the emotional
and physical demands of
caring for a loved one gave
an expert new depths of un-
derstanding. ...C1
These foods have been sci-
entifically proven to increase
your odds of losing weight. ...C4
DON’T DELAY.
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| W E D N E S D A Y, M A Y 2 6 , 2 0 21
Mother Loses Son to Overdose,
Warns of Impact of Pandemic
Michele Holbrook holds a framed photo of herself and her son who died from
an overdose, in her home at Fernandina Beach, Fla., on May 19, 2021.
ECONOMY
More Inflation to Come: Experts
By PETR SVAB
The recent uptick in
inflation is no cause for
panic, although there
could be more to come, particu-
TEXAS
Texas Ranchers
Live in Fear
as Encounters
With Illegal
Aliens Increase
By CHARLOTTE CUTHBERTSON
KINNEY COUNTY, Texas—Living
on a ranch in the middle of no-
where is the epitome of the Ameri-
can dream for many Texans. They
keep to themselves, help their
neighbors, and work hard.
But in the past few months,
ranchers have been getting
unwelcome visitors who destroy
their property, steal their vehi-
cles, and scare their families.
They’re the illegal immigrants,
usually adult males who have
evaded Border Patrol and are
CRITICAL RACE THEORY
Texas Senate
Approves Bill
Banning CRT
By ALLEN ZHONG
The Texas state Senate passed a bill
on May 22 that prohibits schools
from mandating the teaching of
critical race theory (CRT).
House Bill 3979 doesn’t mention
CRT by name, but apparently aims
to ban the quasi-Marxist ideology
in public and open-enrollment
Continued on A5
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.
Truth & Tradition
SAMIRA BOUAOU/THE EPOCH TIMES
larly if the government or the Fed-
eral Reserve overreacts, several
experts told The Epoch Times.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI),
a proxy for inflation, rose 4.2
percent year-over-year in April—
Cole Hill on his ranch in Kinney County, Texas, on May 25, 2021.
heading to a large city where it’s
easier to disappear.
Cole Hill, his wife, and their
three children, ages 9, 7, and 5,
live on a ranch in Kinney County,
about 35 miles north of the U.S.–
Mexico border. The property also
flanks a Border Patrol highway
checkpoint, and those who want
to evade capture tend to walk a
ENERGY
Ohio Rep. Johnson: Proposed Plastics Ban
Would Collapse Oil and Gas Industry
By MARK TAPSCOTT
A three-year ban on plastics
production in legislation be-
ing pushed by congressional
Democrats would collapse
the oil and gas industry,
causing major national eco-
nomic damage, according to
Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio).
“There’s more than one way
to skin a cat, and there’s more
VOL . X V I I I | NO. 2,969 $3.
GEORGIA
Georgia Judge
Decides to
Unseal Absentee
‘I think he was Ballots
By ZACHARY STIEBER
honestly trying
to numb that A judge in Georgia ruled to unseal
absentee ballots submitted in the
feeling of being 2020 presidential election.
Petitioners in an ongoing case
isolated’ will be able to review the ballots
stored in Fulton County, Henry
By BOWEN XIAO County Superior Court Judge Brian
F
Amero said at the conclusion of a
ERNANDINA BEACH, Fla.— hearing on May 21.
Despite her bright smile, a Amero plans to issue an order
deep pain smoldered behind shortly that will set forth proto-
Michele Holbrook’s eyes. She cols governing a fresh scanning
had experienced one of the most ag- Continued on A8
onizing experiences a mother can
have—the loss of her son.
Chandler Cook, a towering young
man at 6 feet, 5 inches tall, died last
April of an accidental overdose at
the age of 28. Unbeknownst to him,
his street-bought heroin had been
POSTMASTER: PLEASE DELIVER PROMPTLY. TIME SENSITIVE NEWS PERIODICAL
spiked with fentanyl—an ultra-po-
tent synthetic opioid of which just
two to three milligrams can kill.
“That’s my son,” Holbrook told
The Epoch Times, pointing to a
framed photo of her son and her-
self in her living room. There were
more photos on her bedroom wall,
and in a photo album she later
brought out as well.
“I remember that feeling inside
of me, just wanting to run, run as
fast as I can, just to get away—that
it was a dream,” she said of the day
she learned about Cook’s overdose.
It was “the hardest day I’ve ever had
in my life.”
After shoulder surgery during his
THE EPOCH TIMES
U.S. POSTAGE
NEWARK, N.J.
PERIODICALS
teen years, Cook was prescribed
PAID
OxyContin, a strong opioid pre-
scription pain medication to which
Continued on A6
CRYPTOCURRENCY
CCP Aims for
Global Hegemony
the highest figure reported by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics since With Digital
the Great Recession of 2008. Fed
officials expressed surprise at the Currency and
uptick, but also announced that
Continued on A3
Blockchain
China’s digital currency
CHARLOTTE CUTHBERTSON/THE EPOCH TIMES poses a national
security risk for US
By JENNIFER BATEMAN & SOPHIA LAM
The Chinese Communist
Party (CCP) has been
pushing its digital cur-
rency project in recent years.
The CCP’s central bank has been
conducting research on digital cur-
rencies since 2014. In August 2019, a
report by the CCP’s mouthpiece Xi-
nhua News Agency said the central
bank’s Digital Currency Research
Institute, established in 2017, had so
far “applied for 74 patents involving
wide berth around it. digital currency technology.”
Hill said he’s dealt with illegal Another Xinhua report in Oc-
aliens traversing his land for years, tober 2019 revealed how much
but only around 25 people a year, importance the CCP has attached
on average;  sometimes, months to digital currency and blockchain
would go by with no activity. technology. According to the re-
“I’m going on about six weeks port, Chinese leader Xi Jinping sug-
straight now with illegal [aliens] gested during the 18th collective
on my property on a daily basis, study session of the Politburo that
Continued on A4 Continued on A10
CCP VIRUS
“There is
than one way to achieve a overwhelmingg
ban on hydraulic fractur-
ing,” Johnson told The Epoch
circumstantialal
Times on May 24 regarding
Secretary of Energy Jenni-
evidence ... to support
fer Granholm’s recent state- a lab leak as the origina-
ment that the Biden admin-
istration supports a ban on tion of COVID-19,”
hydraulic fracking for fossil REP. DEVIN NUNES.
Rep.
Bill Johnson fuels on all public lands.
(R-Ohio). She made the statement in Read more on A7
Continued on A4
A2 | WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021

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

DESANTIS SIGNS BILL TO

Dear reader,
I OF FLORIDIANS
n this week’s edition,
we feature on the
front page the story
of Michele Holbrook,
whose 28-year-old son,
Chandler Cook, died during the pandemic of a
fentanyl overdose.
The story is one of many that show impacts of the
pandemic and lockdowns that have largely gone
unnoticed.
While her son had previously been addicted to
painkillers after a shoulder surgery, he had been
rehabilitated by early 2020. Holbrook says she be-
lieves it was the isolation as a result of the pandemic
and subsequent lockdowns that pushed him back
into addiction.
This week, we also feature the story of Texas rancher
Cole Hill, who says that his family now lives in fear as
illegal crossings on the border surge.
Hill says that while illegal immigration had been
a problem for years, the border-crossers would not
normally come up to his house. That all changed
earlier this year.
In one frantic phone call, his wife told him, “They’re
looking into windows, they’re at the back door,
they’re at the front door, they’re banging on the
walls, everything.” Read the full story on A1.
In this week’s edition, we also provide an update on
the ongoing audit of the election results in Arizona,
where earlier this week the recounting and forensic
examination of ballots continued. Meanwhile, in
Georgia, a judge ruled that absentee ballots will
be unsealed and examined. Read the articles on
page A8.
Jasper Fakkert
Editor-in-chief
STOP BIG TECH CENSORSHIP
Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed into law a bill—the first of its kind in the
United States—allowing Floridians to sue Big Tech platforms.
A number of free speech advocates stood behind DeSantis as
he made the announcement at Florida International University,
including Cuban and Venezuelan exiles, state senators, and
deplatformed influencers.
Courts may award up to $100,000 in damages for each
proven claim, according to the governor.
“We will be the first state to hold Big Tech
accountable,” DeSantis said at a press con-
ference. “They are exerting a power that
really has no precedent in American history.”
17 GOP AGs Back South Dakota
Suit Over Mount Rushmore July 4 Red States Lead the Charge In
Fireworks Cancellation Lowest Unemployment Rates
Seventeen Republican attorneys general have filed an amicus Red states, along with Democrat-controlled Ver-
brief in support of a lawsuit brought by South Dakota Gov. Kristi mont, had the lowest unemployment rates in April,
Noem against the Biden administration over its decision to deny a while blue states recorded the highest jobless rates,
request to hold a fireworks display at Mount Rushmore National according to the Commerce Department.
Memorial in July to celebrate Independence Day. The top four states with the lowest jobless rates
The Biden administration canceled the fireworks display in in April—Nebraska, New Hampshire, South Da-
March. Herbert Frost, a regional director for the National Park kota, and Utah, with 2.8 percent each—all have
Service, cited the COVID-19 pandemic as a key factor in mak- Republican trifectas, meaning Republicans hold
ing his decision. the governorship, a majority in the state Senate,
Noem sued over the decision, calling Mount Rushmore “the and a majority in the state House. Vermont, with
very best place to celebrate America’s birthday and all that a Democrat-controlled state House and Senate
makes our country special.” and a Republican governor, came in fifth, with an
unemployment rate of 2.9 percent.
Overall, 31 states had unemployment rates lower
than the U.S. national average of 6.1 percent, with

55
A Rasmussen poll shows that out 26 of them red. Of the 19 states and the District of
% of a sample of 1,000 likely voters, a
majority, or 55 percent, preferred
Columbia with jobless rates higher than the national
average, 14 are blue.
a smaller government with fewer
services and lower taxes.

Election Audit Resumes in

Arizona’s Largest County
The recent attacks
Workers in Arizona’s largest county
on the Jewish have resumed reviewing ballots and
community are election machines in a 2020 election
audit.
despicable, and Approximately 500,000 ballots
they must stop. from the nearly 2.1 million cast in
Maricopa County in the presidential Trump to Restore ‘Iconic’ Boeing 757 In a free country, you
President Joe Biden, reacting election had been reviewed as of May
on Twitter to recent anti-Semitic 24 by the audit team, which was hired for Use in Upcoming Rallies would think people
assaults in the United States. by the state Senate. Former President Donald Trump said that his signature Boeing
The team had taken a break while
would honor the idea that
757 airplane, which had been mothballed during his presidency,
high school graduations were held is being restored and will return to the skies by the end of the year. each individual would
at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in “Many people have asked about the beautiful Boeing 757 that get to make the medical
Phoenix. Workers moved the ballots became so iconic during the Trump rallies,” the former presi-
and election equipment back to the dent wrote on his website. “It was effectively kept in storage decision, that it wouldn’t
arena over the weekend. The Arizona in Upstate New York in that I was not allowed to use it during be a big brother coming to
Senate has control of the building my presidency.”
through June 30 to finish the audit, While president, Trump relied on Air Force One to fly to vari- tell me what I have to do.
according to an agreement obtained ous destinations.
CDC Investigating by The Epoch Times.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), suggesting in a radio
interview that the pressure campaign around
Heart Inflammation in vaccines could be an attempt to manufacture
COVID-19 Vaccinated Texas Governor consent for other power grabs.
Teens Says He’ll Take

The U.S. Centers for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention (CDC) said it
is investigating reports of heart
inflammation in teenagers and
young adults who have received
a vaccine against the CCP (Chi-
nese Communist Party) virus,
commonly known as the novel
coronavirus.
The agency said that vaccines
using the mRNA technology—
from pharmaceutical companies
Pfizer and Moderna—appear to
be causing the issue.
The cases of myocarditis have
been mostly in adolescents and
young adults—and are more likely
to occur in males. The symptoms
also show up after the second
dose about four days after vac-
cination, the CDC’s Advisory
Committee on Immunization
Practices said in a statement.
Action Against
Cities That Try
to Defund Police
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott
has said he would support
legislation that would prevent
cities from issuing directives or
voting to reduce funding to police de-
partments—coming in the wake of
Black Lives Matter protesters’ calls
to “defund the police” last year.
In a tweet, the Republican gover-
nor highlighted an incident in Austin
in which there were no police units
available for 12 minutes following a
shooting that left a victim critically
wounded.
“This is what defunding the police
looks like,” he wrote in reference to
the incident. “Austin is incapable of
timely responding to a victim shot in
the head.
$304
BILLION
A bipartisan group of senators from the Senate
Environment and Public Works Committee have
introduced a $303.5 billion surface transporta-
tion bill that would reauthorize Department of
Transportation funding for highways, roads, and
bridges that is due to expire in September.
I think we should continue to
investigate what went on in China
until we continue to find out to the
best of our ability what happened.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy
and Infectious Diseases, saying during a Poynter event that he’s
now “not convinced” that COVID-19 developed naturally.

Mostly Republican Ballots Fail to

Scan in Pennsylvania County
Election, Stoking Concerns
We continue to have a decline in A number of ballots couldn’t be scanned during lo-
deaths after we opened up 100 cal elections in a southwestern county in Pennsylva-
nia, triggering fresh concerns about election integrity.
percent until we reached that The ballots, mostly from Republican voters in Fay-
mark of a day with zero death. ette County, were missing barcodes that typically help
facilitate electronic scanning.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, saying that his state has George Rattay, chairman of the Fayette County Democratic
seen improved COVID-19 metrics since he Party, said nobody initially knew what the problem was. He and
lifted most capacity restrictions and others went to the county Bureau of Elections and found out
the statewide mask mandate it was a barcode issue.
in March. “The majority of them were Republican ballots,” he told The
Epoch Times.
Whitmer Administration Axes
COVID-19 Rule She Violated at
Michigan Bar
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration
rescinded a rule that capped restaurant parties at
six people on May 24, two days after she was caught
violating the restriction herself.
The Michigan Department of Health & Human
Services released a new order that doesn’t include
the provision, which barred groups of more than six
from sitting at the same table in establishments
that serve food or drinks.
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
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-
ing the truth through insightful
and independent journalism.
Standing outside of politi-
cal interests and the pursuit of
profit, our starting point and our
goal is to create a media for the
public benefit, to be truly respon-
sible to society.
We endeavor to educate read-
ers about today’s most impor-
tant topics, seeking to broaden
and uplift minds. We believe that
rational, balanced debate is key
for fostering a healthy democ-
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society.
As an independent media out-
let, we use our freedom to inves-
tigate issues overlooked—or
avoided—by other media outlets.
We seek to highlight solutions
and what’s good in society rather
than what divides us.
We report respectfully, compas-
sionately, and rigorously.
We stand against the destruc-
tion wrought by communism,
including the harm done to cul-
tures around the world.
We are inspired in this by our
own experience. The Epoch
Times was founded in 2000 to
bring honest and uncensored
news to people oppressed
by the lies and violence in
communist China.
We still believe journalism is a
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NATION
SCOTT HEINS/GETTY IMAGES
People fill-up at a gas station in Brooklyn, N.Y., on May 3, 2021.
INFLATION
Main Inflation Pressure
Hasn’t Come Yet, Experts Say
Effects of printing trillions
of dollars haven’t been fully
realized yet, the experts say
CONTINUED FROM A1
higher inflation will be tolerated
for some time.
The increase actually isn’t as
dramatic as it seems, the experts
said. They indicated that the spike
reflects the recovery from the
economic downturn and govern-
ment restrictions triggered by the
COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, if
one compares the April CPI with
the pre-pandemic figure from
February 2020 and adjusts for
seasonal changes, the increase
adds up to about 3.1 percent.
That, however, still represents
an acceleration from the previ-
ous trend of less than 2 percent
growth.
Part of that increase stems
from all the money the Fed
printed to fund multiple eco-
nomic stimulus packages and
various measures to shore up
financial markets, according to
Norbert Michel, an expert on
financial markets and monetary
policy and director of the Center
for Data Analysis at the conser-
vative Heritage Foundation.
Usually, when the government
borrows money, it’s backed by
Treasury securities bought with
existing dollars by individuals,
companies, and governments.
This time, however, a major share
of the $5.6 trillion in COVID-
related government spending
was funded through securities
bought by the Fed with brand
new dollars. The Fed now holds
over $5 trillion in U.S. debt, up
from some $2.5 trillion in Febru-
ary 2020.
The result is that Americans and
their businesses still have some
money to spend and cover their
bills, despite the economy severe-
ly contracting and still lagging be-
hind its February high. If demand
outpaces what the economy can
currently supply, the buying pres-
sure will bid up prices.
Some of that has likely hap-
pened already, Michel said, but
“it’s clear there’s a lot left.”
“You see a very big increase in
personal disposable income, even
on a per capita basis. So far, a lot
of that money has been saved
because you have this drop-off in
demand, so there is a concern as
to what happens as the recovery
takes off,” he said.
That hasn’t happened yet, and
Connecticut has “The violence
recorded 18 cases of needs to stop; it’s
myocarditis in people
who received a COVID-19
unacceptable.”
vaccine, with all the cases Minneapolis Mayor
requiring hospitalization.
Jacob Frey
I’m almost
worried more
about the
government
trying to
hyperstimulate
the economy
because they
want growth
to get back to
the previous
trendline.
Ryan Young, senior
fellow, Competitive Jerome Powell, chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, departs a hearing on
Enterprise Institute Capitol Hill in Washington on Sept. 23, 2020.
it would be an overreaction on
the Fed’s part to try to tighten the
money supply, he stated.
“It’s possible that this is a begin-
ning of an upward trend, but
we’re not going to know that for a
little while yet, for at least another
six months,” he added.
The problem may lie in the op-
posite extreme, according to Ryan
Young, senior fellow at the pro-
free market Competitive Enter-
prise Institute (CEI).
“I’m almost worried more about
the government trying to hyper-
stimulate the economy because
they want growth to get back to
the previous trendline and the
way politicians work is that would
mean more spending, more
stimulus, more infrastructure,
more debt, more deficit,” he said.
“These are not sustainable
THE FED SHOULD strategies and supposing they
do induce a boom, the trade-off
CHANGE ITS for that is there’s going to be a
bust later, leaving us no better off
MANDATE, than before.”
EXPERTS SAY The Biden administration’s $2
trillion infrastructure plan seems
to push in that direction. It would
The Federal Reserve
should no longer try
certainly give banks something
to prod the economy profitable to sink their excess
into full employment
and 2 percent annual
reserves in, as the risk of such
projects would be essentially car-
inflation, several
experts told The
ried by taxpayers, even if through
an eventual bailout, as some other
Epoch Times. experts have previously said.
But such projects normally take
Instead, they say, the
semi-government-run
years to take off and run the risk
agency should focus of merely displacing other private
on keeping money projects, since the skilled labor
supply in line with pool is limited, yet another expert
economic growth, has noted.
keeping inflation In the meantime, the Fed’s solu-
around zero, even tion to the liquidity glut has been
if it means some to essentially print more dollars
occasional deflation.
to pay banks to hold money they
would otherwise lend. That just
A3
$ 2.5
A shipment of meth-
amphetamine worth
$2.5 million, hidden
among watermelons,
was seized by border
MILLION
officials in California.
SPENCER PLATT/GETTY IMAGES
STEFANI REYNOLDS-POOL/GETTY IMAGES
kicks the can down the road,
Michel said.
“You’re talking about the Fed
having to pay literally hundreds
of billions of dollars ... eas-
ily $200 billion a year to large
financial institutions to hold on
to their reserves,” he said. “That’s
not politically sustainable in an
environment where inflation is
taking off.”
The ideal situation would be
for banks to return to financing
projects organically emerging in
the economy, Michel and Young
agreed.
Rather than expanding or tight-
ening, the economy needs relax-
ing, they said. Obstacles, such as
burdensome regulations, need
to be removed so that people can
more easily come up with pro-
ductive ideas and pitch them for
financing.
“You know what you’re good
at and I know what I’m good at a
lot better than Congress does,”
Young said. “And I think, writ
large, that would be the best ap-
proach to get the economy com-
pletely back on track.”
Furthermore, the Fed should let
go of its dual mandate of “full em-
ployment” and 2 percent inflation
and simply focus on keeping the
money supply roughly in line with
the economic growth with infla-
tion around zero or perhaps gently
fluctuating both above and below
zero, Michel and Young said.
The argument that people need
to feel the constant whip of infla-
tion on their backs to do some-
thing productive with their money
is misplaced, Michel stated.
“People are going to always look
for productive things to do, try to
buy the things they need, invest in
the things they need,” he said.
A4 | NATION
BORDER SECURITY | Impact of Illegal Immigration Hits Ranchers in Texas
Border Patrol agents detain about 50 illegal immigrants who crossed the Rio Grande from Mexico into Del Rio, Texas, on May 24, 2021.
Texas Ranchers Live in Fear as
Encounters With Illegal Aliens Increase
They’re looking into windows, they’re
at the back door, they’re at the front
door, they’re banging on the walls,
everything,’ one rancher’s wife said in
a frantic phone call earlier this year
CONTINUED FROM A1
or multiple groups a day,” he said
during a local meeting on May 22.
His house is set “way back in the
middle of nowhere,” he said. “We
could have a full-blown gunfight
on our front porch, and nobody
would know about it.”
Hill’s first encounter with illegal
aliens this year took place on Jan.
20, when his dog alerted him to a
man on the front porch dressed
head-to-toe in camouflage clothing.
“It obviously alarmed me. I’ve
had plenty of encounters with ille-
Ohio Rep. Claims Proposed Plastics Ban
Would Collapse Oil and Gas Industry
A ban on fracking
would eliminate 19
million jobs, reduce
U.S. GDP by $7.1
trillion, increase
natural gas prices
by 324 percent,
and double gas
prices, according
to the Global
Energy Institute
gal aliens over the past 10 or more
years, but I’ve never had one that
close to the house,” Hill said. “I
stopped him. I told him to back-
track and get away.”
He also called Border Patrol but
doesn’t know whether they caught
the intruder.
“That was just kind of the begin-
ning of this giant snowball that’s
occurring,” he said.
“I keep getting told that this isn’t
a new problem that we’re dealing
with. Obviously, we all know illegal
immigration has been going on
forever. But to me, in my setting,
CONTINUED FROM A1
response to a question from the Ohio
Republican at an Energy Subcommit-
tee Hearing of the House Energy and
Commerce Committee.
Granholm’s statement has prompt-
ed confusion because Biden has
previously said he only supports a
temporary moratorium of fracking
on public lands, rather than a per-
manent ban.
Fracking is an innovative technol-
ogy in which horizontal drilling and
injection of highly pressurized fluids
are employed to access rich stores of
petroleum and natural gas that were
previously unreachable.
The widespread adoption of the
technology by domestic private oil
and gas exploration companies in
the previous decade was the main
factor in making the U.S. energy in-
dependent and the world’s top pro-
at my house, at our ranch, this is
certainly a new problem.”
The next encounter happened
about three weeks later, when Hill
and his oldest son were work-
ing out on the ranch and his wife
called to tell him that a group of il-
legal immigrants had surrounded
MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
ducer of petroleum.
“One way is to outright ban it. A
temporary ban or moratorium is just
a precursor to what’s coming,” John-
son said. “But you can achieve the
same thing by collapsing the oil and
gas market so that nobody will hy-
draulically fracture for the resource.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
the house.
“They’re looking into windows,
they’re at the back door, they’re at
the front door, they’re banging on
the walls, everything,” Hill’s wife
told him.
He raced home and found one
man on the front porch, while
A horizontal gas drilling
rig used to explore
the Marcellus Shale,
outside the town of
Waynesburg, Pa., on
April 13, 2012.
CHARLOTTE CUTHBERTSON/THE EPOCH TIMES
Illegal immigrants
are captured on a
game camera as
they traverse Cole
Hill’s ranch in Kin-
ney County, Texas.
COURTESY OF COLE HILL
“Section 902 of the Clean Future
Act that is being pushed through
the House and Senate by Demo-
crats right now places a three-year
moratorium on new permitting for
plastics manufacturing.
“If you put a moratorium on plas-
tics manufacturing, what is the feed-
stock for that? It’s all of the resource
that comes up when you are hydrau-
lic fracturing for natural gas.”
A summary prepared by Demo-
crats on the House Energy and Com-
merce Committee regarding the bill
says Section 902 “places a temporary
pause on new permits for facilities
that produce plastics, or the raw ma-
terials used to produce plastics (such
as ethylene and propylene), as well as
facilities that repolymerize plastics
into chemical feedstocks.”
The section also directs the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
to issue strict new emissions and
production regulations on facilities
involved in plastics manufacturing.
An energy department official
speaking on background told The
Epoch Times: “Secretary Granholm
was referring to the [Biden] admin-
istration’s temporary pause on new
oil and natural gas leasing on public
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
the rest had hidden as his truck
approached.
“I made it pretty quickly to the
individual on our front porch, I got
him off the porch, and I promptly
escorted him out of the yard,” Hill
said. He eventually cleared the rest
of the group out of his garage and
sent them away.
Again, he called Border Patrol,
but it took agents more than an
hour to get there.
“I live about 12 miles from the
checkpoint. On a good day, they
can be at my house in about 15
minutes,” Hill said.
“I hate to think of what five men
could do if they wanted to do harm
to my family and they could get
into my house as quick as they pos-
sibly could have.”
After that encounter, the Hills
kept their normally free-range kids
closer to home, unless they were
outside with them.
“After that happened, we don’t
even want our kids playing outside
in the yard anymore,” Hill said. He
kept the kids mostly in the house
for a few weeks, but let them run
loose as he tackled some yard work
one Saturday.
2200
$
PER PERSON
Migrants are currently paying
Mexican smuggling groups $2,200
per person to cross the Rio Grande
into the United States. That’s
$2.2 million per 1,000 that cross.
“I didn’t get halfway done mow-
ing my front yard and the kids are
all playing in the backyard ... and
sure enough, here comes five more
dudes ... slipping out of the brush,
and they’re hitting a jog on the
way to my house, coming straight
to my house.
“I shut the mower down, I holler
for the kids to get inside, I start
yelling at these guys to stay back, I
run inside and grab a firearm, and
as soon as I came back out, they
stopped, they changed their course
and they took off.”
Hill again called Border Patrol,
but it was more than an hour be-
fore they responded.
“Yesterday morning was the fifth
group that I’ve had at my house
since January 20 this year—and
this was at 3:30 in the morning,” he
said at a local meeting on May 22.
Del Rio Sector Chief Patrol Agent
Austin L. Skero II said Border Pa-
trol is stretched thin.
“We are currently apprehending
an average of over 900 migrants
during this seven-day period in
the Del Rio Sector,” Skero told The
lands and offshore waters, concur-
rent with a comprehensive review of
the federal oil and gas program. This
pause doesn’t affect any currently
permitted activities.”
Granholm is a former governor of
Michigan.
Johnson represents a district in
Eastern and Southeastern Ohio
that has benefited immensely from
fracking-enabled exploration and
production of natural gas in the Mar-
cellus Shale formation of the eastern
United States. His district borders
Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and
Kentucky.
But fracking is used nationwide,
with 318 of the 358 new wells being
drilled last week using the technol-
ogy, according to Dan Kish, vice
president of the Institute for Energy
Research, citing data from Princeton
Energy Advisors.
“This is crazy what they are going
about doing,” Johnson said. “If you
collapse the market for oil and gas,
that has all kinds of ramifications.
You’re talking about thousands and
thousands of everyday products
Americans use in their daily lives.”
Johnson pointed out that Electric
Vehicles (EVs) are heavily dependent
Epoch Times via email.
Cole Hill on his “Due to this 433 percent increase
ranch in Kinney in apprehensions over last fiscal
County, Texas, on year to date, agents are frequently
May 25, 2021. occupied with transport, process-
ing, and detention duties.
“This has absolutely impacted
our ability to respond quickly to
illegal activity on private property.
We are doing the best we can and
will respond to every call prioritiz-
ing emergency situations.”
Record Numbers
Kinney County, with a population
of 3,400, shares just 16 miles of the
international border with Mexico,
but it’s on a direct smuggling route
from the Del Rio area to San Anto-
nio. On April 21, it was the first of
28 Texas counties to declare a local
disaster over the border crisis.
The county sits within the Del
Rio Border Patrol sector, which is
experiencing record levels of illegal
alien apprehensions.
Over four days starting on May
20, Del Rio Border Patrol appre-
hended more illegal border-cross-
I’m going ers than the population of Kinney
on about County. On May 20, May 21, and
six weeks May 23, agents apprehended more
than 1,000 illegal aliens each day
straight now in the sector, according to Customs
with illegal and Border Protection.
[aliens] on my Law enforcement officials told
The Epoch Times that people are
property on currently paying Mexican smug-
a daily basis, gling groups $2,200 per person
or multiple to cross the river into the United
States. That’s $2.2 million per 1,000
groups a day. that cross.
Cole Hill, rancher, The number of those who evade
Kinney County Border Patrol is also increasing.
More than 42,000 illegal aliens
evaded capture along the whole
southern border in April.
“We don’t know who they are,
where they’re from, or what their
intentions are,” National Border
Patrol Council President Brandon
Judd said.
upon plastics manufacturing. “So
how are you going to make an all-
electric vehicle if you ban plastics
manufacturing?”
A 2019 analysis by the U.S. Cham-
ber of Commerce’s Global Energy
Institute projected catastrophic eco-
nomic damage if fracking is banned
There’s more in the United States.
“Simply put, a ban on fracking in
than one way the United States would be cata-
to skin a cat, strophic for our economy. Our anal-
and there’s ysis shows that if such a ban were
imposed in 2021, by 2025 it would
more than eliminate 19 million jobs and reduce
one way to U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
achieve a ban by $7.1 trillion,” the report states.
“Job losses in major energy pro-
on hydraulic ducing states would be immediate
fracturing. and severe; in Texas alone, more
than three million jobs would be
Rep. Bill Johnson lost. Tax revenue at the local, state,
(R-Ohio) and federal levels would decline by
nearly a combined $1.9 trillion, as
the ban cuts off a critical source of
funding for schools, first respond-
ers, infrastructure, and other critical
public services.
“Energy prices would also sky-
rocket under a fracking ban. Natural
gas prices would leap by 324 percent,
causing household energy bills to
CHARLOTTE CUTHBERTSON/THE EPOCH TIMES
On top of those that Border Patrol
knows have evaded arrest, “it’s
very fair to say that there’s a large
number of people that are able to
get away that we don’t even de-
tect,” Judd said.
Hill said he’s had plenty more
encounters with illegal aliens
while he’s out on the ranch work-
ing alone.
“I do everything that I can to try
to subdue them or hold them down
for Border Patrol,” he said, but it’s
getting more difficult.
“Sure, there’s probably some
good apples in there as well. But I
don’t think the good apples are 35
miles off the river trying to evade
every law enforcement they can as
aggressively as they are.”
The damage to his property is
also increasing. In the past few
months, he’s had his perimeter
fence cut seven times, most of the
time from top to bottom, and in
three cases, an entire section was
pulled out.
Hill’s water troughs and pipes are
also getting damaged.
“Next thing you know, I got 100
head of cows that are out of water
just like that. And that can turn
into a pretty terrible crisis in itself,”
Hill said.
He blames the Biden adminis-
tration for the border surge and
the spillover impact it’s having on
Texans. The White House and the
Department of Homeland Security
didn’t respond to requests by The
Epoch Times for comment.
“I feel like there’s only two ways
that this problem is going to get
solved. And it’s either going to be
‘We the People’ or the people up
top. I sure don’t like to think about
‘We the People’ taking care of it,
but, who knows,” he said.
“I do know that we need to do ev-
erything that we can and contact
our elected officials and try and do
this the right way.”
ALEX WONG/GETTY IMAGES
Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm
at the White House on April 8, 2021.
more than quadruple. By 2025, mo-
torists would pay twice as much at
the pump for gasoline as oil prices
spike to $130 per barrel.”
Kish said the widespread use of
fracking in U.S. fossil fuel explora-
tion and production demonstrates
that advocates of fracking bans are
ultimately seeking to end all such
energy production.
“When they’re attacking fracking,
they’re really attacking drilling. Their
focus groups must say more people
think fracking is bad than drilling, so
that’s what they use,” he said.
Congressional correspondent
Mark Tapscott may be reached at
mark.tapscott@epochtimes.nyc
NATION | A5
EDUCATION
Texas Senate
Passes Bill
Banning
Critical Race
Theory
Under the bill, teachers and other
officials are prohibited from
teaching students that one race
is inherently superior to another
or that an individual is inherently
racist because of their race
CONTINUED FROM A1
charter schools.
According to the bill text, teach-
ers, administrators, and employ-
ees from state agencies, school
districts, and open-enrollment
charter schools are prohibited
from teaching students that one
race is inherently superior to an-
other race or sex or that an indi-
vidual is inherently racist, sexist,
or oppressive by virtue of his or
her race or sex.
A teacher “may not [be] com-
pelled to discuss current events
or widely debated and currently
controversial issues of public pol-
icy or social af-
fairs” in social
studies curric-
ulum in Texas The bill also
history, U.S. requires the
history, world State Board
history, govern- of Education
ment, civics, to adopt civic
social studies, education to
or similar sub- help students’
jects, according understanding
to the bill. of the moral,
If teachers political, and
choose to dis- intellectual
cuss the above
topics, they
foundations
must explore
of U.S. history
those topics and tradition.
from diverse
and contending perspectives
and can’t give deference to any
one perspective.
The bill also requires the State
Board of Education to adopt civic
education to help students’ un-
derstanding of the moral, politi-
cal, and intellectual foundations
of U.S. history and tradition, and
the founding documents of the
United States.
The Lone Star State’s lower
chamber passed the bill on May
11 but will have to approve it
again in alignment with revisions
made by the state Senate.
CRT—which espouses the idea
that race is not natural, but so-
cially constructed to oppress
and exploit minorities—is an off-
shoot of the quasi-Marxist criti-
cal theory social philosophy that
was promoted by the Frankfurt
school of thought.
Then-President Donald Trump
signed an executive order ban-
ning CRT training in federal
agencies in September 2020, with
the White House describing it as
“anti-American propaganda.”
However, the socialist ideology
has been embraced by President
Joe Biden and his administra-
tion. Biden reversed Trump’s
September 2020 executive order
after entering the White House
and pushed CRT training on all
fronts.
The Biden administration’s
efforts triggered widespread
pushback from federal and state
Republican lawmakers, conser-
vatives, and related organiza-
tions, as well as parents.
The Texas Public Policy Foun-
dation applauded the state Leg-
islature’s move, saying it will pro-
tect students.
“This is a huge win for Texas
students. We will not allow state-
funded racism in our schools or
permit our students to be used
as political props ... Texas should
also redouble its focus on teach-
ing proper civics and ensure stu-
dents get the full and true history
of our state and our country,”
Tom Lindsay, the institution’s
distinguished senior fellow of
higher education and constitu-
tional studies, said in a statement.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s office
didn’t reply to an email from The
Epoch Times asking if the gover-
nor will sign the bill into law.
A6 | NATION
PANDEMIC | Impact of lockdowns
After Losing Son to Overdose, Mother
In early 2020, her son’s life was
turning around—he was clean
after spending time in rehab
and had a job in the restaurant
industry. But it all fell apart
when the pandemic hit.
CONTINUED FROM A1
he became addicted. Later, he be-
gan taking heroin and other drugs.
However, Cook had started to
turn his life around in early 2020,
when he got a job in the restaurant
industry following a positive expe-
rience at a rehab facility. His mom
was overjoyed that he was getting
up in the mornings daily and go-
ing to work—he was finally clean
from drugs.
Then, the pandemic hit.
Isolation
Like many, Cook lost his job
because of lockdowns imposed
in response to the CCP
(Chinese Communist
Party) virus. He was liv-
ing alone in his apart-
ment at the time, and
the isolation ended up
taking a heavy toll on
his mental health.
“Before the pandemic, he
was going to work every day,
he was learning to bartend at Chandler staggering 61 percent were
the restaurant he worked at— Cook died young adults between the
they loved him up there,” she from a her- ages of 18 and 25.
said. “He would make you oin over-
laugh at the drop of a hat.” dose spiked child is a hostage to addic-
Cook had some level of de- with fenta- tion, it’s a difficult thing to
pression before the pandem- nyl at 28. go through, Holbrook said,
ic, according to his mother.
The lack of daily structure and
steady income due to the shut-
downs just made it worse for him. dad and I screamed,” she said.
“You can’t go anywhere, you’re
concerned about seeing your
parents, you’re concerned about
seeing your loved ones ... and he
turned back to heroin,” she said.
“I think he was honestly trying
to numb that feeling of being
isolated.”
Zoom meetings aren’t helpful
for those dealing with addic-
tion, Holbrook said, noting that
such individuals often don’t
have access to computers or
the internet. Over 13 percent of
respondents in an August survey
by the Centers for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention (CDC) said
they “started or increased sub-
stance use to cope with stress or
emotions related to COVID-19.”
COVID-19 is the disease caused
by the CCP virus.
Holbrook was furious over
the fact that liquor stores were
deemed “essential businesses,”
while Alcoholics Anonymous or
Narcotics Anonymous meetings
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
weren’t. Those struggling with
mental health issues and addic-
tion had nowhere to turn to for
help during the pandemic.
“People that don’t understand
this disease feel you can just
walk away from it at the drop of
a hat. And I know you cannot,”
she said. “I saw it firsthand with
Chandler. He didn’t like it, it
wasn’t something he enjoyed.”
Studies and reports have indi-
cated that loneliness has a more
specific effect on younger people.
A national survey conducted in
October of last year by Harvard
University project Making
Caring Common found
that 36 percent of all
respondents report-
ed “serious loneli-
ness”—that is, feeling
lonely “frequently” or
“almost all the time or
all the time” in the four
weeks prior to the survey.
Of those who felt this, a
As a mother, when your
noting that she has learned
a lot through this whole process.
“I can tell you, at times, his
“We cut things out, we wouldn’t
give him money—or maybe gave
too much money, loved him too
much. Because when you’re in
the throes of it, you don’t know
how to act sometimes.” Michele Holbrook sits at China, and it is either shipped national mail facilities is nearly
her home in Fernandina into the United States or smug- 90 percent pure and is far more
Beach, Fla., on May 19, gled across the southern border lethal, according to a 2019 CBP
Fentanyl 2021. by drug traffickers.” report.
Holbrook wants to warn others of China is the “largest source” In August of last year, the Drug
the dangers of opioids, and par- of illicit fentanyl in the United Enforcement Administration
ticularly fentanyl, which is 50 to States, a November 2018 report by (DEA) put out a warning about
100 times more potent than mor- the U.S.–China Economic and the sharp increase in overdose
phine and has spread throughout Security Review Commission deaths connected to fentanyl.
America like wildfire, sparking stated. Officials warned that other drugs
an overdose epidemic. Pharmaceutical fentanyl has are increasingly being laced with
“They’re placing fentanyl in been approved in treating severe fentanyl.
these drugs nowadays, and it pain and is prescribed “in the “This alarming uptick dem-
will kill you,” she said. “I mean, form of transdermal patches or onstrates that dealers continue
it takes a very tiny, tiny amount lozenges and can be diverted cutting various illegal drugs with
of fentanyl in your system to kill for misuse and abuse in the fentanyl and now more than ever
you immediately.” United States,” according to the it’s a recipe for death,” San Diego
Deaths attributed to fentanyl CDC. But most of the cases of County District Attorney Sum-
have been rising for years. A 2017 fentanyl-related harm, overdose, mer Stephan said in a statement.
presidential memo noted that Michele Holbrook in and death in the United States “The public needs to be aware
fentanyl is “currently manu- Fernandina Beach, Fla., are linked to illicit fentanyl sold of the danger of using any con-
factured almost exclusively in on May 19, 2021. through illegal drug markets for trolled substance even if pack-
its heroin-like effect. aged like a harmless medicinal
Holbrook said her son was pill.
unaware there was fentanyl in his “I’m urging you to share this
drugs. potentially life-saving message
“I don’t think he knew that,” she with your loved ones today.”
said. “In the heat of the moment,
he did it not knowing what he
had picked up off the street, and Pain
it killed him. He had fentanyl, co- There isn’t a day that goes by that
caine, and heroin in his system, Holbrook doesn’t think about her
[according to] his death certifi- son.
cate when they did the autopsy.” “He knows how much I love
Fentanyl “is often mixed with him and I miss him every day,”
heroin and/or cocaine as a she said. “I miss that smile. I miss
combination product—with or not being able to talk to him and
without the user’s knowledge—to I think I struggle with that as a
increase its euphoric effects,” the parent, thinking, ‘Oh, I wish I
CDC says. could pick up the phone and call
While Mexico serves as a him today. Oh, I wish I heard his
primary conduit for fentanyl voice.’ But one day, I will.”
to reach the United States, the On some of her most agonizing
purity level of it entering from the days, she visits a local park and
southwest border is approximate- sits on a bench made in memory
ly 7 percent. Yet fentanyl arriv- of her son that her friends pur-
ing directly from China through chased and the city had in-
express consignment and inter- stalled. Children play in front of
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
r Warns of Lockdown Impact
it on a playground.
The day he overdosed, Holbrook
recalled getting a text from a
friend of her son, telling her that
something was wrong. She ran
to her car with her husband and
drove to Cook’s apartment, which
was located in Jacksonville,
Florida. But they were too late.
“I felt like I couldn’t put one step
in front of the other,” she said.
Holbrook described her son
as one of the most kindhearted
people she has ever known, say-
ing that he would give away his
last $5 if someone needed it.
In early 2020, when Cook got off
drugs, his mother interviewed
him on camera about his journey,
as he was keen to help others
struggling with addiction. She
recently posted that interview on
YouTube.
“He was so passionate about
helping others,” she said. “He
wanted to help others because,
as he states, it’s a step by step
[process] and it is a struggle every
single day of your life.”
Holbrook says those struggling
with addiction need to push
themselves to seek help.
“You can choose to continue
to press forward and go and get
the help that you need,” she said.
“Or you can continue to just stay
where you are and then it’s going
to do nothing but spiral down.
“One thing I used to tell Chan-
dler all the time ... if you continue
to press forward and look for-
ward, you’re going to continue to
better yourself. Never look back,
because that’s only going to end
up hurting you.”
If the government doesn’t
put more resources in place to
prevent addiction and help those
NATION | A7
MEDIA
PolitiFact
Quietly Retracts
Fact Check on
COVID-19 Lab
ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/THE EPOCH TIMES UNLESS OTHERWISE PROVIDED.
Origin
Retraction follows a report
by Republicans on the House
Intelligence Committee
saying there is ‘overwhelming
circumstantial evidence’ to
suggest COVID-19 originated
from a lab leak
ISABEL VAN BRUGEN
PolitiFact has quietly retracted a
September 2020 fact check that
labeled a Hong Kong virologist’s
claim that COVID-19 originated
in a lab as inaccurate and a “de-
bunked conspiracy theory.”
“The claim is inaccurate and ri-
diculous,” the now-archived fact
check previously said. “We rate it
Pants on Fire!”
In an updated editor’s note pub-
lished on May 24, PolitiFact ex-
plained why it has now removed
the label.
“When this fact-check was first
published in September 2020,
PolitiFact’s sources included re-
searchers who
asserted the
SARS-CoV-2 vi- Currently,
rus could not we consider
have been ma- the claim
nipulated. That to be
assertion is now unsupported
more widely dis- by evidence
puted,” the note and in
states. “For that dispute.
reason, we are
removing this PolitiFact
fact-check from our database
pending a more thorough review.
Currently, we consider the claim
to be unsupported by evidence
and in dispute.”
The original fact check from
PolitiFact cited a Sept. 15, 2020,
Fox News interview with Hong
Kong virologist Yan Limeng, in
which she said that she has “sol-
id scientific evidence” that CO-
VID-19, the disease caused by the
CCP (Chinese Communist Party)
virus, is “not from nature.”
“It is a man-made virus created
in the lab,” the virologist and for-
mer postdoctoral fellow at the
University of Hong Kong told the
news network at the time.
She also claimed in the inter-
view that the virus was inten-
tionally released by the Chinese
regime, without elaborating. Yan
Photos of Chandler said the virus’s genome indicates
Cook in a photo that it was modified.
album. “In a Sept. 15 interview, the
most-watched program on cable
network television aired a con-
They’re spiracy theory that has been
debunked since the beginning
placing of the coronavirus pandemic,”
fentanyl in PolitiFact’s fact check said of the
virologist’s claims.
these drugs
Social media sites such as Face-
nowadays and book and Instagram, which part-
it will kill you. ner with PolitiFact, flagged posts
containing Yan’s claims as false.
I mean it takes
The quiet retraction comes
a very tiny, as Republican members of the
tiny amount House Intelligence Committee
say they believe it to be more like-
of fentanyl in
ly that the CCP virus originated
your system within a Chinese laboratory than
to kill you from an animal.
“There is overwhelming cir-
immediately.
cumstantial evidence ... to sup-
Michele Holbrook, port a lab leak as the origination
mother of of COVID-19,” stated a May 19
Chandler Cook committee report, which was led
by Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.),
the ranking member on the com-
mittee. “By contrast, little circum-
Michele Holbrook stantial evidence has emerged to
looks at photos of her support the PRC’s [People’s Re-
son, Chandler Cook, public of China] claim that CO-
who died of an over- VID-19 was a natural occurrence,
dose, at her home in having jumped from some other
Fernandina Beach, species to humans.”
Fla., on May 19, 2021.
BRENDON FALLON/THE EPOCH TIMES
struggling with it, Holbrook be- Every year, she needs surgery to
lieves, there will be another pan- remove them. But what gets her
demic—an addiction pandemic. through it is her faith in God.
“It’s going to be the death of our “I’m very strong in my faith. I
young people,” she said. love the Lord,” she said. “I can re-
Holbrook herself struggles with member one time just thinking,
another pain. She lives with neu- ‘Oh my gosh, I wish I could just
rofibromatosis, a rare condition get a break sometime,’ and the Virologist Dr. Yan Limeng during an
that causes tumors to continu- one thing I remember is God’s interview with The Epoch Times in
ously form on her body’s nerves. going to bless me abundantly.” Washington on July 28, 2020.
A8 | NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021

