All The Monitor's View
How to choose a justiceTraditionally a president’s choice has been given some deference; now politics rules.
A timely tour in South CarolinaA bipartisan ‘pilgrimage’ by members of the US Congress yields lessons in forgiveness.
The moral action in naming genocideIn designating Islamic State as having committed genocide against Yazidis, Christians, and others, the US helps the world seek more ways to end this most heinous of crimes.
Kudos on climate progressA historic moment may have been reached in 2014-15 as carbon pollution did not go up even as the global economy did. This decoupling of emissions from prosperity is cause for gratitude.
Lifting the stigma on American MuslimsThe Trump campaign presents a fear of Muslims that does not hold up in a new poll of American Muslims.
Latin America’s sweeping anti-corruption broomFrom Brazil to Mexico, a rising middle class is driving efforts to ensure honest governance, reflecting a global trend toward ‘ethical universalism.’
Why wager on March Madness brackets?As gambling on the men’s collegiate basketball finals has grown, the NCAA is now promoting the ‘brackets.’ Amateur sports does not need the taint of corrosive gambling.
Why voters must rally over rally violenceCitizens can deter confrontation at campaign events by being peaceful themselves toward political opponents. Democracy, after all, was invented to resolve differences without violence.
What’s age got to do with running for president?The three top contenders – Clinton, Trump, Sanders – defy stereotypes about older people, and even attract younger voters. If age ‘ain’t nothing but a number,’ the 2016 contest shows it.
What the world brings to Syrian peace talksDoubts remain high about next week’s negotiations to end Syria’s civil war. Yet the UN and others are bringing decades of wisdom in peacemaking. Recent history shows that wars end more often by talking than by military victory.
For Syrian refugees, a legal – and safe – route to EuropeTo stem illegal migration by Syrians, the European Union plans to return them to Turkey while accepting the same number legally from refugee camps. Honoring both borders and legal migration may serve as an antidote to the Syrian war.
The challenge of ‘Big Marijuana’Big money is starting to push marijuana legalization in the US, raising alarms that corporate profiteers may promote pot use among teens. A few states are wising up to the large commercial interests peddling a drug with high costs in public safety.
Yes, ICANNThe integrity of the Internet will soon be maintained by a nongovernmental body (ICANN) set up to represent the web’s many stakeholders. The model of governance reflects the values of the web itself: equality and a mutual regard among users.
The key hope in sanctionsWith Obama going to Cuba, a tighter economic embargo on North Korea, and a partial lifting of sanctions on an improved Iran, now is the time to examine why sanctions often succeed. They rely on a hopeful view of people.
From Timbuktu, a timeless lessonIn a first, a jihadist is charged with a war crime for destroying ancient cultural sites. The case before the International Criminal Court reflects a legal pushback against such destruction and a moral reinforcement to preserve humanity’s most timeless heritage.
Syria’s calm before the peaceA temporary truce, brokered by Russia and the US, has brought the first lull in violence in Syria’s five-year conflict. As it brings some stability and hope, it is also a test of sincerity for coming peace talks.
Peace message in Iran’s electionDespite a rigged list of candidates, voters in Iran’s Feb. 26 election found a way to elect relative moderates who seek a less threatening country more open to the world. The vote was a humiliating blow to Iran’s clerical rule.
Advice for a world in search of innovationThe US presidential campaign is raising voter fears about the future more than focusing on what Warren Buffett calls America’s ‘secret sauce” – its long history of sustained gains in economic productivity.
Psst! ‘Plastics’ needs to be reformedOne of the world’s most successful and versatile materials is also a potential environmental disaster.
Turning politics outside inMoney still corrupts politics but maybe not in the way we think.
