A letter to my conservative friends

School closure debate and a glimpse of our family. [View in browser](~/AAAAAQA~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~)|[nytimes.com](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0SyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ1JmVtYz1lZGl0X25rXzIwMjEwMTI4Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTI2NDgzJm5sPW5pY2hvbGFzLWtyaXN0b2YmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUwNDI5JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgEVsDEmDa0ufDUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~)[Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-ad-marquee) ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTYxOTkwJmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDEyOFcDbnl0QgpgEVsDEmDa0ufDUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ [NYTimes.com/Kristof](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0TIaHR0cDovL3d3dy5ueXRpbWVzLmNvbS9jb2x1bW4vbmljaG9sYXMta3Jpc3RvZj9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD00NSZlbWM9ZWRpdF9ua18yMDIxMDEyOCZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNjQ4MyZubD1uaWNob2xhcy1rcmlzdG9mJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD01MDQyOSZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYBFbAxJg2tLnw1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) January 27, 2021 Emily Elconin/Reuters [Author Headshot](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0TJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vY29sdW1uL25pY2hvbGFzLWtyaXN0b2Y_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDUmZW1jPWVkaXRfbmtfMjAyMTAxMjgmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjY0ODMmbmw9bmljaG9sYXMta3Jpc3RvZiZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTA0MjkmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmARWwMSYNrS58NSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) By [Nicholas Kristof](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0TJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vY29sdW1uL25pY2hvbGFzLWtyaXN0b2Y_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDUmZW1jPWVkaXRfbmtfMjAyMTAxMjgmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjY0ODMmbmw9bmljaG9sYXMta3Jpc3RvZiZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTA0MjkmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmARWwMSYNrS58NSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) Opinion Columnist, Opinion I’m in Oregon on our family farm and was astonished to be asked by some old pro-Trump friends if they were in danger now from liberals seeking vengeance. I told them that of course they weren’t — and I was pained by how relieved they felt. But the right-wing echo chamber is warning that Democrats will send Trump voters to “re-education camps,” even a Wall Street Journal columnist [chimed in](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0TkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud3NqLmNvbS9hcnRpY2xlcy9hbWVyaWNhLWl0cy10aW1lLWZvci11bml0eW9yLWVsc2UtMTE2MTE2MDIzMjU_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDUmZW1jPWVkaXRfbmtfMjAyMTAxMjgmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjY0ODMmbmw9bmljaG9sYXMta3Jpc3RvZiZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTA0MjkmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmARWwMSYNrS58NSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~): “If you were an enthusiastic Donald Trump supporter, are you ready to enter a re-education program?” Some of my pro-Trump friends here have stopped posting on politics and have joined secret messaging apps. So for [my column today](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0TuaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMS8yNy9vcGluaW9uL3RydW1wLXN1cHBvcnRlcnMtY29uc3BpcmFjeS10aGVvcmllcy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ1JmVtYz1lZGl0X25rXzIwMjEwMTI4Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTI2NDgzJm5sPW5pY2hvbGFzLWtyaXN0b2YmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUwNDI5JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgEVsDEmDa0ufDUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~), I wrote an open letter to my pro-Trump friends and neighbors, telling them that we’re not going to round them up, and they should stick to their convictions. We progressives need conservatives to keep us honest. America needs a loyal opposition! But while they hold us accountable, they should do the same to the charlatans on Fox News and elsewhere who have deceived them, used them, cheated them. I’m also increasingly of the view that we should hold news organizations like Fox accountable. Yes, it’s a slippery slope. But we all agree that there should be red lines, even if we disagree about where they lie. A KKK grand wizard has a right to free speech, but shouldn’t have a Facebook page or cable channel to peddle hate. Likewise, I think advertisers should be wary of bolstering extremists on Fox News, and cable providers shouldn’t make extremist channels part of a basic package in ways that force all of us to subsidize charlatans like Sean Hannity. I explore all this in my open letter, so [check it out!](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0TuaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMS8yNy9vcGluaW9uL3RydW1wLXN1cHBvcnRlcnMtY29uc3BpcmFjeS10aGVvcmllcy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ1JmVtYz1lZGl0X25rXzIwMjEwMTI4Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTI2NDgzJm5sPW5pY2hvbGFzLWtyaXN0b2YmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUwNDI5JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgEVsDEmDa0ufDUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-0) ADVERTISEMENT ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTYxOTg3JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDEyOFcDbnl0QgpgEVsDEmDa0ufDUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTYxOTg5JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDEyOFcDbnl0QgpgEVsDEmDa0ufDUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTYxOTg4JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDEyOFcDbnl0QgpgEVsDEmDa0ufDUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ Should We Open or Close Schools? I’ve annoyed many of my fellow progressives by [arguing since May](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0TiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMC8wNS8yMC9vcGluaW9uL3VzLWNvcm9uYXZpcnVzLXJlb3BlbmluZy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ1JmVtYz1lZGl0X25rXzIwMjEwMTI4Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTI2NDgzJm5sPW5pY2hvbGFzLWtyaXN0b2YmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUwNDI5JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgEVsDEmDa0ufDUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) that we should try harder to keep schools open during the pandemic, and that it’s ridiculous to close schools while keeping bars open. My argument has been twofold: The evidence suggests that the risks of keeping schools open, especially in younger grades, seem manageable, while the costs of closing them (lost learning, increased learning gaps, 1 million additional high school dropouts, and less screening for abuse and mental health crises) are very substantial. On balance, the evidence continues to support that view, I believe — with one big caveat that I’ll get to. Las Vegas schools are pushing to reopen sooner after a [cluster of suicides](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0TxaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMS8yNC91cy9wb2xpdGljcy9zdHVkZW50LXN1aWNpZGVzLW5ldmFkYS1jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ1JmVtYz1lZGl0X25rXzIwMjEwMTI4Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTI2NDgzJm5sPW5pY2hvbGFzLWtyaXN0b2YmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUwNDI5JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgEVsDEmDa0ufDUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) that may be linked to closures. And a [new international study](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0TCaHR0cHM6Ly9lZHVjYXRpb24ub3JnL2ZhY3RzLWFuZC1pbnNpZ2h0cz9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD00NSZlbWM9ZWRpdF9ua18yMDIxMDEyOCZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNjQ4MyZubD1uaWNob2xhcy1rcmlzdG9mJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD01MDQyOSZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYBFbAxJg2tLnw1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) of closures in 101 countries finds no indication that keeping schools open leads to elevated mortality among teachers or family members. I think liberals were too quick to oppose reopenings because Trump endorsed them; sometimes, even Trump was right. Likewise, the C.D.C. this week [weighed in](~/AAAAAQA~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~) with similar advice: Schools should be last to close when the virus hits, and first to reopen after a closure. Prioritize kids, not restaurants and bars. [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-1) ADVERTISEMENT ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTI4ODA4JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDEyOFcDbnl0QgpgEVsDEmDa0ufDUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTI4ODA5JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDEyOFcDbnl0QgpgEVsDEmDa0ufDUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTI4ODEwJmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDEyOFcDbnl0QgpgEVsDEmDa0ufDUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ That said, here’s the caveat: The evidence is retrospective, based on lower levels of prevalence and the original strain of the virus. It’s not clear whether the same will hold for new strains (which I’m quite concerned about, especially the Brazilian variant) and for higher levels of community transmission. I think President Biden is right to push for school reopenings, but we should be relentlessly empirical and alert to the possibility of changed circumstances. A Glimpse of Our Family — and 敗傢伙啦! People periodically ask how Sheryl and I raised our three kids when we were bouncing around the world. It’s a (true) family joke that when I was nervously taking my daughter, Caroline, through gang checkpoints in a Honduran slum, she turned to me and said, “Dad, when my friends go on vacation, they go to the Caribbean.” So for our next family vacation, we did all go to the Caribbean — to Haiti during the cholera epidemic, spending our days traipsing through cholera wards. The kids are now all adults, and Caroline wrote [this poignant essay](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP4QkAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LndhdmVhcnRzbWFnYXppbmUuY29tL2ZhbWlseS1ibG9nL3doYXQtaS13b24tcGxheWluZy1wb2tlcj9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD00NSZlbWM9ZWRpdF9ua18yMDIxMDEyOCZmYmNsaWQ9SXdBUjB3RUVZTDVBMzlheUFaUHAzWmV6Mi1Kbmo5TjFZc0I4cDFvbTRQQVRZaklvczZJeEpmczNua3Q4MCZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNjQ4MyZubD1uaWNob2xhcy1rcmlzdG9mJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD01MDQyOSZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYBFbAxJg2tLnw1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) about