JESSICA MCGOWAN/GETTY IMAGES

ARIZONA

Suspicious
‘White Powder’
Sent to Arizona’s
GOP Senate
President
Karen Fann responsible
for overseeing audit
currently taking place
in Maricopa County
JACK PHILLIPS

The Arizona Department

of Public Safety (DPS)
confirmed that it visited
Republican state Senate
President Karen Fann’s of-
fice on May 19 to investigate
reports of a
suspicious
package
contain-
ing an un-
identified
substance.
Arizona Senate The state
President agency’s
Karen Fann. spokes-
An election worker counts Fulton County ballots at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Nov. 4, 2020. man,  Ser-
geant Jimmy Chavez, said
DPS “responded to the
Arizona State Senate in

Georgia Judge Decides to Unseal response to a suspicious

package call.” The pack-
age was then taken by the
agency’s hazardous materi-

Absentee Ballots for Review als union before it was sub-

Judge’s ruling comes after
secretary of state last
month argued not to grant
petitioners access to the
physical ballots
CONTINUED FROM A1
of the ballots, which will be done
by county workers while petitioners
and their experts observe.
A group of voters filed a petition
last year asking for a forensic in-
spection of mail-in ballots from
the 2020 election. The petition al-
leged an abnormal vote increase for
Democrat presidential candidate
Joe Biden and an abnormal reduc-
tion in President Donald Trump’s
tabulation, among other alleged
abnormalities.
Amero allowed the petitioners
in March access to scanned im-
ages of the ballots, but attorneys
for the petitioners argued in court
that the resolution, 200 dots per
inch (DPI), was too low to perform
proper analysis.
The petitioners asked for images
at 600 DPI or higher, and access to
the ballots themselves.
David Sawyer, a forensics expert,
testified for the petitioners. He said
he identified a discrepancy in the
number of batches that were re-
ceived by petitioners and the num-
ber that Georgia Secretary of State
mitted to the state crime lab
to investigate its contents.
Mike Philipsen, a spokes-
man for the state Senate
Brad Raffensperger’s office listed they have the authority and the GOP, told media outlets
I have no as having been examined in a risk- right to do,” he said. that an assistant to Fann
limiting audit. “I have never seen in this case opened a letter addressed
inclination He told the judge that direct ac- a motion to dismiss from anyone to her, adding that a “small
at all to cess to ballots would be best “be- for any reason and in the absence amount of substance
release cause that’s the original evidence, of considering things in that way was observed from the
and that’s the best evidence.” then this does take the form of a mailing.”
these ballots Law yers for Fulton County civil case where there is some dis- “Out of an abundance
to anyone and Georgia Attorney DUSTIN CHAMBERS/REUTERS
covery” under state law. of caution, the assistant
General Chris Carr, a The parties are sched- contacted the department
other than Republican, argued uled to meet at the Ful- of public safety, and its
the clerk or that letting the peti- ton County ballot stor- hazmat team was alerted,”
the county. tioners examine the age location on May 28. he said.
ballots outside of the Raffensperger told The State Sen. Warren Pe-
Judge Brian Amero, presence of county Epoch Times via email: tersen, a Republican who
Henry County workers would violate “From day one I have chairs the state Senate Judi-
Superior Court federal law. They also encouraged Georgians ciary panel, wrote on Twit-
said a “citizen audit” with concerns about the ter that someone “sent an
wasn’t provided for in election in their coun- unidentified white powder
state law, and that if the ties to pursue those to [Fann’s] office,” before he
judge allowed such an claims through legal condemned the incident.
audit, he should pick Georgia Secre- avenues. Fulton Coun- “The personal attacks on
tary of State Brad
the auditing team or ty has a long standing [Fann] by some media and
Raffensperger
allow the parties to speaks at a news history of election mis- others [are] truly disturb-
reach an agreement on conference at the management that has ing. If you don’t agree with
which firms should do state Capitol in understandably weak- the policy, disagree with it
the audit. Atlanta on Nov. 6, ened voters’ faith in its but no need to attack her
Amero assured them 2020. system. Allowing this personally,” he wrote.
he was largely of the audit provides another Arizona Secretary of State
same mind. layer of transparency and citizen Katie Hobbs, a Democrat
“I have no inclination at all to re- engagement.” who opposes the Senate-
lease these ballots to anyone other Raffensperger, who asked the approved audit of Maricopa
than the clerk or the county,” he judge last month not to grant pe- County’s Nov. 3 election re-
said. titioners access to the physical sults, similarly condemned
But he pushed back on the idea ballots, will have a representative the incident by saying it’s
that petitioners shouldn’t be al- present next week. “not OK,” stating in refer-
lowed to get better scans of the Fulton County didn’t immedi- ence to Fann, “I hope you,
ballots or visually inspect them. ately respond to a request by The your family, and your staff
“That seems to be something that Epoch Times for comment. are staying safe.”

cratic Party request to block the

Arizona’s Secretary of State Tells Maricopa
County to Get New Election Machines
ZACHARY STIEBER
Arizona’s secretary of state warned
the state’s largest county not to try
to use election machines that are
being audited or she would decer-
tify the equipment.
“I have grave concerns regarding
the security and integrity of these
machines, given that the chain of
custody, a critical security tenet,
has been compromised and elec-
tion officials do not know what was
done to the machines while under
Cyber Ninjas’ control,” Arizona
Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a
Democrat, wrote in a May 20 letter
to Maricopa County officials.
Auditors hired by the Arizona
Senate, including Cyber Ninjas,
have been reviewing more than 2
million ballots cast and 385 tabu-
lators used in the 2020 election,
along with other materials.
Auditors have said they’re fol-
lowing strict forensics protocols.
“We don’t turn on a system if it’s
delivered to us in a powered-off
state. We remove the hard drives,
we perform forensics imaging
with write blocks to prevent any
changes to those hard drives, and
we produce a bit for bit forensics
copy of that particular drive,”
Ben Cotton, founder of CyFIR, the
company leading the technology
component of the audit, told Ari-
zona senators in a May 18 meeting.
Ken Bennett, the former Republi-
can Arizona secretary of state who
is serving as the audit liaison for
the state Senate, added that im-
mediately upon receiving the
machines on April 21, the equip-
ment and ballots were placed into
locked cages and have been under
armed guard the entire time.
“We have not had any breaches of
the cages where the ballots or the
machines have been kept,” he said.
But Hobbs alleged that it’s un-
clear what security procedures, if
any, were put into place to secure
the machines.
“Indeed, our expert observers, as
well as multiple news reports, have
noted troubling security lapses.
And Cyber Ninjas has failed to pro-
vide full transparency into what
they did with the equipment,”
she wrote to Maricopa County
officials.
“The lack of physical security and
transparency means we cannot be
certain who accessed the voting
equipment and what might have
been done to them.”
A county judge last month de-
clined to grant an Arizona Demo-
audit. The request, backed by
Hobbs, was made because Dem-
ocrats alleged there were secu-
rity issues with the audit. But the
judge said Democrats didn’t pro-
vide “substantive evidence” back-
ing up their claims.
In the new letter, Hobbs said
there are no comprehensive meth-
ods to fully rehabilitate compro-
mised equipment, meaning the
county “should acquire new ma-
chines to ensure secure and ac-
curate elections” moving forward.
If the county chooses to re-de-
ploy the subpoenaed equipment
We have for use in future elections, Hobbs’s
office may consider moving to de-
not had any certify it.
breaches Before the audit started, Arizona
of the cages Republican Senate President Kar-
en Fann signed a document that
where the provided indemnification to Mari-
ballots or the copa County against third-party
machines have claims of any damages occurring
to materials the county gave over
been kept. to auditors.
Ken Bennett, The county is reviewing Hobbs’s
audit liaison for the letter, a county spokesperson told
Artizona Senate The Epoch Times via email.
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
WORLD
ALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO/AP PHOTO
SAM YEH/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Engineers of United Microelectronics Corp., one of the world’s largest microchip producers, at the compa-
ny’s wafer factory in Tainan Science Park, Taiwan, in this file photo.
Global Chip Shortage
Makes Taiwan’s
Independence Vital to West
Taiwan is a crucial hub for
semiconductor manufacturing; a
Chinese invasion would halt chip
production almost immediately
EMEL AKAN
WASHINGTON—The global com-
puter chip shortage has boosted the
economic and strategic importance
of Taiwan, which is home to some
of the world’s largest and most ad-
vanced chip foundries. With Chi-
nese aggression against Taiwan
increasing in recent months, some
experts claim that the island’s in-
dependence and democracy have
never been so important to West-
ern countries.
Taiwan is now the “most danger-
ous place on earth,” according to
The Economist magazine, due to
concerns that the Chinese commu-
nist regime could launch a military
invasion of the island.
Besides political and national
security implications, such a sce-
nario would inflict economic pain
on many countries, including the
United States. It would cause severe
supply chain shocks across mul-
tiple industries that heavily rely on
Taiwanese chips.
People don’t really grasp the
implications of Chinese control
over Taiwan, according to Rupert
Hammond-Chambers, president of
the U.S.–Taiwan Business Council.
Speaking at a virtual panel hosted
by the Global Taiwan Institute on
May 19, he said an invasion would
take Taiwan’s chip production al-
most immediately offline, causing
dramatic consequences for global
supply chains.
Semiconductor chips form the
backbone of many sectors in the
rapidly evolving digital economy,
from automotive to smartphones
to advanced weapon systems. Tai-
wan plays a big role in this space,
accounting for 78 percent of the
global foundry market.
The island is  home to Taiwan
Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
(TSMC), the most critical firm in
the industry, due to its leadership
in advanced chips.
“Taiwan accounts for 92 percent
of semiconductor production at the
most sophisticated sub-7 nano-
meter process levels,” Stephen
Ezell, vice president at the Infor-
mation Technology and Innova-
tion Foundation, a technology
think tank, said during the panel
U.S. President Joe Biden
and Russian President Vladimir Putin
will meet in Switzerland on June 16
“to restore predictability and stability
to the U.S.-Russia relationship,” the
White House confirmed.
discussion. “Taiwan’s prowess in
semiconductors is thanks largely
to its pioneering the semicon-
ductor foundry model, meaning
it conducts outsource contract
manufacturing for fabulous de-
sign companies like Qualcomm,
or Nvidia, or Apple.”
Apple alone accounts for roughly
25 percent of TSMC’s revenues, he
noted.
“United States needs to care
about Taiwan greatly because
America’s well-being depends
greatly on Taiwan’s well-being,”
Ezell said.
The pandemic has spiked demand
for consumer electronics, leading
to a shortage of semiconductor
chips this year. Global automak-
ers have been hit especially hard
from the supply shock. Companies
such as General Motors and Ford
had to temporarily shutter some
of their plants.
The harm that the recent chip
shortage inflicted on automakers
prompted many governments to
take action.
On Feb. 17, the White House sent
a letter to the Taiwanese govern-
ment, asking for its help to resolve
the shortage and “ensure a level-
playing field for American compa-
nies seeking deliveries of available
supplies.”
President Joe Biden also signed
an executive order on Feb. 24 to
help create more resilient supply
chains in semiconductor chips and
other critical goods.
He has directed federal agen-
cies to conduct a 100-day compre-
hensive review to identify “choke
points” in the supply chains. Fol-
lowing the review, administration
officials said the White House
could explore various policy op-
tions, including boosting domes-
tic production of the chips and
working with allies to develop a
coordinated response to supply
disruptions.
US Deepens Ties With Taiwan
Washington has long been cautious
about the Taiwan issue for fear of
provoking China, which claims
sovereignty over the island.
The United States doesn’t have
a formal diplomatic relationship
The United
States needs
to care about
Taiwan greatly
because
America’s
well-being
depends
greatly on
Taiwan’s
well-being.
Stephen Ezell, vice
president, Information
Technology and
Innovation Foundation
COURTESTY OF THE ITIF
Stephen Ezell, vice
president of the
Information Tech-
nology and Innova-
tion Foundation.
Taiwanese soldiers
load Tien Chien sur-
face-to-air missiles
onto a launcher dur-
ing an annual drill in
Tainan, Taiwan, on
Jan. 17, 2017.
“We will work with our partners,
closely with all, to ensure that
Hamas does not benefit from the
reconstruction assistance.”
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken
with Taiwan, but maintains unof-
ficial ties with the self-ruled island
under the 1979 Taiwan Relations
Act. The act authorizes the United
States to provide the island with
military equipment for its self-
defense and set up a nonprofit
corporation called the American
Institute in Taiwan, which is the de
facto U.S. embassy on the island.
The course of U.S.–Taiwan rela-
tions dramatically changed under
the Trump administration, partic-
ularly with high-level visits to Tai-
pei by senior U.S. officials last year.
And just before leaving the of-
fice in January, former Secretary
of State Mike Pompeo lifted restric-
tions on contact with Taiwanese
officials, marking the latest move
by the United States to deepen ties
with the democratic island.
So far, the Biden administration is
“doing a really good job of consoli-
dating what they inherited” from
the Trump administration, accord-
ing to Hammond-Chambers.
He said President Obama’s tenure
“was the low point in U.S.-China
relations over the last 20 years,”
calling it a “grim time for U.S. na-
tional interest.”
Biden has recognized China’s
growing threat to “dominate the
semiconductor supply chain” and
called for a significant investment
to increase domestic chip manu-
facturing.
While Chinese companies still
lag on the design and manufactur-
ing of semiconductors, Beijing is
making a huge push to boost its
local chip industry. As part of its
strategy to grow its domestic pro-
duction and move towards self-
sufficiency, Beijing has increased
its cyberattacks against Taiwan in
recent years.
“Since the United States an-
nounced restrictions on Huawei,
the Taiwanese semiconductor
industry has reported increased
cyber attacks from China,” Alexa
Lee, senior manager at the Infor-
mation Technology Industry Coun-
cil said at the panel.
Beyond cyberattacks, Taiwan
also faces increased talent com-
petition from China.
Chinese companies have ramped
up campaigns to attract Taiwan-
ese engineers, Lee said, by offering
huge salaries and benefits.
As part of its so-called “dual cir-
culation strategy,” Beijing made
it clear that it wanted to tighten
the dependence of international
industrial chains in China, while
decreasing the country’s reliance
on global supply chains, according
to Adam Segal, an expert on Chi-
nese domestic and foreign policy at
the Council on Foreign Relations.
Speaking at the panel, Segal said
the Biden administration, com-
pared to the previous administra-
tion, has been less explicit about
how it would slow China down in
semiconductor production.
Biden’s team recognizes the im-
portance of boosting domestic
manufacturing to create secure
and resilient supply chains, but
moving supplier ecosystems is
“extremely complicated,” he said.
“The average large company has
about 5,000 suppliers across dif-
ferent tiers. A company like Apple
has 638 suppliers in tier one and
close to 7,500 suppliers in tier two.”
Hence, Segal noted, there should
be a “very strong diplomatic com-
ponent” to the U.S. supply chain
strategy, which involves working
with allies, including Taiwan, to
ensure the security and indepen-
dence of their supply networks.
SAM YEH/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
A9
100
EU leaders have
agreed to donate at
least 100 million doses
of COVID-19 vaccines
MILLION to poorer nations by
DOSES the end of the year.
Mali’s Coup
Leader Dismisses
President and
Prime Minister
Mali’s former coup leader As-
simi Goita has taken control of
the country again after firing the
president and prime minister of
the transitional government after
they announced a cabinet reshuf-
fle without his permission.
While Goita pledged to go
ahead with holding new elections
in 2022 as promised, his display
of force casts doubt on whether
the vote will go ahead without
significant interference by the
junta that overthrew the last
democratically elected president.
The move came a day after
President Bah N’Daw and
Prime Minister Moctar Ouane
were arrested by soldiers and
brought to the military head-
quarters in Kati, about 9 miles
outside the capital.
35.6
$
BILLION
ByteDance CEO Zhang
Yiming, 38, who holds a
fortune of $35.6 billion,
according to Forbes, has
declared his plan to step
down by the end of the year.
UK’s Johnson
Warns Belarus
After Release of
‘Deeply Distressing’
Confession Video
of Journalist
British Prime Minister Boris
Johnson has warned Belarus that
the country’s actions “will have
consequences” after it released
a video of arrested dissident Ro-
man Protasevich that Johnson
said was “deeply distressing.”
In a video released by Bela-
rusian authorities, Protasevich
appears to admit was involved in
organizing mass protests in Minsk
in 2020. Seated at a table with his
hands folded in front of him and
speaking quickly, the 26-year-old
activist, journalist, and prominent
Lukashenko critic says he is in
satisfactory health and his treat-
ment in custody is “maximally
correct and according to law.”
Johnson wrote in a tweet, “As a
journalist and a passionate be-
liever in freedom of speech I call
for his immediate release.”
Burma’s Suu Kyi
Makes 1st In-person
Court Appearance
Since Coup
Aung San Suu Kyi, the ousted
leader of Burma (also known as
Myanmar), appeared in court in
person for the first time since
the military arrested her when it
seized power on Feb. 1.
Burma state television MRTV
broadcast the first photo of Suu
Kyi, 75, since the coup. Alongside
her were her two co-defendants,
former President Win Myint and
Myo Aung, the former mayor of
Naypyitaw, Burma’s capital.
One of their lawyers, Min Min
Soe, told The Associated Press
that the three were able to meet
with their defense team for about
30 minutes before the hearing be-
gan at a special court set up inside
Naypyitaw’s city council building.
State television said the hearing
concerned the charge against all
three defendants of spreading in-
formation that could cause public
alarm or unrest. Suu Kyi also faces
two counts of violating the Natu-
ral Disaster Management Law
for allegedly violating COVID-19
pandemic restrictions during the
2020 election campaign; illegally
importing walkie-talkies that were
for her bodyguards’ use; and unli-
censed use of the radios.
A10
CHINA
CCP Aims for Global Hegemony
With Digital Currency and Blockchain
China’s digital currency poses national security risk for the US
CONTINUED FROM A1
blockchain technology needs to
“play a bigger role in building China
into a cyber power, developing the
digital economy, and helping eco-
nomic and social development.”
Last year, the CCP’s Ministry of
Commerce issued a document
requiring 21 provinces and munici-
palities to implement a “General
Pilot Program for Comprehensively
Deepening the Innovative Develop-
ment of Service and Trade.” One of
the tasks listed in the program is to
“carry out digital renminbi (yuan)
currency pilot projects in Beijing,
Tianjin, Hebei province, the Yang-
tze River Delta, Guangdong-Hong
Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area
(GBA), and eligible pilot areas in
central and western China.”
Since then, there have been
reports in the CCP’s media about a
test of the digital yuan currency in a
number of places, including two cit-
ies—Shenzhen and Changsha—and
Hainan province in southern China.
Cities in eastern China included in
the program are Shanghai and Su-
zhou, along with the northern cities
of Qingdao and Dalian. Other cities
and areas include Xi’an (northwest-
ern China), Chengdu (southwestern
China), and Xiongan New Area
(in Hebei province, about 90 miles
south of Beijing).
At the National People’s Congress
in March, the CCP explicitly pro-
posed to “build a new advantage in
the digital economy” and “actively
participate in the formulation of
international rules and standards
for digital technologies such as data
security, digital currency, and digi-
tal taxation.”
With a strong push to digitize its
currency, active participation in
setting international standards,
and the start of testing cross-border
digital payments, it’s clear that the
CCP’s ambitions extend beyond its
national borders.
CCP Seeks ‘One Globe, Two Systems’
Liang Xinjun, a Chinese expert in
the field of virtual and digital money
and co-founder of Fosun Group,
said in a speech on April 30 that
“realizing seamless conversion of
sovereign digital currency (Digital
Currency Electronic Payment, or
DCEP in short) and community
digital currency in more countries,
and then realizing global payment
circulation, is a financial solution of
the ‘One Globe, Two Systems.’”
The sovereign digital currency,
or DCEP, that Liang refers to is a
digital form of the yuan issued by
the People’s Bank of China, which
has the same functions and attri-
butes as fiat banknotes, is backed by
the sovereign credit of China, and
has an unlimited legal tender.
Community currency, a currency
issued at local levels for use at par-
ticipating businesses, can only be
circulated in a specific community
based on the acceptance of commu-
nity members. It has developed from
traditional plastic cards to cellphone
virtual currency software to the cur-
rent blockchain technology and has
also advanced into digital currency.
The “One Globe, Two Systems”
mentioned by Liang refers to both
the communist totalitarian system
represented by the CCP and the
Western democratic system, rep-
resented by the United States, that
have coexisted in the world.
Liang’s comments reveal the
CCP’s ambition to establish its own
financial digital system.
CCP’s Global Financial Hegemony
Ambition
The CCP set up CIPS (Cross-border
Inter-bank Payment System), which
is its yuan-based, cross-border
payment system, similar to SWIFT
TYRONE SIU/REUTERS
Taiwan’s transparency “The CCP needs to stop obstructing
during the COVID-19
pandemic was praised as an investigators [of the origins of
example for other nations to COVID-19], destroying evidence,
follow, during an event hosted
by the Open Government and telling ridiculous lies.”
Partnership. Sen. Tom Cotton
The CCP’s vigorous (Society for Worldwide Interbank
push for digital Financial Telecommunication) in
currencies indicates Shanghai in July 2015.
that it’s stepping up “As of the end of 2019, there were
its efforts to use them 33 direct participants and 903
as a financial weapon indirect participants in the CIPS
against the United
system, an increase of 74 percent
States.
and 413 percent respectively from
the initial launch,” according to the
CIPS website.
“The system now covers 94 coun-
If successful, tries and regions on six continents,
this digital and CIPS’s business actually covers
more than 3,000 banking legal enti-
RMB [yuan] ties in 167 countries and regions.” As
project could of this year, “the cumulative pay-
expand the ment amount reached 151 million
yuan, and the business covers many
[CCP] central countries and regions such as Hong
bank’s Kong, Malaysia, Australia, and
influence South Africa.”
But the CCP also realizes that it’s
over both the not in a position to immediately
domestic and threaten the U.S. dollar in the cur-
international rent international payment system.
The CCP’s vigorous push for digital
economy. currencies and strict regulation of
Dovey Wan, founding
cryptocurrencies indicates that it’s
partner, Primitive stepping up its efforts of research
Ventures and promotion in these areas in
order to use them as a financial
weapon against the United States.
An article published on
Coindesk on May 17, 2019, titled
“Digital Renminbi: A Fiat Coin to
Make M0 Great Again,” includes
ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
some interesting aspects that are
worth noting.
“Contrary to what many think,
China does not oppose blockchain
technology,” Dovey Wan, founding
partner at Primitive Ventures, “a
global venture investment firm with
a focus on blockchain and related
IMA
technologies,” wrote at the begin-
ning of her article.
ATMs for digital She was of the opinion that the
currencies bitcoin and digital Chinese currency can have
ethereum in Hong Kong great political and economical
on Dec. 18, 2017.
influence.
“If successful, this digital RMB
(yuan) project could expand the
[CCP] central bank’s influence over
Bitcoin both the domestic and international
economy. It has broad implications
should also for the geopolitics of money and for
be thought the future of private cryptocurren-
[of] in part cies such as bitcoin,” she wrote.
In her analysis, she indicated that
as a Chinese blockchain technology can help the
financial CCP’s digital currency project.
weapon “Thanks to blockchain’s trace-
ability and programmability, PBOC
against [People’s Bank of China, the CCP’s
the U.S. central bank] can write rules at the
code level regarding where digital
Peter Thiel, RMB can and cannot flow to,” she
co-founder, PayPal wrote. “If it wants to cool down the
housing market, for example, it can
simply set a program preventing
digital RMB from entering the real
estate sector.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
118
$
Chinese companies will be
facing up to $118 billion in
Chinese corporate dollar
bonds this year, the largest
BILLION wave of dollar debt maturi-
BONDS ties in history.
P.KHAMGULA/SHUTTERSTOCK
“A digital RMB could even China’s biggest ambition on digital
strengthen China’s influence over- currency.”
seas,” she added. Some recent statements by Li Bo,
“If the One Belt, One Road initia- deputy president of the CCP’s cen-
tive succeeds, a digital, borderless, tral bank, seem to echo the impor-
stable currency could facilitate in- tance the CCP places on blockchain
ternational trade among its 60-plus technology-based digital currencies
member countries. This, coupled like bitcoin and cryptocurrencies,
with the fact that China is the big- such as stablecoins.
gest creditor to Venezuela and it He said in an April 18 speech at the
holds over 14 percent of African Boao Forum for Asia that the central
countries’ sovereign debt, would po- bank is studying regulatory rules
sition it to offer a digital RMB as the for cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin
next reserve currency of emerging- and stablecoins.
market economies.” “Any stablecoin that wishes to be-
The promotion of a digital Chinese come a widely used payment instru-
currency would “be highly syner- ment in the future must be subject
getic with China’s rigorous effort of to strict regulation,” Li said.
de-dollarization: reducing U.S. dol- In general, a stablecoin is a crypto-
lar asset in both its foreign exchange currency that is collateralized by the
reserve, largely increasing its gold value of an underlying asset.
reserve and selling off U.S. Treasury Yu Jianing, the rotating chairman
debt,” she wrote. “These moves of China’s Communications Indus-
could increase tensions between try Association Blockchain Spe-
U.S. and China and might even cialized Committee, also said that
force the U.S. to pursue a similar stablecoins are one of the important
digital model for the dollar.” blockchain technology applications
In a September 2020 article on that have the potential to revolu-
Sina’s website, one of the CCP’s tionize the global payment system.
online mouthpieces, also revealed Whether it is digital currencies,
one of the hidden purposes of the or blockchain, or stablecoins, the
CCP in using digital currency and CCP wants to control them and use
blockchain technology. them as its tool to change the global
“Digital money is only the sur- financial order.
face, but a resetting of the payment
network is the far-reaching ambi- Responses From the US
tious plan.” As reported by The Epoch Times in
The article argues that the CCP April, Kyle Bass, founder and chief
is focused on SWIFT, “the ubiqui- investment officer of Dallas-based
tous currency settlement network Hayman Capital Management,
behind the hegemony of warned that the CCP was
the U.S. dollar,” because using its digital currency
“it is the technical sup- as “a Trojan horse against
port for the dollar to western democracies.”
become the U.S. dollar,” He said that “the free
and because “this is the world needs to outlaw it.”
technical support for the Peter Thiel, a co-founder
U.S. dollar to become of PayPal, voiced his con-
U.S. gold.” cern over the CCP’s use of
Kyle Bass, founder
The article also states: and principal of cryptocurrencies.
“The reset of a pay- Hayman Capital “Bitcoin should also be
ment system is much Management. thought [of] in part as a
more important than Chinese financial weapon
constructing a digital against the U.S.,” he said
currency. If this open- at a virtual event held for
source system of DCEP members of the Richard
is done well enough Nixon Foundation.
that other countries “It threatens fiat money,
can safely and quickly but it especially threatens
issue and transfer their the U.S. dollar,” he was
local currency on this Peter Thiel, co- cited as saying by Bloom-
public chain, then it will founder of PayPal. berg on April 8.
be easy to build a new “China is already rolling
financial system. ... That would be a out a digital yuan in select cities,
ground-breaking achievement.” and they want to use it ultimately to
The article noted that “the dollar- undermine the position of the U.S.
dominated fiat world is in constant dollar in the financial world. This is
financial crisis and should have a national security issue, and if the
more benign competitors.” It said U.S. does not respond, we will be left
that the CCP’s “DCEP has a more behind,” U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis
flexible open module,” and seek- (R-Wyo.) said in a social media state-
ing DCEP dominance “should be ment on May 19.
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
Coalition of Christians Call for Global Prayer
for Prisoners of Conscience Persecuted by CCP
ISAAC TEO
An informal coalition of prominent lay
Christians from six continents are calling
on the faithful from around the world to
pray for the persecuted prisoners of con-
science in China.
The global prayer effort—taking place
from May 23 to May 30—will focus on the
millions of Christians, Uyghur Muslims,
Tibetan Buddhists, Falun Gong prisoners
of conscience, Hong Kong activists, “hu-
man rights defenders, lawyers, citizen
journalists, bloggers, civil society activ-
ists, and dissidents of all kinds” who are
brutally persecuted by the Chinese Com-
munist Party (CCP) for their beliefs.
“As Christians, we feel a particular re-
sponsibility to pray and we believe that
prayer has the power to convert and the
power to change the situation,” Rev. An-
drew Bennett, the campaign’s spokesper-
son and Canada’s former ambassador for
religious freedom, told The Epoch Times.
The campaign, called Global Prayer for
China, was initiated in response to a call for
prayer on behalf of the “Church and peo-
ples of China” by Cardinal Charles Bo of
Burma, who is president of the Federation
of Catholic Asian Bishops Conferences, on
March 14.
In addition to Bennett, members of the
coalition include U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-
N.J.), UK’s Lord David Alton, Australian
MP Kevin Andrews, Hudson Institute se-
nior fellow Nina Shea, law professor Jane
Adolphe from Ave Maria School of Law,
Benedict Rogers, the East Asia team leader
at Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Irish en-
trepreneur Declan Ganley, and Canadian
MP Garnett Genuis, among others.
Genuis, who is also co-chair of the Inter-
Parliamentary Alliance on China, high-
lighted the plight of Christians under the
Chinese communist regime.
“Christians in China face escalating
pressure, control, and violence. Along with
other faith communities, Chinese Chris-
tians are being told that they have to put
deference to the Communist Party ahead
of their faith. If they don’t, they face severe
consequences,” Genuis wrote in a post on
Facebook.
China’s new religious regulation, Mea-
sures on the Management of Religious
Professionals—which took effect on May
1—requires those who hold any formal role
in a religious group to pledge allegiance
to the CCP.
On May 8, the two state-sanctioned Prot-
estant organizations in Beijing—the Bei-
jing Municipal Three-Self Patriotic Move-
ment Committee and the China Christian
Council—held a forum to celebrate the
CCP’s 100th anniversary, according to a
report on the organizations’ combined
official website.
Pastors and church staff are required
to study the history of the CCP, guide be-
lievers to follow the Party, and follow the
What Our
Readers Say
(from former journalists)
A friend turned me on to The Epoch
Times. I was stunned I had not found
ET on my own. As a former journalist,
I have over 25 news-oriented sites
bookmarked along with many other
websites. The Epoch Times is #1 on
my list for a reason—fair, ethical, well-
researched and well balanced editorial
and opinion is what I so appreciate.
In a sea of amateur, biased, poorly-
researched and poorly thought
articles by biased, out-of-touch news
outlets, littered with biased and
amateur “journalists,” The Epoch
Times is a beacon in what has become
a fog-enshrouded sea of icebergs.
ROB STUEHRK
“sinicization of Christianity,” said Cai Kui,
the chair of the two organizations.
Coalition member Shea noted that the
new rules in the selection of bishops in
China make no mention of any papal role
in the process, without regard to the terms
of the 2018 Sino–Vatican agreement.
“Not even a papal right to approve or veto
episcopal appointments in China, which
was supposed to be the single substan-
tive concession to the Vatican in the agree-
ment. It’s as if the deal never happened,”
she wrote in a February article.
Along with other faith com-
munities, Chinese Chris-
tians are being told that
they have to put deference
to the Communist Party
ahead of their faith.
Garnett Genuis,
Canadian member of Parliament
In another article reported in the Nation-
al Review, Shea said the CCP is systemati-
cally crushing underground churches and
arresting their leadership, putting them on
trial, or making them disappear in secret
detention centers. Some were even tor-
tured, forced to quit their ministries, or
subject to brainwashing sessions.
Meanwhile, paintings of the Virgin Mary
and Jesus have been forcibly removed in
some churches and replaced by portraits
of Chinese leader Xi Jinping and com-
munist ruler Mao Zedong, according to a
November 2019 report by Bitter Winter, a
religious liberty and human rights maga-
zine. In 2020, the magazine reported that
As a former journalist, I have over 25 news-oriented sites
bookmarked along with many other websites. The Epoch Times
is #1 on my list for a reason—fair, ethical, well-researched and
well balanced editorial and opinion is what I so appreciate.
As a journalism graduate and a
devotee of what was always a free
and fair press, it is heartening and
refreshing to turn to The Epoch
Times for full, truthful coverage of
today’s worldwide events.
LYNN ADAMS
As a journalism graduate from the
70s, I’m happy to have discovered
some real journalism.
DOROTHY SEVLIE
Learn more at EpochSubscription.com
TRUTH AND TRADITION
GREG BAKER/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
the CCP removed more than 900 crosses
from state-run churches in the first half of
the year in Anhui Province alone.
The sinicization goes even deeper as the
CCP is “currently retranslating and rein-
terpreting the Bible,” the coalition states.
“It is expected to do so in ways that
serve party goals, such as occurred in the
retelling of John’s Gospel in a 2020 state
textbook, which depicted the adulterous
woman being stoned to death by Jesus.
“Young people under 18 years of age are
banned from all Catholic and Protestant
churches, receiving the sacraments, and
Bible studies.”
Coalition member Bennett believes that
the power of faith can eventually be a force
for change.
“It might not be this year, it might not
be in five years, it might not be in 10
years, or 25 years. But we trust in
God and we place our hope in
Him that things can change.
And so prayer we believe as
Christians to be a very power-
ful weapon against persecution.
You cannot violate the dignity of
the human person.”
Bennett also stressed the importance of
having others join in the initiative.
“We hope many individuals and parishes
will take part in some way, through the
Prayers of the Faithful during Mass and
in personal, private prayer,” he said in a
statement on May 7. “Our new website is
designed to assist and facilitate this, and
we hope that individuals and parishes will
use the resources available through the
website, spread the word to others, and
mobilize the Church worldwide to pray
for China.”
With reporting from Dorothy Li.
As a retired journalist I despaired of
ever finding honest, accurate news.
And I also taught in China so I know
that coverage is true too. Thank you
Epoch Times.
CORNELIA CREE
As a former journalist now retired,
I enjoy all of the content you
currently print in “all” sections of
newspaper.
WAYNE FRANTZEN
CHINA | A11
China Responds to
Report of Wuhan
Lab Staff Becoming
Sick Before
COVID-19 Outbreak
The Chinese regime has denied that
lab staff in Wuhan were infected
with COVID-19 before the pandem-
ic, in response to a question about a
Wall Street Journal report.
The WSJ reported on an undis-
closed U.S. intelligence report about
three researchers at the Wuhan
Institute of Virology who sought
hospital care with COVID-19-like
symptoms in November 2019—one
month before the “patient zero”
claimed by Chinese authorities.
The regime asserted again that
the CCP virus originated outside
China.
China Picks
‘Wolf Warrior’
Diplomat to Oversee
Hong Kong’s
Foreign Affairs
Former Chinese Ambassador to
Poland Liu Guangyuan was recent-
ly appointed by Beijing to be spe-
cial commissioner in Hong Kong,
replacing Xie Feng, who will be the
new deputy foreign minister of the
Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
A man stands Chinese state media claimed that
in a room in a Liu, in his new role, will continue to
house church “resist external pressure and sanc-
in Puyang, tions” as a top CCP official in the
Henan special administrative region—a
Province, former British colony beset with
China, on Aug. political turmoil due to Beijing’s
13, 2018. interference.
A position specifically estab-
lished within China’s Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, the special com-
missioner in Hong Kong is respon-
sible for handling foreign affairs
related to the region.
FDA Cites Safety
Concerns Over Use
of Chinese Syringes
The Food and Drug Administra-
tion (FDA) has advised health care
providers to stop using certain
syringes and needles manufac-
tured by China-based medical
device maker Guangdong Haiou
Medical Apparatus Co. (HAIOU) to
administer COVID-19 vaccines due
to safety concerns.
Rev. Andrew The FDA said it has received
Bennett, information about quality issues,
director of including that certain HAIOU nee-
the Cardus dles were detaching from syringes
Religious and getting stuck in patients’ arms
Freedom after injection.
Institute and There were also a few incidents
Canada’s involving accidental needlestick
former religious injuries to health care providers.
The agency has recommended
freedom
ambassador. against the use of two of the com-
pany’s syringe-needle combina-
SEAN KILPATRICK
THE CANADIAN PRESS tions, the 1mL syringe with 25G x
1-inch needle and the 1mL syringe
with 23G x 1-inch needle, until
further notice.
My mother retired from The
Cincinnati Enquirer after a life-long
career in journalism. This is one
paper she would have supported;
facts matter.
ALEXA KEATING
As an English major who took
journalism classes, I appreciate the
old school, professional journalism
that fills your articles. You abandon
the hype and state the facts, so the
reader can decide.
LISA SCHNEIDER
A12 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021

