Return of the 'Evil Empire' Regardless of what any American feels about what steps we should take in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's aggressive incursion into Ukraine, for sure most are appalled by what he has done. As Putin moves to regain Russian control over nations that once were part of the Soviet sphere, we ought to think about the circumstances under which the Soviet Union collapsed to consider how it all might be reversed. In March 1983, President Ronald Reagan spoke to the National Association of Evangelicals in Orlando, Florida, and delivered what would famously become known as the speech in which he called the Soviet Union the "evil empire." Discussing America's efforts to confront the Soviet Union's nuclear arsenal, he said: "I urge you to beware the temptation of pride ... declaring yourselves above it all and label both sides equally at fault, to ignore the facts of history and the aggressive impulses of an evil empire ... and thereby remove yourself from the struggle between right and wrong and good and evil." Reagan spoke more than powerful words of truth that day. He spoke almost as a prophet. He noted further: "While America's military strength is important, let me add here that I've always maintained that the struggle now going on for the world will never be decided by bombs or rockets, by armies or military might. The real crisis we face today is a spiritual one; at root, it is a test of moral will and faith." Some eight years later, the Soviet Union, which for years during the Cold War was thought to be the superpower rival to the United States, collapsed. There was no war. There was just resolve and Reagan's unwavering commitment to the principles he articulated that day in 1983. And eight years after that speech, in 1991, Ukraine, now under siege by Putin, was freed from subjugation under the Soviet regime and declared its freedom, independence and sovereignty. As Putin tries to reverse history, it is upon us to not forget that Reagan declared the global struggle as first and foremost a spiritual struggle, a struggle of good against evil. As Americans watch events unfold in Ukraine, we must refocus on what is going on in our own country. If we lose a sense of the importance and relevance of Reagan's words as they apply at home, we surely will not know how to relate to events as they transpire in the rest of the world. And there is plenty of reason to believe we are losing that perspective at home. We see a direct correlation within our own borders, in our own country, of the decline in faith in the eternal principles that keep us free, and with this decline, Americans are gradually but decisively choosing to abandon their freedom. In a survey published at the end of last year, Gallup reported that 69% of Americans self-identified as Christians in 2021, compared with 90% who self-identified as Christians in 1971. Twenty-one percent said they have "no religion" in 2021, compared to 4% in 1971. In 1965, 70% of Americans said religion is "very important" to them. By 2021, this was down to 49%. Coincident with the decline of the importance that Americans give to religion, Americans have turned their lives increasingly over to government control. In 1950, government at federal, state and local levels took almost 23% of the American economy. In 2020, this reached almost 45%. Turning back again to Reagan's words, "But we must never forget that no government schemes are going to perfect man." Our struggle, said Reagan, is about good and evil. It's no accident that as America retreats in this struggle, as Americans increasingly believe that government can perfect man and as we relinquish our freedom, that despots like Putin will step forward and try to move the world back to a darker time. Star Parke The Sun Bay Paper Page 12 March 4, 2022 - March 10, 2022 At our house, we're getting much better with storing and using up produce. In fact, we've all but completely stopped throwing rotten produce into the garbage. Now, I'm taking it further by actually regrowing vegetables from scraps -- in the kitchen window! It's like my inner gardener has come out to play, and not a moment too soon as grocery prices soar and inflation in the U.S. has now reached a 20-year high. Let's start with scallions (green onions). They're extremely useful, deliciously versatile and dirt cheap. Invariably, I either fail to use them up completely before they go bad or I run out, prompting quick trips to the market, which exposes my impulsive self to at least a few unplanned purchases. But no more now that I have a tiny crop of fresh scallions growing on my kitchen windowsill. It's so easy to keep the white ends in a glass of water where they sprout and regrow into new, fresh scallions. Here are some simple steps to regrow scallions: 1: Stand the white parts of the scallions, with the wispy root ends down, in a glass or jar. 2: Add water to cover the roots. 3: Set the container in a sunny window. 4: Change the water every day or two. In a week or so, you can begin harvesting the green ends of the scallions, depending on how much green you started with. Snip what you need with a pair of kitchen scissors (you can take up to 70% of the green part) and leave the rest to keep growing. The green part of the scallion will regrow itself. You'll save money and frustration, and have yourself a fun, low-maintenance and edible windowsill pet. While scallions are the easiest vegetable to regrow, this method works with other vegetables. *Lettuce--Don't expect a full head of lettuce from your windowsill garden, but you can get a few leaves at a time, which is enough for a sandwich or garnish. Put the stem end of the head, with a few inches of the lettuce intact, in a shallow dish of water. Place it in a window area that gets plenty of sunlight. Keep the water fresh by changing it every one to two days. *Celery--A few tender, delicious stalks will regrow -- just enough for most dishes that call for celery. Similar to the steps above for regenerating lettuce, place the stem end in a shallow dish of water by a sunny window. Change the water frequently. You'll get better results with celery when you poke toothpicks into the sides of the celery to prop it up. You want to submerge the celery, but keep the bottom from touching the dish to give the roots plenty of room to breathe. *Fennel--You can grow back the green shoots of a fennel bulb by following the same steps for lettuce and celery. Place the bulb end, with the root system still intact, in shallow water, and wait for the plant to begin to regrow. *Herbs--A wide range of herbs works well to regrow using cuttings and scraps. Start with a stem that is about 4 inches in length in a glass of water, making sure to remove all leaves below the water level. You will learn how to make full use of a plant's ability to grow new roots and regenerate itself to help you reduce the amount of food waste that you generate in your home. Mary Hunt How To Regrow Scallions And Other Vegetables From Scraps
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