understanding and sustaining her (half) Chinese heritage by playing poker with her grandparents. It comes with a free Chinese lesson about how to express dismay in the Toysan dialect: Bai gaa fo la 敗傢伙啦. Enjoy! [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-2) ADVERTISEMENT ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NzI4Njk1JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDEyOFcDbnl0QgpgEVsDEmDa0ufDUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NzI4Njk2JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDEyOFcDbnl0QgpgEVsDEmDa0ufDUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NzI4Njk4JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDEyOFcDbnl0QgpgEVsDEmDa0ufDUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ What I’m Reading I mostly read nonfiction, but about a year ago I picked up a historical novel by Robert Harris, [“An Officer and a Spy,”](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0T0aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAxNC8wMi8wMi9ib29rcy9yZXZpZXcvYW4tb2ZmaWNlci1hbmQtYS1zcHktYnktcm9iZXJ0LWhhcnJpcy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ1JmVtYz1lZGl0X25rXzIwMjEwMTI4Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTI2NDgzJm5sPW5pY2hvbGFzLWtyaXN0b2YmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUwNDI5JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgEVsDEmDa0ufDUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) and finally got around to it. Boy, it’s good! It’s about the Dreyfus Affair, the notorious prosecution of Alfred Dreyfus by the French Army at the end of the 19th century, culminating with Zola’s letter, “J’accuse,” and the scandals indicating that the military establishment had pursued Dreyfus and let the guilty party go free mostly because Dreyfus was Jewish. It’s a great page-turner, and reminds me so much of the failings of America’s criminal justice system today. Much recommended. My Letter to Friends Who Support Trump I believe in reaching out to Trump voters and trying to win them over, not screaming at them. People are complicated, and if you live in a conservative ecosystem then all your information is reinforcing the idea that liberals are trying to seize your guns, take away your liberty, suppress your faith and force you into “socialism.” Just this week, we got a letter here warning about “Islam in Yamhill Schools.” It reads in part: “The radical left’s plan to rip God out of our schools was just the beginning. Now that they’ve been successful in removing God, they’ve moved on to the next phase of their scheme — to replace God with pro-Islamic lessons about Allah.” And of course it was accompanied by a plea for donations to preserve Christianity. So that’s partly why I wrote my column as an open letter to conservatives. Many of my pro-Trump friends will dismiss it, but I think we have to try outreach whenever we can. And that’s what I’m doing. 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By Nicholas Kristof](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0ThaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMS8yMy9vcGluaW9uL3N1bmRheS9rZXZpbi1jb29wZXItZG5hLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDUmZW1jPWVkaXRfbmtfMjAyMTAxMjgmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjY0ODMmbmw9bmljaG9sYXMta3Jpc3RvZiZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTA0MjkmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmARWwMSYNrS58NSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0ThaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMS8yMy9vcGluaW9uL3N1bmRheS9rZXZpbi1jb29wZXItZG5hLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDUmZW1jPWVkaXRfbmtfMjAyMTAxMjgmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjY0ODMmbmw9bmljaG9sYXMta3Jpc3RvZiZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTA0MjkmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmARWwMSYNrS58NSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Biden’s Classy Call for an ‘America United’ “America has been tested, and we’ve come out stronger for it.” By Nicholas Kristof](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0ThaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMS8yMC9vcGluaW9uL2JpZGVuLWluYXVndXJhbC1hZGRyZXNzLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDUmZW1jPWVkaXRfbmtfMjAyMTAxMjgmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjY0ODMmbmw9bmljaG9sYXMta3Jpc3RvZiZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTA0MjkmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmARWwMSYNrS58NSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh9IhbP0ThaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMS8yMC9vcGluaW9uL2JpZGVuLWluYXVndXJhbC1hZGRyZXNzLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDUmZW1jPWVkaXRfbmtfMjAyMTAxMjgmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjY0ODMmbmw9bmljaG9sYXMta3Jpc3RvZiZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTA0MjkmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmARWwMSYNrS58NSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) WHAT I’M READING IN THE TIMES [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-3) Need help? 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