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OPINION
America Tempts Fates With
Madness of Antisemitism
Lee Smith
See A15
OPINION | READERS’ TURN | COMICS |PUZZLES
It’s Time for the Supreme
Court to Overrule Roe v. Wade
ROB NATELSON
The Supreme Court has
agreed to review the
constitutionality of a
Mississippi statute ban-
ning most abortions after
15 weeks of pregnancy.
The court should use this
opportunity to liberate America from the
long nightmare of nationalized abortion
policy. It should overrule Roe v. Wade.
Abortion involves profound social
and moral issues. This essay, however,
focuses on political, judicial, and consti-
tutional issues.
Politically, Roe has proven to be the
most divisive Supreme Court ruling
since Dred Scott v. Sandford, the notori-
ous case that helped provoke the Civil
War. Since Roe nationalized abortion
policy in 1973, abortion has become fod-
der for special interests that poison civic
life. Roe is a major reason judicial confir-
mation hearings have become arenas for
slander and political assassination.
Further, Roe’s nationalization of abor-
tion diverts federal elections and policy-
makers from issues the Constitution ac-
tually assigns to the federal government,
such as foreign and budgetary policy.
Judicially, Roe v. Wade was what
lawyers call a “rogue decision,” because
it violated accepted judicial standards.
Courts normally respect precedent, but
Roe reversed hundreds of years of Anglo-
American law. Courts generally defer to
legislatures on policy questions, but Roe
effectively voided statutes in all 50 states.
Roe converted democratic resolution
into Supreme Court diktats.
Roe violated a rule that courts don’t
adjudicate “political questions”—those
that can’t be answered using “judicially
discoverable and manageable stan-
dards.” Before a court decides an issue,
that issue must be one the judge’s legal
training equips him to decide.
But Roe and the Supreme Court cases
OPINION
following it force judges to address such
questions as:
Does a state restriction impose an “un-
due burden” on abortion?
How does a state legislature balance
protection of fetal life with “reproductive
freedom?”
Does the value of fetal life increase
with the progression of pregnancy? If
so, what restrictions that are invalid for
a woman at 10 weeks become valid at
20 weeks? 30 weeks?
Is a regulation appropriate for the city
of Houston inappropriate in rural Texas?
Issues of that kind are quintessential
legislative policy questions. They don’t
belong in a court of law. Only within the
realm of abortion do the courts fail to
recognize that fact.
Now let’s turn to the constitutional
aspects of Roe.
Roe v. Wade pretends to be constitutional
law, but it’s not. It’s an absurd ruling stem-
ming from arrogant decision-making and
misuse of history. Even leading pro-choice
scholars have acknowledged Roe’s defects.
To understand why the ruling in Roe was
absurd, let’s start with some background.
The Bill of Rights, ratified in 1791, in-
cluded 10 constitutional amendments pro-
tecting a long list of personal rights against
federal abuse. Among them was the Fifth
Amendment’s prohibition on the federal
government denying a person “life, liberty,
or property, without due process of law.”
The 14th Amendment, adopted in 1868,
contained a shorter list of rights that
protected against state abuse, including
the rule that states may not “deprive any
person of life, liberty, or property, without
due process of law.”
The Roe court ruled that the right to
abort was protected by the 14th Amend-
ment’s due process clause.
Many books and articles have eluci-
dated Roe’s constitutional defects. Here’s
an overview:
First: In Roe, the Supreme Court held
that abortion was a “liberty” protected
KAREN BLEIER/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Pro-life demonstrators (R) confront pro-choice
counterparts (L) in Washington, in this file photo.
by due process, in part because abor-
tion was generally legal in 1868. But the
court’s treatment of history was deeply
flawed. For example, the justices mis-
understood the former meaning of legal
terms such as “misdemeanor.”
Second: As its name indicates, the due
process clause is about process—that
is, procedure. As explained below, it
regulates how the state must prosecute
private citizens. It has nothing to do with
substantive law.
Roe is one of a number of oxymoroni-
cally named “substantive due process”
cases in which judges pretend that the
due process clause forces them to decide
political issues autocratically rather than
democratically. Substantive due process
has no basis in the Constitution. It origi-
nated—appropriately enough—in the
Dred Scott case. Over time, the activities
the Supreme Court protects through sub-
stantive due process have varied with the
political views of the justices.
Third: When the Constitution was writ-
ten, the phrase “due process of law” was
centuries old, and its meaning was plain:
If government prosecutes you criminally
or civilly, it must follow pre-existing
procedures. It can’t make up the rules as
it goes along. Or, alternatively: When the
government proceeds against you, it can’t
change procedures retroactively. Due
process has nothing to do with abortion.
OPINION
Memorial Day 2021:
Greater Meaning This
Year Than Ever Before
Scott S. Powell
See A18
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 A13
JIM WATSON/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
A woman helps lay 3,000 carnations
to represent the approximately 3,000
abortions that occur in the United
States every day, on the 46th anni-
versary of the Roe v. Wade decision,
in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in
Washington on Jan. 22, 2019.
Fourth: Some writers admit the Fifth
Amendment due process clause is narrow,
but insist the 14th Amendment version
is much broader. They claim court cases
decided between 1791 and 1868 widened
the definition.
A rule of legal interpretation says that
when the same word or phrase appears
more than once in a document (such as
the Constitution), then the word or phrase
is presumed not to change meaning. The
burden of proof, therefore, is on those who
claim “due process of law” is wider in the
14th Amendment than in the Fifth.
Have they carried that burden? No. Sev-
eral years ago, I examined the 1791–1868
cases they cite. I found that they had been
misunderstood. All were merely applica-
tions of the traditional due process “anti-
retroactivity” rule. And there was no
suggestion anywhere in those cases—or
in any other contemporaneous sources—
that “due process” included abortion.
Fifth: The Constitution’s text also tells
us that “due process” is a fairly narrow
right. It’s only one of many rights the
Constitution lists. Other rules of inter-
pretation tell us that when you see a list
like that, you should presume that each
item says something different and that
the scope of each item is similar.
Suppose, for example, a wife tells her
husband to buy “lettuce, carrots, broccoli,
and cabbage.” But the husband brings
home only lettuce, carrots, and a double-
helping of broccoli. She asks, “Where’s
the cabbage?” He responds, “Well, dear,
if you knew your botany, you’d know
that broccoli is a member of the cabbage
family. By purchasing broccoli, I thereby
purchased cabbage.”
Of course, this smart aleck knew that
when his wife said “broccoli” she didn’t
intend the widest possible meaning.
That’s why she listed “cabbage” separate-
ly. This husband is on the direct route to
what we hubbies call “Big Trouble.”
Continued on A14
A14 | OPINION
The Capitol Riot Narrative Is Collapsing,
but Its Political Exploitation Persists
BENJAMIN WEINGARTEN
Virtually the entire Ameri-
can ruling class has in-
vested in a narrative that
is collapsing—that what
transpired at the Capitol
on the afternoon of Jan.
6 represented a murderous,
armed insurrection, posing a dire threat
to the republic.
Yet, the exploitation of that single event
to marginalize and malign up to half
the country, in a slew of efforts that pose
a threat to the liberty and justice of all,
continues apace.
If the foundation of these efforts is
crumbling, shouldn’t these efforts be
called into question, too?
The events at the Capitol on Jan. 6 were in-
excusable and disgraceful, and those who
committed crimes ought to be punished
to the fullest extent of the law. We settle
differences in America by persuasion and
reason, and abjure force and coercion—
something many of those hyping Jan. 6 as
a “domestic terrorist attack” only seem to
believe when it suits their political interests.
But this isn’t the whole story of that day.
While congressional demagogues and
social media speech police claim other-
wise, the sole person killed in the riot was
an unarmed protester, shot by a Capitol
cop. Not one of the more than 400 people
charged in connection with the events
stormed the building with a firearm. Most
of those detained face glorified trespassing
offenses.
Video footage indicates that some
percentage of the protesters was allowed
to waltz into the Capitol, and others, once
inside, were permitted to remain there
by police, seemingly in contradiction of
what prosecutors have argued. Authorities
are concealing more than 14,000 hours
of additional footage concerning Jan. 6,
breathtakingly using the same argument
that Spygate participants used to conceal
the whole truth about their machinations,
that of national security.
The Capitol riot wasn’t on the level of the
Civil War, as President Joe Biden has ar-
gued, 9/11 as he implied, nor Pearl Harbor,
as then-Senate Minority Leader Chuck
Schumer asserted.
Little about the event resembled a
sophisticated military assault, or jihadist
attack, or kamikaze mission, nor did the
rioters the likes of QAnon Shaman con-
jure images of such warfighters—even as
some of those detained seem to be being
punished like enemy combatants.
There is little to suggest that the peaceful
transfer of power ever hung in the bal-
ance as a consequence of the pathetic and
outrageous acts of that day.
The challenge that prosecutors are fac-
ing—in spite of the sprawling investigatory
effort undertaken in connection with Jan.
6—to justify the rhetoric of “insurrection”
and “coup” attests to the chasm between
rhetoric and reality.
Yet, this singular event has been used
as the central data point to back the claim
that there is a pervasive threat of “violent
extremism” to the homeland, demanding
a whole-of-society War on Domestic Ter-
ror, and broader purging of extremists.
Note that that broader narrative, too,
has never been substantiated by federal
officials with evidence and precision.
As a Yahoo News report from February
detailed, “The government has released
no data on historical activity or the current
threat landscape” to justify its claims.
Prominent Democrats have alluded
primarily to a single source, the Center for
Strategic and International Studies’ (CSIS)
It’s Time for the Supreme Court to Overrule Roe v. Wade
CONTINUED FROM A13
Similarly, the fact that “due process of
law” is accompanied by many other
enumerated rights tells us that due pro-
cess isn’t a mixed salad of other rights.
It means only, as explained above, that
when the state prosecutes you, the state
has to follow pre-established procedures.
Sixth: Advocates of Roe v. Wade argue
that because it’s 48 years old and people
have relied on it, it has become a “super
precedent.” They therefore argue courts
should venerate it more than it deserves.
Protesters storm the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.
domestic terror database to claim that
“rightwing extremists” pose the greatest
domestic threat of all, as Jan. 6 reflected.
But there is a methodological issue with
this assessment. Per The Washington Post,
CSIS’s definition of domestic terrorism
incidents “excludes many violent events,
including incidents during nationwide un-
rest last year, because CSIS analysts could
not determine whether attackers had a
political or ideological motive.”
While government officials have also
hyped the threat in particular from the mili-
tary as a hotbed of domestic violent extrem-
ism, as CSIS’ analysis details: “Based on the
2020 data, less than four ten-thousandths of
a percent of all active-duty troops and two
ten-thousandths of a percent of all reserv-
ists were involved in domestic terrorism.”
The challenge that prosecutors are
facing—in spite of the sprawling
investigatory effort undertaken in
connection with Jan. 6—to justify
the rhetoric of ‘insurrection’
and ‘coup’ attests to the chasm
between rhetoric and reality.
In short, we are supposed to take the
government at its word about the relative
extent of the domestic violent extremist
threat, even though the government has
never clearly defined the size, scope, and
nature of the threat, and even as the gov-
ernment has, in recent years, clearly tar-
geted its perceived political opponents.
Yet, this overall narrative has been used
to justify a raft of liberty and justice-infring-
ing measures, all traceable back to a narra-
tive about Jan. 6 itself that is collapsing.
Consider a sampling of such actions:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi consulted
with the Pentagon about preventing then-
President Donald Trump from accessing
the nuclear codes and discharging his
other duties.
Congressional Democrats launched a
second Kabuki impeachment, pushing a
liberal standard of incitement to violence
This is self-serving rubbish. For one
thing, no one relies for more than nine
months on the availability of abortion,
other than the people who profit from it.
If abortion became a state issue again,
state legislatures could—and no doubt
would—take such reliance into account.
More fundamentally, the same people
who claim “super precedent” status for Roe
applaud when the court reverses heavily
relied upon cases of even longer standing.
For example, in 1896, the Supreme Court
upheld state racial segregation. That case
lasted 10 years longer than Roe, and people
that would eviscerate the First Amend-
ment if actually applied, against a presi-
dent who called for people to “peacefully
and patriotically” make their voices heard.
The leftist Big Tech oligarchs de-plat-
formed Trump, purged thousands of
like-minded accounts, and temporarily
de-platformed an alternative non-leftist
social media platform in toto, in Parler.
Big Tech has also intensified its social
media censorship around a variety of crit-
ical issues, including questions about 2020
election integrity—at the very same time
Democrats are trying to push for a bill that
would make many of the most dubious
measures of that election permanent.
Congressmen targeted cable and satel-
lite companies in a bid to get them to drop
conservative outlets such as Fox News,
Newsmax, and One America News.
Democrats militarized Capitol Hill for
months, once again without substantiat-
ing the threat to it.
The military is engaged in a pervasive
effort to root out “extremists”—which
seems to be code for conservatives—in-
cluding piloting a program to monitor the
social media behavior of personnel using
private firms to evade First Amendment
restrictions.
The Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) is engaged in a similar effort. It
also is considering, citing Matt Taibbi,
“‘analyzing the travel patterns’ of right-
wing suspects, expanding the No Fly
List to include ‘domestic extremists,’ and
stopping such targets at customs, where
officials may ‘search their phones and
laptops’ before allowing them back in-
country.” Last but not least, DHS report-
edly is contemplating using non-gov-
ernmental entities to surveil “potential
domestic terrorists” that they themselves
cannot legally spy on, to produce infor-
mation beneficial to itself and the FBI.
There are indicators that actors in the
intelligence community that by law are
only supposed to focus on foreign threats
are increasingly being used to focus on
domestic violent extremism.
The White House reportedly is consid-
ering executive orders to revise the crite-
ria of terrorism watch lists to potentially
and institutions relied very much upon it.
Yet advocates of Roe universally praise the
court for (properly) overruling it.
Similarly, many of those claiming “su-
per precedent” status for Roe praised the
court when, in 2015, it reversed at least
6,000 years of precedent by requiring
states to recognize same-sex marriages.
Few of Roe v. Wade’s knowledgeable de-
fenders think it’s well-reasoned constitution-
al law. They think merely that, as a matter of
policy, abortion ought to be freely available.
They’re entitled to that belief. But they’re
not entitled to misrepresent the Constitu-
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
BRENT STIRTON/GETTY IMAGES
include more homegrown extremists. It
has already spoken of its desire for Big
Tech to better police its platforms, likely
further chilling speech.
The Biden administration more im-
portantly has initiated a comprehensive,
not just whole-of-government, but as the
DHS has indicated, whole-of-society ef-
fort to counter violent extremism.
Last but not least, of course, is the pend-
ing Jan. 6 Commission, or what I have
labeled a Wrongthink Inquisition, that
would further fuel these types of efforts.
It isn’t clear why the Capitol Riot on the
merits justifies these actions.
It also isn’t clear that the Capitol riot is
representative of a broader movement that
so imperils our homeland that it justifies
such actions.
What is clear, however, is that the gov-
ernment’s extensive pursuit of Capitol ri-
oters, and its disturbing treatment of those
detained—particularly when juxtaposed
with its lax treatment of leftist agitators
over the past year, and revelations that the
FBI ruled the attack on Republicans at the
congressional baseball practice “suicide
by cop”—could serve as the archetype of a
broader War on Domestic Terror.
If the threat the government claims ex-
ists demands such a response, the Ameri-
can people deserve to know.
If its assessments are based on politics,
not national security, it’s incumbent upon
our political leaders to expose it.
If our government apparatuses, in tow
with civil society actors, become hyper-po-
liticized weapons, pointed directly at any-
one who dares dissent from its orthodoxy,
we risk becoming America in name only.
We will have squandered the greatest
experiment in liberty and justice mankind
has ever known.
Ben Weingarten is a fellow of the Clare-
mont Institute and co-host of the Edmund
Burke Foundation’s “The NatCon Squad.”
He is the author of “American Ingrate:
Ilhan Omar and the Progressive-Islamist
Takeover of the Democratic Party” and is
currently working on a book on U.S.–China
policy and its transformation under the
Trump administration.
tion. They are, furthermore, free to lobby
for their policy preferences. But they
should do so in the legislatures, just as
the rest of us must do when we promote
issues we care about. They have no right to
impose their views on us by judicial fiat.
The Supreme Court must de-nationalize
abortion before the issue tears apart our
country and Constitution. The court must
overrule Roe v. Wade.
Robert G. Natelson served as a law
professor for 25 years at three different
universities. He is senior fellow in constitu-
tional jurisprudence at the Independence
Institute in Denver and author of “The
Original Constitution: What It Actually
Said and Meant” (3rd ed. 2014).
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
Our Other Huge Death Toll
PHILIP CARL SALZMAN
The CCP virus death
toll in the United
States stands at 593,419,
by one count, as of May
20. Another has the
count at 601,969, while The
New York Times reports 587,499. The
variation among the counts isn’t great;
the magnitude is clear.
Although there has been much agoniz-
ing over differential death rates among
different races or ethnicities, allegedly
due to “structural racism,” in fact, the
death toll has tracked population per-
centage quite closely. The 60.1 percent
of whites in the population have suf-
fered 60.7 percent of the deaths; the 18.5
percent of Hispanics in the population
have suffered 18.6 percent of the deaths;
the 13.4 percent of blacks in the popula-
tion have suffered 14.8 percent of the
deaths; and the 5.9 percent of Asians in
the population suffered 3.9 percent of
the deaths.
Annually, the better part of a
million American babies are
killed by abortion.
If wealth and poverty are held con-
stant, the differences between the races
would more or less disappear.
There is a substantial differential death
rate associated with sex. Males have
suffered 314,875 deaths, in comparison
with the 259,170 deaths of females. So
far, we have heard no accusations of
“systemic sexism,” because, you know,
“the future is female.”
The numbers of COVID-19 deaths are
probably exaggerated. It was standard
procedure to count any death in which
COVID-19 was present as a COVID-19
death, although other major comorbidi-
ties were contributing or even decisive
factors. In a few cases, at least, deaths
from accidents were listed as COVID-19
deaths because the victim had some
presence of COVID-19. We also know
that there was a political motive to exag-
gerate COVID-19 deaths; a CNN employ-
ee bragged about the network using the
COVID-19 death count for ratings and to
create fear.
But even if there were fewer COVID-19
deaths, even if 20 percent were misla-
beled, the death toll of a half-million
Americans is a tragedy and highly
unfortunate. Particularly appalling was
America Tempts Fates With Madness of Anti-Semitism
LEE SMITH
Videos this week of pro-
Palestinian activists
attacking Jews in New
York and Los Angeles
and marching through
the streets chanting “We
are terrorists” give more evidence that
America’s great cities have succumbed to
a spiritual sickness from which they are
unlikely to soon recover.
The decline that Democratic Party
officials incited with the draconian and
random COVID lockdowns broke the
small business base of cities across the
country. The nationwide George Floyd
riots last spring accelerated the delirium
with the same political operatives and
the press, as well as U.S. military and
intelligence officials, canonizing street
criminals as martyrs and psychopaths as
liberators. Now with much of the Demo-
cratic establishment as well as the pres-
tige press choosing to ignore attacks on
Jews in cities run by Democrats, America
is tempting the fates, for anti-Semitism is
modernity’s ideological marker signaling
civilizational madness.
One video clip shows the activists
throwing an incendiary device at Jews
on Manhattan’s 47th Street between
5th and 6th avenues, an area referred to
as the Diamond District for its large con-
centration of gem stores, many of them
owned by Orthodox Jews. A 55-year-old
woman was treated for burns caused
by the explosive. In the videos, activists
waving Palestinian flags are heard curs-
ing out their victims as “Zionists,” as if
to suggest that their issue isn’t with Jews
as such but rather with supporters of the
Jewish state, which responded to thou-
sands of rocket attacks launched from
Gaza the last few weeks by decimating
Hamas leadership.
the exposure and death, due at least
in part to public officials’ neglect and
incompetence, of many elderly residents
of nursing homes. The governor of New
York even tried to hide the count of nurs-
ing home deaths.
COVID-19 death counts are kept in
perspective by considering that 2.8 mil-
lion to 3 million Americans die in an
average year. Annual numbers beyond
that are considered “excess deaths.” The
CDC attributed 383,979 deaths in 2020
to COVID-19. According to a study in
the British Medical Journal, the excess
deaths above the normal death rate in
2020 was 458,000, substantially higher
than in the previous years 2019 and
2018, but of the same magnitude as the
401,000 excess deaths in 2017, a bad flu
year, during which there were no shut-
downs, no forced school and business
closures, no travel restrictions, and no
mask mandates.
According to a recent article in Pro-
ceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences:
“The comparison [of 2020 and 2017] is
more striking when years of life lost is
the measure used. Goldstein and Lee
(11) estimate that the mean loss of life
years for a person dying from COVID-19
in the United States is 11.7 years. Multi-
plying 377,000 decedents by 11.7 years
lost per decedent gives a total of 4.41
million years of life lost to COVID-19
in 2020, only a third of the 13.02 mil-
lion life years lost to excess mortality in
the United States in 2017 (Table 1). The
reason that the comparison is so much
sharper for [years of life lost] than for
excess deaths is that COVID-19 deaths
in 2020 occurred at much older ages, on
average, than the excess deaths of 2017.”
This account doesn’t even consider the
tens of thousands, perhaps more, of
excess deaths due not to COVID-19 but
to the lockdowns. Overdoses, suicides,
and domestic violence result from lock-
downs.
The Other Great Death Toll
Annually, the better part of a million
American babies are killed by abortion.
The figures from the pro-abortion Gutt-
macher Institute are 874,100 U.S. abor-
tions for 2016 and 862,300 abortions for
2017. Guttmacher collects its statistics
directly from abortion providers. (CDC
figures, around 200,000 lower, reflect
non-submission of statistics by New
Hampshire, Maryland, and California.)
ED JONES/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
A Jewish man stands on a street in New York
on May 5, 2021.
But the sources of the violence are lo-
cal. It’s in part an extension of Mayor Bill
de Blasio’s policies, which singled out
Orthodox Jews for punishment as part of
the city’s COVID-19 regime.
With the advent of the coronavirus, de
Blasio and city officials berated the Or-
thodox community as it continued to ob-
serve daily rituals, pray, teach, and learn,
and commemorate major life events
such as weddings and funerals. In April
2020, for instance, the New York mayor
ordered the shutdown of a large funeral
in Brooklyn and threatened fines.
“My message to the Jewish community,
and all communities, is this simple: the
time for warnings has passed. I have
instructed the NYPD to proceed imme-
diately to summons or even arrest those
A pro-life demonstrator outside an abortion clinic in Louisville, Ky., on May 8, 2021.
According to the relative percentages
in the (underestimated) CDC figures,
abortions by race and ethnicity in 2018
were as follows:
K Non-Hispanic white women: 239,782
estimated abortions
K Non-Hispanic black women: 208,183
estimated abortions
K Hispanic women: 123,918 estimated
abortions
K Others: 47,709 estimated abortions
These figures show that black women,
at 13 percent of the female population,
account for 34 percent of the abortions,
while white women, at 60 percent of the
female population, account for 39 per-
cent of the abortions. Hispanic women,
at 18.5 percent of the female population,
account for 20 percent of abortions.
Abortions of black babies are almost
three times higher than the black popu-
lation, which is why the percentage of
black Americans gradually shrinks over
the years. Abortions of Hispanic babies
match the population percentage of
Hispanics. Abortions of white and other
babies are much lower than their per-
centage of the population, one reason
that the percentage of whites doesn’t
shrink.
The number of American babies killed
in the womb (or after birth) doesn’t tell
the entire story. If we consider “years of
lives lost,” calculated on the basis of U.S.
life expectancy—81 for females, 77 for
males, for an average of 79—the 862,300
abortions of 2017 would be a loss of
68,121,700 years of lives lost. Sixty-eight
million years of American lives lost!
The birth rate in the United States has
been falling for years. In 2019, it was
1.7, well below the replacement rate of
2.1. In many places across the globe,
who gather in large groups,” de Blasio
wrote on social media. “This is about
stopping this disease and saving lives.”
It wasn’t about saving lives. It was about
making an example out of Orthodox Jews
to privilege Democratic Party favorites
in comparison. In mid-June 2020, for
instance, despite coronavirus regula-
tions, massive crowds were allowed to
gather for a Black Trans Lives Matter
rally in Brooklyn where they were given
free rein by municipal authorities. And
yet the next day in the same borough,
city employees welded shut playgrounds
in Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods to
keep children and parents from violating
social distancing guidelines.
Later, de Blasio said he regretted he
hadn’t engaged in more “dialogue,” but
the message he’d sent by going after
Orthodox Jews and celebrating others
who violated the city’s public health pro-
tocols was purposeful—the Democratic
Party looks out for its clients. The tepid
response to the anti-Semitic violence this
week elaborated on that message—the
party’s clients are permitted to target the
party’s opponents.
It’s hardly surprising that anti-Semites
zeroed in on the heavily Jewish Dia-
mond District. It’s a New York landmark,
featured in several movies about Jewish
life in the city, and emblematic of the Big
Apple’s energy, ambition, and wit. It’s one
of my favorite streets in the city where
I was raised. There are the merchants,
of course, variably charming, abrupt,
acerbic, and romantically sentimental—
many visitors, after all, are shopping for
the right ring to pledge eternal love to
their chosen one.
And though it’s now moved to another
location, once nestled proudly among
the diamond dealers was one of New
York’s great bookstores, the Gotham
Book Mart. A sign over the doorway
OPINION | A15
JON CHERRY/GETTY IMAGES
the birth rate has fallen. In Canada,
the birth rate is 1.5; in the UK, 1.6; in
Trinidad, 1.7; Thailand 1.5; Sweden
1.7; Switzerland 1.5; Spain 1.2; Slovak
Republic 1.6; Singapore 1.1; Serbia 1.5;
Puerto Rico 1.0. This seems to happen
as modernization and urbanization
increase. Children are no longer needed
for family productive labor, and become
financial liabilities—pets rather than
workers.
In America and elsewhere, secular-
ization and the decline of mainline
churches have contributed to the de-
cline, as practices once prohibited are
now not only accepted, but celebrated.
For around half of all Americans, killing
their babies is one of the highest values
and policy goals. This is partly the result
of the sexual revolution allowing people
to engage in irresponsible sex, and the
feminist revolution vilifying mother-
hood as anti-female servitude. The other
half of America isn’t pleased.
Among black Americans, who abort
their children at a rate three times their
percentage of the population, women
are disincentivized from bringing their
children to term. At least one major
reason is the unwillingness of black
men to take responsibility as husbands
and fathers, the consequent loss of the
two-parent family, and the financial
and other disadvantages that flow from
one-parent, mother-led families.
We Americans kill almost a million
of our babies every year. What kind of
people are we?
Philip Carl Salzman is professor emeritus
of anthropology at McGill University,
senior fellow at the Frontier Centre for
Public Policy, fellow at the Middle East
Forum, and president of Scholars for
Peace in the Middle East.
reading “Wise Men Fish Here” invited
customers to inspect, among other
jewels, the city’s best poetry section. A fa-
mous 1948 photograph taken at Gotham
captured modern American literary
history with a group picture of some of
the country’s leading poets, including
W.H. Auden, Marianne Moore, Elizabeth
Bishop, and Delmore Schwartz.
The Brooklyn-born Schwartz lamented
that his modernist peers too often
equated reality with ugliness and vulgar-
ity and paid too little notice to beauty
and delicacy, though they too are signs
of reality, indeed the finest parts of it. It’s
hard to imagine what Schwartz would
have made of the dark pall that has de-
scended on the city, though he wouldn’t
have been shocked that some of its best
and brightest celebrated the ugliness and
recategorized it as justice.
New York is one of the world’s great
Jewish cities. Yiddish is still spoken in
parts of Brooklyn, and Hebrew is heard
almost as much as Spanish on the Upper
West Side. But the anti-Semitic violence
in U.S. metropolises isn’t just a problem
for the Jews. History shows that the rise
of anti-Semitism is a threat to any nation
that nurtures it.
Exchanging reason and logic, experi-
ence and evidence for dark conspiracy
theories about hidden cabals drawn
from a minuscule fraction of the world’s
population controlling human events
and actions, anti-Semitism targets Jews
but it destroys everyone and everything
it touches. Time will tell whether the
United States can avoid this destiny, or if
those who govern us are determined to
drive us into the abyss.
Lee Smith is the author of the recently pub-
lished book “The Permanent Coup: How
Enemies Foreign and Domestic Targeted
the American President.”
A16 | OPINION
China’s Profiteering From Fake
Money and Other Products Must End
MIKE FULJENZ
Despite assurances that
it would crack down on
counterfeit goods and
intellectual property
flowing from its coun-
try, the Chinese com-
munist regime continues
to reap billions from the sale of fake
merchandise and it’s now affecting an
area of the U.S. economy that many
wouldn’t suspect.
Multiple studies have shown that
little appears to significantly stem the
tidal wave of bogus goods leaving on
cargo ships each and every day from
any number of Chinese ports of call
or by mail. While most of the public
focus has been on tennis shoes, luxury
watches, handbags, clothes, cosmetics,
cell phones, and computer software,
there has also been what some consider
a direct attack on the financial markets
through the numismatic industry.
In the past few years, I’ve reviewed
several customers’ coin collections
and sadly detected one or more coun-
terfeit coins. In one instance, the
majority of one person’s collection
consisted of counterfeit proof Buffalo
one-ounce gold coins, with all coins
appearing in what looked like genuine
NGC holders. The holders themselves
were fraudulent.
Millions of normal circulating U.S.
coins, such as quarters and half dollars,
as well as bullion and rare collectible
coins, have now been counterfeited by
Chinese interests. More recently, U.S.
law enforcement seized over a million
dollars’ worth of counterfeit circulated
George Washington quarters believed
to have been made in China.
These Chinese counterfeit problems
have been sporadically covered in the
national press. Three examples:
K According to Forbes in 2018, coun-
terfeiting is the largest criminal
enterprise in the world, greater than
illicit drugs or human trafficking.
It’s expected to grow to $2.8 trillion
by 2022, costing 5.4 million Ameri-
can jobs.
K In a 2016 interview for CBS Money
Watch, titled “China’s Largest
Export Boom: Fake Gold Coins,”
Kathy Kristof interviewed experts,
including me, on the proliferation of
Chinese-made counterfeit coins be-
ing sold on the internet.
K Craig Crosby, founder of The Coun-
terfeit Report, has detected millions
of knockoffs sold online on eBay,
Alibaba, Amazon, and Walmart.
He notes that over 80 percent of all
counterfeits are made in China.
Earlier this month, Major League
Baseball (MLB) expanded its deal with
Tencent, one of communist China’s
largest tech companies, to livestream
MLB games in China. This is the same
company that helps to limit free speech
of the Chinese people and, in a show of
support for dictator Xi Jinping, created
a mobile game—Clap for Xi Jinping:
NOW HIRING JOURNALISTS
The Epoch Times seeks journalists to cover
local news of national relevance in:
• Arizona
• Texas
• Florida
• Ohio
• Michigan
• North Carolina
The ideal candidate should be grounded in ethical
journalism and able to balance the production of daily
news, contributing reporting for enterprise stories
and developing feature articles. You would be working
remotely with an assignment editor.
A shipment from Shenzhen, China, of what is believed to be counterfeit N95 respirator masks,
seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Chicago on Sept. 10, 2020.
An Awesome Speech.
In highlighting MLB’s hypocrisy on
human rights, the move came at the
same time it pulled the All-Star Game
from Atlanta and unbelievably moved
it to more voting-restrictive and less-
diverse Denver, because of a recent
change in Georgia’s voting require-
ments that seems to help ensure more
fair and secure elections.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) on April
2 stated in a tweet, “Dear GOP: @
MLB caves to pressure & moves draft
& #AllStarGame out of Georgia on the
same week they announce a deal with
a company backed by the genocidal
Communist Party of #China.”
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) also
brought into question support of the
2022 Beijing Olympics by President
Joe Biden, stating in a tweet, “Hey Joe
Biden, you gonna boycott the Beijing
Olympics because of mass genocide?
Or are you just into hurting Atlanta
small businesses that were planning
on the all-star game?”
It’s well known that the online sales
platform “Wish,” which sources most
products from China, was rife with
counterfeits, yet the NBA’s Los Ange-
les Lakers accepted $36 million (less
than LeBron James’s annual salary) to
adorn the Lakers uniform with a large
“Wish” logo for a three-year period. This
comes from a league that seemingly
discourages players or executives from
criticizing Chinese humanitarian and
labor practices or taking a stand against
China’s authoritarian acts to usurp a
democratic Hong Kong. Then there’s
China’s alleged mistreatment of the
Uyghur community.
Of course, the actions of the commu-
nist Chinese regime don’t reflect on the
many fine Chinese Americans and their
families, some of whom are my friends.
I taught counterfeit detection courses
for the American Numismatic Associa-
tion and served on the National Anti-
Counterfeiting Task Force. My associ-
ate, Jerry Jordan, ordered numerous
• Oregon
• Wisconsin
• Minnesota
• Pennsylvania
• Colorado
U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION
coins and bars from the Wish platform
over the past two years. Thankfully,
they were very cheap, but they were
all obvious fakes from Chinese vendors,
and all were delivered by the U.S. Postal
Service.
Out of many test orders, here are sev-
eral examples.
There was a “Credit Suisse 1-ounce
Gold Bar” costing $2, plus $3 shipping.
It would have been worth $1,500 when
he ordered it and nearly $1,900 today,
but it’s essentially worthless because
it was fake. He also ordered an 1899
“Queen Morgan Silver Dolar” (sic)—
that would have graded XF (Extra Fine)
and been worth $140—for just $3.89
shipping. The counterfeit coin was
listed at no charge. Then he ordered a
gold coin that would have been worth
$10 million if it were genuine—a 1933
St. Gaudens Double Eagle—but it sold
for $1.83, plus $2 shipping, so you can’t
fault them for greed.
Millions of normal circulating
U.S. coins, such as quarters
and half-dollars, as well as
bullion and rare collectible coins,
have now been counterfeited
by Chinese interests.
They chose some extremely valu-
able coins and sold the knockoffs for
a ridiculously low price. But none of
these fake coins had the word “COPY”
stamped on them, as is required by the
updated 2014 U.S. Hobby Protection
Law for counterfeits.
On March 2, 2020, H.R.6058 (dubbed
the “Shop Safe Act of 2020”) was intro-
duced in the House of Representatives.
It would amend the “Trademark Act
of 1946” to give certain e-commerce
platforms contributory liability when
counterfeits are sold that pose a health
risk to consumers. The key phrase is
Duties
• Find and pitch local stories of
national relevance
• Develop and maintain a
pipeline of mid- and long-
length articles
• Seek out primary sources and
conduct original interviews
• When assigned, carry
out reporting for national
enterprise stories
• Adhere to the Journalism
Code of Ethics and The
Epoch Times reporting
guidelines
Send résumé and cover letter to careers@epochtimes.com
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
“health risk,” which seems to shut
coins and some other important prod-
ucts out of the equation, even though
some fake coins and precious metals
coming from China contain traces of
cyanide, which could pose a significant
health risk.
Counterfeit products can rob Ameri-
cans of their life savings, which is an
indirect health risk, or can cause ma-
chinery to malfunction at high speed,
which can cause sudden death. The Fed-
eral Aviation Administration estimates
that 520,000 counterfeit or unapproved
parts are installed in aircraft each year,
and U.S. military aircraft are reportedly
“riddled with counterfeit parts,” around
70 percent of which come from China.
Beyond that, however, I believe it
should cover all counterfeit products,
which are almost unbelievably com-
mon. Last year, the Canadian Broadcast-
ing Corp. (CBC) bought a random sam-
ple of dozens of products from common
online platforms such as Wish, AliEx-
press, Amazon, eBay, and Walmart.
They found counterfeits on all of these
platforms, and over half of the products
they bought were fake.
Some of the health dangers included
alarming amounts of heavy metals in
health and beauty products. One lip-
stick had 751 times the amount of lead
that Health Canada considered accept-
able for cosmetics. As scientists have
shown, lead affects a person’s cognitive
ability, and it’s especially dangerous for
children.
Experts interviewed by the CBC were
concerned not just about the health is-
sues related to counterfeiting.
“All of that money is used illegitima-
tely to support other criminal activity,”
Lorrie Turner, legal counsel and senior
vice president of brand protection for
headwear brand New Era Cap Co., told
the CBC. “While you may think it’s just
an individual trying to earn money, ul-
timately all of that money goes toward
nefarious things.”
Interpol states on its website that
“there is a clear link between illicit
trade and other types of crime, such
as human trafficking, drug trafficking,
corruption, bribery and money laun-
dering.”
For our purposes, leaders in the nu-
mismatic community will work hard
to see that this bill is modified and
reintroduced in 2021 so that it would
cover counterfeit coins, most of which
are made and delivered from China.
Specifically, we would like to see it con-
tain a reference to the Hobby Protec-
tion Act, as amended in 2014, to cover
counterfeit coins.
Mike Fuljenz has taught counterfeit
detection and anti-fraud seminars for
the American Numismatic Association
and the Numismatic Crime Information
Center. He is recognized by the U.S. Pat-
ent and Trademark Office as “America’s
Gold Expert,” and his expertise has led
him to be utilized as a consultant for the
U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the U.S.
Mint, the attorney general of Texas, and
the Royal Canadian Mint.
Skills
• Clear and concise writing on
deadline, strong narrative
skills for feature articles
• A proven ability to tell
complicated stories in a
thorough yet readable way
• Ability to take well-composed
still photos a big plus
Job Requirements
• Bachelor’s degree
• Two years of experience as
a professional reporter
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
A mural depicting British novelist George Orwell with the quote “Freedom is the right to tell people what they don't want to hear,” in Belgrade, Serbia,
on May 8, 2018.
Waking Up From Wokeness
ROGER KIMBALL
I cannot identify who
exactly popularized the
term “woke.”
But I’ve had cause to
wheel it out here and
elsewhere on and off for
the past few years, generally
when describing some absurd piece of
academic or corporate or government
obeisance to political correctness.
Back in the spring of 2019, I discovered
the great English satirist Andrew Doyle,
the creator of the character Titania
McGrath, the “radical intersectionalist
poet” who is full of woke showstoppers.
Item: “If you don’t think exactly the
same way as me, then you’ve clearly got
a lot to learn about diversity.”
Could Ibram X. Kendi, author of the
bestselling anti-white diatribe “How to
Be an Antiracist,” put the gospel of woke-
ness any better?
Well, maybe so.
McGrath/Doyle can weigh in delicious-
ly on Jussie Smollett, the actor who staged
a racist attack on himself in order to elicit
sympathy and boost his sagging career.
“It is absolutely essential,” she/he
wrote, “that we believe Jussie Smollett. If
we don’t, other people who haven’t been
attacked might not have the courage to
come forward.”
Ha, ha, ha.
But Kendi puts the claws in the paw
with observations such as this: “The only
remedy to racist discrimination is anti-
racist discrimination. The only remedy
to past discrimination is present dis-
crimination. The only remedy to present
discrimination is future discrimination.”
Race-based discrimination now, race-
based discrimination tomorrow, race-
based discrimination forever.
Kendi says the quiet part out loud.
Inequitable Treatment
Already a couple of years ago, I wrote that
a quick look around the cultural land-
scape indicated that we were “in the midst
of a sort of negative religious revival.”
At the time, I called it “America’s First
Great Awokening” and described the
phenomenon as “a false awakening
sparked by political grievance.”
Terms such as “America’s First Great
Awokening” are somewhat jocular, of
course. The tongue-half-in-cheek plays
upon real historical developments.
But the reality, though absurd, is
anything but comic. I offered a brief and
incomplete inventory of the absurdities
last month in this space in the context
of providing an epitaph for the practice
of satire.
The more “woke” a culture, the less able
it is to practice or appreciate satire.
“So what?” you might be thinking. “So
satire is going through a rough patch at
the moment. Is that such a big deal?”
To appreciate why it’s a big deal, it’s
important to bear two things in mind.
The first is that barbaric viciousness
often cohabits seamlessly with an absur-
dity that, seen from a distance, can seem
too preposterous to take seriously.
OPINION | A17
OLIVER BUNIC/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
the United States of America.”
In his 2004 book “Who Are We?”
Samuel Huntington enumerated the core
principles of the American Creed: liberty,
equality, individualism, representative
government, and private property.
The drive for “equity,” understood now
as “being partial to this week’s designat-
ed victim groups,” is profoundly at odds
with that traditional ideal.
Some well-meaning folks have hailed
our new political dispensation as the re-
turn of “normality” in American politics.
We think it is another step on the road
to the destruction (or “fundamental
transformation”) of America.
It would be pleasant to think that,
having left history’s bloodiest century
behind, we also left behind the passions
that sparked its unprecedented carnage.
But time and again, history has taught
us that the hunger to impose equality
from on high is among mankind’s most
brutal passions.
As I write, an open letter signed by more
than 120 retired American admirals and
generals has just been published.
It calls upon citizens to reject racist so-
called “antiracism” initiatives like critical
race theory.
“Our nation is in deep peril,” the letter
warns. “We are in a fight for our survival
as a Constitutional Republic like no other
time since our founding in 1776. The con-
flict is between supporters of Socialism
and Marxism vs. supporters of Constitu-
tional freedom and liberty.”
I think this is true.
It may seem quite distant from the
harlequinade of “wokeness.” In fact, it is
all of a piece.
Wokeness, like the Marxism it draws
sustenance from, is an exclusionary cult.
A sliver of humanity is its object of
In the 1930s, I imagine, it might have on soon resulted in the creation of vast worship.
been difficult to take the new leaders of bureaucracies dedicated to discovering, And like Marxism itself, as Leszek Kola-
Italy or Germany entirely seriously. hiring, and advancing people chiefly on kowski noted at the end of his magiste-
They were just too over-the-top. Serious the basis of those very qualities. rial “Main Currents of Marxism” (1976), it
men who understood the intricacies of War is peace, freedom is slavery, “with- “has revealed itself as the farcical aspect
world affairs would soon put the children out regard” comes to mean “with regard of human bondage.”
in their place. for nothing else.”
We know how that worked out. This essay is adapted from the June issue
The second thing to bear in mind has Transformation of The New Criterion (NewCriterion.com).
to do with reality, with the truth about I think the best way to understand the
the way things are. diktat about advancing “equity” is to Roger Kimball is the editor and publisher
The headlines these days are full of see it as an extension of Barack Obama’s of The New Criterion and publisher of
warnings about “systemic racism” and expectation, announced on the eve of Encounter Books. His most recent book is
government-sponsored “critical race the 2008 election, that he was “five days “Who Rules? Sovereignty, Nationalism, and
theory” in schools. away from fundamentally transforming the Fate of Freedom in the 21st Century.”
A few months ago, the President of the
United States issued an executive order
on “Advancing Racial Equity.”
It called for an “ambitious whole-of-
government equity agenda” catering to Fly your family privately
“historically underserved” groups.
Note the term “equity.” භ No hassle භ No TSA භ On your own sc
schedule
According to the dictionary, the rele-
vant definition of “equity” is “the quality zŽƵŚŽŽƐĞƚŚĞĞƐƟŶĂƟŽŶ͘tĞƌŝŶŐƚŚĞWůĂŶĞ͘
of being impartial.” Fly from
But even a cursory glance at what the New York
administration has in mind shows that to Florida
the pursuit of “equity” entails the impo-
sition of inequitable treatment. Ibram X.
Kendi would approve.
Reversal
Readers shouldn’t be surprised by this
semantic sleight of hand.
It’s a staple in the armory of totalitar-
ian enterprise, a sort of political “gain-
of-function” intervention applied to the
virus of political correctness.
George Orwell gave classic expression
to the gambit in “Animal Farm.” 877-255-2HOP
The comrades were used to seeing the
Info@FlyHopscotch.com
slogan “All animals are equal” emblazoned
in large white letters on the side of the barn.
But then one day they noticed the
addition of a codicil: “All animals are www.FlyHopscotch.com
equal, but some animals are more equal
than others.”
If you object “But that’s not what ‘equal’
means!” then you have a lot to learn
about the logic of leftist redress.
An element of reversal, of things turn-
ing into their opposites, is always at the
heart of the program.
So it is with affirmative action, the ob-
vious precursor to the administration’s
“equity” wheeze.
“Affirmative action” was first an-
nounced as an initiative to promote
equality, but it wound up enforcing
discrimination precisely on the grounds
that it was meant to overcome.
The whole history of affirmative action
is instinct with that irony.
The original effort to rectify legitimate
grievances—grievances embodied, for
instance, in the discriminatory practices
of Jim Crow—soon mutated into new
forms of discrimination.
In 1941, Franklin Delano Roosevelt es-
tablished the Fair Employment Practices
Committee because blacks were openly
barred from war factory jobs.
But what began as a presidential Execu-
tive Order in 1961 directing government
contractors to take “affirmative action”
to ensure that people be hired “without
regard” for race, creed, color, and so
A18 | OPINION
The Attack on Religious Liberty
Is an Attack on All Our Freedoms
WESLEY J. SMITH
More than 200 years ago, the
Founding Fathers changed
the world by embedding
the fundamental human
right to religious freedom
in the U.S. Constitution.
That right now hangs by a
thread. More precisely, the First Amend-
ment’s “free exercise” of religion clause—
that is, the freedom to not just believe but
act consistent with one’s faith in the public
square—is in dire peril of collapse.
Several cultural and political trends have
sparked the current crisis. These include:
We Are a Secularizing Culture: Many
non-believers don’t value religious free-
dom because they don’t think they have
a personal stake in the liberty interest.
When the country was highly religious,
that wasn’t an issue. But today, faith in
the United States is imploding. For exam-
ple, according to the Gallup Poll, in 2000,
about 70 percent of people were members
of a church, synagogue, or mosque. That
number has plunged to about 47 percent.
If America’s ‘first liberty’ can be so
casually thrown away, so too could
any other American freedom.
The First Amendment Isn’t What It Used
to Be: The free exercise clause was ren-
dered substantially unenforceable in 1990
by the Supreme Court’s ruling in Employ-
ment Division v. Smith. The case involved
two Native Americans denied unemploy-
ment benefits after being fired for ingest-
ing peyote during a religious ceremony.
The men sued, claiming they were uncon-
stitutionally punished for participating in
a sincerely held Native American religious
ceremony. But a 6–3 court ruled that
because the Oregon law in question was
one of “general applicability”—meaning
it applied to everyone and didn’t explicitly
target the men’s faith—it didn’t violate
their “free exercise” rights.
Memorial Day 2021: Greater Meaning This Year Than Ever Before
SCOTT S. POWELL
Memorial Day had its
origin as Decoration Day,
a day set aside to honor
those who lost their
lives in the Civil War by
placing flowers on their
gravesites.
Although the Civil War was America’s
most costly war with some 620,000 lives
lost, Decoration Day wouldn’t become
a national holiday for nearly a century,
until after the two World Wars and
the Korean War cost America another
559,000 lives.
In the midst of the Vietnam War, Deco-
ration Day was renamed Memorial Day
to honor all servicemen who died in the
line of duty in any war or engagement.
It became an official national holiday
when Congress passed the Uniform
Monday Holiday Act in 1968, legislation
that changed the dates of a number of
American holidays so that they would
fall on Mondays, thus creating three-day
weekends for federal employees.
While remembering those who lost
their lives in serving America in wartime
is a central purpose of this holiday, Me-
morial Day takes on its deepest meaning
when we connect it with our roots.
Americans were unique in sacrificing
their treasure and giving their lives to
found the first country in history es-
tablishing that all people have natural
rights—of living in freedom, having
equal value, and being able to pursue
opportunity and happiness. These
rights as expressed by the Declaration of
Independence came from God and were
thus unalienable—that is they couldn’t
be infringed upon or taken away by the
state or any ruling authority.
The U.S. Constitution, drafted to pro-
tect these rights, prescribed a represen-
tative and limited government with the
checks and balances of three branches,
and at the same time embraced a feder-
The Smith case opened the door to op-
pressing faithful people by simply pass-
ing laws of general applicability known
to be offensive to people of certain
religions. For example, in 2007, Washing-
ton promulgated a regulation requiring
pharmacies to dispense all legally pre-
scribed medications—an action a federal
judge found was aimed specifically at
preventing a Christian-owned pharmacy
from refusing to distribute the morning-
after pill because the owners believed it
acted as an abortifacient. Despite this—
and precisely because the regulation was
written generally—the pharmacy owners
lost their First Amendment case.
Bipartisan Support for Religious Liberty
Has Collapsed: The Smith case sparked
a public outcry leading to the creation of
a potent left–right political coalition that
overwhelmingly passed the Religious
Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA)
through Congress. The RFRA statutorily re-
stored the pre-Smith legal approach to free
exercise cases: The government is prohibit-
ed from substantially burdening “a person’s
exercise of religion” unless it can demon-
strate that the law “is in furtherance of a
compelling governmental interest.” Even
then, the government must demonstrate
that it is fulfilling the vital societal purpose
in the least restrictive manner practicable.
The RFRA was supposed to solve the
Smith problem. But a subsequent Supreme
Court case partially overturned the law,
allowing it to remain in effect at the federal
level but invalidating it as applied to the
states.
The left–right coalition that had passed
the RFRA regathered to craft a curative
that would legally reinstate the RFRA’s
approach at the state level. The resulting
Religious Liberty Protection Act of 1999
(RLPA) passed the House of Representa-
tives easily. But then, the bottom fell out.
What had changed? The ascendency
of the gay rights movement. Its leaders
believed that religious freedom would
become the pretext for discrimination. The
left bolted the alliance and the RLPA died in
the Senate—in large part due to the efforts
of Senator and future President Joe Biden.
alist system of state laws and authority
which also checked the federal gov-
ernment—a system designed to ensure
accountability to its citizens whose vote
and consent gave legitimacy to it all.
There were times and places in human
history when there were nation-states
of cultural achievement, virtue, and ef-
florescence, such as in Periclean Athens,
in the Florence of the Medicis, and in
England of Elizabeth and Shakespeare.
But none was founded in the way the
United States was—that is, by a collec-
tion of human genius who prayerfully
approached drafting a constitution that
would mitigate corruption and abuse of
power, while also protecting the citizens’
unalienable God-given rights and pro-
viding them the opportunity to achieve
their dreams and rise to levels closer
to the divine image in which all were
created than would be possible under
any government previously conceived
anywhere in the world.
While remembering those
who lost their lives in serving
America in wartime is a
central purpose of this holiday,
Memorial Day takes on its
deepest meaning when we
connect it with our roots.
For the first time in human history, a
government was established by the peo-
ple and for the people, with its legitimacy
established exclusively by the peoples’
vote that balanced the interests of the
large population states with the smaller
states through the Electoral College.
It was these ideas at that time in history
that made the founding of the United
States absolutely unique and exempla-
ry—probably the most profound single
event in shaping the modern world and
Now, the Left Wants to Destroy the
RFRA: Where left once agreed that the
RFRA was essential to furthering social
comity, it now views the law as an excuse
for bigotry in need of immediate reme-
diation. So, apparently, does Biden, who
enthusiastically supports Democratic-
sponsored bills that would eliminate the
RFRA—that he voted for—as an effective
protection of religious liberty.
The Equality Act would add sexual ori-
entation, sexual identity, and pregnancy
to the classes protected under the Civil
Rights Act of 1964. It would also explicitly
gut the RFRA by banning its use as “a
defense” to a claim of discrimination “or
provide a basis for challenging the appli-
cation or enforcement” of the law.
Among other consequences, passage of
the Equality Act could result in Catholic
hospitals being forced to permit ster-
ilization, contraception, abortion, and
transgender hysterectomies on prem-
ises—despite these being prohibited by
Catholic moral teaching. The Equality Act
has passed the House of Representatives
and is awaiting action in the Senate.
The Do No Harm Act would gut the
RFRA in most circumstances in which it
would apply. The bill specifically states
that the RFRA shouldn’t “authorize an
exemption from generally applicable
CHIP SOMODEVILLA/GETTY IMAGES
U.S. flags are placed in front of every gravesite
ahead of the Memorial Day weekend in Arling-
ton National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., on May
21, 2020.
continuing to influence other nations
worldwide well into the 20th century.
Thus, when Americans sacrificed their
lives in military service, it wasn’t just to
defend the United States, it was also to
uphold the natural rights and transcen-
dent values associated with the nation’s
founding that was understood to provide
inspiration for others worldwide.
Thus, after remembering and honoring
men and women who lost their lives in
serving their country this Memorial Day, it
also seems appropriate to ask how we are
doing as a nation in living up to the ideals
of the founding. Said another way, what is
the current state of patriotism in America?
How is our government measuring up and
how are we faring as citizens?
Although denial runs deep, a cloud
hangs over America from the November
2020 elections. And that cloud is get-
ting darker with substantial evidence of
voting irregularities surfacing on sev-
eral fronts, such as the forensic audit of
election tabulation in Maricopa County,
Arizona.
Should findings of various pattern
irregularities be substantiated in a vote
recount that changes the electoral out-
come in Arizona, it should be incumbent
on the people of other states with similar
irregularities to undertake similar foren-
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
A protester holds bal-
loons calling for religious
freedom outside the U.S.
Supreme Court in Wash-
ington on April 28, 2015.
OLIVIER DOULIERY/GETTY IMAGES
law if the exemption would impose the
religious views, habits, or practices of one
party upon another.” That would pretty
much apply across the board. The practi-
cal impact would be to eviscerate medical
conscience rights and moot previously
decided RFRA religious liberty cases such
as Hobby Lobby.
And with that, freedom of religion
would shrivel to a mere “freedom of wor-
ship,” that is, we would have the right to
believe whatever we want inside the walls
of a house of worship or our homes. But
we wouldn’t necessarily be free to act
consistently with those beliefs in the way
we live our public lives. What a hollow
“freedom” that would be.
And here’s the thing: If the United
States’ “first liberty” can be so casually
thrown away, so too could any other
American freedom. Religious or secular,
liberal or conservative, gay, straight, or
transgendered, that means we all have an
essential stake in preserving freedom of
religion, even when it’s inconvenient or
cuts against the cultural grain.
Because once one fundamental freedom
is “disappeared,” others will surely follow.
Award-winning author Wesley J. Smith
is chairman of the Discovery Institute’s
Center on Human Exceptionalism.
sic audits. The legitimacy of our elected
government comes only from the people
and that must be determined by them
and not by who counts the votes or how
machines count the vote.
On the second front, Americans are
rapidly losing their rights and increas-
ingly flying blind. With censorship and
cancel culture being a fait accompli in
the mainstream and social media, many
are simply ignorant of critically impor-
tant developments, such as the flood of
illegal aliens crossing our southern bor-
der and also the demoralization taking
place within all branches of the military.
In the U.S. military, the Biden admin-
istration has reinstituted the indoctrina-
tion of the racially divisive critical race
theory.
Memorial Day reminds us that U.S.
military personnel are asked to put their
lives on the line. Defending the nation and
fighting wars is the most serious and im-
portant job of all. There simply is no place
for programs or policies that would divide
our troops or demoralize our soldiers.
In sum, this year—2021—Memorial
Day takes on a greater two-fold mean-
ing than it has previously. We are called
to remember those who died in military
service to the country and recommit to
the conviction that those lives lost shall
never be in vain.
Equally important, we are called to
remember and internalize a heritage that
began with a courageous, brilliant, and
faithful group of founders, who risked
their lives for the birth of freedom and
the creation of a new nation based on
an accountable government—a con-
stitutional republic—whose legitimacy
resides solely with the people and whose
primary responsibility is to serve and
protect the people.
Scott Powell is senior fellow at the Discov-
ery Institute in Seattle, a contributor to
The Epoch Times, and author of a forth-
coming book, “Rediscovering America.”
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
SPECIAL SERIES
How the Specter
of Communism
Is Ruling Our World
The Epoch Times here serializes an adaptation from the Chinese of “How the Specter of Communism Is
Ruling Our World,” a new book by the editorial team of the “Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party.”
8. The Destruction of
INTRODUCTION Culture and Morality (cont.)
Another important goal of communism
is the destruction of the family through
ideas like gender equality and “sharing
wealth and wife.” The 20th century, in
particular, was host to modern femi-
nist movements that promoted sexual
liberation, the blurring of gender dif-
ferences, attacks against “patriarchy,”
and the weakening of the father’s role in
the family.
These movements changed the definition
of marriage, promoted the legalization and
legitimization of homosexuality, promoted
the “rights” to divorce and abortion, and
used social welfare policies to effectively
encourage and subsidize single parent-
hood. All of this resulted in the collapse
of families and led to higher incidences
of poverty and crime. This has been one
of the more startling transformations of
society over the last several decades.
After the commu-
nists seized power, they
nationalized the educa-
tion system and filled
the textbooks with
Party ideology, trans-
forming generations
of young Chinese into
ferocious ‘wolf cubs,’ a
Chinese term for those
who grow up under
communism and are
indoctrinated to hate
and kill class enemies.
SPECIAL SERIES
In the political sphere, while commu-
nist regimes have continued with their
rigid dictatorships, party politics in free
societies have come to a point of crisis.
Communism has exploited loopholes in
the legal and political systems of demo-
cratic nations by manipulating major po-
litical parties. To secure electoral victory,
politicians have resorted to dirty tricks
and made promises that they could never
fulfill. The result of communist influence
in democratic countries is that political
parties around the world today tend to fall
on the left of the political spectrum, advo-
cating higher taxes, higher social welfare
expenditures, bigger government, and
economic interventionism. The govern-
ment plays an enormous role in molding
society; a left-leaning government allows
variants of Marxism to spread throughout
society, indoctrinating the youth to elect
progressively more left-wing candidates.
Higher education, which is supposed to
play the role of transmitting the essence
of the wisdom and culture of the ages, has
also been subverted. In the first half of the
20th century, the communist specter ar-
ranged for the systematic destruction of
the education system. China, famous for
its profound ancient civilization, was sub-
jected to the New Culture Movement even
before the Chinese Communist Party was
formally established. This was part of the
effort to disconnect the Chinese people
from their traditions. After the commu-
nists seized power, they nationalized the
education system and filled the textbooks
with Party ideology, transforming genera-
tions of young Chinese into ferocious “wolf
cubs,” a Chinese term for those who grow
up under communism and are indoctri-
nated to hate and kill class enemies.
In the West, the specter launched the
progressive education movement, us-
ing the banner of “science and progress”
to gain control of philosophy, psychol-
ogy, pedagogy, and eventually the entire
education system, thus indoctrinating
teachers and school administrators. High
school education began excluding ortho-
dox ideas and traditional morality. Aca-
demic standards were lowered to make
students less literate and numerate, and
less able to form their own judgments or
use common sense. Atheism, the theory
of evolution, materialism, and the phi-
losophy of struggle were all instilled in
students.
Following the counterculture move-
ment of the 1960s, advocates of political
correctness have become thought police,
forcing teachers to indoctrinate students
with all manner of twisted ideas. Students
now graduate from school without a
strong moral compass, with no founda-
tion in their own culture, and with little
common sense or sense of responsibility.
They are left to blindly follow the crowd,
thus joining society’s downward trend.
Out in society, there is widespread drug
abuse, rising rates of crime, a media sphere
full of sex and violence, an art world that
treats grotesquerie as beauty, and all man-
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OPINION
OPINIO | A19
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YOUR
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ner of evil cults and occult groups. Young
Occupy Wall people blindly adore film and television
Street protestors stars, waste their time on online games and
march through social media, and end up dispirited and de-
New York on moralized. People worry desperately about
May 1, 2012. the security of the world and what the future
holds, in the face of senseless violence and
terrorism.
9. Returning to the Divine and Tradition
Human civilization was transmitted to man
by the divine. Chinese civilization has seen
the prosperity of the Han and Tang dynas-
ties, and Western civilization reached its
peak during the Renaissance. If human be-
ings can maintain the civilization given to
them by the divine, then man will be able to
maintain his divine connections and under-
stand the Law taught when divinity returns
to the human realm. If humans destroy their
culture and tradition, and if the morality of
society collapses, then they will fail to un-
derstand the divine teachings because their
Red Guards, karma and sins will be too great and their
high school and thinking will have departed too far from the
university stu- instructions of the divine. This is dangerous
dents, wave cop- for mankind.
ies of Chairman
This is an era of both despair and hope.
Mao Zedong’s
“Little Red Book” Those who don’t believe in the divine pass
as they parade lives of sensuous pleasure. Those who believe
through Beijing’s await the return of the divine in confusion
streets at the and disquiet.
beginning of the Communism is a scourge on humanity. Its
Cultural Revolu- goal is the destruction of mankind, and its
tion in June 1966. arrangements are meticulous and specific.
The conspiracy has been so successful that
it has almost been carried out to completion,
and now the devil is ruling our world.
The ancient wisdom of mankind tells us
this: One righteous thought can conquer one
hundred evils, and when a person’s Buddha-
nature emerges, it shakes the world of 10
directions. The devil seems powerful but is
nothing before the divine. If human beings
can maintain their sincerity, kindness, com-
passion, tolerance, and patience, they will be
protected by the divine, and the devil will
have no dominion over them.
The mercy of the Creator is limitless, and
every life has a chance to escape catastrophe.
If humankind can restore tradition, elevate
morality, and hear the compassionate call
of the Creator and the Heavenly Law that
provides salvation, man will be able to break
through the devil’s attempt at destruction,
embark on the road to salvation, and move
toward the future.
This concludes the Introduction.
See next edition for the next installment.
A20 | OPINION
Armed Forces Day Tribute
The third Saturday of May is set
aside to remember our military
heroes. Armed Forces Day is
in honor of all our men and
women in the military, past and
present. I wrote the following to
pay tribute to them.
From the town square in
Concord, Mass., when a patriot
shouted out, freedom begins
here, the famous shot heard
round the world that sparked
the beginning of the greatest
fighting machine in the world,
the American soldier.
In 1812, the British came back
for a second time, determined
to steal away the breath of free-
dom from our fledgling democ-
racy. That was not to be. At the
battle of Fort McHenry in Balti-
more, Md., the British launched
a vicious attack, but the brave
American soldiers would not let
the fort be taken. They battled
all day and through the night.
The stars and stripes still flew at
dawn’s early light. The British
turned away in defeat. This he-
roic action of the American sol-
dier inspired the writing of the
“Star Spangled Banner,” which
on March 3, 1931, became the
national anthem of the United
States of America.
In 1861, again there was a
call to arms for the American
soldier, but this war was differ-
ent, putting American against
American, brother against
The Way We Teach Math Needs a Drastic Overhaul
I make a living teaching math
to middle-schoolers, most
often against their will. The
job is rewarding and purpose-
ful, sure, but my next favorite
part is the praise and attention
I receive upon telling others
about my apparently very noble
calling. “Wow, God bless you
guys. I could never do that.
Math? Good for you. Here’s your
medal. And some cash.” If only.
Next, I’m often asked about
common core and new age
math. I’m told math used to be
easier in the good old days, that
these fancy new diagrams are
no way to learn basic calcu-
lations. Some days, I think
they’re right, but my experi-
ence as an educator has taught
me otherwise.
Times tables and long divi-
sion are romanticized by those
who grew up with them. As
parents assist their kids with
online work, new ways of
imagining math problems in
the modern curricula have
Beware of the 3-Letter Word
It used to be the four-letter
words that prompted a nega-
tive reaction in most of us.
Now it is the three-letter word
(I know, not really a word)
that scares me most. Sydney
Powell properly referred to
them as the three-letter federal
agencies. How can it be that
we went from admiration
and trust for these noble civil
servants to distrust and fear
overnight?
The answer is sadly that over
30 years of the Bushes, Clin-
tons, and Obamas, the entire
three-letter establishment
was loaded up with global-
ists and commie sympathiz-
ers. America’s multi-decade
prosperity and relative peace
lulled us into complacency. It
took an unexpected win from
Donald Trump to expose the
true nature of the deep federal
corruption.
It makes me sad to think of
this; it is depressing to watch
their long-hidden agenda be
rolled out into the open. When
The Readers’ Turn
brother. The heart of America
was bleeding. When the final
gun was fired and the smoke
cleared, over 500,000 American
soldiers were dead; the republic
survived.
In 1898, the Spanish-Amer-
ican war exploded in Cuba,
less than 20 miles from our
shores. The American soldier
to the rescue again. We helped
the Cubans defeat their Span-
ish oppressors. Less than 20
years later, the cry for help
came across the ocean, a call of
desperation. The Kaiser Ger-
man hoards covered the free
land of France like locusts. The
doughboys made quick work
of the Kaiser, and Johnny came
marching home.
A generation later, the Ameri-
can GI had to pick up his gear
again. This time a war to be
fought on two fronts. It was
World War II, the war to end all
wars. In Europe the great battle
of Normandy was decisive in
the European theater. To the
Pacific, the USS New Jersey
battleship brought the Japa-
nese to their knees. It won 11
battle stars for heroic perfor-
mance, and that’s without a
single casualty. Returning from
victories in Europe and Pacific
brought jubilation throughout
America. That celebration was
short-lived.
With sword-rattling from
been introduced to those who
hold that nostalgia for old
school brute force mathemat-
ics. It seems to have angered
them. “Why are they making
basic math so confusing? What
happened to good old fash-
ioned memorization? What
happened to those ruler-wield-
ing nuns?”
I feel their pain. However,
I think both camps might
be wrong here. Math should
expand critical thinking and
frame one’s view of all subjects.
Yet schools’ emphasis on pre-
cise calculations and correct
answers hampers this pursuit
of a more idealistic and ab-
stract form of math. The arrival
at a final answer is too often
the focus and too often leads
to cheating. Math is about the
journey, not the destination.
This journey could use some
variety and collaboration. I
witness science teachers col-
laborate with English teach-
ers to write persuasive essays
our top military official says
out loud that the true enemies
of our national defense are
Trump-supporting soldiers,
sailors and airmen, we have a
problem. When the space force
fires a patriotic officer for his
warning of socialist infiltration
in the armed forces, we need
to sit up straight and take no-
tice. This problem extends way
beyond the federal agencies
and also includes the courts,
states, counties, cities, corpo-
rations, and the most notably,
the bankers. Wow, the Ameri-
can body seems to be infected
throughout.
It would be nice if a strong
leader emerged who shined
a light on the problem and
charted a path to recovery. We
had that to some extent with
Donald Trump, but as we all
saw, they really took him to
task. Hopefully, he will come
back for a second term and
pick up where he left off.
But before that, the real
answer and immediate need
If you would like to submit a letter to the editor, please contact us:
Email: lettertoeditor@epochtimes.com
Mail: The Epoch Times 229 W. 28th St., Fl. 7, New York, NY 10001
North Korea, world peace
was broken. The Americans
were called to lead U.N. forces
to stem the red tide of com-
munism in 1950. A decisive
battle led by the Americans
was Operation Killer on Feb. 21,
1951, which pushed the red tide
back to the 38th parallel, where
it’s still guarded today by U.S.
forces.
Before the GIs could put down
their duffel bags, they were
sent back to Asia, Vietnam.
Fifteen years of fighting, dying,
and soldiers being sent home
broken in body and mind. Their
homecoming wasn’t filled with
flag waving and cheers. They
came home to calls of baby
killer; they were spat on and
cursed. These brave men and
women’s hearts were broken,
their spirits crushed. This was
the darkest time for America
and our veterans. Today, as for
the past 20 years, our American
military are on the firing line
in the Middle East, fighting a
never-ending battle for free-
dom.
May one day, with the help of
a higher power, peace envelope
the world and our American
heroes be able to lay down their
objects of war.
May GOD bless you and keep
you.
WALTER SOSNOSKY
about global warming. I see
social studies teachers trade
ideas with art teachers on how
to blend their curricula. Us
math nerds tend to get left out.
Yes, there is plenty of math to
use in science class, but time is
tight in math class and curri-
cula are rigid. I think it’s about
time we loosen this up.
Admittedly, this is a leap of
faith. Replacing a lesson on
calculating the volume of a
pyramid with a discussion on
patterns in Egyptian art might
make many skeptical, but this
is where I have faith. I have
faith that fewer exact answers
won’t hurt us. Calculations are
for the calculator. Creativity
and mathematical thinking are
for the brain. I’m not the first to
suggest this, but the idea needs
more microphones, so here I
am. Let’s make math a creative
pursuit.
JACK NEUHAUS
CONNECTICUT
lies within these deep state
agencies themselves. Sure, the
corrupt leaders can fire and
otherwise cancel the whistle
blowers, as long as their num-
bers are few. However, they
cannot fire and cancel patriots
by the hundreds and thou-
sands. I am confident that our
civil service is chock-full of true
Americans who are willing to
put their country before their
own career (heck, our troops go
so far as putting country before
their own lives).
It is time for them to speak
out, come together, and save
the American body by disin-
fecting it with the bright light
of truth fearlessly exclaimed
out loud.
The rest of us are counting on
those of you inside the system;
please let us know how we
can help. Thanks, The Epoch
Times, for your noble and fear-
less reporting.
BILL HUNT
CALIFORNIA
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
Infrastructure
President Biden’s proposed
$2.3 trillion infrastructure
program would be spent over
eight years. It includes $85
billion that would go toward
transit. Key components are
$55 billion for transit state
of good repair, $25 billion
for transit expansion, and $5
billion for Americans With
Disabilities Act implementa-
tion. Democrats also provide
$21 billion for safety, $25 bil-
lion for airports, $17 billion for
ports and inland waterways,
along with $115 billion for
bridges and roads.
The Republican alternative
$568 billion infrastructure
program would be spent over
five years. It includes $81 bil-
lion that would go to transit.
Key components are $61 bil-
lion for public transit and $20
Awakened
My ears are overflowing with
the improper use of the word
“woke” from all sides. If we
continue to use this word in
its slang context, we are vali-
dating its place in society and
the philosophy that follows.
We have a duty to stop un-
consciously legitimizing an
‘Thomas Jefferson’s Rules For Life’
Kudos to Joshua Charles for
today’s article [published in
the May 19 edition]. What a
magnificent boost for all of
us. Reflection upon the words
of our eminent “Founding
Father” shows how intuitive
and wise he was so many years
ago. All Americans should
read, review, study, and submit
Jefferson’s 10 points to their
friends, family, and children
for thoughtful consideration
and adoption.
Deeply embroiled as we are
in the aftermath of perhaps the
most contested presidential
election of our history, Jef-
ferson’s words give us all the
roadmap to peace, tranquility,
and the inner faith that our
country will prevail and suc-
ceed against its domestic and
foreign enemies. His writing
should be required reading in
Honoring All Our Heroes
With Memorial Day approach-
ing, it’s a good time to honor
our fallen heroes as well as our
current day ones.
Our heroes fought shoulder-
to-shoulder with every color
and every religion to abolish
slavery in the Civil War.
They fought Nazi Germany to
save the Jews. Some Christians
even hid Jews, putting their
own lives in danger.
Our heroes ran into burning
collapsing buildings on 9/11.
Police officers, firefighters, and
EMT were first on the scene to
save lives, and risk their own
lives doing so.
Speaking of police officers
and firefighters, they risk their
lives every day to help total
strangers. Their families never
knew on any given day, if their
loved ones would return to
them at the end of their shifts.
Teachers can be heroes by
teaching our children about
this true history, and to be
proud of our country, sing
patriotic songs, and celebrate
Flag Day, Memorial Day, and
Veterans Day.
There are many current-day
heroes that try to preserve
and save our lives every day.
What motivates people to want
to be doctors, nurses, aides,
billion for rail. Republicans
also provide $13 billion for
safety, $44 billion for air-
ports, $17 billion for ports and
inland waterways, along with
$290 billion for bridges and
roads.
Both plans are incomplete.
Neither provides a specific list
of projects or their estimated
costs to be funded under each
category.
Government must be open
and transparent if we are to
understand what is being
proposed. We deserve to know
the details.
Washington faces a $29 tril-
lion long-term deficit. It is an-
ticipated to grow by a trillion
annually for years to come.
LARRY PENNER
NEW YORK
ideology that sows hate, de-
ceit, and inaccuracies—par-
ticularly one with such dire
consequences for America.
Choose carefully, my
friends.
DEA BRIDGE
COLORADO
our schools, shared with con-
gregations from the pulpit, and
memorialized for generations
to come.
As a long-standing sub-
scriber, I strongly recommend
all readers read and assimi-
late Jefferson’s Dogma and
instruction. We are all looking
in our daily lives for direction
to handle obstacles, let alone
the major mess in Washing-
ton, D.C., and all of the alien
statements from the radical
left. Jefferson’s 10 rules are the
prescription to answer those
questions, relieve our worries,
and make us concentrate on
being “True Patriotic Ameri-
cans.” Thanks, Joshua. I truly
believe this publication will
change people’s lives.
HARRY TIPPING
OHIO
psychotherapists, and medi-
cal researchers and work long
hours, sacrificing themselves
and their families for us! I
believe God puts a calling in
their hearts to do these jobs; no
amount of money can compen-
sate for their endless tireless
hours of dedication, especially
working with COVID-19 pa-
tients.
Let’s take the opportunity to
thank them personally when
we meet up with them in our
everyday lives.
We are so lucky in Florida
to have a true “hero” leading
our state. “Rock Star” Gover-
nor Ron DeSantis is a fearless
fighter for our state’s residents.
He protects our freedoms and
liberties.
We all can be an everyday
“hero” to our veterans and our
community. There are many
organizations in Martin Coun-
ty that have volunteer opportu-
nities for us, and letter-writing
programs for our military to
show our support for them.
“Those who bring sunshine to
the lives of others, cannot keep
it from themselves!” God Bless
all our Veterans!
JANET WENZ
FLORIDA
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 | A21

COMICS

DILBERT GARFIELD

PEANUTS GINGER MEGGS

RED AND ROVER

BIG NATE

GRAND AVENUE
DRABBLE

MUTT & JEFF FRANK AND ERNEST

A22 | PUZZLES WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021

CROSSWORD CONSTRUCTED BY TOM HOUSTON

EPOCH TIMES STAFF
Across
1. Coarse fabric
7. “Imagine them adding ___
to imagery.” (Sumner Locke
Elliott on restaurant decor
combining Yankee pewter
with Muzak)
13. “10 Items or Less” chan-
nel
16. “Crazy Rich ___” (hit
2018 movie)
17. “Chicago Med” character
18. “ ‘Twas ___ I was born”
(Shak.)
19. Drug maker’s catalog
21. “All ___?”
22. Folio page
23. ‘80s pesticide
24. “Buena ___ Social Club”
26. 1948 UN entrant
27. “Batman” villain ___ al
Ghul
29. “Apollo 13” shuttle
31. Be heart-pleasing
32. Angry
35. “Fountainhead”
architect
37. “Pig out”
39. Bloody Mary seasoning
44. “Guantanamera” singer
Lopez
46. “2 funny!”
47. “Guerrilla: The Taking of
Patty Hearst” gp.
48. “Camptown Races”
horse
49. “Behind Enemy
Lines” job
50. “Down in front!”
52. “American Idol” contes-
tant Skylar
54. “50 Shades of Grey”
heroine
55. “A Good Day to ___
Hard” (2013 Bruce Willis
movie)
58. .edu alternative
60. Beds, at times
61. Delighted
65. “Braveheart” costume
66. Anc. Italian
67. “___ Thunder” (2008
Jack Black movie)
69. Alder’s tassel
72. “... Mockingbird” novelist
74. “...but you can call me...”,
initially
75. “Bow wow!”
78. Arboreal moth repellant
79. 1,000 bucks
81. Attentive one
83. Chinese philosopher
Chu ___
84. _____ force is voltage
88. “East” of Germany
89. “Green Hills of Africa”
journey
90. Clip
91. “Alas!” relatives
92. Self-immolation, old
Hindu custom
93. Answers (for)
Down
1. “Isle of ___,” 1934 song
2. “... ___, dust to dust”
3. Pronunciation marks
4. 1960’s-70’s Dodge
5. “___ ways than one!”
6. 9-digit ID organization
7. “American ___ “
8. Prickly pear
9. Ballpark figures
CHESS CHALLENGE DAILY BRIDGE CLUB
10. “Land of the sun” native BY MICHAEL GIBBS
Cy caught napping
BY FRANK STEWART, TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY
11. “And, ___ am with you A historic game (1967) that
always...” (Matthew 28:20) showcases Fischer’s strength as ©2021 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
12. Geometric doublec- black against Kholmov (Russia)
who beat Fischer previously! After If napping were a professional sport,
rosses move 12 (diagram), Kholmov fights Cy the Cynic would have a bunch of
13. “Creed” co-star Thomp- a losing battle! endorsement deals.
son “The man never plans his play,” Rose
14. “Grace Under Fire” star told me after a penny game at my club. “He
Butler just seizes on the first line he sees.”
As declarer at today’s six clubs, Cy took
15. Biological bristles the ace of spades and promptly led the ten
20. Business ___ (style of of trumps. East covered with the queen,
dress) and Cy took the ace.
25. “Casablanca” actress “Costing himself, and me, 1,470 points,”
Gruning Rose sighed.
28. “Rear,” to an admiral 13 TRICKS
30. Amerind shoes The Cynic next ruffed a spade in dummy
33. “911” TV city and led a second trump to his king. With
34. 80’s mergers, for short a 3-2 break, he would have had the rest,
WORK SPACE but when West discarded, Cy was sunk.
36. “Huffington Post” He took the jack of trumps and tried to run
owner the diamonds. He threw his last spade on
37. “Ban plastic” movement the third diamond as East ruffed, but had
target to lose a heart to West’s king.
Cy took a nap at Trick Two: He must let
38. “Androcles and the East’s queen of trumps win. If East returns
Lion” locale a heart, Cy takes the ace, ruffs a spade
40. A way to set 4NUMBERS CONSTRUCTED BY C. CHANG
AT 4NUMS.COM
in dummy, draws trumps and runs the
diamonds for 12 tricks. A club or diamond
41. Dream of many Koreans
Use the four numbers in the corners, and opening lead always beats the slam.
42. “Feature” of Mars the operands (+, - X, and ÷) to build an
43. Antonym for “absorb” equation to get the solution in the middle. DAILY QUESTION
45. Hurting There may be more than one “unique” so- You hold: kJ 7 3 jA 7 3 i9 2 hA
51. Accurately lution but, there may also be “equivalent” K J 5 3. You open one club, your partner
solutions. For example: 6 + (7 X 3) +1 = 28 responds one diamond, you bid 1NT and
53. 1983 Hawaiian Open and 1+ (7 X 3) + 6 = 28 he tries two spades. The opponents pass.
winner What do you say?
56. “Fast Company” rival ANSWER: Your partner has a good hand
57. “ea m’est ___” — his two spades is a strength-showing
59. Bad-tempered woman “reverse” — and he seems to have doubts
62. “Leeward” about notrump. You mustn’t persist in
notrump with a primary heart stopper.
63. Baseball street game Rebid three clubs to suggest a good five-
64. “M*A*S*H” soldier, card suit. Let partner use his judgment.
briefly North dealer
N-S vulnerable
68. Amount to anything
69. “Bless you!” prompter NORTH
kA
70. All disheveled
jQ 8 6 4
71. Additions and deletions, iA K Q J 10
say h10 6 2
Hard 1 - 1 Solution
73. “___ Nous” (1983 film)
WEST EAST
76. “Closer Than Ever,” e.g. kQ 10 9 6 4 kK 8 5 2
77. 19 things on a classical jK 10 2 jJ 9 5
guitar i8 6 4 3 i7 5
h4 hQ 9 8 7
80. “... 15 miles on the ___
Canal” SOUTH
82. “A Fish Called Wanda” kJ 7 3
jA 7 3
character i9 2
85. “The Art of Hitting hA K J 5 3
.300” writer Charley North East South West
86. A newt in its terrestrial 1i Pass 2h Pass
stage 2j Pass 3h Pass
5h Pass 6h All Pass
87. “Crocodile Rock” record
label Easy 1 - 2 Solutions Opening lead —k10

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.

ACHOO CEDAR MESSY SETAE

ALIGN CUTOUT NOPAL SOFAS
AMENT DOCTOR NOTER STRAW
ARENA EDITS ONE O’ CAT SUTTEE
ASHES EGEST OSCAN TESSA
ASIANS ELATE PAN OUT TRINI
ATONES ENTRE- RECON TROPIC
BRETT FRETS RECTO UNIFICATION
CADDIS INMORE REVUE VIRAGO WORK SPACE
CANAL INSULT ROARK VISTA
CAPRI IREFUL SAFARI
CASUAL LAINE SCORERS

SOLUTIONS
CROSSWORD SUPER KAKURO 4NUMBERS

HARD 1

EASY 1

CHESS CHALLENGE
17.  Ba5  Rd6
(white resigns) 16.  Rfd1  Ne8
32.  Qe1  a6 15.  Rab1  Qe7
31.  Nd3  Qxa4 14.  Bc7  Qxb4
30.  Qxe5  Rc8 13.  b4  Qa3
29.  a4  Bh3 12.  Qd3  Re6
28.  Qd5  Rb8 11.  Bd6  Qa5 
27.  Nxc5  Qxa5 10.  Ba3  c6
26.  Nxb5  Qa4 9.  e4  Re8
25.  Bxb5  cxb5 8.  dxe5  dxe5
24.  Nb3  Nc5 7.  b3  e5
23.  Nd2  Qa3 6.  Nc3  Nbd7
22.  Bf1  b5 5.  0-0  d6
21.  Nc4  Qc5 4.  Bg2  0-0
20.  Nd2  Qa3 3.  g3  Bg7
19.  Qxd1  Bf8 2.  Nf3  g6
18.  Qe2  Rxd1+ 1. d4  Nf6
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 PUZZLES | A23

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

Easy

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
18
EPOCH DOKU CONSTRUCTED
BY EPOCH TIMES STAFF

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
OLGIO
EPOCH ESCAPE MAZE
CWEKR

RFYACT

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

TO

WORK SPACE

SOLUTIONS
SUPERSUDOKU SUDOKU: EASY JUMBLE EASY KAKURO
was — DOWN TO A TRICKLE WORK SPACE
closed because their revenue
The plumbing fixture shop
Answers:

CANDID
CRAFTY
WRECK
IGLOO
SUDOKU: HARD EPOCH DOKU
Jumbles:

CRYPTIC QUOTE
always the present.
that afflicts you, but
the future or what has passed
Remind yourself that it is not

Contact the Puzzle Master @: Feedback@EpochTimes.com

A24 | WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021

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TRUTH and TRADITION

In Our Own Words

Uplifting, Inspiring, and Useful

Dear Epoch VIP,
I’m so happy you’re receiving The Epoch Times in
your home. I’m Barbara Danza, a contributing editor.
You may have seen my articles in the Life & Tradition
section or perhaps your children have discovered the
page I edit: For Kids Only.
This is pretty much a dream job for me. Between
interviewing knowledgeable and inspiring experts
and influencers, diving into research about
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Barbara Danza in our educational systems to an increasing array of

Contributing Editor alternatives, from the frantic overscheduling of our In Truth and Tradition,
on,
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of disturbing media messages to more focus on what’s Barbara Danza
good and true. The Epoch Times
REACHING WITHIN
Building on Tradition:
‘Winding the Skein’
How does the younger generation bring forth the
beauty, care, and respect of old?
See B8
TRADITION|VALUES|FAMILY
LIFE & TRADITION
MEMORIAL
DAY
JEFF MINICK
O
n the lawn of the county court-
house in Waynesville, North
Carolina, is a rough stone me-
morial honoring the county’s
Vietnam War dead. Engraved on
this monument are the names of “Haywood
County’s Sons Who Sacrificed Their Lives in
the Republic of South Vietnam.” At the foot of
this stone slab is a cast metal pair of unlaced
combat boots.
Many of the names inscribed on this simple
memorial—Brown, Frazier, Moody, Rogers,
and others—have echoed in Haywood’s hills
TRADITIONAL CULTURE
Recurrents: The Story of Faust
Through History
From the Middle Ages to the present, the legend of
Faust has never gone away. It speaks to people in every
time and place.
See B9
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 B1
Pulling
ALL PHOTOS BY SHUTTERSTOCK UNLESS NOTED OTHERWISE
Back the
Curtain on
the Unsung
What does it mean to be
an American in 2021? Heroes
What makes us Americans? DUSTIN BASS
Late last year, I was invited by a
friend to come along for an official
county visit to honor a 100-year-
old veteran of World War II. His
name was George Kaleel. The
county commissioner had decid-
ed to surprise him with a certifi-
cate of appreciation for his service
and to commemorate the fact that
he had reached the century mark.
COURTESY OF DUSTIN BASS
World War II veteran George Kaleel.
He was part of the
capture of 8,000
Germans on the shore
of Utah Beach.
I drove up to a quaint home
located at the end of a long street.
His daughter and granddaughter
greeted us and introduced us to
a man who couldn’t have been
more than 5-foot 6-inches. He
appeared most definitely shorter
with the hunch of age. His mind,
however, was still crisp and his
personality full of life.
The relatively quick introduction
would turn into a documentary
project about his experiences in
the war that would span several
months. I sit here writing this
article in honor of Memorial Day
and of all those who have now
passed on, which now, as of this
April 19, includes Kaleel.
I was about a week away from
showing a rough draft version
of the documentary to him, his
daughter, and granddaughter
REMEMBERING THOSE when I received word that his
heart had given out and he was
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES gone. To know the project was
so near completion and that he
wouldn’t get the chance to see
it was heartrending. Friends
and colleagues, even his fam-
ily members themselves when I
attended his funeral, said that it
was enough to have captured his
PUBLIC DOMAIN story before he passed. And I’m
and hollers for generations. The ancestors of certain, in the grand scheme of
these dead men probably fought as well in things, it is.
American conflicts ranging from the Ameri- Kaleel was a truck driver for
can Revolution to the Korean War. Moreover, the First Army’s 7th Corps. His
many of the men whose names are written on first day of the war was June 6,
this memorial undoubtedly have some rela- 1944—D-Day—and his journey
tives who knew them and who are still living, sent him through the beaches
brothers and sisters, cousins, and perhaps even Gen. John A. Logan of Normandy, through war-torn
children. (1826–1886) Belgium, across the Rhine River,
Those few who remember these dead soldiers, advocated making and into the heart of Germany. He
sailors, Marines, and airmen surely recollect Memorial Day, was part of the capture of 8,000
them as they were in their youth, still saddened originally known as Germans on the shore of Utah
after 50 years by the loss of their loved ones. Decoration Day, an Beach.
official holiday.
Continued on B2 Continued on B3
B2
A young boy
cheers on
Marines during
a Memorial
Day parade in
Larchmont,
N.Y. on May
24, 2012.
MEMORIAL
DAY
REMEMBERING THOSE
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
Continued from B1
And many of those who knew them and
who now share the dust of this earth with
them, especially their parents and grand-
parents, surely went to their graves still
mourning the loss of these young men in
their hearts.
The rest of us may think little of the sac-
rifices these men made. Some pedestrians
passing the courthouse, and other places of
honor like it around our country, may pause
for a few moments to read the inscription
and the names, to look at the G.I. boots, and
even to say a prayer, but most of us go about
our daily business without giving too much
consideration of those who came before us
and who built our country, especially those
who saw service in the military and who paid
with their lives in the wars we’ve fought.
But then comes Memorial Day.
A Day of Remembrance
We celebrate Memorial Day on the last
Monday of May, which allows us a three-
day weekend for various activities. Some
head off to the beach, some throw back-
yard barbecues or picnics in the park, some
watch stock car races, and some take advan-
tage of holiday sales and head for the local
mall. Most of us also regard Memorial Day
as the kick-off for summer.
And on that day, many do remember the
dead of our wars, the men and women who
lost their lives fighting for their country.
Arlington Cemetery features a wreath-lay-
ing ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier. Some cities host Memorial Day pa-
rades. In places across the country such as
Waynesville, some visit the graves of those
fallen in our nation’s wars.
Both these groups are appropriately cel-
ebrating this day of commemoration. Those
who honor the dead abide by the meaning
RACHEL LARUE/U.S. ARMY
A U.S. Army
3rd U.S.
Infantry
Regiment (The
Old Guard)
soldier places
American flags
at headstones
in Arlington
National
Cemetery
on May 21,
2015, in
Arlington, Va.
The Old Guard
has held this
honor since
1948.
of the holiday, but those who take vacations
or join together for a meal with friends are
also paying their respects. They are enjoy-
ing those American freedoms for which our
men and women in uniform gave their lives.
A Brief History
Though Memorial Day didn’t become an of-
ficial federal holiday until 1971, Americans
across the country for 100 years prior to that
declaration had set aside time in the late
spring to remember those who had died in
the defense of our nation and our way of life.
The first calls for a memorial day, or Deco-
ration Day as it was then known, came after
the Civil War in response to the enormous
casualties suffered during that conflict. In
1866, a year after the war’s end, Waterloo,
New York, first set aside a day when busi-
nesses closed and attention was paid to the
graves of soldiers. A hundred years later, the
federal government recognized Waterloo as
the birthplace of Memorial Day.
In May 1868, Gen. John A. Logan, the lead-
er of a large Union veterans group, declared
May 30 as Decoration Day, when Americans
should visit cemeteries and decorate the
graves of dead soldiers “whose bodies now
lie in almost every city, village and hamlet
churchyard in the land.”
By 1890, most states had proclaimed May
30 Memorial Day and regarded it as an of-
ficial holiday. Southern states had their own
memorial days but, after World War I, began
to join the rest of the nation.
It was after that war as well that Memorial
Day became an occasion for honoring all
the dead of America’s wars.
Brave Hearts
Some of these dead we commemorate on
this day were heroes.
The farmers and merchants who died
on Lexington Green in 1775 facing British
regulars were some of our first American
patriots. Frank Luke Jr., famed for his bal-
loon busting against the Germans in World
War I, died after being shot down behind
enemy lines and while firing his pistol at the
approaching Germans. In the same war,
John Pruitt captured 40 Germans, only to
be slain later in the battle. In 1943, Army
pilot Neel Kirby and three other comrades
attacked nearly 50 Japanese aircraft. Kirby
shot down six of these planes, received the
Medal of Honor, and died later that year in
another aerial combat against the Japanese.
Our recent Middle Eastern conflicts have
seen similar heroes killed in the line of
duty. Several of these gave their lives for
their comrades by throwing themselves
on grenades or trying to rescue others from
enemy fire. On Jan. 25, 2008, Army Staff
Sgt. Robert Miller, for instance, was killed in
Afghanistan while providing cover so that
his comrades in arms could escape enemy
fire. On Dec. 4, 2006, Ross McGinnis saved
the lives of four of his fellow soldiers in Iraq
by smothering a grenade pitched into their
Humvee. Both men posthumously received
the Medal of Honor.
PUBLIC DOMAIN
Decoration Day in St.
Paul, Minn., on May 31,
1870, by Charles Alfred
Zimmerman.
The first
calls for a
memorial day,
or Decoration
Day as it was
then known,
came after the
Civil War.
Jeff Minick has
four children and a
growing platoon of
grandchildren. For
20 years, he taught
history, literature,
and Latin to seminars
of homeschooling
students in Asheville,
N.C. He is the author
of two novels,
“Amanda Bell” and
“Dust on Their Wings,”
and two works of
nonfiction, “Learning
as I Go” and “Movies
Make the Man.”
Today, he lives and
writes in Front Royal,
Va. See JeffMinick.
com to follow his blog.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
LANCE CPL. MARTIN EGNASH/U.S. MARINE CORPS
Sacrifice
We honor these men for their bravery, but on
the last Monday of May, we also honor all of
our nation’s war dead: the infantrymen who
charged up the slope at the Battle of Freder-
icksburg, the Marines who fell fighting the
Germans at Belleau Wood, the sailors and
pilots lost while fighting the Japanese at the
Battle of the Coral Sea, the Americans who
faced the massive attacks of the Chinese
troops in the sub-freezing temperatures of
the Korean War, and all the others who have
since given their lives in places such as Hue,
Kamdesh, and Fallujah.
Canadian John McCrae reflects the poi-
gnancy of these deaths in his World War I
poem, “In Flanders Fields:”
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, saw dawn, felt sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.”
Instructing the Young
“Only the dead have seen the end of war.”
George Santayana’s words, often misattrib-
uted to Plato, are a grim reminder that we
live in a dangerous world and that the young
men and women of our military are the wall
protecting America and her people.
As we pay homage to the dead of our many
wars this Memorial Day, partying over the
weekend and perhaps remembering a friend
or relative who made the final sacrifice, we
might engage in some other acts of recollec-
tion as well. In particular, we might set aside
some time with our children or grandchil-
dren, and read them some of the stories of
those who gave their lives for their country.
Such accounts can be found in our public
libraries or by searching online.
“War means fighting and fighting means
killing,” Confederate cavalry leader Nathan
Bedford Forrest declared—and we must
never glorify the brutal business of war or
soften its deadly costs. At the same time,
however, we must aim to raise young people
willing to defend their country if called upon
to do so. Learning about those who came
before them who rallied to the flag should
help inculcate that patriotism.
Old Glory
While handing on these examples and sto-
ries to the young, we can also use Memo-
rial Day as an occasion to explore our own
thoughts on patriotism. What does it mean
to be an American in 2021? What makes us
Americans? What do the words “life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness” mean to us?
How much value do we place on our Bill of
Rights in the Constitution, on such natural
rights as free speech, or freedom of assembly
and freedom of religion? What do we owe
this “sweet land of liberty?”
Many of us will put flags in our yards or
on our porches to honor Memorial Day. As
we look at those stars and stripes, it’s right
and fitting we remember those who died in
service to their country. But it’s also fitting
that we remember why they died.
To find the answer to that question, all we
have to do is open our eyes and look around
us at the people and places where we live.
Both here and abroad, as the line from
“The Battle Hymn of the Republic” tells us,
Americans in uniform have died “to make
men free.” As their heirs, we still possess our
precious liberty, in no small part because of
the many sacrifices they made.
We can best repay the debt we owe them
by keeping the fires of that freedom bright
and burning.
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 B3

HISTORY

The Last Days of Stonewall Jackson PUBLIC DOMAIN NPS

JESSICA JAMES
May is a beautiful month, but in Civil War
history, it is also a sad one. The South lost
both Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson and Gen-
eral J.E.B. Stuart in May, one year apart (1863
and 1864).
If you venture off I-95 near Fredericksburg,
you can visit the site that was, until recently,
called the Stonewall Jackson “Shrine.” Due
to the changing times, the name has now
officially been changed to The Stonewall
Jackson Death Site.
‘Fairfield’ Frozen in Time
After being wounded by friendly fire while
scouting the battlefield near Chancellors-
ville at night on May 2, 1863, General Jack-
son was taken to a field hospital where his
badly injured left arm was amputated.
Confederate army commander Robert
E. Lee selected Guinea Station as the best
location for Jackson to be taken following
the surgery, most likely because of its prox-
imity to the railroad to Richmond where he
could then be transported to a hospital. Lee
is famously quoted as saying, “He has lost
his left arm; but I have lost my right arm.”
General Jackson ended up in a plantation
office building on Thomas C. Chandler’s
740-acre plantation named “Fairfield.”
Although offered the use of the Chandler
house, Jackson’s doctor and staff officers
chose a quiet and private outbuilding as the
best place for Jackson to rest.
The Chandlers prepared the room using
the same bed frame and one of the same
blankets that are still on exhibit today. They
also added the clock on the mantel with the
hope that it would make the room look more
homelike and less like an outbuilding.
Despite his condition and the grueling 27-
mile ambulance ride, Jackson remembered
his manners upon arrival to the property
by apologizing to Mr. Chandler for being
unable to shake hands with his host.
His Wife Arrives
On May 7, Mrs. Jackson and baby daughter
Julia arrived at Guinea Station and found
lodging in the Chandler home. Earlier that
month, the Jacksons had spent a nine-day
reunion together that had been interrupted
by the renewal of fighting that called the
general away.
Amazingly, that reunion was the first time
General Jackson had seen his wife in a year,
and the first time he met his five-month-old
daughter. Mrs. Jackson wrote of that visit:
“It was raining and he was afraid to take
her in his arms with his wet overcoat, but
upon arrival at the house, he speedily di-
vested himself of his overcoat, and, taking
his baby in his arms, he caressed her with
the tenderest affection, and held her long
and lovingly. During the whole of this short
visit when he was with us, he rarely had her
out of his arms, waking her, and amusing
her in every way that he could think of—
sometimes holding her up before a mirror
and saying, admiringly, ‘Now, Miss Jackson,
look at yourself.’ Then he would turn to an
old lady of the family and say, ‘Isn’t she a
little gem?’ When she slept in the day, he
would often kneel over her cradle, and gaze
upon her little face with the most rapt ad-
miration, and he said he felt almost as if she
were an angel in her innocence and purity.”
A portrait of Gen. Jackson, taken on a
Spotsylvania County, Va., farm on April 26,
1863, seven days before his mortal wounding
at the Battle of Chancellorsville.  Military Park.
This second reunion wasn’t nearly as
pleasant. Mrs. Jackson spent most of her
time at her husband’s bedside in the office,
which lifted the spirits of the general. His
surgeon Dr. Hunter McGuire recorded the
incidents that transpired:
“The General’s joy at the presence of his
wife and child was very great, and for him
unusually demonstrative. Noticing the sad-
ness of his wife, he said to her tenderly: ‘I
know you would gladly give your life for me,
but I am perfectly resigned. Do not be sad.
I hope I may yet recover. Pray for me, but
always remember in your prayers to use the
petition, Thy will be done.’”
While Jackson was making progress in
his recovery from his battle wounds, he
took a turn for the worse after contracting
pneumonia. Despite the efforts of special-
ists, nothing seemed to help him improve.
In recording the details of Jackson’s wound
and treatment, McGuire wrote: “When his
child was brought to him to-day he played
with it for some time, frequently caressing
it and calling it his ‘little comforter.’ At one
time he raised his wounded hand above
his head and closing his eyes, was for some
moments silently engaged in prayer. He said
to me: ‘I see from the number of physicians
that you think my condition dangerous, but
I thank God, if it is His will, that I am ready
to go.’”
About daylight on Sunday morning, Mrs.
Jackson informed him that his recovery was
very doubtful, and that it was better that he
should be prepared. Jackson was reportedly
silent for a moment, and then said: “It will
be infinite gain to be translated to Heaven.”
McGuire then reports in his journal: “His
exhaustion increased so rapidly that at 11
o’clock Mrs. Jackson knelt by his bed and
told him that before the sun went down he
would be with his Savior. He replied: ‘Oh,
no; you are frightened, my child; death is
not so near; I may yet get well.’”
Those words caused Mrs. Jackson to lean
over upon the bed, weeping bitterly, telling
him again that the physicians said there
was no hope. After pausing, he called for Dr.
McGuire, and said, “Doctor, Anna informs
The clock
in the room
where
Stonewall
Jackson
passed away.
NPS
The Stonewall Jackson Shrine at the
plantation outbuilding where Jackson died,
Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National
me that you have told her that I am to die
today; is it so?” After hearing the answer, he
turned his eyes toward the ceiling and gazed
for a moment or two as if in intense thought,
then replied, “Very good, very good, it is all
right.” He then tried to comfort his almost-
heartbroken wife and told her that he had a
great deal to say to her, but he was too weak.
Jackson’s Assistant Adjutant General
Sandie Pendleton was so busy with the af-
fairs of the command that he didn’t have
time to visit the general until May 10. When
he entered the room around 1 o’clock, Jack-
son asked him who had preached at head-
quarters. Pendleton replied that the whole
army was praying for him, and Jackson re-
sponded: “Thank God, they are very kind. It
is the Lord’s Day; my wish is fulfilled. I have
always desired to die on Sunday.”
The relationship between Pendleton and
Jackson had always been a close one, with
Jackson loving him like a son. Sandie was so
affected by the conversation that he went to
the porch and wept. He later told Mrs. Jack-
son, “God knows I would have died for him.”
The Last Moments
Jackson died later that day, at 3:15 p.m. with
Dr. McGuire carefully noting his last words:
“A few moments before he died he cried
out in his delirium, ‘Order A.P. Hill to pre-
pare for action! Pass the infantry to the front
rapidly! Tell Major Hawks’—then stopped,
leaving the sentence unfinished. Presently
a smile of ineffable sweetness spread itself
over his pale face, and he said quietly, and
with an expression, as if of relief, ‘Let us cross
over the river, and rest under the shade of
the trees.’”
The Clock
When the building is open to the public,
visitors can stand in the room where Jackson
died, see his bed, and hear the ticking of the
same clock that he heard the last moments
of his life. It is the clock that Dr. McGuire
used to record the time of his death: 3:15
p.m. on May 10.
The clock, blanket, and bed are said to
have been saved thanks to a 12-year-old girl
named Lucy Chandler, the daughter of the
plantation’s owner. When Jackson passed
away, Lucy was distraught. She told her
mother that she wanted to trade places with
Jackson because only her parents would be
upset if she died, but the whole South would
be upset if Jackson died.
When she became older, Lucy tucked
away the clock, blankets, and some relics
and kept a diagram of what the room looked
like when Jackson passed away. The room
and the building are set up with the help of
that diagram.
It’s said that Lucy also placed four Confed-
erate flags on the posts of the bed, and that
is how the site became known as a shrine.
That part of the historical record is hard to
substantiate and is likely lost forever.
The South Weeps
By the time the train carrying General Jack-
son’s remains entered the outskirts of Rich-
mond, an immense crowd had gathered, the
largest in the history of the city. The train
slowed to a crawl, then proceeded ahead
for two miles to the station, surrounded by
thousands of bareheaded men and weep-
ing women. Church bells tolled and guns
split the air. All businesses in the city were
closed, and black crepe hung everywhere.
The entire South was in mourning.
Jackson was then taken to Lexington, Vir-
ginia, where he is buried.
If You Go
The Stonewall Jackson Shrine can be
reached from I-95 by taking Exit 118 (High-
way 606) and driving east on 606 for about
four miles.
During your visit, you may hear a CSX
Transportation train rumble past the site
on the old Richmond, Fredericksburg, and
Potomac line.
As a side note, Jackson’s arm is buried at
a nearby plantation and is marked with a
headstone.
An Earlier Love Letter to His Wife
One probably doesn’t think of General
“Stonewall” Jackson as a hopeless roman-
tic, but here is a letter he wrote to his wife
on Sept. 25, 1862.
“Darling, my heart turns to you with a love
so great that pain flows in its wake. You can-
not understand this, my beautiful, bright-
eyed, sunny-hearted princess. Your face is
the sweetest face in all the world, mirroring,
as it does, all that is pure and unselfish, and
I must not cast a shadow over it by the fears
that come to me, in spite of myself. No, a
soldier should not know fear of any kind.
I must fight and plan and hope, and you
must pray. Pray for a realization of all our
beautiful dreams, sitting beside our own
hearthstone in our own home—you and
I, you my goddess of devotion, and I your
devoted slave. May God in his mercy spare
my life and make it worthy of you!
Your soldier”
Jessica James is an award-winning author
of historical fiction, women’s fiction,
and suspense/thrillers, whose passions
include history and travel. When not
writing books, she enjoys wandering the
backroads of America and blogging about
our nation’s almost-forgotten past at
PastLaneTravels.com

COURTESY OF DUSTIN BASS

Pulling Back the served valiantly for their coun-

try and for the cause of free-

Curtain on the
dom. From Korea to Vietnam
to Serbia to Iraq to Afghanistan

Unsung Heroes
Continued from B1
He had his front teeth knocked
out by German soldiers dis-
guised in American uniforms,
shortly before he shot both of
them.
He interacted personally
with Gen. George Patton in
order to obtain much-need-
ed trucks for the crossing of
the Rhine River. He was there
when the First Army attacked,
liberated, and ventured into a
Nazi underground facility in
the Harz Mountains. He expe-
rienced the results of the Hit-
lerjugend (the Hitler Youth),
where young boys were given
guns and, as he put it, were
told to “kill. Everything was
kill.” He helped liberate Jew-
ish people who were being
slaughtered in a small town.
He and his corps were on a
ship headed to Japan to con-
tinue the fight until the radio
announced Japan’s surrender.
The human elements of
courage, pain, heartbreak,
camaraderie, and horror can
hardly be found in a more
powerful setting than through
the stories of our war veterans.
They are the simplified, yet
complex versions of human-
ity’s plot: triumph and defeat.
It is war. As much as we hate
it, and as much as we fear its
arrival and are left grieving in
its wake, it is the most defining
of all fires.
It’s soldiers like Kaleel who
are called upon by their coun-
Veteran George Kaleel with the author, Dustin Bass.  sonalized experience. As I was
try to fight a war and to defeat
an enemy in the hopes of re-
storing peace, or something
at least resembling it. He is an
example of the willingness to
do what is needed. He is an ex-
ample of love of country. He is
an example of the unsung hero.
His job wasn’t on the front
lines. His job was to ensure
soldiers could reach those
front lines, that the wounded
could be taken to safety, and
that the supply lines didn’t run
dry. War is the great drama.
And at times, those behind the
scenes ensuring the drama
continues are unintentionally
overshadowed.
If one is willing to look
around, you will be able to
find men and women who have
to other places around the
globe and even here at home,
our men and women of uni-
form do have stories to tell. Sto-
ries of fear and courage, joy and
sorrow, triumph and defeat.
I have interviewed numer-
ous veterans of various ages,
including those in their 80s,
90s, and now 100s. The stories
differ in their perspectives, be-
cause war, regardless of size
and scale, is an incredibly per-
told shortly after Kaleel’s pass-
ing, it was enough to capture
his story. For many veterans,
it’s enough to simply pull back
the curtain and ask them to
tell theirs.
Dustin Bass is the co-host of
The Sons of History podcast
and the creator of the
Thinking It Through YouTube
channel. He is also an author.
B4 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021

AERIAL-MOTION/ SHUTTERSTOCK

Why Edith
Hamilton Feared
the Decline of
Individualism More
Than Atomic Bombs
The celebrated scholar Edith
Hamilton wanted the world to
rediscover the best of ancient
Greece—the appreciation of the
individual mind
LAWRENCE W. REED she maintained. “In a world where the irra-
tional had played the chief role, they came
“People hate being made to think,” the forward as the protagonists of the mind.”
educator and classical scholar Edith Ham- Elaborating on this point, she noted a re-
ilton (1867–1963) once said. Laziness of mind markable feature of the ancient culture of
is indeed easy to find, even more so today Athens:
than in her time. It shows up in vapid so- “The fundamental fact about the Greek
cial media posts, flippant political rhetoric, was that he had to use his mind. The ancient
superficial media coverage, knee-jerk but priest had said, ‘Thus far and no farther. We
sanctimonious opinions, and the wide- set the limits of thought.’ The Greeks said,
spread absence of critical thinking skills. ‘All things are to be examined and called
It’s everywhere. into question. There are no limits set on
People who don’t think are vulnerable to thought’ ... To rejoice in life, to find the A statue of Athena stands in front of the Academy of Athens in Athens, Greece.
those who do, especially to those who think world beautiful and delightful to live in,
constantly about how to use others for nefar- was a mark of the Greek spirit which dis- “There is no worse enemy to a state than
ious purposes. Dictators and demagogues tinguished it from all that had gone before.” he who keeps the law in his own hands.”
strongly prefer compliant, sycophantic sub- Because the ancient Greeks loved the The freedom they enjoyed “Theories that go counter to the facts of
jects over thoughtful, independent, free- mind and respected the individual, they human nature are foredoomed.”
spirited types. created a civilization unlike any other at stood out in a world of “A man without fear cannot be a slave.”
Laziness of mind rarely if ever made an the time. The freedom they enjoyed stood tyrants and tyranny. “Fundamental to everything the [ancient]
appearance in the long life and remarkable out in a world of tyrants and tyranny. A few Greeks achieved was their conviction that
work of Hamilton. She celebrated the mind. hundred miles to the south, the “great” civi- good for humanity was possible only if men
She thought it was shameful to let one go to lization of Egypt was a very unhappy place she was rich, she was very poor; not even were free—body, mind, and spirit—and if
waste. In her view, “mind and spirit together by contrast. As Hamilton explained: because she was wonderfully gifted. She each man limited his own freedom. A good
make up that which separates us from the “The Greeks were the first people in the rose because there was in the Greeks the state or work of art or piece of thinking was
rest of the animal world, that which enables world to play, and they played on a great greatest spirit that moves in humanity, the possible only through the self-mastery of
a man to know the truth, and that which scale. All over Greece there were games, spirit that makes men free.” the free individual, self-government ... Lib-
enables him to die for the all sorts of games; ath- To Hamilton, the mind was each individ- erty depends on self-restraint.”
PUBLIC DOMAIN
truth.” letic contests of every de- ual human being’s most unique and pre- “In Greece, there was no dominating
In her last three de- scription: races—horse-, cious possession. She would be horrified by church or creed, but there was a domi-
cades, she put her own boat-, foot-, torch-races; the notion of “the Borg” in the “Star Trek” nating ideal, which everyone would want
mind to reawakening contests in music, where fictional universe. It postulated a single to pursue if he caught sight of it. Different
popular interest in the one side out-sung the “hive mind” to which humans would be men saw it differently. It was one thing to
great thinkers of the an- other; in dancing—on subordinate and obedient. To her, the fact the artist, another to the warrior. Excel-
cient past—and in that greased skins sometimes that we each have a mind of our own leads lence is the nearest equivalent we have
noble effort, this home- to display a nice skill of to one inescapable conclusion—namely, for the word they used for it, but it meant
schooled prodigy indis- foot and balance of body; that to be fully human, we must be both more than that. It was the utmost perfec-
putably succeeded. games where men leaped free and responsible. She was a stalwart tion possible; the very best and highest a
Born in Dresden, Ger- in and out of flying chari- friend of the individual—his mind, his man could attain to which when perceived
many, to American par- ots; games so many one rights, and his freedom. always has a compelling authority. A man
ents, she grew up in Ft. grows weary with the list When she died at 95 in 1963, The New must strive to attain it.”
Wayne, Indiana. Her of them ... York Times published a glowing obituary. “What the people wanted was a govern-
mother and father desired the best Scholar and “If we had no other knowledge of One quote in particular that the obituary ment which would provide a comfortable
education for their five children. author Edith what the Greeks were like, if nothing author provided indicated that she was life for them, and with this as the fore-
They quickly realized that it wasn’t to Hamilton. were left of Greek art and literature, worried that the free societies of the 20th most object ideas of freedom and self-
be found in the public schools. Edith the fact that they were in love with century were losing the Greek spirit of in- reliance and service to the community
and her three sisters and one brother were play and played magnificently would be dividualism. were obscured to the point of disappear-
all homeschooled, and each one went on proof enough of how they lived and how “That frightens me much more than ing. Athens was more and more looked
to become an accomplished professional. they looked at life. Wretched people, toiling sputniks and atomic bombs,” she opined. on as a co-operative business, possessed
Alice, for instance, achieved prominence people, do not play. Nothing like the Greek “Greeks thought each human being dif- of great wealth, in which all citizens had
as an authority in industrial toxicology and games is conceivable in Egypt or Mesopota- ferent, and I take a lot of comfort in the a right to share ... Athens had reached the
was the first female appointed to a faculty mia. The life of the Egyptian lies spread out fact that my fingerprints are different from point of rejecting independence, and the
post at Harvard University. Norah was a pio- in the mural paintings down to the minutest anybody else’s.” freedom she now wanted was freedom
neer in art education for underprivileged detail. If fun and sport had played any real I’m certain she would detest today’s from responsibility. There could be only
children at Hull House in Chicago and in part they would be there in some form for groupthink, cancel culture, and political one result ... If men insisted on being free
New York City. Margaret was an eminent us to see. But the Egyptian did not play.” correctness as much as she would the fic- from the burden of a life that was self-
educator and biochemist. Arthur was an At age 90, Hamilton was honored in tional “Borg.” dependent and also responsible for the
author, professor of Spanish, and assistant Greece’s capital as an honorary citizen of Hamilton wanted the world to rediscover common good, they would cease to be free
dean for foreign students at the University Athens. She described it in her acceptance the best of ancient Greece—the apprecia- at all. Responsibility was the price every
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Edith speech as “the proudest moment of my tion of the individual mind and the criti- man must pay for freedom. It was to be
earned honorary doctorates from Yale, the life.” Receiving thunderous applause in the cal need for people to be as free as possible had on no other terms.”
University of Rochester, and the University shadow of the Acropolis, she spoke without so they can put it to use. She was ancient “When the world is storm-driven and
of Pennsylvania. Whoever said homeschool- notes of the city she loved as well as any in Greece’s most popular 20th-century cheer- bad things happen, then we need to know
ers aren’t properly educated or “socialized” America: leader when she focused on its greatness; all the strong fortresses of the spirit which
never met the Hamiltons (or any of the many “Athens is truly the mother of beauty and she was its most trenchant critic when she men have built through the ages.”
homeschool families I’ve known). of thought [and] is also the mother of free- zeroed in on the reasons it declined and fell.
Hamilton served for 26 years in various dom. Freedom was a Greek discovery. The Allow me to close with a selection of For Additional Information, See:
capacities, including head administrator, Greeks were the first free nation in the world additional insights from Hamilton. They “Edith Hamilton: An Intimate Portrait” by
for the Bryn Mawr School, a college pre- ... Greece rose to the very height not because resonate with vital truths we need to re- Doris Fielding Reid
paratory institution for girls in Baltimore, she was big, she was very small; not because learn today: “Edith Hamilton” in Encyclopedia.com
Maryland. After retiring in her mid-50s in PUBLIC DOMAIN
1922, she decided to start a new career as a Lawrence W. Reed is FEE’s president
writer, one that would allow her to explore emeritus, Humphreys Family senior
a lifelong passion for ancient Greece. fellow, and Ron Manners global ambas-
Her first book, “The Greek Way,” appeared sador for liberty, having served for nearly
in 1930 when she was 62. Over the next three 11 years as FEE’s president (2008–2019).
decades, she would earn a worldwide repu- He is the author of the 2020 book, “Was
tation as an authority on the ancients. “The Jesus a Socialist?” as well as “Real He-
Greek Way” was a huge success, as were her roes: Incredible True Stories of Courage,
later books such as “The Roman Way” (1932), Character, and Conviction” and “Excuse
“The Prophets of Israel” (1936), and “Mythol- Me, Professor: Challenging the Myths of
ogy: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes” Progressivism.”
(1942). By 1957, nearly 5 million copies of
“Mythology” alone had been sold. His website is LawrenceWReed.com
She loved the ancient Greeks because, like
her, they loved the mind of the individual. This article was originally
“The Greeks were the first intellectualists,” Edith Hamilton (L) and her sisters Alice, Margaret and Norah. published on FEE.org
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 B5

The Murph Challenge: A Memorial Day Tribute to the Fallen

COURTESY OF MICHAEL SAUERS

ANDREW THOMAS worked on how to promote the challenge Michael

and prepare participants for it. Since 2014, Sauers (L)
Every Memorial Day, fitness enthusiasts FORGED has garnered more than $1.25 and actor
and newcomers around the country and million from the challenge for the founda- Chris Pratt
across the globe prepare to honor fallen tion, which has sponsored 33 scholarships (R) promote
The Murph
Navy SEAL Michael P. Murphy and many this year alone. In total, since 2007, the Challenge.
others who have made the ultimate sac- foundation has sponsored more than 400 (Courtesy
rifice by completing “The Murph Chal- scholarships. Every year, the challenge of Michael
lenge.” The grueling workout consists of a is able to raise enough to sponsor one or Sauers)
one-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, two more.
300 squats, and another one-mile run. “Michael’s favorite saying was ‘Educa-
Murphy originally dubbed the workout tion will set you free,’” Dan Murphy ex-
“Body Armor” as he executed the rou- plained. “Education removes superstition,
tine with a 20-pound protective vest. He prejudice, rumor mongering. He said edu-
developed the workout as a functional cation brings us together as a people—all
routine that was practical for his work Americans.”
as a SEAL. While his average time was Since 2014, FORGED and the CrossFit
between 32 and 34 minutes, his best time community have expanded the tradi-
was reportedly just over 28 minutes. The tion across the country and the world.
workout would prove Actor Taylor Kitsch,
invaluable in the who played Murphy
treacherous mountains in “Lone Survivor” has COURTESY OF DAN MURPHY
of Afghanistan. promoted the workout uncles, and cousins have served in the
Murph would have and made it a staple in military, and attempting the workout was
Operation Red Wings fitness culture. Other her way of showing appreciation for the
On June 28, 2005, Mur- been the guy who inf luential athletes service.
phy and three other finished, wouldn’t and celebrities, includ- “The whole never quit, never give up, and
SEALs, Matthew Axel- ing Dwayne “The Rock” never out of the fight kind of thing really
son, Danny Dietz, and even have made a Johnson, have further hit home,” Gilroy said.
Marcus Luttrell, were
on a reconnaissance
big deal about it, and popularized the event.
Every Memorial Day
After completing the workout for the first
time, Gilroy was exhausted. But she’s kept
mission, code name he would’ve helped weekend, Dan Murphy at it, and she tends to do the challenge
Operation Red Wings, travels throughout his multiple times per year. Over the past year
in eastern Afghanistan. all of the other Long Island community Dan Murphy during the pandemic, she’s done the work-
But when they were and beyond to promote established the out four times. This year, she’ll be adding
discovered by unarmed
people who were the challenge, but also LT. Michael P. the weighted vest.
Murphy Memorial
locals, their mission be- struggling. to tell participants
Scholarship
“I don’t care if it COURTESY OF DAN MURPHY
came compromised. about his son’s story. Foundation in takes me three days.
The SEAL team let them Michael Sauers, co-founder, “What I always try I’ll just do it until I’m
the aftermath of
go, knowing that they The Murph Challenge to instill in my com- done,” Gilroy said.
Operation Red
would most likely in- ments to everybody is Wings. Joe Romano is the
form the Taliban of their presence. that when they’re doing this, the idea is to owner of Mission Fit-
As the three SEALs attempted to return think about all those fallen heroes, includ- ness in Livingston,
to base, scores of Taliban fighters reached ing Mike, who sacrificed for our freedom,” New Jersey, where Gil-
their position, and a firefight ensued. The Dan Murphy said. roy exercises and per-
unforgiving terrain made it impossible to While participants try to complete forms the challenge.
get a connection to call for a quick reaction the challenge as fast as they can, Sauers It just He learned about
force to come to their aid. stressed how the event isn’t about getting reminds The Murph when he
Murphy, having already been gravely the best time. The challenge isn’t a com- started doing Cross-
wounded, left his covered position and petition, but rather a way to honor Mur- me how Fit in 2009 and hosts
went out into the open to get a signal. As phy and the many others who have been the event every Memorial Day at his gym. LT. Michael
he exposed himself to enemy fire, he was killed in combat. And while the workout privileged, “It just reminds me how privileged, P. Murphy
able to call for assistance before being shot is intense, Sauers encourages everyone grateful, and grateful, and thankful I am to live in this created the
again. He returned to cover, and contin- to participate even if they have to modify country. There are men and women out Body Armor
ued to fight until he was killed. Only Lut- the routine. thankful I there that throughout our history have workout. Now,
trell would survive the battle. “Murph would have been the guy who sacrificed everything for us to be able to do it’s called The
finished, wouldn’t even have made a big
am to live in a Murph, to be free,” Romano explained. Murph in his
honor and
The Murph Challenge deal about it, and he would’ve helped all of this country. Romano has tremendous respect for the
memory.
Years later, Michael Murphy’s father, Dan the other people who were struggling, and military, and he wanted to be able to pay
Murphy, approached former SEAL Mi- he would’ve motivated them and helped Joe Romano, owner, tribute to Murphy and so many others who
chael Sauers regarding the LT. Michael them go through the Murph Challenge,” Mission Fitness have died for our way of life. He’s been
P. Murphy Memorial Scholarship Foun- Sauers explained. hosting the event at his gym since 2014.
dation that was established in the after- Like Sauers, Romano tells his members
math of Operation Red Wings. Sauers, the Participants that the event isn’t about getting a stellar
founder of FORGED, an apparel company, Liz Gilroy, 52, of East Hanover, New Jer- time. The challenge on Memorial Day is
served on active duty for 13 years and sev- sey, has completed the workout multiple about teamwork.
en years as an instructor and had crossed times. She first learned about “The Murph” “That’s really the essence of Michael
paths with Murphy several times through- in 2012 from FORGED, and she had read Murphy, what he did for his teammates,
out his service. both Luttrell’s “Lone Survivor” and Gary and just how that organization operates.
Dan Murphy knew about Sauers’s work Williams’s biography on Murphy entitled They all rely on each other,” Romano said.
with the veteran community, and they “SEAL of Honor.” After a little bit of re-
discussed a fitness fundraiser for the search, the CrossFit enthusiast was drawn To register for the challenge and find out
foundation—the Murph Challenge. They to the challenge. Many of her brothers, more, visit TheMurphChallenge.com

The Kindness of a Stranger
Mom of young boy with autism grateful to passerby ‘hero’
JENNI JULANDER
When a little boy with autism had a
meltdown in public with his mom, the
anguished episode wasn’t unexpected—
she’d learned to live with them.
What was unexpected, though, was the
kindness shown from a “total stranger”
that day. She later retold the story in
a Facebook post, while thanking the
stranger for his action.
The post went viral,  garnering more
than 96,000 likes and 34,000 shares.
The UK mom, Natalie Fernando, 44,
said the whole day had just been “too
much” for the both of them.
She and her 5-year-old son Rudy had
been out for a walk when his tantrum
hit. She quickly began to wonder if the
meltdown was about to turn into an
hour-long fit or something worse.
Exacerbating the situation, disapprov-
al from passersby flustered the mom,
making it harder for her to handle the
situation, as she explained in her Face-
book post.
“Rudy and I were being tutted at stared
at and frowned at by a woman and a man
with a 2-year-old in a pram trying to sleep
despite me apologizing for my son’s loud
noises,” she wrote on April 12. “Hence the
walk along the seafront so I can let him
express himself outdoors, short from gag-
ging him I’m not sure of an alternative.”
Then, a total stranger came along, a
man Natalie is now calling her “hero.”
“He asked my little Roo what his name
was,” the grateful mom wrote, “and when
I explained he didn’t really understand
and that he is autistic and has a host of
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF BETTER TO BE DIFFERENT
other challenges making this part of the
walk difficult he said, ‘That’s cool, I’ll lay
down with him.’”
And that’s exactly what the man, Ian
Shelley, did.
It’s said a lot at the
moment, ‘in a world
where you can be
anything be kind.’ Words
are easy, these actions are
not always so easy.
Natalie Fernando
Ian Shelley with 5-year-old Rudy.
Natalie explained in her post, “This
man, a total stranger, saved me today
from either a meltdown lasting up to an
hour or the alternative which is usually a
bit of a beating from my boy who totally
loses himself when he has a meltdown
and can become very aggressive.”
“This man, a total stranger, took time out
of his day to just chat and ask if I was ok.”
But he didn’t stop there. He even went
so far as to walk them back to their car
and make sure they made it on their way.
Natalie Fernando with son Rudy.
“This man, a total stranger, was my hero
this morning and after laying with Roo
then walked Rudy and I all the way back
to our car,” she wrote.
As she explained in her heartfelt “thank
you” post on Facebook, Rudy loves to go
out for walks. However, he hates turning
around to go back, a situation that can
bring on fits of anger.
Usually, Natalie chooses routes that
don’t require turning around. But one of
his favorite walks, which goes past the
boats near Southend-on-Sea, requires
doing so.
She says Ian’s kindness saved her that day.
“It’s said a lot at the moment, ‘in a world
where you can be anything be kind,’”
Natalie wrote. “Words are easy, these ac-
tions are not always so easy. This man is
living the words and I couldn’t be more
grateful.”
Her Facebook post quickly went viral,
with users calling Ian a “star,” his ac-
tions “kind” and “lovely.”
“There needs to be billions of Ians on
the planet,” one user commented.
“Grateful for this story and for the Ians
of the world,” said another.
Natalie’s thank-you serves as a re-
minder to parents not to judge a situ-
ation before you know what’s going on.
“If you see a parent struggling, maybe
take the time to say, ‘Are you ok?’” she
wrote. “Don’t judge the parenting, try
not to judge the child, just be kind.”
Share your stories with us at emg.
inspired@epochtimes.com, and get
your daily dose of inspiration by
signing up for the Epoch Inspired
newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/
newsletter
B6 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHAR FONTAN WESTFALL

waiting to start a family until Fontan re-

Navy SEAL Widow turned home.

Just five months following Fontan’s death,
Westfall attended her brother’s wedding.

Learns How to Grieve Fontan was supposed to be a groomsman.

When Fontan’s team returned from de-
ployment in Afghanistan, Westfall wit-
nessed her friends welcoming their hus-

and Live Again bands home. She felt utterly alone, but a
friend from her parents’ Bible group down
the road befriended her. He was someone
she could always depend on; she could call
him when the grief became unbearable,
ANDREW THOMAS and he would check in on her regularly.

W
hen our country’s ser-
vice members are killed
in action, they aren’t
alone in making the
ultimate sacrifice. Their
families also bear the burden. Char Fontan
Westfall continues to carry the loss of her
late husband Navy SEAL Jacques Fontan,
but she’s learned how to grieve and how
to live again.
Westfall met Fontan when he was serving
at the Navy base in Jacksonville, Florida,
as a rescue swimmer instructor in 1996.
She was home from college that summer
working as a lifeguard and swim coach,
and their paths crossed almost daily.
“He was an absolutely wonderful man. He
was funny, very into his family, his friends,
very loyal, loved sports—I have never seen
or heard a man who could recite so many
facts about all different sports teams, not
just the teams he liked but across the board
in general. It was crazy,” Westfall said.
Fontan pursued his dream of becoming
a Navy SEAL as Westfall finished her last
year of college. After he proposed to her,
she moved to Coronado, California, to be
with him, and the two married in 2000. She
was very much in love but wasn’t initially
aware of the challenges of being married
to a SEAL. He traveled often and could be
called away at a moment’s notice. When he
was on deployment, communication and
contact were limited.
Char Fontan
Westfall struggled
with grief and her
faith in God following
her husband’s death.
Getting the News
Westfall worked as a private tutor for an
autistic child, and she would take him out
as part of their lessons. One evening when
they were out having dinner, she noticed
a story on television about a helicopter
that had been shot down in Afghanistan,
and that it was unlikely that anyone had
survived.
“I remember thinking: ‘Oh my gosh.
That’s so sad. Let me pray for those fami-
lies,’” Westfall recalled.
As Westfall drove home that evening,
she received a call from a friend and fel-
low SEAL wife telling her she was trying
to get as much information as she could
about the incident. Westfall immediately
thought back to the news footage she had
seen earlier at the restaurant and felt some-
thing visceral in her stomach.
The next day, she heard that those who
had been killed were part of SEAL Team 10,
her husband’s unit. She was used to hosting
a weekly dinner that night, and her friends
Westfall with her began arriving earlier than usual.
current husband and She went to the garage with one of her
their three children. friend’s husbands to get some charcoal for
the grill when they heard car doors slam
shut outside. They turned and saw three
men in full Navy uniform walking toward
them. The men asked everyone to leave
and informed her that Fontan was miss-
ing in action.
She asked if there was a possibility that he
was still alive but couldn’t get an answer.
The next day, they confirmed he had been
killed in action when his helicopter was
shot down trying to rescue his fellow SEALs
during Operation Red Wings. The mission
was made famous by the book and later
the film “Lone Survivor,” by Navy SEAL
Marcus Luttrell.
“It was definitely rough. I had a feeling
leading up to it once the information start-
ed coming in, but it’s still just not some-
thing you want to fully believe until they
actually tell you,” Westfall said.
Learning to Grieve
The year following Fontan’s death was
a tumultuous one. They had sold their
house and moved back to Florida, and
were in the process of buying a new home
for their future family. They had been
Yet she was still traumatized and began
to question her faith.
“I grew increasingly angry with God in
that first year, too, just because I didn’t un-
derstand,” Westfall said.
Westfall wished that someone would crash
into her car to make all of the pain stop.
Her friend encouraged her to join him
at church, but she would sit there in anger
with her fists clenched during the service.
But as she continued to go to church, her
rage dissipated little by little, and she began
speaking with her pastor who directed her
to a Christian counselor.
She was very much in
love but wasn’t initially
aware of the challenges of
being married to a SEAL.
At first, she was skeptical about how
talking with a counselor would help. How
could they tell her anything that she didn’t
already know? But once she discovered
that talking through her various emotions
was helping her heal, she began to value the
counseling. She realized that there was no
handbook for grief and gradually learned
how to cope with her emotions.
Over time, she learned to love God again.
She also found love and happiness again
when she started dating her friend. The two
are now married and have three children.
He is respectful, supportive, and attuned
to her past.
“I can definitely look back and see where
God was just there for me the whole time,”
Westfall said.
Helping Others
Honoring her late husband, she has contin-
ued to live her life and give back. Westfall
now works with the Special Ops Survivor
Foundation, the Lone Survivor Founda-
tion, the Boot Campaign, and Team Never
Quit. She also speaks with other spouses of
fallen service members and shares her story
to help them heal and encourages them
to keep living. The process has helped her
heal as well, and in an effort to expand her
mission she wrote the book “A Beautiful
Tragedy: A Navy SEAL Widow’s Permission
to Grieve and a Prescription for Hope.”
“Just being able to give back in Jacque’s
memory to me feels like I’m keeping his
memory alive,” Westfall said.

DEAR NEXT GENERATION

‘Look for Simple Interactions Where You Can Create

a Wonderful Memory for Someone’
« Advice from our readers
to our young people
Dear next generation,
You can make a positive difference to peo-
ple every day. Look for simple interactions
where you can create a wonderful memory
for someone.
When a school year or semester is over,
take 30 seconds to thank your favorite
teacher for their work. When you leave a
coffee shop, take 10 seconds to thank a
barista who has made a great latte or given
excellent service. When someone makes
the stupidest driving decision ever, disrupt-
ing your drive, smile, shrug your shoulders,
and wave (five fingers). If you read some-
thing you liked, or learned from, write or
email the person who wrote it a thank you.
Over the decades, I’ve seen neighbors
working on big yard projects. I will pull
over, roll down the window, and say: “Wow,
you’re doing a lot of work, but it’s paying
off. It really looks fantastic.” The smile you
receive will light up your day.
Now that I am older and have a few more
pennies, I will give money or gifts to people
at times. Last week, I bought a bouquet of
flowers for the doctor who gave me my
COVID shot, saying thank you. Twice a
year, I will stop where someone has been
regularly twirling a sign for some business.
I will hand them $20, tell them I admire
their work habits and know that they will
be successful in the years ahead. Then I
usually have to lift their jaw off the ground.
When a school year
or semester is over,
take 30 seconds to
thank your favorite
teacher for their work.
Saying to someone something like “Hey,
that blue shirt really looks good on you” can
really improve someone’s day.
I like to check out items at antique malls. A
few years ago, I got my coffee at the same place
every day, so I got to know some of the baris-
tas. One of them was an avid horse rider, per-
forming at shows and the like. I saw a small,
unique (and cheap) horse item at a store one
day, and purchased it for her. When I got my
coffee the next day, she wasn’t working, so I
asked someone to put it in her box. Sometime
in the future, as I pulled up to the drive-up
window, she was there, and she just lit up.
“You have no idea how much I appreci-
ated your gift,” she said. “I was having the
worst day and came to work with a horrible
attitude. When I saw your present, my day
turned around 180 degrees.” By that time,
I had honestly forgotten that I had given
her something.
When you get the mindset of looking for
opportunities to make a positive difference
in people’s lives, one can find countless op-
portunities that don’t cost any money, oppor-
tunities that will really mean a lot to people.
—Tom Tangen, Washington
Dear next generation,
As a professor, I try to instill in my students
the profound impact of work experience in
helping to shape work ethic in the class-
room and in the field. Often enough, stu-
dents get too caught up in their grades or
grade point averages and fail to realize that
experience matters when they apply for
jobs after graduation.
Whether it be volunteering or paid ser-
vice, there is no substitute for “real-world
experience” as it serves to instill confidence
in the individual and gives them a sense
of purpose.
All the best,
Dr. Stephen P. Sowulewski, Virginia
What advice would you like to
give to the younger generations?
We call on all of our readers to share the
timeless values that define right and
wrong, and pass the torch, if you will,
through your wisdom and hard-earned
experience. We feel that the passing down
of this wisdom has diminished over time,
and that only with a strong moral founda-
tion can future generations thrive.
Send your advice, along with your full name,
state, and contact information to NextGen-
eration@epochtimes.com or mail it to:
Next Generation, The Epoch Times, 229
W. 28th St., Floor 7, New York, NY 10001
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 B7
ROBERT NAPIORKOWSKI/SHUTTERSTOCK

The Brazilian town of Ouro Preto originated in the 17th century, when in 1693 gold was discovered in the region. Most of the town’s architecture reflects its colonial Portuguese heritage.
TETRAKTYS/CC BY-SA 3.0

LARGER THAN LIFE: ART THAT INSPIRES US THROUGH THE AGES

One of the Seven Wonders of

Portuguese Architecture: Brazil’s
Church of St. Francis of Assisi FILIPO TARDIM/CC BY-SA 4.0

The former gold-mining town of Brazil’s
Ouro Preto is rich in Portuguese architec-
tural treasures. The remote and rugged
hillside town was built in the late 17th cen-
tury, after gold was discovered in the region
in 1693. At the height of the region’s gold
rush, 60 percent of the world’s gold came
from Ouro Preto, but by the 19th century
the gold had been exhausted.
One aspect of Ouro Preto’s rich heritage
that still remains is its remarkable colonial
buildings. The town is now a city and is it-
self on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
And in 2010, the Portuguese government
compiled a list of the Seven Wonders of
Portuguese Origin in the World. The list of
significant landmarks, limited to the Portu-
guese Empire (1415–1999), includes one of
Ouro Preto’s churches: St. Francis of Assisi.
Famous Brazilian architect and sculp-
tor Antonio Francisco Lisboa, commonly
known as Aleijadinho, designed the build-
ing and carved the decorative art inside the
Baroque church.
According to UNESCO, Aleijadinho
and the Baroque-Rococo painter Mestre
Ataíde (formerly known as Manuel da
Costa Athaíde), who created the church’s
T PHOTOGRAPHY/SHUTTERSTOCK
painted ceiling, were some of the first art-
ists in Brazil to develop a genuine national
style of art. This style developed partly out
of necessity because of the shortage of la-
bor and materials due to the town’s remote
location.
The church consists of two circular bell
towers and one entrance, above which are
sculptural reliefs carved in soapstone. In-
side, Aleijadinho’s ornate wood carvings
and Ataíde’s painting “Glorification of Our
Lady Among Musician Angels” in which
his depictions reflect locals, evoke a most
serene and sacred atmosphere.
TETRAKTYS/CC BY -SA 3.0

(Top) Above
the church
entrance, St.
Francis of
Assisi receives
the stigmata, in
this vivid soap-
stone sculp-
tural relief.
(Above) A
statue of the
French king
St. Louis, the
co-patron of
the Third Order
of St. Francis
of Assisi, in
which lay wor-
shipers commit
themselves to
living the Gos-
pel according
to St. Francis’s
teachings with-
out having to
take the cloth.

(Far left) The

harmonious
church interior
creates a rever-
ent atmosphere.
(Left) Baroque-
Rococo painter
Mestre Ataíde
created the
wonderful
“Glorification
of Our Lady
Among Musi-
cian Angels”
on the church’s
wooden ceiling.
B8
Building on Tradition:
‘Winding the Skein’
“Winding the Skein,” circa 1878, by Frederic Leighton. Oil on canvas, 39.4 inches by 63.5 inches. Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
ERIC BESS
T
here’s always a place for the
beauty, care, and respect
found in traditional culture.
We can search for it and
find a way to bring it into
the future so that the generations
after us have a foundation on which
they can build.
The 19th-century British painter
Frederic Leighton inspired me to
deeply think about tradition with his
painting “Winding the Skein.”
‘Winding the Skein’
In Leighton’s “Winding the Skein,”
we see two figures winding yarn into
a ball. The figure on the left is older
than the figure on the right and gives
off a motherly impression. We will call
the figure on the left the mother and
the figure on the right her daughter.
The mother is dressed in simple,
white, classical clothing, and she sits
on a small bench. To her right is a
basket of different colored yarns. She
looks at the reddish yarn between her
two hands, which she holds for her
daughter.
Her daughter, dressed in a white
top and a reddish skirt, pulls the yarn
from her mother’s hands and winds it
into the ball she holds. By her feet are
other finished balls of yarn, which
reveals that these two have been
working for awhile.
The mother and daughter are work-
ing as a team on a balcony. There
are steps that begin to the right of
the daughter. The two work in front
of a mountainous seascape, under a
cloudy but bright sky.
So what exactly might this mean?
What meaning may we interpret for
our lives today?
Building on Tradition
With Care and Respect
As an artist, one of the first things
that stands out to me is the care with
which the mother looks at the yarn
she holds. The look on her face de-
notes a certain level of respect for her
craft, which translates into expertise,
for I presume this craft is something
that she has taught or is teaching her
daughter.
This makes me think that expertise
cannot happen without deep care
and respect for the craft, whatever
REACHING WITHIN:
WHAT TRADITIONAL ART OFFERS THE HEART
that craft may be. We can take this
attitude into our homes and our
workplaces so that we too may ap-
proach life and work with the care
and respect that it deserves.
With that said, this painting also
makes me think that not only are
traditional crafts passed on from gen-
eration to generation, but this type of
attitude or way of thinking can also
be transmitted, and the relation-
ship between craft and mindset can
constitute what we call culture.  Thus,
it is culture that can be passed from
generation to generation.
Does the yarn potentially repre-
sent the transmission of traditional
culture? The mother, representing
tradition in her classical dress, passes
the yarn to her daughter. The daugh-
ter winds the yarn into a ball, which
will be used later to create textiles.
Textiles are a form of creation:
They are used to create clothes,
tablecloths, bedding, and so on. If
the daughter represents the younger
generation, is it the case that the
source of the daughter’s creativity is
the mother, that is, tradition?
Interestingly enough, the daugh-
ter’s skirt is the color of the yarn she
winds, as if that yarn was used at
some point to create the skirt she
now wears. Does this suggest that
the younger generations can adorn
themselves and the culture they
inherit with the beautiful crafts and
attitudes found in tradition?
If so, how does this transfer of beau-
ty, care, and respect occur? How does
the younger generation bring forth
the beauty, care, and respect of old?
The mother looks with care and
respect at the yarn, which represents
culture, but the daughter looks in-
tently at her mother. The mother, no
longer a child and now an expert in
her craft, fulfills the role of caring for
culture. In a way, caring for culture is
caring for her daughter.
But the daughter, looking at her
mother, must recognize her mother’s
efforts. The daughter must be willing
to learn from her mother, to take in
the wisdom and experience garnered
by her. The younger generations must
be willing to learn from the successes
and failures of the prior generations;
the younger generation must be will-
ing to learn from tradition.
The two generations must work to-
How does
the younger
generation bring
forth the beauty,
care, and respect
of old?
The traditional arts often
contain spiritual represen-
tations and symbols the
meanings of which can be
lost to our modern minds.
In our series “Reaching
Within: What Traditional
Art Offers the Heart,” we
interpret visual arts in
ways that may be morally
insightful for us today. We
do not assume to provide
absolute answers to ques-
tions generations have
wrestled with, but hope
that our questions will
inspire a reflective journey
toward our becoming more
authentic, compassionate,
and courageous human
beings.
Eric Bess is a practicing
representational artist and
is a doctoral candidate at
the Institute for Doctoral
Studies in the Visual Arts
(IDSVA).
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
PUBLIC DOMAIN
gether. They must work in harmony.
The two figures are harmonized not
only with each other but also with the
mountainous seascape behind them.
Even the yarn that hangs between
them flows in tandem with the ledge
of the balcony, the body of land be-
hind them, and the horizon line.
The beauty, care, and respect
brought forth by tradition harmo-
nizes the generations with each other
and with nature. Thus, the landscape
might also represent the space upon
which the younger generation will
integrate its inherited culture.
This does not mean that the daugh-
ter will only do what the mother
teaches; this does not mean that
the younger generation will have its
creativity stifled by the rules of tradi-
tion. If anything, the foundation of
tradition allows for different forms of
expression, hence the different color
and design of the daughter’s skirt.
Tradition can be used to elevate the
younger generation into something
more beautiful, more caring, and
more respectful than the previous
generation. Is this why the steps are
behind the daughter? It’s as if the
daughter can take the information
she’s learned from her mother, turn
around at any moment, and walk up
the steps behind her.
But walking up the steps behind her
suggests that the daughter may have
to turn away from her mother, that is,
turn away from tradition.
This doesn’t mean that the daugh-
ter denies tradition as a whole, but
maybe it suggests that it is also the
younger generation’s responsibility to
leave behind anything that is destruc-
tive. Just because something has been
done for a long time doesn’t mean
there isn’t a better way of doing it.
So, I can imagine the daughter
learning all there is to learn about
winding the skein until she masters
it herself. She too comes to approach
her craft with the care and respect
it deserves, and through care and
respect, she builds on the tradition
passed to her, helping to create in its
stead a culture even more beautiful.
She turns around and walks up
those steps to another platform where
she, as an adult in her white top and
reddish skirt, sits on a bench to teach
her children a tradition they can
hopefully build on.
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
TRADITIONAL CULTURE
Recurrents: The Story of Faust Through History
STEPHEN OLES
In the rich tapestry of Western civilization,
certain themes and stories keep recurring.
They mark our culture’s continuity as each
generation finds new meaning in them.
From the Middle Ages to the present,
the legend of Faust has never gone away.
It speaks to people in every time and place.
Why? Perhaps because each of us faces the
same choice: to live for worldly rewards like
money, pleasure, or fame, or to dedicate
ourselves to higher, more selfless goals.
The Faust story, echoing Christ’s temp-
tation in the desert and the ancient cau-
tionary tales of Prometheus and Icarus,
symbolizes this eternal human struggle.
There actually was a Doctor Faust, a 16th-
century German astrologer whose dabbling
in magic got him banished from towns and
accused of selling his soul to the devil. Over
the years, so many legends grew up around
his name that it’s impossible now to sepa-
rate fact from fiction. His story became one
of the fundamental myths of the West.
Two Masterpieces
In 1587, an anonymous “Faust Book” was
published in Frankfurt Am Main, sup-
posedly stories from the doctor’s life but
mainly rumors and folk tales. Somehow
this got into the hands of Christopher Mar-
lowe, a brilliant young playwright born the
same year as Shakespeare, who turned the
stories into his masterpiece “The Tragical
History of Doctor Faustus.” Marlowe was
an enigma: He was accused of being a spy,
a ruffian, and an atheist before dying in a
knife fight at age 29.
From the Middle Ages to
the present, the legend
of Faust has never gone
away. It speaks to people
in every time and place.
Marlowe’s is the first known dramatiza-
tion of the story. His Faustus embodies the
Renaissance quest for knowledge through
science, but the character’s curiosity and
pride push him further— down the slip-
pery slope of witchcraft. Taking a cue from
medieval mystery plays, Marlowe gives
Faustus two angels, one good and one evil,
to advise him. Egged on by the bad angel,
Faust signs a blood pact with the demon
Mephistopheles, gaining supernatural
powers for 24 years at the cost of spend-
ing the rest of eternity in hell.
For years Faustus fritters away his pow-
ers, amusing aristocrats with conjuring
tricks and raising the gorgeous Helen of
Troy from the dead to be his lover. Marlowe
gives his damned hero some of the most
beautiful lines in English poetry:
Was this the face that launch’d a thousand
ships,
And burnt the topless towers of Ilium?
Sweet Helen, make me immortal with a kiss!
Her lips suck forth my soul—see where it
flies!
Come, Helen, come, give me my soul again!
Here will I dwell, for heaven is in these lips.
But heaven and immortality are not to be
found in Helen’s sweet caresses. Time runs
out for Faustus. He tries to repent, but it’s
too late. Mephistopheles and his demon
buddies drag him away to hell. Marlowe
“Faust,” circa 1652, by Rembrandt. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
denies his Faustus any hope of forgiveness
or redemption.
In 1808, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
published his own “Faust, Part One,” a po-
etic drama that many consider the crown
jewel of German literature. Goethe adds
a crucial new subplot: Faust’s pursuit of
Gretchen, an innocent village girl he se-
duces and abandons.
This version begins, like the Book of Job
does, with Satan betting God that he can
lead his faithful servant astray. Goethe’s
Mephistopheles tempts Faust by giving
him worldly wealth and power, unlike Job,
whom Satan tempts by taking them away.
As Goethe completed his “Faust” (“Part
Two” appeared in 1832), he changed his
mind about Faust and Gretchen’s ultimate
fates. Both are damned in an early draft,
but in Part Two, Faust is rescued by, of all
people, the girl he victimized. Pregnant
and alone, shunned by the people of her
village, Gretchen desperately drowns her
newborn. When Faust learns of her arrest
for murder, he tries to magically spring her
from prison, but she refuses, accepting the
punishment for her sin.
But that’s not the end. God, seeing Gretch-
en’s initial innocence and contrition, saves
her soul and she, in turn, intercedes on
behalf of Faust. Like Dante’s Beatrice, she
leads him, now redeemed by God’s mercy,
to paradise.
Quite a change from Marlowe, where the
wages of sin are death, period. For Goethe,
as for Dante, romantic love points us in
the direction of God’s love, but must be
transcended finally to get there.
After Goethe, authors as disparate as
Louisa May Alcott (“A Modern Mephis-
topheles”), Oscar Wilde (“The Picture of
PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 3
PUBLIC DOMAIN
Dorian Gray”), and Thomas Mann (“Doctor
Faustus”) produced their own variations
while Stephen Vincent Benét’s story “The
Devil and Daniel Webster,” memorably
filmed in 1941, transported the story to
America.
Face the Music
As the 19th century progressed, Faust
learned to sing. Goethe’s poem inspired
composers all across Europe. Franz
Schubert’s 1814 song “Gretchen am Spin-
nrade” (“Gretchen at Her Spinning Wheel”)
is famous, but Beethoven wrote a Faust
song even earlier.
Richard Wagner’s turbulent “Faust Over-
ture” (1840) was one-upped by his father-in-
law, Franz Liszt, whose marvelous “Faust
Symphony” (1854) has three movements,
one for each of the main characters: Faust,
Gretchen, and Mephistopheles.
The opera world really went crazy for
Faust. About 20 Faust-inspired operas
have appeared to date. The best-known
are Charles Gounod’s “Faust” (1859), for
decades the world’s most popular opera,
and Arrigo Boito’s “Mefistofele” (1868).
Hector Berlioz’s “La Damnation de Faust”
was poorly received on its debut in 1846,
but the reputation of this hybrid opera-
oratorio has risen since.
Faust inspired the classic American musi-
cal “Damn Yankees,” where a middle-aged
baseball fan sells his soul to the devil to
be transformed into a major league slug-
ger. A sultry female demon lures him to
the dark side with the hit song “Whatever
Lola Wants, Lola Gets.” But rest assured,
the devil (played on Broadway and in film
by Ray Walston of “My Favorite Martian”
fame) is foiled in the end.
PUBLIC DOMAIN
2 4. Title page of a 1620 edition of Christopher
RKO RADIO PRODUCTIONS
B9
In the Movies
The Faust story’s visual potential made it a
natural for the 20th century’s new art form,
motion pictures. As early as 1900, Thomas
Edison’s company released “Faust and Mar-
guerite,” a vignette only 57 seconds long! In
France, in 1904, Georges Méliès (“A Trip to
the Moon”) made his own 15-minute “Faust
and Marguerite.” It was his fourth crack at
the story—the first was in 1897.
The definitive cinematic Faust appeared
in 1926. Germany’s biggest film studio,
UFA, decided to celebrate its 10-year an-
niversary by letting its two leading direc-
tors make spectacular, no-expense-spared
epics. Fritz Lang made “Metropolis” and
F.W. Murnau made “Faust.”
Murnau’s “Faust” isn’t as well-known to-
day as his earlier, iconic “Nosferatu.” Con-
temporary critics found it too slow and too
stylized, but some called it the most beauti-
ful film ever made. Seen for decades only in
blurry dupes, the film was finally restored
to its former glory in 2015.
Throughout the 20th century, Faust ad-
aptations came thick and fast. New movie
versions, more or less faithful, issued from
France, Russia, Spain, Italy, Germany—
even, in 2019, from South Korea.
Updatings like “Bedazzled” (1967, remade
in 2000) and “Phantom of the Paradise” (1974)
found comedy in the story. Faust references
kept popping up in poetry, prose, and popular
music. Animated films, TV shows, graph-
ic novels, comics, and a seminal Japanese
manga retold the story for new generations.
Faust even entered the language. Trading
one’s moral integrity for short-term gain is a
“Faustian bargain.” Oswald Spengler used
“Faustian man” and “Faustian culture” to
describe a West he felt was selling its soul to
technology in return for unlimited knowl-
edge. And “Mephistophelean” is defined as
“showing the cunning, ingenuity, or wick-
edness typical of a devil.”
It’s been said that we are all Hamlet. We
are all Faust, too, constantly tempted to
violate our higher principles for the im-
mediate gratification of approval, success,
and all the other glittering prizes the world
has to offer. Goethe’s Faust had Gretchen to
put in a good word for him in heaven. We
may not be so lucky, so it’s up to us, every
day, to make the right choice.
Stephen Oles has worked as an inner-city
school teacher, writer, actor, singer, and
playwright. His plays have been per-
formed in London, Seattle, Los Angeles,
and Long Beach, Calif. He lives in Seattle
and is currently working on his second
novel.
PUBLIC DOMAIN
4
1. Duel scene from Act IV of Charles Gou-
nod’s opera “Faust,” from the 1917 “The Vic-
trola Book of the Opera.
2. A shot from F.W. Murnau’s “Faust.”
3. Faust comes to America: Edward Arnold
(L) as Daniel Webster and Walter Huston as
Mr. Scratch (the devil) in the 1941 film “The
Devil and Daniel Webster,” also titled “All That
Money Can Buy.”
Marlowe’s “The Tragical History of Doctor
Faustus,” with a woodcut illustration of Doc-
tor Faustus and a devil coming up through a
trapdoor.
For more
arts and culture
articles, visit
TheEpochTimes.
com
B10
HOMESCHOOLING
The Unexpected Spoonful of Sugar:
Benefits of Structuring Your Homeschool
TRICIA FOWLER
M
other’s journal entry, July 20,
2004: I just can’t seem to stay
on top of my game. First, the
kids got up and made a huge
mess in their room while I
was still asleep. Then, after a breakfast of
cold cereal, the kids wouldn’t leave me alone
during my morning devotions. I put them
in front of PBS for a half-hour to dress and
brush my teeth when someone showed up
at the door. Before I knew it, Matt was home
for lunch, and I didn’t even have the kitchen
cleaned up from breakfast. He asked what
we had been doing since he left for work and
I turned red.
“Nothing,” I answered.
“What are you doing this afternoon?” he
innocently asked.
“Probably more of the same. The kids just
take up all my time. I feel like I am running
around putting out fires all day until I fall
into bed and wake up to the same problems
the next day.”
This was my life in a nutshell prior to
homeschooling. Although I had thought of
myself as a disciplined person throughout
high school, college, and my early career as
a speech therapist, this mothering gig was
hard, and it flew contrary to what modern
philosophy had taught me: Stay-at-home
wives and mothers weren’t using their in-
tellect and talents to their greatest degree.
In other words, I thought taking care of the
kids and the home was supposed to be easy.
Every day I used the same poor techniques
and got the same poor results.
Adding Homeschooling
to an Already Full Life
My husband and I decided to homeschool
that summer of 2004. I had a 2-year-old, a
4-year-old, and was due with our third child
in September. I bought a very expensive kin-
dergarten kit with all the bells and whistles
to educate my firstborn who would turn 5 a
couple of weeks after my baby was due. The
date I planned on starting our first day of
school loomed on the calendar like a colo-
noscopy. If I couldn’t accomplish desired
tasks on a regular day, how was I going to
add a new baby and homeschooling into it?
Four kids and 17 years later, I have certain-
ly added a lot more into my days since those
early years. I see my former self as brimming
with energy and vitality but too indolent
to channel it to the things that mattered. I
spent way too much time assuming home
duties such as the children’s discipline,
cleaning, and meal preparation would get
easier with little effort on my part. Instead
of striving for what I felt like doing, I needed
PARENTING
Household
Habits to
Teach Your
Children
BARBARA DANZA
While it may seem like a long way off, the
little humans you live with and nurture
are someday going to fledge the nest and
find a nest of their own. When they do,
it’d be nice if they knew their way around
a washing machine. Here are some habits
you can teach your children starting now.
Nighttime Tidy Up
Before everyone heads off to bed, rally
the troops to get the dishes into the dish-
washer, the couch straightened, the shoes
put in the closets, the coats hung up, the
counters wiped clean, the garbage taken
out, the laundry put away ... Basically, put
the house back in order and ready for the
next day.
Teaching your children to participate
in this nightly ritual will instill a valuable
habit that they’ll take into adulthood. This
simple habit is chock-full of character-
building mojo as they sacrifice now for
rewards later, diligently work when they
don’t feel like it, consider other members
of the household, and cooperate with the
rest of the family to get the job done.
to embrace and master my jobs at home!
What a concept! That meant time spent
goal-setting, studying methods, and or-
ganizing tasks needed to be applied more
rigorously in home life than I had applied
it outside the home. This has worked itself
out in degrees throughout the years. I am
embarrassed to say that even the idea of
waking at least an hour prior to the kids
was novel to me. As I trained myself to be
dressed, have my bed made, have my room
cleaned up, have my devotions, and have
breakfast made before the kids were even
up, I came out of survival mode.
Slowly but surely, exercise was added to
my morning routine. Chores were snuck
in when I was already in the area, such as
wiping the sink immediately after brush-
ing my teeth. The kids, as they grew, also
took on chores using a note card system I
bought. We were even able to begin music
lessons and some service projects. As I grew
in these areas, improvement, not perfection,
became my motto.
Adding the Homeschool Schedule
Unfortunately, the school schedule still
lagged. I spent a lot of money on lesson plans
with lots of little boxes to check off, but they
didn’t seem to fit our family’s needs. Look-
ing around the internet, I came across all
kinds of ideas and finally decided on weekly
calendars to pull school, chores, and other
Waste Management
What day does the garbage get picked up?
How about recycling? Who’s in charge of
managing the garbage receptacles in your
house? If it’s you or your spouse, consider
outsourcing the job to a capable child.
Let the child know what night the garbage
needs to be taken to the curb each week. Put
them in charge of emptying all the trash
cans at home, replacing the garbage bags,
bringing the cans to the curb, and return-
ing the cans to their place after the garbage
truck has come.
Unloading the Dishwasher
Are you the only one in your house who
knows where everything goes in the kitch-
en? If so, that’s a huge red flag that your
children over the age of, say, 2 need more
responsibility.
Emptying a clean dishwasher and putting
away the dishes properly is a great example
of the type of effort it takes to keep a house-
hold running. Care for each item must be
taken, everything must find its way to its
proper place, and the job is done when it’s
done. As a bonus, the next time someone
needs a spoon for her yogurt, she’ll know
just where to find it.
Make Your Own Bed
Do you make your kids’ beds every day? If
they are old enough to dress themselves,
they can make their own bed. (If they’re
not, they can help.)
Many adults haven’t embraced the ben-
efits of this habit, but a made bed sets the
tone for the day. It’s one of the first things
you do, offering you an easy win before the
day has hardly begun. A made bed instant-
ly makes the entire room look neater and
cleaner. At the end of the day, it’s another
loose ends together.
My husband built the spreadsheets for
me with hours of the day along the left
side and days of the week across the top. I
spent many hours dividing the books in our
homeschool curriculum into portions and
entering the page numbers to be covered
each day. Chores, music lessons and prac-
tice, and special events were slowly added.
Later, inserting my favorite quotes at the top
of each weekly schedule furnished a pop of
inspiration.
When my kids ask me
what I am doing those
summer months at the
laptop, I jokingly tell
them, ‘I am planning
every detail of your life
for next year.’
Every school year has its set of 36 weeks
and, when necessary, I can rearrange sched-
uled elements during the summers before
the next school year. When my kids ask me
what I am doing those summer months at
the laptop, I jokingly tell them, “I am plan-
ning every detail of your life for next year.”
TOMSICKOVA TATYANA/SHUTTERSTOCK
Through household chores, children learn
habits they will carry for a lifetime.
reminder that regardless of how it all went,
you started off right and can now get into a
nice, neat bed.
Dusting
Even a toddler can help get a handle on the
dusting around the house. Swiffer cloths
or simple rags are perfect to hand off and
let the kids do their best with the surfaces
of the house. The older the child, the more
capable he or she will be, but every little bit
helps when it comes to dusting.
Vacuuming
Along those lines, it’s not that hard, even for
a preschooler, to learn to use the vacuum.
Put your child in charge of vacuuming cer-
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
FIZKES/SHUTTERSTOCK
Planning ahead
adds structure
and organization
to home and
homeschool life.
All joking aside, this statement is the
beauty of my schedule! The continual boss-
ing and nagging necessary to get everyone
going in the right direction significantly
diminished. It was very difficult for me to
remember what task everyone should be
completing at any given moment every day.
How could I expect my kids to know what
must be done if I couldn’t keep track? My
intentions were always good prior to the
school year but they needed to be compiled
and organized in such a way that I could
communicate what was expected.
An Unexpected Gift
My schedule has given me another unex-
pected gift. When I give directions verbally,
there appears to be a much greater chance
the task will be disregarded or forgotten.
But as my kids follow their schedule, many
assignments go down like medicine with
a spoon full of sugar. I don’t know all the
reasons for this, but I’m loving it! All the late
nights dreaming and planning while mak-
ing these magic schedules have been well
worth the effort.
Tricia Fowler is a homeschooling momma
in the Midwest. She currently spends much
of her time teaching math, feeding sour-
dough, and helping with whatever is in
season on the hobby farm she shares with
her husband and seven children.
tain rooms consistently or make running
the vacuum a part of the nightly tidy-up if
that works better.
Clean the Bathrooms
Ah, the most glamorous of the household
chores. One way to encourage your children
to not make a total disgrace of the bath-
room is to put them in charge of cleaning
it each day. Perhaps young children could
begin by using natural and safe cleaning
fluids like a mixture of vinegar, water, and
lemon juice. Kids can manage towels and
toiletries, and wipe down counters, sinks,
tubs, and yes, toilets.
Do the Laundry
Oh, the laundry. Is there a more relentless
household chore? As your kids grow, make
sure they put away their own clothes prop-
erly each day and are competent in working
the washing machine, the dryer, and even
the iron.
Take Initiative
Finally, you’ll have hit platinum-level par-
enting when you see your children begin
to take initiative to better some part of the
household. Perhaps they simply see a messy
surface and take it upon themselves to clean
it up. Perhaps they want to plant a garden
and take the initiative to make that happen.
Perhaps you wake up early one weekend
morning and find them cleaning out your
garage.
Encourage your children to take own-
ership and initiative in the care, mainte-
nance, and improvement of the home you
share together. Each task, chore, and project
will instill in them the skills, standards, and
good habits necessary to take good care of
their own home someday.
 FOR KIDS ONLY
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021

This
Week in
History
WHAT’S
GRAY,
Our Flag
HAS
FOUR WISCONSIN
BECOMES
by Margaret E. Sangster
LEGS, A STATE
Fling it from mast and steeple, AND A
TRUNK?
Symbol o’er land and sea
Of the life of a happy people,
Gallant and strong and free. A MOUSE ON VACATION.
Proudly we view its colors,

ALEXANDER LUKATSKIY/SHUTTERSTOCK
Flag of the brave and true,
With the clustered stars and the steadfast bars, GELPI/SHUTTERSTOCK

The red, the white, and the blue.

Flag of the fearless-hearted,
Flag of the broken chain,
Flag in a day-dawn started,
Never to pale or wane.
Dearly we prize its colors, We must dare to
With the heaven light breaking through,
be great; and we

O
The clustered stars and the steadfast bars,
The red, the white, and the blue. must realize that n May 29, 1848, Wisconsin became the 30th of
the United States of America.
Flag of the sturdy fathers,
Flag of the loyal sons,
greatness is the Before that, the Wisconsin Territory was
Beneath its folds it gathers fruit of toil and formed in 1836. Its first capital was the town of
Earth’s best and noblest ones. Belmont, but was moved to Madison, its current
Boldly we wave its colors, sacrifice and capital, in 1838.
Our veins are thrilled anew
By the steadfast bars, the clustered stars,
high courage. Today, Wisconsin is best known for its production
of cheese, which began before it was even a state.
The red, the white, and the blue. THEODORE ROOSEVELT (1858–1919),
26TH PRESIDENT The first farmstead cheese factory in Wisconsin was
established in 1831.
VAKS-STOCK AGENCY/SHUTTERSTOCK HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES

By Aidan Danza, age 14

THE CARRIER PIGEONS OF WORLD WAR ONE

The stuffed body of
Cher Ami on display
Cher Ami was at the Smithsonian
awarded the Institution.
French Croix de
Guerre for heroic
service.

I
n the spirit
of Memorial Day,
I would like to take this
week’s column to write
about an unusual war
hero—a pigeon who saved
almost 200 lives in the First
World War. The pigeon was
named Cher Ami (meaning
“true friend”) and the
message it delivered allowed
the troops in its division to
escape certain death.
Cher Ami
was a homing
pigeon. If
troops were
too far away to
communicate via other
means, such as Morse code or radio,
homing pigeons were used. These
pigeons were trained to fly back to
their coop from great distances away.
This way, when pigeons were brought
into an encampment, they could be
released, with messages attached to
their legs, and sent back to their home
coop.
Cits Ami was part of the 77th
Infantry Division of the United States,
and its time of service came on Oct.
3, 1918. The 77th was trapped in
a small ravine, surrounded by the
German army, which was rapidly
inflicting great harm upon the “Lost
Battalion,” as they were called.
(FRAMES) AZURE1/SHUTTERSTOCK (MEDAL); NATALE MATTEO/SHUTTERSTOCK; (MOUNTED PIGEON) PUBLIC DOMAIN; (SOLDIERS) FPG/HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES; (BACKGROUND) ZEF ART/SHUTTERSTOCK
British soldiers
train a carrier
pigeon in the
south of England
in this file photo.
The commanding officer, Maj.
Charles Whittlesey, had already sent
several pigeons to try to get help, and
in response, an American artillery unit
began barraging what they thought
was the German Army. However, the
artillery had miscalculated its aim and
was unknowingly barraging the men
they were attempting to help, killing
30 Americans. Whittlesey frantically
sent all his pigeons to try to stop the
barrage, all of which were shot down sake, stop it.” miraculously took off again with all its
by the Germans. Finally, he came to his Cits Ami took off in the air, flying strength, flying 25 miles in 25 minutes,
last pigeon, Cits Ami, and attached this surely and swiftly even after being delivering the message that halted the
message to its leg: blinded in one eye, shot through the barrage. The next day, the barrage was
“We are along the road parallel to chest, and in the leg that bore the turned back on the Germans, turning
276.4. Our own artillery is dropping message. In a moment, the 77th’s last the tide of the battle and saving the
a barrage directly on us. For heaven’s pigeon plummeted to the ground but Lost Battalion.

Down
1 2 3

4 5
1 Married (6)

AMAZING
6
3 Well-thought-of (8)
7
4 Type of plea filled with emotion (11)
8

ESCAPES!
7 Brave (6)
START
9 10 8 Dedicate (6)
11 12 10 Winner! (10)
11 Received gifts from God (7)

13 12 “Author unknown” (9)

14 15
15 Doesn’t run when times get tough (5)

16

USE THE FOUR NUMBERS IN THE CORNERS, AND THE OPERANDS

(+, - 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. 17
For example: 6 + (7 X 3) +1 = 28 and 1+ (7 X 3) + 6 = 28

Easy puzzle 1 Medium puzzle 1 Hard puzzle 1 18

5 9 12 18 15 34
31 15 34 L
A
H

R
E L F I S
U N S
U U
U T D O O
O
Across
5 7 1 16 7 27 Y
O
D
G E
E
I M
O U S L Y
N E R
2 Serious (6) 13 “... ___ North strong and...” (4)
B L E O N S
O N
5 _____ & games (3) 14 Majestic (5)
+ − × ÷ + − × ÷ + − × ÷
T C O R U E
T O
D
E
O
V V
I
O
I
S
L
C N
B R A
I
6 Beholden (8) 16 How we donate our time and money (10)
M E R S E D
E R V
E D E A E 7 Holiday feeling (5) 17 Where we like to celebrate Memorial
Solution For Easy 1 Solution for Medium 1 Solution for Hard 1
E H A P P Y T
T E D B M I N D E 9 “First come, first ___” (6) Day (7)
7×5+5−9 18 + 12 + 1 − 16 (34 − 27) × 7 − 15 S I F U N
E M N L U S O 11 Plucky (5) 18 Likes to share (9)
B12 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021

TRUTH and TRADITION

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 KOSTASGR; LUIS MOLINERO/SHUTTERSTOCK BENEVOLENTE82/SHUTTERSTOCK
FOOD AS MEDICINE MINDSET MATTERS

Manage Your Weight Changing Our Thinking

With Antiobesity Agents About Thoughts
These foods have been scientifically proven An excerpt from “Can’t Stop Thinking: How to Let Go of
to increase your odds of losing weight. Anxiety and Free Yourself from Obsessive Rumination.”

See C4 See C7

WELL-BEING   |   DIET   |   FITNESS WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 C1

END OF LIFE

Aiding Her Dying

Husband, a Geriatrician Learns
the Toll of Caregiving
BUS DEMPORE CUS, INCTUR?
JUDITH GRAHAM

T
DR. KRIS KUHN

he loss of a husband, the death

of a sister, and taking in an el-
derly mother with dementia:
This has been a year like none
other for Dr. Rebecca Elon.
The 66-year-old Elon has dedicated her
professional life to helping older adults.
But her experiences over the past year
have taught her what families go through
when caring for someone suffering from a
serious illness as nothing has before.
“Reading about caregiving of this kind
was one thing. Experiencing it was entirely
different,” she said.
Were it not for the challenges she’s faced
during the coronavirus pandemic, Elon
might not have learned firsthand how ex-
hausting end-of-life care can be on both a
physical and emotional level—something
she understood only abstractly through
her previous experience as a geriatrician.
And she might not have been struck by
what she called the deepest lesson of the
pandemic: that caregiving is a manifes-
tation of love, and that love means being
present with someone—even when their
suffering seems overwhelming.
All these experiences have been “a gift,
in a way: They’ve truly changed me,” said
Elon, who serves as a part-time associate
professor at the Johns Hopkins Univer-
sity School of Medicine and an adjunct
associate professor at the University of
Maryland School of Medicine.
Elon’s uniquely rich perspective on the
pandemic is informed by her multiple
roles: family caregiver, geriatrician,
and policy expert specializing in long-
term care.
“I don’t think we, as a nation, are going
to make needed improvements [in long-
term care] until we take responsibility for
Caregiving is a
manifestation
of love, and that
love means
being present.
our aging mothers and fathers—and do
so with love and respect,” she said.
Elon has been acutely aware of
prejudice against older adults—and has
been determined to overcome it—since
she first expressed interest in geriatrics
in the late 1970s.
“Why in the world would you want to
do that?” she recalled being asked by a
department chair at the Baylor College
of Medicine, where she was a medical
student. “What can you possibly do for
those [old] people?”
Elon ignored the scorn and became the
first geriatrics fellow at the Baylor College
of Medicine—located in Houston—in
1984. She cherished the elderly aunts and
uncles she had visited every year during
her childhood and was eager to focus on
Dr. Rebecca Elon, an esteemed
geriatrician and policy expert this new specialty, which was just being
established in the United States.
specializing in long-term care, saw
first hand what caregivers face “She’s an extraordinary advocate for el-
when her husband, Dr. William ders and families,” said Dr. Kris Kuhn, a
Henry Adler III, was diagnosed with retired geriatrician and longtime friend.
frontotemporal dementia with motor In 2007, Elon was named Geriatrician of
neuron disease in 2017. the Year by the American Geriatrics Society.
Continued on C6

Landmark Study exercise you get. There are several signifi-

cant consequences of Type 2 diabetes,
including neuropathy (nerve damage),

Shows Sardines loss of sight, kidney disease, and heart

disease. Recent data published in Clini-
cal Nutrition in March suggests people

Help Keep who face a greater risk of developing

diabetes may want to eat more sardines.
Risk factors for Type 2 diabetes in-

Diabetes Away clude being overweight, having

a family member with Type
2 diabetes, being physically
inactive, and having been Sardines offer
A simple dietary change diagnosed with gestational an intriguing
way to avoid
discovered by researchers in diabetes—diabetes during
pregnancy. diabetes.
Spain could help millions ANASTASIYA ARTCOMMA/SHUTTERSTOCK
People with metabolic syn-
avoid diabetes drome also have a higher risk
of being diagnosed with diabetes.
JOSEPH MERCOLA
You may be diagnosed with metabolic
Researchers found that people with pre- syndrome if you have three of the five
diabetes who ate two cans of sardines health conditions associated with the
each week significantly lowered their syndrome. These include high blood
risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, low- sugar, high blood pressure, high tri-
ered their insulin resistance, and low- glycerides, low levels of high-density
ered their blood pressure as well. lipoproteins (HDL), or a large waist cir-
Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic condition cumference.
“Sardine” refers to various small, oily
forage fish in the herring family.
that’s affected by several factors, includ-
VIENNETTA/SHUTTERSTOCK
ing the foods you eat and the amount of Continued on C4
C2
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How to Protect
Yourself
From iPhone
Radiation
IPhones are beloved by many
but top the charts when it comes
to radiation levels
DANIEL T. DEBAUN
G
iven the iconic status and
popularity of Apple’s iPhones,
there’s something of which all
consumers should be aware.
iPhone radiation, especially in newer
models, is the highest among all smart-
phones—just barely under the legal limit.
All mobile electronic devices, including
cell phones, emit a form of energy called
Electromagnetic Field (EMF) radiation.
Exposure to EMF radiation can become
harmful when we constantly use our mo-
bile devices close to our bodies over long
periods of time.
Cell phones emit radio frequency (RF)
radiation from wireless Internet and cel-
lular connections, while their batteries
emit extremely low frequency (ELF) ra-
diation.
Certain parts of the body, such as the
head and torso—including the
breasts and reproductive area—
are much more vulnerable to
EMF emissions than the arms
and legs.
Studies have found links be-
tween EMF exposure to every-
thing from minor health con-
cerns such as headaches and
skin rashes, to very serious con-
cerns, such as fertility problems,
DNA fragmentation, cell damage,
IPhones top the
charts for radiation,
but there are ways
to lower your
exposure.
and cancerous tumors.
Before any cell phone can
be legally sold in the U.S., it’s
required to undergo testing
that determines its SAR rat-
ing—which is a measure of
the amount of wireless RF ra-
diation that is absorbed by a
person’s body as they use the
device—by the Federal Com-
munications Commission
(FCC). RF is on the higher end
of the non-ionizing Electro-
magnetic Spectrum frequen-
cies and is a component of
EMF radiation.
This benchmark is an inac-
curate measure of how much
RF radiation is truly absorbed
by consumers, as it fails to ac-
count for several variables.
For example, when the
SAR rating was established
in 1996, it was never imag-
ined that most people would
allow their phones to live in
their pockets or so close to
their bodies. In addition,
children are more vulnera-
ble to EMF than adults, and
the SAR rating doesn’t take
age into account. Neverthe-
less, a phone’s SAR rating
can still help us get a feel
for how much RF radiation
GPH-FOTO.DE/SHUTTERSTOCK
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
it emits compared to similar devices.
The SAR rating for phones in the United
States typically range from 0.2 at the low-
est (thus safest) end of the spectrum, all
the way up to 1.60, the legal limit before
the phone is considered unsafe for hu-
man use.
When all transmitters on the iPhone
6 are on (cellular, WiFi, and Bluetooth),
its SAR value is 1.58, and the iPhone 6
Plus reaches 1.59! This is dangerously
high, and yet most people aren’t aware
of the risk that iPhone radiation poses
to their health.
If you own an iPhone, we’re not saying
you should toss it and subject yourself to
life with a WiFi-devoid, T9-style clunker
phone. However, it’s very important to be
aware of the amount of iPhone radiation
emitted, and to take measures to protect
yourself from the damage that EMFs can
cause in both the short-term and long-
term cumulative use.
Thankfully, there are several
easy things you can do to reduce
your exposure to iPhone radiation.
Tips for Reducing iPhone
Radiation
Distance is one of the greatest
forms of protection.
According to basic principles of
physics, as distance from a source
of EMF radiation increases, inten-
sity of exposure decreases dra-
matically; in other words, simply
putting a few inches between you
and your device will considerably
reduce the amount of iPhone ra-
diation absorbed by your body.
Here are a few ways you can fol-
low this principle:
1. Use the speakerphone func-
tion on your iPhone whenever
possible.
2. Keep your iPhone in the stan-
dard talk mode, but turn the
volume up to the highest set-
ting and hold the phone 2–4
inches away from your head. If
you’re not in a noisy space, you
should still be able to hear and
be heard normally.
3. Opt for wired headphones
or, better yet, radiation-free air
tube headphones, especially if
the call will be long.
4. When you sleep, keep your
iPhone at least four feet away
from your bed.
5. If you must be on a call
while driving, use Apple
CarPlay or an auxiliary cord
to direct it through the car’s
speakers. This has the add-
ed upside of promoting safer
driving as well as reducing
your EMF exposure.
6. Keep your iPhone in a belt
holster or in a bag. Better yet,
don’t keep your phone on
you at all if you won’t need
it. Remember, any extra dis-
tance helps.
If your iPhone is far from a
tower or has poor recep-
tion, it will work harder to
grab a signal and emit more
radiation as a result.
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
Airplane mode isn’t just for flying.
This feature is a simple way to imme-
diately disable all wireless transmis-
sions, thus reducing iPhone radiation.
When airplane mode is enabled, your
iPhone is no longer connected to WiFi,
Bluetooth, or cellular data, meaning it
is no longer constantly sending out RF
signals to remain connected.
If you frequently carry your iPhone
with you, try to primarily keep the
phone in airplane mode, and periodi-
cally disable it to check for incoming
texts or voicemails—or to make a call/
send a text. Switch back to airplane
mode as soon as you’re finished using
your iPhone. Airplane mode is also use-
ful for preserving your iPhone’s battery
life and helping it recharge faster.
To quickly enable airplane mode on
older models of iPhones, place your fin-
ger on the bottom edge of the screen,
swipe upwards, and tap the airplane
icon. If you have an iPhone X or later,
TANYA NEKRASOVA/SHUTTERSTOCK
Healing a Lifetime
Illness builds from a thousand choices over
many years—and so does health
BRANDON LAGRECA
Sometimes a patient needs to heal an en-
tire lifetime.
Take, for example, the all too typical pa-
tient that I see at the clinic: in their 60s,
overweight, struggling with high blood
pressure, and seeking acupuncture for
joint pain. Upon consultation, I listen to
the story of a lifetime of poor choices that
include eating the standard American
diet of nutrient-devoid, toxic food; over-
consumption of alcohol; a high-stress job;
being sedentary; and getting less than ad-
equate sleep.
This archetypical patient has been de-
teriorating over the last few decades, cul-
minating in a diagnosis of osteoarthritis
in a hip joint. The “solution” is total joint
replacement, but the hesitant patient de-
cides to investigate other options. After a
tour of the offerings of physical therapy
and chiropractic care, the patient hobbles
into our office, desperate for pain relief.
I have a lot of compassion for this patient.
I tell them—as I tell all my patients—that
I’ll do my best. Often the response is that
they aren’t expecting miracles, a curious
sentiment because it feels miraculous—at
ANDREA PIACQUADIO/PEXELS
Simply holding your phone farther
from your face and using the speak-
erphone function can significantly
lower your exposure.
Switch to airplane
mode as soon as
you’re finished using
your iPhone. This also
preserves battery life.
Children are
more vulnerable
to EMF
than adults
but current
radiation safety
ratings don’t
take this factor
into account.
least to me—to achieve any lasting reduc-
tion in joint pain by just sticking tiny pins
in different parts of one’s body. This feel-
ing doesn’t come from a lack of faith in
my medicine; rather, I know what I’m up
against and what it’ll take to turn the tide.
To be abundantly clear, this patient will
likely need to quit drinking alcohol, adopt
an anti-inflammatory diet, sleep a mini-
mum of seven hours per night, exercise
30 to 60 minutes every day while staying
generally active the rest of the waking
hours, and—with any hope—engage in
some type of regular meditative or con-
templative practice.
A highly motivated client may adopt
those principles, but the majority display
an attitude of making a minimum effort
while hoping for maximum results. They
may view these suggestions—collective-
ly—to be too radical a change. But, to me
these principles are simply the ingredients
of the recipe for a healthy life.
Cancer patients are often handed a simi-
lar checklist of lifestyle changes, plus a
host of other additions to their daily rou-
tines. To get to the point where cancer is di-
agnosed, decades of multiple imbalances
have accrued. Detoxification of oneself
C3
swipe down from the upper-right cor- Minimize use.
ner to access the Control Center. When This tip is very simple to follow: When-
airplane mode is on, the airplane icon ever possible, limit your use of your
will be orange. iPhone, especially when it’s near your
body. Choose texting over calling when-
Cut back on unnecessary ever you can. If you must make a call,
transmissions. keep the conversation brief. Catch up
When your iPhone is attempting to with friends in person instead of over
maintain connections to multiple data the phone. If you habitually make long
sources—for example, having WiFi, calls, consider getting a corded landline
Bluetooth, cellular data, GPS, and so- phone—yes, they still exist!
cial media apps simultaneously run-
ning, a common state for many iPhone Don’t keep your iPhone in your
users—iPhone radiation is increased bedroom.
as compared to having just one or two If you don’t need your iPhone at night,
essential functions enabled. there’s no need for it to be in your sleep-
One way to reduce transmissions is to ing space. It may be common practice
make sure your iPhone isn’t constantly to keep your iPhone on your bedside
running apps like Instagram or loca- table as your morning alarm, but digital
tion services in the background. Many alarm clocks are very affordable and
apps ask for permission to remain con- don’t emit harmful wireless radiation.
stantly synced to cellular data so that Charge your iPhone in a different
we can receive notifications instantly. room if possible. But if you must have
But how necessary is this? Instead, it in your bedroom at night, place it as
check your apps manually to see if you far from your bed as possible and en-
have any updates, making sure your able airplane mode before your head
iPhone isn’t set to automatically con- hits the pillow.
nect to WiFi or cellular data.
And as a bonus, checking apps on Invest in EMF protection gear.
your own terms also minimizes the For various reasons, some of us can’t
constant distraction your phone can avoid using our iPhones frequently.
sometimes provide. This way, you have For example, you may have a job that
knowledge of, and thus control over, always requires you to be reachable by
when your iPhone is transmitting to phone. Whether you use your iPhone
and from these sources. a lot or a little, it may be wise to use
an iPhone radiation case that puts an
Know when iPhone radiation is at EMF shielding barrier between your
its worst. phone and your ear or other parts of the
There are conditions body. This will reduce
in which your iPhone your direct skin con-
must work harder to tact with RF and ELF
maintain a good con- radiation emissions.
nection to a source. If you use head-
Consequent ly, it phones frequently
emits more EMF ra- while making calls,
diation and poses a or just listening to
greater health risk. audio, consider us-
This is a common ing radiation-free air
occurrence when tube headphones, that
you’re in an area or building transmit sound through hollow
with poor reception. Your phone air tubes instead of traditional
If your iPhone has two bars emits heat as wires, as the latter still allows
or less, it’s best to avoid mak- well as radio some EMF to reach your head.
ing calls until you’re in a loca- frequency If you’re a proud iPhone own-
tion where your phone doesn’t radiation. er, we hope that you adopt these
IVAN SMUK/
need to compensate for a weak SHUTTERSTOCK practices to reduce iPhone ra-
connection. iPhone radiation diation, but any smartphone
is also increased while driving. When user will benefit from these tips.
you’re cruising down the highway at If you want to live a long, healthy life
70 mph, your distance from cell tow- enjoying the newest developments in
ers is constantly changing, which communication technology, you must
causes your iPhone to frequently ping take proactive steps to protect yourself
as it searches for the most ideal tower and loved ones from potentially harm-
or satellite to preserve a strong con- ful EMF radiation.
nection.
Maintaining a connection to a sta- Daniel DeBaun is an internationally
ble data source requires far less en- recognized expert in EMF radiation,
ergy than repeatedly establishing new EMF shielding, and EMF-related health
connections to constantly fluctuating issues with special focus on the effect of
sources, so it’s best to avoid talking exposure from mobile devices. Daniel’s
on the phone while driving. If you do concern regarding the health impact of
need to make a call, keep in mind that EMF emissions grew from 30 years of
iPhone radiation is highest when first engineering experience in the telecom-
making a connection, so avoid put- munications industry, where he held a
ting the phone to your ear until the variety of executive positions at SAIC,
call is connected. The call timer will Telcordia, AT&T, and Bell Labs. He is
begin counting once the connection the co-author of “Radiation Nation:
has been established. The Fallout of Modern Technology.”
ROBERT KNESCHKE/SHUTTERSTOCK
A lifetime of unhealthy habits leads to difficult to treat disease.
and one’s environment is added to the top All forms of healing are an exercise in
of the priority list, as well as deep intro- change. If you want different results, you
spection and a rooting out of unhealthy have to be willing to do something differ-
thoughts, habits, and relationships. ent. Looking over the breadth of a lifetime
Some cancer contributors, such as trau- of destructive choices; sometimes there’s
ma, may have occurred decades ago, exert- much that needs to be done differently.
ing their depleting influence on the body
over a lifetime. Others are gradual and in- Brandon LaGreca, LAc, MAcOM, is a
sidious, such as a diet of processed foods licensed acupuncturist in the state of Wis-
leading to multiple nutrient deficiencies. consin. He’s the author of “Cancer and
For a cancer patient, my advice is to dig EMF Radiation: How to Protect Yourself
deep. Be alert to recent lifestyle changes From the Silent Carcinogen of Electropol-
and stressors that may underlie a sudden lution” and “Cancer, Stress & Mindset:
health crisis, but look with a wider lens at Focusing the Mind to Empower Healing
the big-picture influences that have been and Resilience.” He shares his thoughts at
brewing over years and decades. Empowered Patient Blog.
C4
Landmark Study Shows Sardines
Help Keep Diabetes Away
A simple dietary change discovered by researchers in Spain
could help millions avoid diabetes
Continued from C1
Prediabetes is a condition in which your
blood sugar level is too high, but not high
enough for Type 2 diabetes. Nearly 88
million adults in the United States have
prediabetes, and a vast majority of those
don’t know they have it. Prediabetes also
increases your risk of heart disease and
Sardines stroke.
are packed According to the National Institute of
with taurine, Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Dis-
omega 3, cal- eases, there are an estimated 34.2 million
cium, vitamin people in the U.S. with diabetes. This is
D, and more. 10.5 percent of the population. Nearly 7.3
million of those people don’t know they
have diabetes. You may help reduce your
potential risk of developing this condi-
tion by making dietary and exercise
changes.
2 Sardines a Day May Keep
Diabetes at Bay
Adding sardines to your diet is one
simple change you can make that
may have a positive impact on your
risk for diabetes. The 2021 Clinical
Nutrition study, conducted by re-
searchers at the Universitat Oberta
de Catalunya (UOC) in Spain, found
that eating sardines consistently
may have a protective effect against
developing Type 2 diabetes.
The researchers enrolled 152 people
who had a diagnosis of prediabetes and
were at least 65 years old in the study. In
this study, they defined pre-diabetes as
having glucose levels between 100 and
124 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). The
whole group was placed on a nutritional
program to help reduce the risk of develop-
ing Type 2 diabetes.
They were then randomized into a
control group and an intervention
group, members of which consumed
approximately two cans of sardines
in olive oil each week. The participants
were given instructions to eat the entire
sardine without removing the bones and
were given a list of recipes.
At the end of the year-long intervention,
the researchers compared the risk of de-
veloping diabetes from the beginning of
the study and the end of the study. In the
control group, 27 percent were at high risk
of developing Type 2 diabetes at the start
of the study, which dropped to 22 percent
Maintain a Healthy Weight With These
Natural Antiobesity Agents
Adding these foods
into your diet has
been scientifically
proven to increase your
odds of weight loss
Mother Nature is all about balance, but the
pace of modern life can cause you to feel a
bit tilted at times. If you’re struggling with
maintaining a healthy weight—or even if
you have only a few pounds to lose—these
six natural antiobesity agents can help you
shift the scale into equilibrium.
1. Cinnamon
This warm, reddish-brown spice comes
from the inner bark of trees from the genus
Cinnamomum and is used to flavor sweet
and savory foods and beverages from all
over the world. What you may not know is
that cinnamon is also a powerful metabolic
catalyst.
A 2019 research paper published the re-
sults of a systematic review and meta-anal-
ysis of cinnamon’s effect on body weight,
body mass index (BMI), waist circumfer-
ence (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), and
body fat mass. The review encompassed
1,480 participants from 21 randomized,
controlled trials and found that cinnamon
consumption significantly reduces BMI,
body weight and WHR.
Cinnamon has anti-hyperlipidemic and
The humble
sardine is getting
some attention.
at the end of one year with nu-
tritional changes.
However, in the sardine group, 37
percent were at high risk of developing
Type 2 diabetes before the intervention
began. At the end of one year, this dropped
to 8 percent. The researchers also found
there were other measurable parameters
that improved in the group that consumed
sardines each week.
These included a reduction in insulin re-
NEARLY sistance, a rise in HDL cholesterol, and an
88 MILLION
increase in adiponectin, a hormone that
accelerates the breakdown of glucose. They
also measured a decrease in blood pressure
adults in the and triglycerides.
United States have The study’s lead researcher, Diana D. Riz-
prediabetes—and a zolo, believes sardines should be recom-
vast majority don't mended as a food as opposed to separating
know. the nutritional benefits from the fatty fish,
which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, cal-
cium, vitamin D, and taurine.
“Not only are sardines reasonably priced
and easy to find, but they are safe and help
to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. This
is a huge scientific discovery. It is easy to
recommend this food during medical
check-ups, and it is widely accepted by
the population,” she said in a statement.
“As we get older, restrictive diets (in terms
of calories or food groups) can help to pre-
vent the onset of diabetes. However, the
cost-benefit ratio is not always positive, as
we found in other studies,” said Rizzolo.
But despite the fact that the study was
anti-hyperglycemic effects, making this
common spice a potent ally for individuals
with insulin sensitivity who wish to control
their weight. Cinnamon may also stimulate
the development of brown fat, a type of fat
that’s considered an essential component
to a healthy metabolism.
High percentages of brown fat have been
shown to reduce levels of branched chain
amino acids (BCAAs), which—although
essential for many body functions—are
linked with obesity, insulin resistance, and
Type 2 diabetes at high levels.
2. Cocoa / Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is made from the solids
and butter extracted from cacao beans.
These prized beans are actually the dried,
fermented seeds of the Theobroma cacao
tree, a small evergreen native to Central
and South America.
Food-grade extracts from the beans
include powders, nibs, butters, and sol-
ids, all packing enormous health ben-
efits. When used in the making of dark
chocolate, cocoa, which is made from
roasted cacao beans, may even help you
fight obesity.
A 2018 review and meta-analysis on
cocoa supplementation found that dark
chocolate reduces body weight, BMI and
waist circumference. Dose and duration
were important determinants for favorable
effects. When shopping for healthy dark
chocolate, it’s best to stick with organic co-
coa beans with at least 70 percent cacao for
optimal health effects.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
conducted with older participants, she be-
lieved the sardine diet intervention could
have equally significant preventive effects
in younger people.
Sardines Are High in Omega-3 Fat
Sardines are a fatty fish, high in omega-3
fatty acids. After the data analysis, the
UOC researchers stated they planned to
study how sardines may affect the gut mi-
crobiome. Eating a diet high in omega-3
fats has already demonstrated a protective
effect on certain health markers.
This is a huge scientific
discovery. It is easy to
recommend this food
during medical check-ups,
and it is widely accepted by
the population.
Diana D. Rizzolo, study lead researcher
The rise in chronic inflammatory dis-
eases in the past decades is likely associ-
3. Citrus and Citrus Extracts
A ubiquitous dietary trope is replacing
a bacon-and-eggs breakfast with half a
grapefruit when you’re on a diet. This sym-
bolism was rooted in good sense: Citrus
fruits have been scientifically linked to fat-
burning. But what is it about citrus that revs
up your metabolic engine?
A 12-week study on overweight adults
found that supplementation with a citrus
extract powder resulted in a significant re-
duction in body fat compared to placebo.
A 2008 study on a citrus-based dietary
supplement saw participants lose weight
and reduce their overall body fat.
Researchers opined that the weight loss
may be attributable to the extract’s high
polyphenol count, a benefit not available
in average grocery store juices. A similar
study on healthy women drinking com-
mercial pasteurized orange juice for two
months produced no change in body com-
position.
4. Green Coffee Extract
Green coffee beans are exactly that—cof-
fee beans that haven’t been roasted. These
raw, nutty beans are developing a following
for numerous health-promoting qualities,
including a growing reputation as a weight-
loss supplement. Loaded with antioxidant
compounds called chlorogenic acids, raw
green coffee beans may help with your
weight loss efforts.
A 2020 review and meta-analysis on studies
of green coffee extract (GCE) on anthropomet-
ric measures in adults found that the supple-
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 C5

Although the body can use ALA to create
EPA and DHA, it requires an enzyme to con-
vert. In most people, the conversion rate
is exceptionally small, possibly
less than 1 percent. While the
small amount of ALA you
may eat is converted into
the long-chain ome-
ga-3 fats your body
requires, the pro-
cess is highly in-
efficient and can-
not supply nearly as
much as consuming
marine-based ome-
ga-3 fats high in
DHA and EPA.
It is also im-
portant to care-
fully select your fish
since only cold-water fatty
fish have high levels of omega-3.
Some examples include wild-caught
Alaskan salmon, sardines, anchovies,
mackerel, and herring. It’s best to avoid
farmed fish altogether for three reasons:
first, because there’s an exaggerated po-
ALL IMAGES BY SHUTTERSTOCK
One study published in 2018 confirmed
omega-3 fat can reduce your risk of cardio-
vascular disease, coronary heart disease,
and all-cause mortality. The researchers
measured the omega-3 index in 2,500 par-
ticipants and found those in the highest
quintile had a total mortality 34 percent
lower than those in the lowest quintile.
The Many Benefits of Omega-3 Fats
In addition to protecting your heart, lungs,
and mitochondria, omega-3 fats have more
health benefits, including:
Reducing inflammation. This can be help-
ful for those with rheumatoid arthritis by
reducing stiffness and pain. Women who
suffer from menstrual pain may also experi-
ence milder pain.
Optimizing muscle growth and bone
strength. Omega-3 fats help your body
build healthy muscle mass, including in
people suffering from cancer who may ex-
perience cachexia (muscle wasting). They
can also help improve your bone strength
by improving the utilization of calcium in

ated with the ubiquitous
use of vegetable oils and processed
foods high in omega-6 fatty acids. Although
omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are es-
sential for good health, a correct balance
is essential.
Many people consume far too many
omega-6 fatty acids found in everything
from french fries to frozen meals and salad
dressings. Ideally, you want to maintain a
ratio of 4-to-1 of omega-6 to omega-3 fats
or less. Yet, this can be nearly impossible
if you are regularly eating processed foods
or restaurant fare.
In my view, one of the most hazardous
fats in the human diet is omega-6 linoleic
acid (LA). Processed vegetable oils are a
primary source of LA, but animal foods
such as chicken from concentrated ani-
mal feeding operations and farmed salm-
on also have a high amount thanks to the
food they are fed, which is high in LA-rich
grains. There is evidence to suggest that
an excessive amount of LA plays a role in
many chronic diseases.
Omega-3 fats are found in both plants
and marine animals. However, they are
different types of omega-3 and they are
not interchangeable.
Plant-based omega-3 fats are found in
walnuts, leafy green vegetables, flaxseed,
and chia seeds. They contain short-chain
alpha-linoleic acid (ALA) and do not have
the long-chain docosahexaenoic acid
(DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
found in marine animal-based omega-3.
tential for contamination; second, most
farms feed the fish genetically engineered
corn and soy; and third, the omega-6 fats
fed to these fish are about 90 percent dan-
gerous LA fat.
In other words, consuming these fish
does not correct a high omega-6 to ome-
ga-3 ratio. In fact, it contributes to it, since
farmed salmon have only half the omega-3
of wild salmon and more than 5.5 times the
amount of omega-6.
Your Omega-3 Index
May Predict Mortality
A deficiency in EPA and DHA can leave you
vulnerable to chronic disease. Optimiz-
ing your omega-3 levels is a foundational
component to good health. However, there
is no good way to know your omega-3 level
without getting an omega-3 index test.
Your target omega-3 index is 8 percent.
This is the typical level of people living in
Japan where you’ll find the lowest rate of
Sardines offer more sudden heart death in the world. The high-
diverse nutrition than est risk is in people whose index is 4 percent
can be found in a sim-
or lower. At this point, there is no evidence
ple vitamin.
to suggest the measurement is different for
men, women, or for different ages.
One study, published in January, evalu-
ated 100 individuals’ omega-3 index and
compared them against their COVID-19
outcomes. The primary outcome measure-
ment was death. When the overall data
were analyzed, the researchers found only
one death in the group with the highest
quartile of omega-3 index.
The research data also confirmed past
results that demonstrated the average per-
son in the United States has an omega-3
index near 5 percent, which is well below
the measurement that has demonstrated
protective effects on overall mortality. The
data from this group showed an average
index of 5.09 percent and a median of 4.75
percent.
your body. This may lead to a reduction in
the development of osteoporosis.
An estimated 7.3 million
Americans don’t know
they have diabetes.
Improving mental health and behav-
ior. Evidence shows benefits for children
with attention deficit hyperactivity disor-
der (ADHD), including reduced aggression,
hyperactivity, impulsivity, oppositional
behavior, and restlessness.
Protecting your vision. DHA is a major
structural element in your eyes and brain.
Low levels of DHA may increase your risk
for age-related macular degeneration.
Sufficient omega-3 is also associated with
lowered risk for other neurological/cogni-
tive dysfunction as well, including memory
loss, brain aging, learning disorders and
ADHD, autism, and dyslexia. It may also
improve metabolic syndrome, insulin re-
sistance, and reduce your risk of kidney
disease and colon cancer.
For links to studies mentioned in this
article, please see the article online at
TheEpochTimes.com
Dr. Joseph Mercola is the founder of Mer-
cola.com. An osteopathic physician, best-
selling author, and recipient of multiple
awards in the field of natural health, his
primary vision is to change the modern
health paradigm by providing people
with a valuable resource to help them take
control of their health. This article was
originally published on Mercola.com

ALL PHOTOS BY SHUTTERSTOCK

ment had a beneficial effect on body weight,
BMI, and waist size. Researchers determined
that GCE could provide a safe, cost-effective
alternative in the treatment of obesity.
A separate meta-analysis reviewed 16
randomized controlled trials on GCE and
found that the supplement improved obesi-
ty indices, including lowering BMI in obese
and overweight individuals. To gain the
maximum benefit, supplementation peri-
ods of at least four weeks are recommended.
5. Soup
Soup may be a broad category, but if you’re
overweight, including soup in your dietary
routine can help turn your metabolism into
a fat-burning furnace. A 2020 meta-anal-
ysis sought to determine the mechanisms
behind this association by reviewing 1,873
scientific articles and seven cross-sectional
studies on soup consumption and obe-
sity. Incredibly, all studies in the review
indicated a significant inverse correlation
between soup consumption and obesity.
For optimal weight-loss and health ben-
efit, focus on soups with fresh, whole ingre-
dients—not processed, canned varieties.
Miso, vegetable stock, pastured chicken,
and beef broth are all highly nutritious
ingredients upon which to base a variety
of soup recipes. Don’t forget to add veg-
etables like garlic, onion, carrots, and cel-
ery to your soup stock. These sulfur-rich
vegetables boost the nutritional profile of
your stock and enhance flavors, ensuring
your soup is a tasty, vitamin, and mineral-
rich lunch or dinner option.
6. Spirulina
Spirulina, or blue-green algae, is a nutri-
tional powerhouse that’s cultivated in both
fresh and salt-water environments. With its
use dating back to the Aztecs, spirulina has
withstood the test of time as a nutritional
supplement. Modern science has revealed
that it may also be a potent ally in the mod-
ern fight against obesity.
There have been numerous studies on the
use of spirulina as a weight-loss aid, includ-
ing a 2019 systematic review and meta-anal-
ysis that found spirulina supplementation
had a significant effect on body fat percent-
age and anthropometric indices such as
waist circumference. A 2016 study found
that three months of regular consumption of
spirulina not only improves BMI and weight
but also results in improvements in blood
Three months pressure and endothelial function.
To effect optimal weight loss and keep it
of regular off, any supplementation regimen should be
combined with dietary adjustments such as
consumption fasting or limiting overall caloric consump-
of spirulina tion and avoiding foods with excess sugar. In
addition, including daily intentional move-
not only ment will provide a boost to metabolism
improves and may even enhance your mood.
When it comes to achieving and sus-
BMI and taining healthy weight, there is no mag-
ic pill. But there are helpful allies in the
weight but food-based medicine cabinet that can
also results in help you stay on course and feel your
best while you watch the pounds melt
improvements away.
in blood For links to studies mentioned in this
pressure and article, please see the article online at
TheEpochTimes.com
endothelial
function. The GMI Research Group is dedicated to
investigating the most important health
and environmental issues of the day.
Special emphasis will be placed on envi-
ronmental health. Our focused and deep
research will explore the many ways in
which the present condition of the human
body directly reflects the true state of the
ambient environment. This work is repro-
duced and distributed with the permis-
sion of GreenMedInfo LLC. Sign up for the For optimal weight-loss and health benefit, focus on soups with
newsletter at GreenmedInfo.health fresh, whole ingredients—not processed, canned varieties.
C6 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021

DR. REBECCA ELON

END OF LIFE

Aiding Her
Dying Husband,
a Geriatrician
Learns the Toll
of Caregiving
Living
ving with emotional, physical
mands of caring for a loved one
demands
gave an expert new depths
of understanding
rom C1
Continued from ment community in Milwaukee. “It was Elon’s mother was distraught when Adler Dr. Rebecca
time to leave the East Coast behind and be died 10 days later, asking repeatedly what Elon’s
Her life took an unexpected turn in 2013, closer to family,” she said. had happened to him and weeping when late sis-
when she started
tarted noticing personality By the end of May, Elon and her husband
Even though she was told of his passing. At some point, ter Melissa
changes and d judgment lapses in her hus- were settled in a two-bedroom apartment in Bill was so Elon realized her mother was also griev- Davis (right)
passed
band, Dr. William
illiam Henry Adler III. Adler Milwaukee, with a balcony looking out over ing all the losses she had endured over the
was a formerr chief of clinical immunology Lake Michigan. The facility had a restau- profoundly past year: the loss of her home and friends away in May
2020. Davis
research at the National Institute on Ag- rant downstairs that delivered meals, a con- impaired, in Kankakee; the loss of her daughter Me- was the pri-
ing, which iss part of the federal National cierge service, a helpful hospice agency in lissa, who’d died in May; and the loss of her mary care-
Institutes of Health stubborn, the area,
Health. Proud and stubborn area and other amenities that relieved he still had independence.
independence taker for
he refused to seek medical attention for Elon’s isolation. That, too, was a revelation made possible their mother,
several years. “I finally had help,” she said. “It was like a strong will by being with her every day. Betty Davis
Eventually, however, Adler’s decline ac- night and day.” to live and “The dogma with people with dementia (left), for the
celerated. In 2017, a neurologist diagnosed Previously bedbound, Adler would transfer is you just stop talking about death because previous 10
frontotemporal dementia with motor neu- to a chair with the help of a lift—one couldn’t retained they can’t process it,” Elon said. “But I think years.
ron disease—an immobilizing condition. be installed in their Maryland home—and the capacity that if you repeat what’s happened over and
Two years later, Adler could barely swal- look contentedly out their window at para- over, and you put it in context and you give
low or speak and had lost the ability gliders and boats sailing by. for joy and them time, they can grieve and start to re-
to climb down the stairs in their “In medicine, we often look at cover.”
Severna Park, Maryland, home. people who are profoundly im- interaction. “Mom is doing so much better with Re-
“He became a prisoner in our paired and ask, ‘What kind of Dr. Rebecca Elon
becca,” said Deborah Bliss, 69, Elon’s older
upstairs bedroom,” Elon said. quality of life is that?’” Elon said. sister, who lives in Plano, Texas, and who
By then, Elon had cut back on “But even though Bill was so believes there are benefits for her sister as
work significantly and hired a profoundly impaired, he still had well. “I think having [Mom] there after Bill
home health aide to come into a strong will to live and retained died, having someone else to care for, has
their home for several days each the capacity for joy and interaction.” been a good distraction.”
week. If she hadn’t been by his side day and And so, for Elon, as for so many families
In January 2020, Elon enrolled Caregiving night, Elon said, she might not have across the country, a new chapter has be-
Adler in hospice and began arranging is love, appreciated this. gun, born out of harsh necessities. The days
to move him into a nearby assisted often given During this time, her mother pass relatively calmly, as Elon works and she
living center. Then, the pandemic hit. amid great moved to an assisted living center and her mother spend time together.
Hospice staffers stopped coming. The suffering. outside Milwaukee to be nearer to “Mom will look out at the lake and say, ‘Oh,
home health aide quit. The assisted SHUTTERSTOCK
SEWCREAM/ Elon and other family members. my goodness, these colors are so beautiful,’”
living center went on lockdown. Not But things didn’t go well. The facil- Elon said. “When I cook, she’ll tell me, ‘It’s so
visiting Adler was unimaginable, so Elon ity was on lockdown most of the time, and nice to have a meal with you.’ When she goes
kept him at home, remaining responsible staff members weren’t especially attentive. to bed at night, she’ll say, ‘Oh, this bed feels
for his care. Concerned about her mother’s well-being, so wonderful.’ She’s happy on a moment-to-
“I lost 20 pounds in four months,” she said. Elon took her out of the facility and brought moment basis. And I’m very thankful she’s
“It was incredibly demanding work, caring her to her apartment in late December. with me.”
for him.” For two months, she tended to her hus-
Meanwhile, another crisis was brewing. band’s and mother’s needs. In mid-Feb- We’re eager to hear from readers about
In Kankakee, Illinois, Elon’s sister, Melissa ruary, Adler, then 81, took a sharp turn for questions you’d like answered, problems
Davis, was dying of esophageal cancer and the worse. Unable to speak, his face set in you’ve been having with your care and
no longer able to care for their 96-year-old a grimace, he pounded the bed with his advice you need in dealing with the health
mother, Betty Davis. The two had lived hands, breathing heavily. With the help of care system. Visit khn.org/columnists to
together for more than a decade, and Da- hospice workers, Elon began administering submit your requests or tips.
vis—diagnosed with dementia—required morphine to ease his pain and agitation.
significant assistance. “I thought, ‘Oh, my God, is this what we Judith Graham is a contributing colum-
Elon sprang into action. She, along with ask families to deal with?’” she said. Though nist for Kaiser Health News, which originally
two of her other sisters, moved their mother she had been a hospice medical director, published this article. KHN’s coverage of these
into an assisted living facility in Kankakee. “that didn’t prepare me for the emotional topics is supported by The John A. Hartford
Elon also decided to relocate a few hours exhaustion and the ambivalence of giving Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foun-
away, moving to a continuing care retire- morphine to my husband.” dation, and The SCAN Foundation.

BECOMING MINIMALIST
Happiness Can Be Hard to Find Amid Our Possessions
JOSHUA BECKER
There’s a common saying in our world and it
goes something like this, “Possessions won’t
make you happy.”
Almost everyone agrees with it.
Once our most essential needs have been
met, the long-term happiness that can be
found in material possessions is fleeting at
best. And because nobody wants to admit
that they are looking for happiness in their
next purchase from the department store
or car lot, we generally agree aloud that
“possessions won’t make you happy.”
Studies back up our presumption.
But the problem with possessions goes be-
yond the fact that they won’t make us happy.
The problem with excess possessions is that
they distract us from happiness.
“Possessions won’t make me happy,”
while agreed to by most, only results in
thinking that is indifferent to the accumu-
lation of physical items. There may not be
long-term benefit in possessions, but there
is also no harm. We begin to view them as
entirely neutral.
“Sure, possessions won’t make us happy,”
we may think, “but I’m going to buy x any-
way, because I have the money. It probably
won’t make me happy in the long-run, but
it’s still fun to have.”
But excess possessions are not inert in our
lives. They do affect our happiness. They
become an obstacle and barrier to it. And
the more we have, the greater the burden
we have to carry.
Everything we own requires a bit of our-
selves. Possessions cost us money, time,
energy, and focus. They become a physical
distraction and mental distraction. Every in-
creased item we own adds increased stress
and anxiety onto our lives.
I was first introduced to the word minimal-
ism on a Saturday morning while cleaning
out my garage. The responsibility of clearing
out the clutter, sorting through the piles, hos-
ing down the floor, and returning items in an
organized way took hours to complete. All
RADU BERCAN/SHUTTERSTOCK
Our possessions are not neutral. Overaccu-
mulating has consequences.
the while, my 5-year-old son was begging me
to come play catch in the backyard.
As my frustration with the spring-clean-
ing project began to mount, my neighbor
provided the remedy when we struck up a
conversation. “That’s why my daughter is
a minimalist. She keeps telling me I don’t
need to own all this stuff.”
The juxtaposition couldn’t be more stark.
To the left of me stood a pile of dirty, dusty
possessions I had spent the entire morning
cleaning and organizing. To the right of me,
my son swinging alone on the swing set in
the backyard.
In that moment, I began to understand
the weight of possessions.
Not only were my possessions not making
me happy ... they were keeping me from the
very person who did.
This is a very difficult realization. In fact,
it’s probably what separates those who
pursue minimalism from those who don’t.
Owning less frees us to pursue happiness,
joy, meaning, and fulfillment in things that
actually matter—how ever we choose to de-
fine that.
Our possessions aren’t passive.
They aren’t merely indifferent in our pur-
suit of happiness and meaning.
They often stand in the way of it.
Joshua Becker is an author, public speaker,
and the founder and editor of Becoming
Minimalist where he inspires others to live
more by owning less. This article was first
published by BecomingMinimalist.com
 WEDNESD
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
Study Links Eating
a Diet Rich in Fruit
and Vegetables
With Less Stress
SARAH COWNLEY
In today’s world, stress is prevalent. Re-
searchers are currently looking for ways
to reduce stress throug
through lifestyle inter-
ventions. A new study fr from Edith Cowan
University (ECU) has fo found that eating
a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is as-
sociated with less stress.
stress
The Australian Diabetes
Diabe and Lifestyle
(AusDiab) Study aimedaime to find a link
between fruit and vegetable
vege intake and
stress levels. To achieve this, they exam-
ined 8,600 Australian p participants be-
tween the ages of 25 an and 91.
The study concluded that people who
ate at least 470 grams o of fruit and veg-
etables daily had 10 percent
per lower stress
levels compared to those
thos who consumed
less than 230 grams of o produce. This
amount is slightly more than the recom-
mended consumption from the World
Health Organization (WHO),
(W which rec-
ommends consuming aat least 400 grams
per day.
Mental well-being is a subject that’s
quickly becoming a topic to of conversa-
tion around the world. It I has been found
that approximately 1 in 110 people globally
live with a mental disorder.
diso With lock-
downs and pandemic worries taking ef-
fect worldwide over the past year, this
number is expected to increase.
While some stress in life is normal,
long-term exposure can significantly im-
pact mental health. It can lead to a range
MINDSET MATTERS
Changing Our Thinking About Thoughts
VARNAK/SHUTTERSTOCK
An excerpt from the new
book ‘Can’t Stop Thinking:
How to Let Go of Anxiety
and Free Yourself from
Obsessive Rumination’
NANCY COLIER
Awareness
Tara came to see me when she was in her
mid-30s. By her own account, she had de-
voted the previous 10 years of her life to
conquering and eliminating her obsessive
and, as she called it, unstoppable thinking.
She had been devoted to self-help for a
decade and tried anything and everything
to convince her mind to “stop talking” and
specifically, to stop telling her she was
worthless. Mostly she had used positive
thinking methods, which included affir-
mations and gratitude practices.
She had worked as hard to change the
thoughts she heard in her head.
She was a self-help pickle by now—no
longer a cucumber and no going back. But
here she was in my office, still struggling
and stymied by her unceasing inner chat-
ter, feeling hopeless and beaten, powerless
over her thoughts and powerless over what
they were doing to her.
I’ve met hundreds of Taras—people who
have been disappointed by self-help and
psychological fix-it strategies. My practice
is filled with folks who were unable to find
lasting relief from their excessive think-
ing through the self-help techniques that
forever beckon and promise us a new life.
If you also have tried everything on the
shelf, don’t despair. It’s not your fault that
you haven’t found what you need.
Controlling the content of our thoughts
is a temporary fix, a shiny hat over dirty
hair. It works to some degree when things
are running smoothly and we like what’s
happening in our life. But when the go-
ing gets tough and life rolls out the hard
stuff—which it always does at some
point—the positive thoughts don’t stick.
The fix-it strategies fail, and we revert back
to our old belief systems and historical
thinking patterns.
Positive thinking can be helpful, and
it feels good, but it doesn’t get at the real
problem; it’s not strong enough to create
real change in the beliefs that underlie our
negative thoughts. Ultimately, it’s just a
Band-Aid on a far deeper and more pow-
erful condition.
What makes positive thinking an inad-
People who
ate at least
470 grams
of fruit and
of health problems, including heart dis-
vegetables ease, diabetes, depression, and anxiety.
daily had Researchers hope that by finding new
links between foods and stress, they can
10 percent possibly prevent or reduce mental health
lower stress problems.
The benefits of a healthy diet have been
levels. well documented, but very few Ameri-
can’s consume the recommended daily
fruit and vegetable intake. This study
helps to show the importance of consum-
ing the right foods to keep the body and
mind healthy.
Previous studies have shown the link
between fruit and vegetables and stress
in younger adults. However, this is the
first study to find a similar relationship
across all ages of adulthood.
How Food Influences Stress
The mechanisms of how fruits and veg-
etables influence stress remain unclear,
so future studies are needed. That said,
some mechanisms seem readily appar-
ent, notes the lead researcher of the study.
“Vegetables and fruits contain impor-
equate solution isn’t just its unreliability.
The real reason it falls short is that it’s ad-
If you also dressing the wrong problem. When the
have tried strategy is to replace negative or unwanted
thoughts with positive ones, we’re relying
everything on misguided beliefs, assuming the fol-
lowing: We can and should be able to con-
on the shelf, trol our thoughts, what our thoughts are
don’t despair. saying is important, our thoughts have the
power to control us, and finally, we have to
It’s not your get our thoughts under control before we
can be okay. All of which are false.
fault that you Positive thinking maintains (incorrectly)
haven’t found that our well-being depends upon
what our thoughts are saying
what you at any moment, and thus, our
need. successful management and
control of the thoughts are
the keys to our happiness. In
this system, we are still at the
mercy of the contents of our
thoughts, still dependent on
what is not ours to control. Posi-
tive thinking claims to empower us but,
at the root, it disempowers us.
Self-help sells a kind of cognitive am-
munition, an arsenal for winning the
war against our unwanted thoughts. But
if what you want is to not feel controlled
by your thoughts, then the answer is to
stop trying to control your thoughts—stop
trying to defeat them. What frees us from
negative thinking is not winning the war
against our thoughts (over and over again,
minute by minute, day by day, for years on
end), but rather, removing ourselves from
the war altogether.
Stepping Out for Peace of Mind
So then, how do we step out of the battle?
What is the strategy for surrendering the
fight? The process I’m suggesting begins
with a radical shift in perspective. The
positive thinking system says that in order
C7
MONTICELLO/SHUTTERSTOCK
Researchers tant nutrients such as vitamins, min-
have linked erals, flavonoids, and carotenoids that
eating fruits
and vegeta-
can reduce inflammation and oxidative
stress, and therefore improve mental
bles to men-
well-being,” said lead researcher Simone
tal well-
being. Radavelli-Bagatini. “Inflammation and
oxidative stress in the body are recog-
nized factors that can lead to increased
stress, anxiety and lower mood.”
Researchers can now confirm that eat-
ing more fruits and vegetables appears
linked to mental well-being. In times
such as these, with added stress, it’s more
important than ever to eat right and get
plenty of exercise. Lifestyle choices can go
a long way to living a healthy, happy life.
Sarah Cownley earned a diploma in
nutritional therapy from Health Sci-
ences Academy in London, and she en-
joys helping others by teaching healthy
lifestyle changes through her personal
consultations and with her regular con-
tributions to the Doctors Health Press.
This article was originally published
on Bel Marra Health.
for us to be okay, our thoughts have to be
okay—to our liking. This suggests that we
are reliant upon our thoughts. Essentially,
it says we are our thoughts.
Chasing But what if this is not true? Stepping out
positive of the battle with your thinking starts by
thoughts can considering that your well-being doesn’t
be like try- depend on correcting thoughts at all, and
ing to reach a furthermore, doesn’t depend on your lik-
rainbow. ing or even agreeing with your thoughts.
Have you ever noticed, when thoughts
are not here, even if it’s just for a moment,
that you are still here, still awake, still
conscious? We remain, with or without
thought, which strongly suggests that we
aren’t made of our thoughts. How can we
still be here if what we are is not here?
As you’ll experience repeatedly through
the exercises in this book, sometimes we
can see our thoughts happening, see
them actually arising and even passing.
The fact that we can see our thoughts and
hear what they’re saying also tells us that
we cannot be our thoughts. We can’t be
what we can see happening in front of us.
It turns out that well-being depends upon
our realizing that we are not our thoughts
and our thoughts are not us.
Ask yourself: What if I am not my
thoughts? What if I am what hears and
sees the thoughts, the awareness within
which thoughts are appearing?
Let this possibility germinate in you;
walk with it, sit with it, shower with it, eat
with it. ... notice what happens.
Thoughts appear and disappear within
our field of awareness, that much is true.
We, however, are not responsible for their
content. Thoughts can say what they want
and will, and we can still be okay. Our
thoughts stop controlling us when we
cultivate a separate place inside ourselves
from which to observe thoughts and when
we stop seeing it as our job to correct and
Try to gain conquer them.
some per- Freedom dawns through awareness,
spec- specifically, the awareness to see what’s
tive—and happening inside your own mind, as an
distance— observer. And it begins by surrendering
on your the responsibility for controlling what
thoughts. you see.
POLINA
ZIMMERMAN
/PEXELS
“Can’t Stop Thinking: How to Let Go of
Anxiety and Free Yourself from Obsessive
Rumination” was released in May and is
available from Amazon and other book
retailers.
Nancy Colier is a psychotherapist, inter-
faith minister, public speaker, and author
of “Can’t Stop Thinking” (2021) “The Power
of Off: The Mindful Way to Stay Sane in a
Virtual World.” and “Inviting a Monkey to
Tea.” For more information, visit Nancy-
Colier.com
C8 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021

ELLY FAIRYTALE/PEXELS
Having
friends and
mentors who
really under-
stand you
can give you
support and
an antidote
to the stress
of life.

The
their entire system to become sluggish.
So here is where the TRIBE comes in
to save the day!
of you. Stay true to what you want in your
inner circle.
Listen to your inner voice and

Brilliant
Do you have people close to you in your instincts.
life who “see you?” Do you have a few Listen to that “gut” feeling about a person.
people who will call you out and set you Your body will tell you. Do you feel drawn
straight, love you no matter what, and to them right away—like you’ve known

Tribe
be there for you when you can’t go one them for years—or do they make you put
more step? up your guard?
Do you have friends who have your back
when you can’t pull your load, will provide Pay attention to their social media posts.
for you when you can’t do so for yourself, This is a great way to root out the crazies.
will prop you up, will defend you, go to bat Consider doing something you are pas-
for you, or cry with you whenever you need sionate about, besides working.
How to avoid it? Do you have someone you
can call at the last moment
Go to a class, join a club,
or learn something new that
burnout by to go out and just laugh with
them? You should. You need a
you’ve always wanted to learn.
You need a Doing this might enable you to
tribe that “sees you” exactly as meet other people with similar
building a tribe you are, so that when you can’t ‘tribe’ that interests.
see yourself, they can help you sees you
find your way. Begin spending time with
NISHA JACKSON Tribes are essential for exactly as these people and make it a

T
success and personal sanity priority to do so.
he human body’s sophisticated re- when you’re busy changing you are. Find a common interest be-
sponse to stress is nothing short of the world. But this support tween your potential tribe
a miracle. But the reality is that we system doesn’t just magically appear and members and you, and invite them over.
overachiever stress junkies spend can take quite a while to construct. To be Keep it purposeful.
quite a bit of time being “plugged in” and clear, your tribe isn’t just helping you get If you take these steps, you may reap some
in fight-or-flight mode, maneuvering stra- work done—their role is much deeper fantastic rewards:
tegically between one highly pressurized than that. The fact that your tribe “sees
situation to the next. It’s like a time bomb. you” is, in my opinion, the reason why 5 Support when you feel like giving up.
Most people have heard of the you need them in your life. 5 More energy and strength than you could
fight-or-flight response. To put So how do you build your tribe? ever generate alone.
it clinically, fight-or-flight 5 Enrichment through many life-long re-
Having
is the way your brain per- Start with a clear intention and desire lationships.
people that
ceives, your nervous system to have the group you want. 5 An encouraging community that allows
encourage you
activates, and your adrenal Consider listening to women or men talk, you to make your passion your liveli-
can transform
stress system prepares your and see how you feel in their presence. hood.
your life.
body to react to incoming For example, do you feel “up,” supported, 5 Feeling like the luckiest person in the
danger or threats. However, enlightened, or engaged when talking with world to be surrounded by those who
this multi-system response to them? Can you see this person standing care about you and have your back.
grave danger is also the same group strong for you? 5 And perhaps the greatest—and most
of reactions that manage your day-to-day unexpected—gift is that leading a com-
encounters with high stress. Start small and stay focused. munity will serve as a catalyst for you to
While our bodies are meant to react Pace yourself, and don’t feel obligated to become a better human being.
to perceived stress on occasion, they’re bring a member into your tribe if you know
clearly not capable of withstanding lon- they will be more work than you the have Best of luck to you on your tribal journey!
ger periods of fight-or-flight without going time or energy for. Think of the qualities
through some sort of breakdown. you want your tribe to have. For instance, Nisha Jackson is a nationally recognized
This elaborate “stress response”—with start with things like: doesn’t judge, has hormone and functional medicine expert, re-
multiple internal alarms going off—typi- a sense of humor, is an artist, lives with nowned lecturer, motivational speaker, radio
cally occurs on a regular basis throughout wide-open passion, and is loyal. host, columnist, author of best-seller “Brilliant
the day for most women. This constant Burnout,” and founder of OnePeak Medical
state of activation and overstimulation Take an inventory of your current Clinics in Oregon. For 30 years, her approach
requires continuous effort in order to pre- friends, family, etc. to medicine has successfully reversed chronic
serve and restore your adrenal glands. This will help you determine if there is problems such as fatigue, brain fog, depres-
This is incredibly taxing on them, causing already the start of a tribe right in front sion, insomnia, and lack of stamina.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A LICENSE,
NUMBER PENDING, for On Premise Liquor
has been applied for by the undersigned to
sell Liquor, Wine, Beer & Cider at retail in a
Restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage
Legal Notice
under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law
at 1571 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY 11207.
Kings County, for on premises consumption.
Marthita’s Kitchen 2 Corporation
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A LICENSE,
SERIAL # 1335725, for Liquor, Wine & Beer
has been applied for by the undersigned to
sell Liquor, Wine & Beer at retail under the
Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 258 Wythe
Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 234 Starr
St., Brooklyn, York, NY 11237. Kings County,
for on premises consumption. Santa Salsa
LLC d/b/a Santa Salsa.

Control Law at 275 Mulberry St., New York,
NY 10012. New York County, for on prem-
ises consumption. 275 Mulberry Restaurant
LLC and Major Management TCZ LLC as Mgr.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A LICENSE,
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A LICENSE,
NUMBER PENDING, for Tavern Wine has been
applied for by the undersigned to sell Wine,
Beer & Cider at retail in a Bar/Tavern, under
the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 300 E.
5th St aka 86 2nd Ave., New York, NY 10003.
Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11249. Kings County, for
on premise consumption. JANKYBOYZ LLC.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A LICENSE,
NUMBER PENDING, for On Premise Liquor
has been applied for by the undersigned to
LIES KILL,
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A LICENSE,
SERIAL # 1335734, for Liquor, Wine & Beer
has been applied for by the undersigned to sell
Liquor, Wine & Beer at retail under the Alco-
holic Beverage Control Law at 49 Carmine
St., New York, NY 10014. New York County,

NUMBER PENDING, for On Premise Liquor
has been applied for by the undersigned to
sell Liquor, Wine, Beer & Cider at retail in a
Restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage
Control Law at 150 W. 10th St., New York,
NY 10012. New York County, for on prem-
New York County, for on premises consump-
tion. Sushibym2 LLC d/b/a Sushi by M.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A LICENSE,
NUMBER PENDING, for Tavern Wine has been
applied for by the undersigned to sell Wine,
sell Liquor, Wine, Beer & Cider at retail in a
Restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage
Control Law at 310 W. 4th St.,New York,
NY 10014. New York County, for on prem-
ises consumption. Mulberry Hospitality LLC
d/b/a October.
TRUTH
for on premise consumption. Moose Goose
Holding Inc.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A LICENSE,
SERIAL # 1334990, for On Premise Liquor
has been applied for by the undersigned to

ises consumption. 150 West Tenth Street
LLC and Major Management TCZ LLC as
Mgr. d/b/a ZZ’s.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A LICENSE,
SERIAL # 1335649, for Liquor, Wine & Beer
has been applied for by the undersigned to sell
Liquor, Wine & Beer at retail under the Alco-
holic Beverage Control Law at 1479 York Ave.,
New York, NY 10075. New York County, for on
premise consumption. Copri Corp.
Beer & Cider at retail in a Restaurant, under
the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 57 7th
Ave.South, New York, NY 10014. New York
County, for on premises consumption. Sabor
Argentino Corp. d/b/a Sabor Argentino.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A LICENSE,
NUMBER 1304061, for On Premises Liquor
has been applied for by the undersigned to
sell Liquor, Wine, Beer & Cider at retail in a
Restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A LICENSE,
NUMBER 1335662, for Restaurant Wine has
been applied for by the undersigned to sell
Wine, Beer & Cider at retail in a Restaurant
under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at
1827 2nd Ave., New York, NY 10128. New
York County, for on premises consumption.
VI. GI Gourmet 96 Corp. d/b/a Enzo Bruni La
Pizza Gourmet.
SAVES
sell Liquor, Wine, Beer & Cider at retail under
the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 6418
Fresh Pond Rd., Ridgewood, NY 11385.
Queens County, for on premises consump-
tion. Fresh Pond Cocktail Club LLC.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A LICENSE,
NUMBER PENDING, for On Premise Liquor
has been applied for by the undersigned to
sell Liquor, Wine, Beer & Cider at retail in a
Restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A LICENSE,

NUMBER PENDING, for Tavern Wine has been
applied for by the undersigned to sell Wine,
Beer & Cider at retail in a Tavern under the
Alcoholic Beverage Control Law, at 97 W.
32nd St., New York, NY 10001. New York
County, for on premises consumption. Takumi
Taco LLC d/b/a TBD.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A LICENSE,
NUMBER 1335602, for Restaurant Wine has
been applied for by the undersigned to sell
Beer, Wine & Cider at retail in a Restaurant
Control Law at 69 New St., New York, NY
10004. New York County, for on premises
consumption. Brooklyn Beef Inc. d/b/a El Toro
Mexican Grill.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A LICENSE
SERIAL # 1335682, for On Premise Liquor
has been applied for by the undersigned to
sell Liquor, Wine, Beer & Cider at retail in a
Restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage
Control Law at 306 308 E. 6th St., New York
NY 10003. New York County, for on prem-
ises consumption. Fun Hat LLC d/b/a Bee-
tle House.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A LICENSE
SERIAL # 1335781, for On Premise Liquor
has been applied for by the undersigned to
sell Liquor, Wine, Beer & Cider at retail in
a Restaurant under the Alcoholic Bever-
age Control Law at 271-02 04 Union Tpke.,
New Hyde Park, NY 11040. Queens County,
for on premises consumption. Jay Ned Inc.
d/b/a ABCD.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A LICENSE,
NUMBER 1334674 for On Premise Liquor has
been applied for by the undersigned to sell
Liquor, Wine, Beer & Cider at retail under the
Control Law at 17 Orchard St., New York, NY
10002. New York County, for on premises
We ask you to share
consumption. Orchard 17 Restaurant Corp.
d/b/a Mictlan Mexico. RejectCCP.org
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A LICENSE,
NUMBER 1335729, for On Premise Liquor
with at least 5 friends.
has been applied for by the undersigned to
sell Liquor, Wine, Beer & Cider at retail in a
Restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage
Control Law at 4367 11th St., Long Island
City, NY 11101. Queens County, for on prem-
HELP US TO SPREAD THE TRUTH TODAY
ises consumption. Anvi Restaurant Group Inc.
d/b/a Badshah Modern Indian Restaurant”

EASY ENTERTAINING
Grilling in the Garden
Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of
summer. What better way to celebrate than by firing
up the grill?
See D4
HOME IMPROVEMENT|FOOD|MONEY
EVERYDAY CHEAPSKATE
Family Road Trip
Tips and Tricks
MARY HUNT
I
t’s summer—the best time to
get away for some family fun.
This weekend, why not load up
the car, fill the tank, and take
the family on a road trip? Driving
is cheaper than flying, and it’s a lot
more fun to see this gorgeous land
from the ground.
Enjoy this handy collection of tips to
make your family road trip a success.
CLAYTON CARDINALLI/UNSPLASH
PERSONAL FINANCE
How to Win With Money
After Graduation
You can make a steady income and win with your money
if you make a few smart moves starting right now.
See D7
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 D1
HOME
The
HAILEY WAGNER/UNSPLASH
Simple
Joy of
Arranging
Flowers
Tips for building
a beautiful early
summer flower
arrangement at home
RACHAEL DYMSKI
O
ne of the habits I most
looked forward to in becom-
ing an adult was buying my
own flowers for my dining
room table. I remember
cashing my first paycheck as a green
22 year old, freshly out of college and
starting my first job. I went straight to the
grocery store and purchased sparkling
water, brie, French bread, and a bouquet
of sunflowers.
Every morning that week, those fresh
flowers greeted me cheerily as I readied
for my day. I loved the way they seemed
to smile at me from my thrifted table,
shining brightly in the vase I had bought
for less than a dollar. Having fresh flow-
ers felt like a mark of domestication:
Those blooms turned my apartment into
a home.
That was nearly 10 years ago, long
before I dreamed of starting Juneberry
Floral Co., my local flower business, or
arranging flowers for anyone but myself.
In those early years of flower buying,
when my budget was tight, I learned a
lot about improvising with a few bundles
of cheaper flowers to create looks that I
liked. I knew from memory how much
different blooms cost at the market, and
loved piecing together different flowers
to make something new.
Most of all though, I learned about the
joy and sense of accomplishment that
comes from creating simple, at-home
Hydrangeas, floral arrangements to enjoy with a cup
which bloom in late spring of tea at the table.
through summer, form the Early summer is abundant with a
base of this simple, beginner- variety of flowers and blooms. Markets
friendly bouquet. and home gardens alike blossom with
lilies, foxgloves, daisies, roses, and my
personal favorite, hydrangeas. Creating a
bouquet for your own kitchen table (or a
friend’s!) is full of possibilities.
I love for my summer arrangements
to reflect the way summer feels: simple,
lush, and whimsical. Here are a few flow-
ers that, when brought together, make a
gorgeous summer hydrangea bouquet.
Continued on D2
Take the
family to get
away, relax,
and enjoy this
big, beautiful
country we
love.
Pack Some Fun
Bring the family’s favorite toys or
activity books, and hang a clear
plastic shoe bag to the back of one
of the front seats to keep the play gear
organized and picked up.
Quarters of Fun
Ahead of time, collect quarters with
U.S. states on the back.
Continued on D3
JESSICA ROCKOWITZ/UNSPLASH
D2 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021

HOME IMPROVEMENT

7 Ways to Update a Basic Bathroom

CHASTITY CORTIJO/UNSPLASH

BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
Sure, the ever-functional bathroom is
sometimes swept aside in favor of deco-
rating more grandiose rooms. But your
bathroom doesn’t have to be boring!
It’s the little details that count, so we’ve
rounded up seven easy DIY updates for ev-
ery part of the room, from the walls down
to the bottom of your vanity. They’re also
inexpensive and quick—you can complete
some of these projects in a day. Dust off
your tools this weekend and make your
bathroom look its best.
Pick Out New Paint
A new color scheme instantly changes
the mood of a room. It’s important to use
color carefully in a bathroom, since a color
choice can easily overwhelm what is often
one of the smallest rooms in a house. Pale
blues, greens, and grays are popular picks
for their calming, spa-like qualities.
Deck the Walls With Art
Just because a bathroom is functional
doesn’t mean it can’t have personality.
Hang some art prints on your bathroom
walls to personalize the space. For a vin-
tage look, decorate with repurposed flea
market finds. Wallpaper an accent wall in
a fun water-resistant design, or use color-
ful tiles as decor. For any artwork you hang
up in bathrooms, make sure it has some
kind of covering to protect from moisture.
Max Out Your Mirror
Say goodbye to plain, store-bought plas-
tic mirror panels. Or rather, dress them
up. Paint a mirror frame to match your
cabinets for a cohesive look, or swap out a
blah square mirror altogether for one with
a unique shape. For a funky, casual vibe,
you could even hang up an assortment of
smaller mirrors.
Switch Out Hardware
An easy way to change your bathroom’s
look is to switch out the faucet and cabi-
net pulls. You can go from rustic to sleek
(and vice versa) in a matter of minutes.
Hardware installation kits make it easy.
If you’re feeling more ambitious, expe-
rienced DIYers can also change out the
sink to match.
Dress Up Your Doors
Take boring cabinet fronts up a notch by
covering the doors with self-adhesive pa-
per. You can cover the entire surface or
cut out a pattern, like circles or a chevron
print, that allows the base color to peek
through. The options for pretty paper are
endless, so you can find one that fits your
design style.
Just because a bathroom
is functional doesn’t mean
it can’t have personality.
Kick Up Your (Furniture) Feet
It’s the little details that make any room
look polished and put-together. Make your
bathroom vanity stand out by adding fur-
niture feet or a toe kick to the corners.
Get Creative With Cardboard or Other
Materials
Cut up large cardboard tubes or PVC pipes
and mount them on the wall in a cluster
for a stylish storage display. Use them to
store toilet paper, rolled-up towels, lotions,
and more for a fun DIY project that won’t
break the bank.
Dress up plain
Better Homes and Gardens is a maga- mirror panels or
zine and website devoted to ideas and opt for different
improvement projects for your home shapes.
and garden, plus recipes and entertain-
ing ideas. Online at BHG.com Copyright
2021 Meredith Corporation. Distributed
by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Continued from D1 though it can also be dried in bunches—

The Hydrangeas
These summer blooms come in a variety of
Have fun
arranging
simply tie a small bunch together with
twine at the stem, and hang upside down
for a few weeks—and then used throughout

Simple colors. My husband happened to be at our

local plant nursery during a summer sale a
few years ago and bought me 10 bushes, so
the greenery
and lavender
the year as decoration. My grandmother
always put dried crushed lavender into
pouches to freshen her sock drawer.

Joy of my house is covered in hydrangeas in June

and early July. The color of some species of
hydrangeas, such as the bigleaf, depends
throughout Greenery
My favorite part about June in Pennsylva-

Arranging on the pH level of your soil. By adjusting

the levels of your soil, you can actually turn
your hydrangeas from blue to pink, or vice
the vase—
hydrangeas
nia is how lush and green everything is.
During this season, I love adding lots of
greenery into my arrangements.

Flowers versa. Blue hydrangeas have to grow in an

acidic soil, with a pH of 5.5 or lower; pink
flowers should be grown in soil with a pH
of 6.0 to 6.2; and purple flowers will bloom
Tips for building if the pH is somewhere in between.
a beautiful early Whether you’ve grown your own hydran-
geas or purchased them from a grocery
summer flower store, cut them at an angle at least two
inches from the bottom of a stem before
arrangement at home placing them in water. Hydrangea stems
can be tough, so using shears or a knife
ALL PHOTOS BY UNSPLASH makes the job easiest. Then, snip off all the
leaves below the bloom—these leaves rot
Hydrangeas. quickly when placed below the water line.
To make your hydrangeas last, consider
purchasing a jar of alum, a pickling spice
you can buy from the grocery store. After
you cut the stems, dip them quickly into
the jar of alum before placing them in your
vase. The alum keeps the stem of the hy-
drangea open, so it will bloom inside for a
longer period of time.
(Note: Be cautious if you have pets. In-
gesting large amounts of hydrangeas is
Lavender. deemed harmful.)
Lavender
This is my absolute favorite early summer
bloom to work with. Not only does laven-
der smell incredible, but some varieties
grow tall and give off a whimsical look in
a bouquet, especially when mixed with
eucalyptus or mint.
My favorite lavender variety to work with
is English Royal Purple Lavender. I grow
them in my garden, where they have come
Eucalyptus. back year after year, growing about two
and a half feet in height. The lavender stops
blooming when the weather gets too hot
in late July and August, but in June, I love
picking a few sprigs and adding them to
my hydrangea bouquets. I like to cut the
lavender at a different height from the hy-
drangea, and then spread it throughout
the bouquet to give interest and definition.
I really enjoy using lavender as an accent,
are forgiving
flowers to
One of my favorite greens to use is euca-
lyptus, which can usually be purchased
from any market or grocery store. Euca-
lyptus comes in several varieties—Silver
work with Dollar, Baby Blue, and Willow are my fa-
and almost vorites, but there are others as well—and
complements nearly any flower it is in an
always look arrangement with. It also looks elegant
beautiful. and sophisticated on its own, making it
a perfect choice for the budget-conscious
arranger.
Mint is my other favorite summer green
to work with in an at-home bouquet. It’s
an unexpected choice, but mint overruns
my garden every summer, and I can only
drink so much sweet tea, so I’ve put it to
other uses in my bouquets. I love the fresh
look mint brings to any arrangement, and
it smells delightful. The stems aren’t long,
but the bright color complements the vivid
summer blooms. I use apple mint.
Arranging Tips
Once all the flowers have been cut and
treated, my favorite part is arranging them
in a vase. For hydrangeas, I love the simple,
classic look of mason jars as a vase, but of
course any vase will do. The hydrangeas
should sit about 2 inches above the rim of
the vase.
If I’m using a wide-rimmed vase, I like
to first fill it with water, then create a grid
using scotch tape, which will provide more
structure for the hydrangeas. I personally
prefer an odd number of hydrangeas in
my bouquets—three, five, or seven—as it
creates a pleasing triangular design.
Rachael Dymski is an Have fun arranging the greenery and
author, florist, and lavender throughout the vase—hydran-
mom to two little girls. geas are forgiving flowers to work with and
She is currently writing almost always look beautiful.
a novel about the Ger- Whether you are picking blooms from
man occupation of the your own garden or purchasing from the
Channel Islands and market this summer, I hope you indulge in
blogs on her website, the life-giving pleasure of placing a bou-
RachaelDymski.com quet on your kitchen table.
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 D3

EVERYDAY CHEAPSKATE

Family Road Trip Tips and Tricks

MONKEY BUSINESS IMAGES/SHUTTERSTOCK

Continued from D1 Camping

is a fun,
During the trip, when one of the kids spots economically
a state’s license plate, give the child a quar- friendly
ter with that state on it. This incentivized lodging option.
version of watching for specific items will
make children more eager to play.

Here We Are
When an older child asks the dreaded
question, “Are we there yet?” that’s a signal
that you’ve encountered a teaching mo-
ment. Hand the child the map and let him
or her figure out how much longer to your
destination. Knowing how to read a map
is a valuable life skill.

Paper Map
You never know when your GPS or smart-
phone will be out of range with its service
provider, so make sure you bring along a
paper map or travel atlas.

Disappearing Ink
A disappearing-ink pen, available at any
fabric store, is great for marking maps. In
a day or so, your marks will fade and your
map is ready for the next road trip.
A Day Trip Is Still a Trip
If time off from work is limited or funds
are tight, it’s still possible to pack in some
family fun over the holiday weekend. Do
an internet search on free activities or land-
marks of note within just a few hours’ drive.
Getting out of your immediate surround-
ings will still help you feel refreshed.
Community Activities
In the summer months, churches and oth-
er community organizations frequently
host fairs, barbecues, fun runs, inexpen-
sive meals, and more! Be on the lookout
for local advertisements for these events,
and be prepared to partake in some spon-
taneous fun.
Scenic Routes
Forgo highway driving (and the tolls) by se-
lecting a journey that will take you through
scenic back roads rather than crowded
highways.
Collect Discounts
Take advantage of lodging discounts. Are
you a member of AAA? If so, there’s a strong
chance your membership offers access to
discounted rates at hotels in your travel
zone. Camping is another fun, economi-
cally friendly lodging option.
Zip the Clothes
Pack the kids’ clothes in gallon-size zip-
type plastic bags, one outfit per bag: shirt,
shorts, underwear, and socks. Zipped bags
pack easily; the contents are visible; and
they make getting ready each morning so
much easier because the kids can just grab
a bag and have everything they need.
Single Bag
If an overnight stop is on your road trip itin-
erary, pack a small bag with one change of
clothes for each family member, plus basic
toiletries. Instead of unpacking the whole
car, all you’ll need to take in is one bag.
Car Games
Before you take off, download free print-
able car games and activities, such as those
from MomsMiniVan.com.
Baby Onboard
When traveling with a baby, bring along
a box of denture-cleaning tablets. You’ll
find them useful when you need to clean
pacifiers, baby utensils, and sippy cup lids.
Just fill a glass with warm water; drop in
the item to be cleaned; and pop in a tablet.
You’ll be good to go in five minutes.
Magnets of Fun
An inexpensive metal (not aluminum)
If time off cookie sheet makes the best lap table for
from work a child during road trips. It can be a food
tray or a writing desk (the raised edges keep
is limited or crayons from rolling off). It can turn into a
clipboard with the addition of a clip-style
funds are fridge magnet. It’s an instant play table for
tight, it’s all sorts of magnetic toys.
still possible Enjoy
to pack in Don’t forget that the point of all of this is to
get away, relax, and enjoy this big, beautiful
some family country we love. Get out there this week-
end, and make some memories!
fun over
the holiday Mary Hunt is the founder of
EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living
weekend. blog and the author of the book “Debt-
Proof Living.” Mary invites you to visit
her at her website, where this column
is archived complete with links and
resources for all recommended products
and services. Mary invites questions
and comments at EverydayCheapskate.
com/contact, “Ask Mary.” Tips can be
submitted at Tips.EverydayCheapskate.
com. This column will answer questions
of general interest, but letters cannot be
answered individually. Copyright 2021
Creators.com

ASK THE VET

Overweight Cats Risk Serious Disease

SHYMAR27/SHUTTERSTOCK

LEE PICKETT Q: Why are my dog Bear’s teeth worn

Q: My cat Fred’s fat underbelly swings
when he walks. I think it’s cute, but his
veterinarian says he needs to lose weight.
What’s wrong with a cat being overweight?
A: Fred has lots of company: The Asso-
ciation for Pet Obesity Prevention reports
that 60 percent of U.S. cats are overweight
or obese.
That statistic isn’t surprising, since most
domestic cats live sedentary indoor lives
where eating is the most exciting activity
of the day. High-carbohydrate, calorie-
dense kibble is freely available in most
homes, and cats are allowed to feast when-
ever they wish.
Contrast that to cats living in the wild,
where these solitary hunters eat small ro-
dents and birds—meals that are low in car-
bohydrates and high in protein. Because
only 10 percent of their 100 to 150 daily
hunting attempts are successful, they must
actively hunt six to eight hours every day.
While you see Fred’s fat belly as cute, be-
ing overweight increases his risk of dis-
ease, pain, and premature death.
Overweight cats are prone to diabetes,
osteoarthritis, and back pain. Often they
can’t even reach around to groom them-
selves. In addition, overweight cats are
more likely to develop urinary disorders,
breathing difficulties, heart problems, and
cancer.
When they are 8 to 12 years old, obese
cats are 2.8 times more likely to die than
cats of healthy weight.
To help Fred lose weight, decrease his
calorie intake and help him become more
active.
Read labels to choose low-calorie food,
Pet owners may see their or ask Fred’s veterinarian to recommend
cat’s fat belly as cute, an appropriate diet. Use a measuring cup
but being overweight or kitchen scale to accurately apportion
increases their risk his food.
of disease, pain, and Cats meow when they want attention,
premature death. but many people misunderstand and give
their cats food instead. When Fred meows,
cuddle and play with him until he’s had
his fill of affection.
Cats meow Encourage him to be more active. In one
study, increasing playtime by only 10 to
when 15 minutes a day helped cats lose weight.
they want Offer Fred places to climb and jump, and
rotate his toys to enhance their appeal.
attention, but Walk him outside on a leash, and consider
offering him an outdoor cat enclosure.
many people Hide small amounts of food throughout
misunderstand your home, changing locations frequently
so he has to hunt for his food. Put kibble
and give their into food puzzles and incorporate his food
cats food ration into games you play together.
I predict that even when he’s lost the nec-
instead. essary weight, you’ll still find him adorable.
down?
A: If all of Bear’s teeth are worn, he may
have played with a few too many ten-
nis balls. Even the clean nylon fuzz that
covers tennis balls is abrasive, but when
the ball rolls along the ground and picks
up grit, it acts like sandpaper and wears
down the enamel even more.
If only Bear’s small front teeth, the inci-
sors, are worn, he may have been chew-
ing on himself because he was itchy. The
incisors are intended to nibble the last
scraps of meat off bones, but if Bear eats
regular dog food, his incisors should look
normal.
On the other hand, if he’s experienced
flea infestations, he may have been chew-
ing on himself, trying to kill the fleas that
make him itch. A topical or oral flea pre-
ventive can solve this problem.
If Bear is chewing on himself because
allergic skin disease is making him itch,
talk with your veterinarian about allergy
treatment.
Adjacent to the incisors are the canine
teeth, the fangs that grasp and hold prey
and other objects. Behind the canines
are the premolars and molars that form
a serrated line that resembles pinking
shears. These teeth are admirably suited
for cutting and crushing food.
If Bear is instead carrying and chewing
ice cubes or rocks, these teeth may be
worn and even fractured.
Lee Pickett, VMD, practices companion
animal medicine in North Carolina.
Contact her at AskTheVet.pet. Copyright
2021 Lee Pickett, VMD. Distributed by
Creators.com
D4 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021

EASY ENTERTAINING

Grilling
in the Garden
VICTORIA DE LA MAZA

F
or many of us, Memorial Day
weekend marks the beginning of
summer. What better way to cel-
ebrate than by firing up the grill
and enjoying a meal outdoors?
When I open the lid of the hot grill and the
heat hits my face, it’s right at that moment
that I know summer is here.
For this glorious afternoon, I’ve created
a menu that needs a bit of preparation in
the kitchen, but then is finished on the grill
in under 15 minutes. While my friends are
sipping sangria, I can handle the grilled
items—and show off my grilling prow-
ess—and have everything ready to go on
the table.

On the Menu
I start with a favorite herbed potato salad,
prepared in the morning. The potatoes
are tossed with good olive oil, garlic, and
masses of fresh herbs while still warm, so
they absorb all those wonderful flavors,
and then chilled. Served cold or at room
temperature, it is a sensational dish, full
of aroma and color.
For the main event, I’m arranging a tray
of sliders with different toppings and sauc-
es, for everyone to mix and match as they
please. Fun, right?
I much prefer sliders to their larger cous-
ins, as I love to try different proteins with
different garnishes. For today, I’m mak-
ing spicy beef patties, to spread with Dijon
mustard on Hawaiian rolls, and bites of
grilled salmon, nestled in Boston lettuce
leaves slathered with a bright caper-may-
onnaise sauce. These two-bite mini-burg-
ers pack a huge amount of flavor.
Play with the sauces and garnishes:
You can lay out lettuce and tomato slices,
avocado, fresh mango, relish, ketchup,
mayonnaise, different mustards, and
even hot sauces, so your guests can cus-
tomize their own perfect sliders. This is a
great opportunity to try out local special-
ties—like that spicy pepper jelly that you
bought from the market on a whim, and
has been sitting in your pantry for the
past three months.
It’s also interesting to play around with
the bread—try Hawaiian rolls, brioche,
English muffins, potato buns, or even cia-
batta. For those avoiding gluten, I always
set out some Boston lettuce to serve as
“buns.”
While the grill is hot, I also throw on a few
Arrange the sliders
with different toppings
and sauces for
everyone to mix and
match as they please.
Setting up a buffet table outside is a wonderful way to spend the afternoon with friends.
ears of corn, which go from grill to table
in about 10 minutes. To dress it up a bit,
More informal I spread the cooked ears with a creamy
than other sauce of Greek yogurt, sour cream, and
fresh lime juice, then top them off with
meals, this crumbly aged cotija cheese, for flavors
reminiscent of elotes, Mexican street corn.
one is all I make the sauce in the morning, to give
about relaxing the flavors time to develop, and spread it
on the corn right after it comes off the grill.
outside with Make double, as your friends will inhale it
and ask for more.
friends, For dessert, keep it simple and fresh with
enjoying the watermelon and melon balls, dressed with
a little sugar to bring out their natural
fresh air, and sweet juices.
savoring that
Setting the Table
first taste of Setting up a buffet outside is such a won-
derful way to spend the afternoon with
summer. friends. I am setting the buffet table with
a colorful tablecloth, melamine plates and
glasses, large napkins, and wicker trays
to carry everything out. I’ll serve all the
food on platters, and set out a big pitcher
of sangria for sipping.
My small garden in Charleston is easily
transformed into a sitting room. I’ll find a
shady spot and make sure that there are
comfy chairs and chaises to lounge on
(bring extra pillows!), side tables or ce-
ramic stools to put down drinks and plates,
and large napkins to cover our laps. We’re
bringing the inside out, to create a com-
fortable space to encourage conversation,
camaraderie, and laughter.
Without a set table, we’re free to move
around and serve ourselves from the buffet.
More informal than other meals, this one
is all about relaxing outside with friends,
enjoying the fresh air, and savoring that
first taste of summer.
As of this writing, you can find me sip-
ping sangria and nibbling on grilled corn,
while reclining on a chaise surrounded by
pillows. Cheers!
Victoria de la Maza is an award-
winning cookbook author, columnist,
and international TV host. Passionate
about great food, she combines American
traditions with her European heritage to
create classic-with-a-twist recipes and
ideas for stylish entertaining at home.

A GREENER VIEW JEFF RUGG
Q: Can you help me remember the differ-
Annual, Biennial, ence between annuals and perennials? For
some reason, I have it in my mind that a pe-
or Perennial? rennial is a plant that I have to keep planting
and an annual is a one that replaces itself
annually. I know that is wrong, but how do
I remember it correctly?
A: Have you ever had to make an annual
payment for something like your taxes or
membership dues in a club? You make the
annual payment once each year. You have
to plant annual plants once each year, too.
A perennial is something that happens over
and over again, and perennial garden plants
come back each year over and over again. So,
what do you think biennial plants are? They
are plants that live for two years.
Let’s start at the beginning. True annual
plants have short lives. They make colorful
displays because they need to produce as
many flowers as they can as fast as they
can because they are going to die at the
end of the summer. A few annuals, such
as pansies, do prefer cooler weather and
will do better in spring or fall plantings.
Annual plants are actually trying to pro-
duce as many seeds as possible, so we will
sometimes need to remove dying flowers
by deadheading to prevent seed production
and promote more flowers.
Garden perennials are long-lasting plants
that come up each spring from under-
ground storage structures such as bulbs,
tubers, and roots. Technically, perennials
don’t have to bloom for many years, but the
ones we grow in our gardens do bloom each
year. They must be carefully placed in the
garden because they won’t be going any-
where for a long time. They need good soil
conditions before they go in. The better the
soil, the better the plant will do. Shrubs and
trees are also perennials, but they don’t die
back to the ground in the winter.
Perennials
Biennials live two years. In the first grow-
ing season, they produce leaves and roots.
In the second year, they produce flowers
need good
soil because
and seeds. Hollyhocks and some foxgloves
are the two most common biennial garden
flowers, but there are others. Most bien- they are not
nial vegetables are treated as annuals and going to move.
grown for leaves and roots, such as cab-
bage, carrots, lettuce, parsley, and radishes. Annuals
The biennial herb caraway is grown for the
seeds it produces in the second year.
should be
Many biennials and perennials are used moved on a
as annuals. Some of these perennials are
actually trees or shrubs from tropical loca- regular basis.
tions. This is especially true for container
plantings. In the summer, just about ev-
ery plant can grow outdoors. But in the fall
of cold climate zones, tropical perennial
plants will get too cold to survive unless
they are brought indoors.
There are thousands of species of annuals
and perennials available to the gardener.
There are many North American native prai-
rie, wetland, and woodland plants used in
gardens, plus there are more species from
across the globe. The middle of Asia, parts of
Africa, Australia, Europe, and South America
all have regions that have a similar climate
to parts of North America. Plant explorers
have brought plants from all of those regions Email questions to
to be used in our gardens. Jeff Rugg at info@
Like I said, perennials need good soil be- greenerview.com. To
cause they are not going to move. Annuals find out more about Jeff
should be moved on a regular basis. At the Rugg and read features
end of the season, annuals are uprooted and by other Creators
thrown in the compost pile or garbage. How- Syndicate writers and
ever, some leaves, stems, and roots remain cartoonists, visit the
in the soil. Decay and disease organisms can Creators Syndicate
build up in the soil by feeding on these left- website at Creators.
overs. By planting different kinds of plants com. Copyright 2021
from different plant families in the garden, Jeff Rugg. Distributed
disease organism populations are reduced. by Creators Syndicate.
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 D5
ALL PHOTOS BY VICTORIA DE LA MAZA

POTATO SALAD
WITH FRESH HERBS
This simple potato salad is made with baby red potatoes,
olive oil, garlic, and masses of fresh herbs. Toss it together
while the potatoes are warm, so they absorb all those
wonderful flavors, but serve at room temperature or
chilled. I make it in the morning and take it out of the fridge
20 minutes before serving, so that the oil comes back to
room temperature.
I am partial to red baby potatoes, as the combination of Fresh herbs enliven a simple potato salad.
the red, white, and green is so cheerful and charming, but
fingerling, Yukon gold, and even large Idaho potatoes would 2 pounds baby red potatoes, cut in half or quarters
work; just dice them to an even size. Other additions could
be bacon bits, scallions, and finely diced shallots, to play Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
with colors, textures, and flavors. In a small bowl, combine the herbs, olive oil, and garlic.
Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
SERVES 4 TO 6
In a large pot of salted boiling water, boil the potatoes until
2 cups mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley, dill, and
fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Drain them and transfer to
tarragon, stems removed and roughly chopped
a serving bowl. Dress with the reserved sauce and mix well.
1/2 cup olive oil Taste to adjust seasonings.
1 clove garlic, minced Chill until ready to serve.

SPICY BEEF SLIDERS

These two-bite sliders are juicy and flavorful, and

definitely pack a punch! Hawaiian rolls are the perfect
size; you can cut out the centers if you prefer a thinner
bun. I mix ground meat with diced jalapeño peppers,
parsley, and cotija cheese, then cook the patties on
the grill, alongside the Hawaiian rolls. Spread the hot
rolls with mustard, add the patties, and finish with your
favorite toppings.
MAKES 8 SLIDERS
1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons diced pickled jalapeños
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
4 tablespoons cotija cheese, crumbled
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 Hawaiian rolls
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
GRILLED SALMON LETTUCE SLIDERS Lettuce leaves
WITH CAPER MAYONNAISE 1 Roma tomato, sliced thin
Chopped pickled jalapeños give these beef patties
some punch.
4 slices cheddar cheese, cut in half
In a bowl, gently mix together the beef with the jalapeño,
parsley, and cotija cheese, and season with ground pepper.
Form patties the size of the buns you will be using (they
will shrink when cooked). Make a small indentation in the
center of each one, so they will stay flat while cooking. On a
hot grill, cook the patties for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until
done to your liking. Season with salt.
Toast the buns on the grill until golden. Assemble the
sliders with the beef patties, lettuce, tomato slices, cheese,
and any garnishes and sauces you like.

Less is more for salmon, as I want the flavor of the

fish to come through. For these lettuce-wrapped
“sliders,” I grill bite-sized pieces of salmon and
serve them in Boston lettuce cups, spread with
a creamy, mayo-based sauce, made bright and
tangy with lemon and capers. Other garnishes
that may work are slices of avocado, mango, or
thinly sliced peppers.
MAKES 8
2 tablespoon mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt)
2 tablespoon capers
2 tablespoon lemon juice
8 Boston lettuce leaves
8 2-inch pieces salmon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise,
capers, and lemon juice. Season with salt and
pepper and taste to adjust seasonings. Spread the
lettuce leaves with the mayonnaise mixture and
set aside.
On a hot grill, cook the salmon for 2 minutes per
Crisp lettuce cups make a fresh
replacement for buns.
side. Place a piece in each of the prepared lettuce
leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste.
GRILLED CORN WITH
COTIJA CREAM
This Mexican street corn-inspired grilled corn recipe is
absolutely mandatory to make during the summer; it goes
from grill to table in about 10 minutes.
I spread the cooked ears with a creamy sauce made with
Greek yogurt, sour cream, and lime juice. You can make the
sauce with mayonnaise, but in the heat of the day, I prefer
to use Greek yogurt as a safer alternative. Spread it on the
corn right after it comes off the grill, then top it off with A creamy sauce, cotija cheese, and cilantro dress
fresh cilantro and crumbly cotija cheese. I use aged cotija up this Mexican-inspired grilled corn.
to add more depth of flavor.
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
SERVES 6
In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream, Greek
2 tablespoons sour cream
yogurt (or mayonnaise), and lime juice. Season with salt
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt (or mayonnaise) and pepper and taste to adjust seasonings. Chill until
1 teaspoon lime juice ready to use.
On a hot grill, cook the corn, turning about every 2 minutes,
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
until cooked on all sides, about 10 minutes total.
6 ears corn, husks removed
Spread with the cream, top with the cotija cheese, and
3 tablespoons crumbled cotija cheese sprinkle cilantro on top. Serve immediately.

Sweet and Smoky
Ribs to Kick Off Summer
LYNDA BALSLEV
There are so many reasons to celebrate
right now. Summer is upon us, more of us
are vaccinated, and we can all get outside
and carefully socialize. Let this Memorial
Day be the official kickoff of summer and
the barbecue season.
These ribs are finger-licking good with
sweet and smoky flavor. A simple spice
rub drives in more flavor to the meat,
which gets a final baste and garnish with
a smoky chipotle-laced barbecue sauce.
You can simply rub the ribs before grilling
and let them stand while you fire up your
LYNDA BALSLEV FOR TASTEFOOD
grill. But better yet, if you have the time,
rub them the night before and refrigerate,
uncovered, until 30 minutes before grill-
ing. This extra time will deeply season
and slightly cure the meat, ensuring a
crispy, flavorful exterior.
Slow grilling is the name of the game
when it comes to ribs. The hours spent
cooking allow the meat to soften and ten-
derize, resulting in pull-apart goodness.
Pour yourself a drink, pull up a garden
Slow grilling chair, and relax. It’s almost summer.
is the name
of the game
when it comes
to ribs. CHIPOTLE GLAZED BABY BACK RIBS
PREP & COOKING TIME
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours and 30 minutes, plus standing
or refrigerating time
SERVES 6 TO 8
Lynda Balslev is a cookbook author,
food and travel writer, and recipe
developer based in the San Francisco
Bay Area, where she lives with her
Danish husband, two children, a cat,
and a dog. Lynda studied cooking at
Le Cordon Bleu Ecole de Cuisine in
Paris and worked as a personal chef,
culinary instructor, and food writer in
Switzerland and Denmark. Copyright
2021 Lynda Balslev. Distributed by
Andrew McMeel Syndication.
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Combine the rub ingredients in a bowl. Rub the ribs
on all sides. Let stand at room temperature while

3 racks baby back pork ribs, each about 2

pounds you prepare the grill. (The ribs can be rubbed up to
24 hours in advance and refrigerated, uncovered.
FOR THE RUB
Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before
1 tablespoon brown sugar grilling.)
1 tablespoon sugar Make the sauce. Heat the oil in a saucepan over
medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft,
1 tablespoon kosher salt
about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until
1/2 tablespoon chipotle chile powder fragrant, about 1 minute. Add all of the remaining
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook over
medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until slightly
1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper thickened. Cool to room temperature.
FOR THE SAUCE Prepare the grill for indirect cooking over low heat
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (250 to 275 degrees).
1 small onion, finely chopped Cook the ribs, bone side down, over indirect heat
until the meat is very tender, about 3 hours, turning
3 garlic cloves, minced occasionally to ensure even cooking. When the ribs
1 1/3 cups ketchup are nearly done, lightly brush with some of the sauce.
1/4 cup brown sugar Remove the ribs from the grill and cut between the
bones (I prefer to cut two-bone pieces for serving).
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
A simple spice rub drives in more flavor to these ribs, which get a final baste and garnish with a smoky Lightly brush with the sauce and serve with the
chipotle-laced barbecue sauce. 2 chipotles in adobo sauce, minced with juices remaining sauce.
D6 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021

How a Couple
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF LIVING TINY WITH THE BUSHES

Went Debt-Free by
Thinking Tiny
LOUISE BEVAN

Determined to get out of their six-figure

debt, couple Marek and Ko Bush drafted
a plan to downsize their debt by miniatur-
izing their home.
Two years later, after moving into the tiny
house they designed, the couple became
completely debt-free—and ready to tackle
the next project in their lives: building a
family. Their baby girl was born in March.
In 2017, Marek and Ko, from Kansas City,
Missouri, were living in a 1,100-square-
foot (102-square-meter) loft apartment in
Florida. After doing the math and realizing
they were $125,000 in debt, they set out
drafting a budget to fix this.
“We decided we were going to pay off
everything we owed,” Marek told Busi-
ness Insider. Marek, who works in retail
security, started looking into tiny homes,
suspecting that downsizing would mas-
sively reduce their expenses.
Ko, a teacher and waitress, wasn’t con-
vinced right away.
“It was the change of it all,” she explained.
“We had a lot of furniture, and I just wasn’t
ready to let go of it. But once I got it through
my head that it was just material things, I
was like, ‘You know what, it’s a good idea.’”
First, they set up a showroom in their loft
apartment, inviting potential customers to
peruse the furniture. That included a sev-
en-piece bedroom set and a large sectional
couch, neither of which would fit into their
200-square-foot (approx. 18-square-meter)
soon-to-be-home.
They sold everything, amassing a lump
sum in cash to pay off a large chunk of their
debt.
In hindsight, Marek realized he and his
wife had accumulated stuff “just to fill
up space.”
Next came the downsize. Not only were
the couple planning to move into a tiny
home, they also had their sights set on de-
signing it themselves.
The Bushes collaborated with Corner-
The Bushes collaborated with Cornerstone Tiny
Homes in Florida to draft a tiny mobile home
floor plan that included all the features and
comforts most important to them.
stone Tiny Homes in Florida to draft a tiny
mobile home floor plan that included all
the features and comforts most important
to them. They even showed off the features
of the home in a Tiny Home Tours video
on YouTube.
Not only were the couple
planning to move into
a tiny home, they also
had their sights set on
designing it themselves.
The living room houses a 55-inch TV and
three-seater sofa with storage underneath;
the multi-purpose bathroom/laundry
room includes a full-size walk-in shower;
the kitchen is customized with a stainless
steel stove, microwave, and large wooden
countertops.
“I’m like, ‘Listen, if we’re gonna go tiny,
I’m not sacrificing my kitchen!’” said Ko.
“I like to mount a lot of things in a tiny
house,” said Marek, who made sure the ceil-
ing accommodated his 6-foot 5-inch height,
“because it helps you free up space so you’re
not using counter space or floor space.”
The bedroom, complete with a king-size
bed, is on the mezzanine level. Intricate
paneling on the ceiling adds a personal
stamp to the property—as does the quote
by General George S. Patton on the wall: “If
everyone is thinking alike, then somebody
isn’t thinking.”
Marek and Ko paid for the $55,000 space
after securing a low-interest personal loan
from LightStream of SunTrust bank. The
build took four months to complete.
After living in RV parks for 18 months,
the Bushes settled at The Lake Dallas Tiny
Home Community in Texas in April 2019.
Two years of budget-conscious living
paid off. Marek and Ko annihilated their
$125,000 debt and paid off the tiny home
as well.
After such successful planning, the cou-
ple were well prepared to handle furloughs
Ko and
Marek Bush
outside their
tiny home.
during the pandemic. “Throughout the
debt-free process, we got really in tune
with our budget,” Marek said. “Once we
got furloughed from our jobs, it was very
easy for us to go back to our budget and
figure out what we can cut out and what we
can shrink in order to have as little living
expenses as possible.”
In December, the Bushes began plotting
out a 4-acre property in their hometown
of Kansas City, where they will “(prayer-
fully) be building a small Tiny House Com-
munity over the next 1–2 years!” Marek
shared on Instagram.
The couple, who saw their baby daughter
born on March 17, also have a YouTube
channel, Living Tiny with the Bushes,
where they share insights into marriage,
money, and the tiny home lifestyle.
Share your stories with us at emg.
inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue
to get your daily dose of inspiration
by signing up for the Epoch Inspired
Newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/
newsletter

HERE’S HOW

Simple Tips for Replacing an Asphalt Shingle Roof

JAMES DULLEY
Dear James: There are leaks in our ga-
rage when it rains. The dark shingle
roof is about 20 years old. Is it better
to try to just fix the leaks or re-shingle
the entire garage roof? —Jennifer T.
Dear Jennifer: At 20 years, your roof
is reaching the typical life of an as-
phalt shingle roof. Dark shingles also
deteriorate faster than light ones be-
cause the dark color gets much hot-
ter in the sun. High temperatures, in
addition to mildew, leaves, moisture,
etc., can shorten the shingle life span
even further.
With the lack of attic ventilation in
garages, the heat buildup in the roof
is even higher. What actually happens
is the granules covering the shingles
come loose in the high heat. One pur-
pose of the granules is to reflect the
damaging ultraviolet rays. When they
are gone or thin, the shingle material
underneath degrades quickly.
Since your roof is already 20 years
old and it is over the garage, I would
recommend you install an entire roof
rather than try to repair the leaks.
Some additional damage will be
done just walking around on the roof
attempting to find the sources of the
leaks. Once you find them, if you can,
you will have to disturb old shingles
near the repair areas. This can result
in additional leaks.
Tearing the old shingles off is the
most difficult part of re-roofing a
house. Laying the new shingles is ac-
tually a pretty straightforward, simple
job for most homeowners. The most
difficult part of the job is handling the
heavy bundles of shingles and keeping
your balance on the roof.
Take all the
appropriate safety
precautions when
working up on any
roof, even a relatively
low one.
With a roof as old as yours, you may
be able to lay a new layer of shingles
over the old ones. This is commonly
done to save money, and it works very
well. The key to a good job is making
sure the old shingles are not crum-
bling and the edges are not badly
curled. If they are, the new shingles
will not lie flat enough over the old
ones. Also check your local building
codes about re-roofing.
Take all the appropriate safety pre-
cautions when working up on any roof,
even a relatively low one. Don’t work
alone, and always have your cellphone
with you. Even if you do not fall off the
roof, you may get caught in an unbal-
anced position and need assistance.
Only work on a roof when it is dry,
and wear soft-soled shoes for greater
traction. It may be overkill, but I prefer
to use some mountain climbing gear
(rope, harness, repelling equipment)
and tie myself to the chimney or a tree.
It is not too cumbersome, and it allows
you to let yourself down slowly to the
ground, should you accidentally slip.
The shingles are overlapped on the
roof, so gravity carries the water from
one over the next. There is quite a large
overlap, so wind-driven rain does not
back up under the shingles and get into
the garage.
To make sure you have the shingles
in a straight line, snap chalk line first
along the roof. Don’t just try to eyeball
it, or it surely will end up looking like
a do-it-yourself job. Using a nail gun
makes the job much faster, but a ham-
mer still works well for shingles. Care-
fully flash around a chimney or valley.
Send your questions to Here’s How,
6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH
45244, or visit Dulley.com. To find out
more about James Dulley and read fea-
tures by other Creators Syndicate writ-
ers and cartoonists, visit the Creators
Syndicate website at Creators.com.
Copyright 2021 Creators.com

CALLING Dear Readers,

Did you build, fix, design, or craft something that you’re especially proud of?
Whether it’s a small decoration or an ambitious renovation, we’d love to hear about it!

ALL
We’re looking to spotlight inspiring home projects from our readers that showcase
valuable do-it-yourself skills and spirit. Tell us about yours—the product, process,
challenges, and rewards.
Send your story, a photo of yourself, and at least one photo of your project, along with

DIYERS your full name, state, and contact information, to home@epochtimes.com, or mail it to:
Home, The Epoch Times, 229 W. 28th St., Floor 7, New York, NY 10001.
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
SOCIAL SECURITY AND YOU
Clarifying Benefits for Wives
TOM MARGENAU
S
everal weeks ago, I wrote a column
explaining benefits that are pay-
able to spouses. And by spouses,
I almost always am referring to a
wife and the benefits she might
be due on her husband’s Social Security
record.
And whenever I write such a column, my
inbox is immediately flooded with emails
from women who think they are being
cheated out of spousal benefits. Somehow,
they always misread what I have written.
They think I am saying that every woman
should be getting her own Social Security
benefits and something extra off her hus-
band’s record.
That is not what I am saying. In fact, usu-
ally just the opposite is true. If you are a
woman who has worked most of her life,
it is highly likely that once you reach re-
tirement age, you will just get your own
Social Security benefit. You won’t be due
anything on your husband’s record—at
least while he is alive. While he is alive
and kicking, you are either due your own
retirement benefit or a small percentage
(between 30 percent and 50 percent) of
your husband’s benefit, whichever pays
more. And almost always, your own ben-
efit pays more than that small percentage
of his.
For example, one woman wrote to tell me
that based on my recent column, she was
convinced she wasn’t getting enough from
Social Security. She said she took benefits
at 62 and gets $622 per month. She said her
husband gets $1,510 per month. She claims
my column said she should be getting half
of his benefit, or $755.
If she had read my column more care-
fully, she would have understood that a
wife gets the 50 percent rate only if she
waits until her full retirement age to claim
benefits. But she took benefits at 62. So, she
isn’t due half of her husband’s benefit. She
is only due about 30 percent of it. And 30
percent of his $1,510 rate is around $503.
And her own $622 benefit is much more
than that. So, she is not due any spousal
benefits.
Once her husband dies, it’s a different
story. A widow’s benefit can be as much
as 100 percent of his Social Security rate
if she is over her full retirement age when
he dies. So that woman would start getting
$1,510 when her husband passes away.
But benefits for widows is a story for an-
other column. Today, I’m concentrating
on benefits you are due from your still-
breathing husband. And to repeat: If you
have your own Social Security benefit, you
likely are not due anything from his record.
Having made that point, I must admit
that there are women whose own Social
Security benefit is so low and their hus-
band’s benefit is so high that they can get
some extra spousal benefits. If your hus-
band was already getting Social Security
benefits at the time you filed for your own
benefits, the Social Security Administra-
tion would have automatically looked at
his record to see if you were due anything.
If your husband filed later, the SSA also
PERSONAL FINANCE
How to Win With Money After Graduation
ANTHONY ONEAL
Heading into the workforce after college
and living on your own is hard enough
without a global crisis messing with the
job market. But listen, you can make
a steady income and win with your
money if you make a few smart moves
starting right now.
Here are my top tips for staying in
control of your money, and getting
ahead in an unstable job market
after graduation:
Budget
If you’re going to be making any
kind of income, you need to be able to plan
out how you’ll use every single dollar of it.
And you can do that by making (and stick-
ing to) a zero-based budget where your in-
come minus your expenses equals zero.
Live Below Your Means
That just means living on less money than
you make, so you have some margin for
saving. Don’t rent a big, fancy apartment
when you could save a ton by getting a
should have checked at that time to see if
you were due extra spousal benefits. If you
don’t think they did that, then call the SSA
at 800-772-1213 to verify.
And this whole topic of women think-
ing they should be getting extra spousal
benefits brings up a related issue. Based
on my 32 years of experience working for
the Social Security Administration and
the 24 years I’ve been writing this column,
I can tell you that the No. 1 complaint I
hear from people—by far—is this: “I don’t
think I am getting the right Social Security
benefit amount. I should get more!”
And perhaps unsurprisingly, not once
in the past four decades has anyone told
me that he or she was getting too much
money! I guess that’s just human nature.
People tend to believe they are being
cheated out of something that everyone
else is getting.
I think this phenomenon sometimes re-
sults when senior citizens start talking and
comparing government benefit amounts.
The person getting less inevitably feels as
if he or she has been left holding the short
end of the Social Security stick. What they
don’t understand is that there are dozens
of variables that determine the amount of
a Social Security check—things like date
of birth, earnings history, your age when
you filed for benefits, early retirement
reductions, late retirement bonuses, etc.
Readers who follow this column know
that I am often critical of the SSA and
the service the organization provides.
But I can tell you there is one thing they
are very good at: The SSA is very careful
and very accurate about calculating So-
cial Security benefits. There have been
countless studies done by Congress and
MASTER1305/SHUTTERSTOCK
A few places really
needing employees
right now are
restaurant/delivery
services, cleaning
services, factories,
and (weirdly enough)
airlines.
If you have
your own
Social Security
benefit, you
likely are not
due anything
from his
record.
Tom Margenau worked
for 32 years in a variety
of positions for the So-
cial Security Adminis-
tration before retiring in
2005. He has served as
the director of SSA’s pub-
lic information office,
the chief editor of more
than 100 SSA publica-
tions, a deputy press
officer and spokesman,
and a speechwriter for
the commissioner of
Social Security. For 12
years, he also wrote So-
cial Security columns for
local newspapers, and
recently published the
book “Social Security:
Simple and Smart.” If
you have a Social Secu-
rity question, contact
him at thomas.mar-
genau@comcast.net
simple one-bedroom. Don’t drive a new
Lexus when you can get by just fine with a
used Honda. Get the picture?
Have an Emergency Fund
This is key, especially these days, when cir-
cumstances can change at any time. You
need to have some cash stored away for the
stuff that always seems to happen when
you’re trying to get on your feet. Start
by saving a $1,000 emergency fund.
Then, once you’re out of debt, save
three to six months of expenses in
a fully-funded emergency fund.
Look for Jobs You Wouldn’t
Normally Take  I know it’s hard to think about surviving
Keep in mind you may have to make
some sacrifices and work somewhere that
wouldn’t be your “ideal” job until you can
find something else. A few places really
needing employees right now are restau-
rant/delivery services, cleaning services,
factories, and (weirdly enough) airlines.
And of course, continue looking for your
dream job on websites like Glassdoor, In-
deed, FlexJobs, and LinkedIn.
D7
JOSEPH CHAN/UNSPLASH
The topic
of Social
Security spousal
benefits can be
confusing.
other oversight agencies concerning the
accuracy of Social Security payments. And
the studies show that SSA pays the right
benefit amount something like 99 percent
of the time.
I should clarify that I am talking about
the accuracy of the initial calculation of
a person’s basic Social Security benefit
amount. People getting ongoing Social
Security checks can be paid incorrectly
from time to time. But that’s usually be-
cause the SSA has faulty information. For
example, a person who is working and
making more than the earnings penalty
limit fails to inform the government of his
or her income, resulting in benefits be-
ing paid that were not due. Those kinds of
“overpayments” are common. But the per-
son’s basic Social Security benefit amount
is still accurate.
Here’s a recent question I got from a read-
er: “I am 82 years old. My wife is 80. I’m get-
ting less money from Social Security than
any of our friends. And my wife doesn’t get
any benefits on my record, but all the other
women we know get their husband’s Social
Security. How can we get this corrected?”
I answered this person by saying there
is probably nothing to correct. As I men-
tioned above, there are dozens of differ-
ent reasons why the benefits you get are
different than what your friends get. Be-
sides, the time to question the accuracy of
your Social Security checks is when they
first start. That’s when you have a formal
appeal period to request a review of your
claim. There is no point in questioning it 20
years later. But if this is going to continue to
bother you, you could call the SSA at 800-
772-1213 and hope you find a friendly agent
who will go over all your records with you.
Talk to Your Former Teachers
If you had a good relationship with your
teachers, think about reaching out to
them. They might be able to connect you
with people in your field who are currently
hiring. Plus, they’ll probably like hearing
from you.
Get a Side Hustle
If one stream of income isn’t enough, try
virtual or in-person tutoring, nannying,
dog walking, selling stuff on eBay, free-
lance writing, managing social media
accounts for small businesses, or driving
for Lyft or Uber—anything that helps you
bring in extra cash.
after graduation when things still seem
crazy. But if you’ll just be wise about your
work and your money, I promise you’ll be
more than OK—you’ll be crushing it!
Anthony ONeal is a financial expert,
host of the popular online series “The
Table” on his YouTube channel, and a
best-selling author. Follow Anthony at
AnthonyONeal.com 
D8
ASK CARRIE
Is Your Teen Financially Fit?
CARRIE SCHWAB-POMERANTZ
Dear Parents of Teens: The pandemic has
changed our everyday reality in so many
ways—financially, educationally, and so-
cially. Money may be tighter. Kids may be
doing online school. And we’re all spend-
ing a lot more time at home.
But for all the changes in our lives, ac-
cording to a recent Schwab survey, there’s
one thing that hasn’t changed for a lot of
people: the importance we place on finan-
cial education. In fact, parents who took
the survey rated money management as
the most important skill for their kids to
learn—outranking health and wellness
education as a supplementary gradua-
tion requirement to math, English, and
science.
So, where do kids get this crucial educa-
tion? Schools are getting better. Twenty-
one states now require high school stu-
dents to take a personal finance course.
That’s a start, but there’s a lot more work
to be done. Here’s where you as a parent
can help fill in the gaps.
5 Practical Ways to Get Started
With your kids home more these days,
you may have more opportunities to start
a conversation about money. And if your
family economics have changed due to the
pandemic, there’s more to talk about. But
real learning comes from doing. So, give
your kids some hands-on experiences and
responsibilities.
Use daily opportunities as “teachable
moments.” When you’re paying bills, let
your teen see what it costs to run a house-
hold, how bills get paid, and how to keep a
checkbook balanced. If you pay your bills
online, show them how online bill-pay is
linked to your checking account.
Pay an allowance only once a month. To
learn how to budget and save, kids have to
have their own money. Once your child is a
teen, consider giving them their allowance
monthly instead of weekly; that way they
can learn how to make their money last.
Help them understand the difference be-
tween needs and wants and how to budget
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I n s p ire d O r i g i n a l .O rg
Money management is a critical skill for kids to learn.
for both. (If you’ve had to make trade-offs
in the past year, share why and how you
did it.) Make them responsible for a certain
share of their own expenses (for example,
clothing, electronics, or extracurricular
activities). Most of all, let them learn from
their mistakes. Don’t immediately come to
the rescue if they come up short.
Open a checking account. Show your
teen how to use a check register and review
monthly statements online or on paper.
Guide them in using a debit card wisely
and keeping track of debit expenditures.
Show them how to use an ATM, and talk to
them about potential fees associated with
different accounts.
Open a savings account. Talk about
goals and setting savings priorities. Sug-
gest saving a percentage of any earnings
or gifts toward a goal. If your teen has a
job, have them set up direct deposit from
their checking account to their savings
account. Consider matching a portion of
their savings to further motivate them to
put money away for the future.
Get them started in investing. Saving
gives you money to work with, but invest-
JOSEPH TABLE/SHUTTERSTOCK
ing puts your money to work. Teaching
your teen about compound interest can
be eye-opening. Using fractional shares to
invest in stocks can be a fun way of getting
them involved and engaged in conversa-
tions about how the stock market works. If
your teen earns a paycheck, you can help
them set up an IRA for the future.
Most of all, let them
learn from their mistakes.
Don’t immediately come
to the rescue if they come
up short.
Evidence It Works
Recent studies confirm the positive, long-
lasting effects of financial education on be-
havior and decision-making. While more
research and support is needed, I’ve seen
the results myself through my experience
with the Money Matters: Make It Count
program offered through Boys & Girls
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
Clubs of America. Kids who participate
show dramatic improvement in their un-
derstanding of personal finance concepts.
Now in its 17th year, with over a million
teens having participated in the program,
Money Matters has shown some remark-
able results. Part of the success derives
from BGCA’s efforts to make the program
relevant to teens through experiential ac-
tivities and content.
A great example is the Money Matters Re-
ality Store, a real-world interactive work-
shop, where kids discover firsthand how
education, career, family, and spending
can impact their financial futures. There’s
nothing like experiential activities to give
kids a taste of financial reality. Giving your
kids some extra screen time for financial
video games that simulate real-life eco-
nomic experiences can be an excellent
motivator!
More Than Just Money
Financial education is about our sense of
well-being, creating equal opportunities,
even strengthening our relationships. The
more we can share with our kids about our
own money management practices—from
household budgeting to saving to invest-
ing—the richer their lives will be. Be open
and talk freely about how you handle your
money; teach them by your good example.
And be sure to give them feedback as they
make their own financial decisions.
If you need to sharpen your knowledge in
personal finance, visit SchwabMoneywise.
com, which offers tools and resources for
anyone who wants a refresher in the basics,
as well as those just starting out.
But don’t let schools off the hook. If a fi-
nancial literacy class isn’t offered at your
teen’s school, petition your school district
to have one added to the curriculum. To
me, money management is a critical life
skill for everyone.
Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, a certified
financial planner, is president of the
Charles Schwab Foundation and author
of “The Charles Schwab Guide to Financ-
es After Fifty.”