All The Monitor's View
- Applause that drowns out hate speech
Boston baseball fans countered an expression of hate toward a black ballplayer with an act of love – a standing ovation. Ending racial discrimination requires communities to be ‘normal.’
- Talk with North Korea? Recent precedents help.
President Trump’s hope for talks with North Korea could be based on recent cases of other adversaries that shifted away from violence and threats.
- How Congress can be productive
A theme in Washington’s debates is the need to boost economic productivity. But first Congress must be more efficient itself in agreeing on policies to do just that.
- A rise in critical skills for sharing news online
As more people rely on social media for news, they also show signs of greater skill in media literacy – and more responsibility in not passing along fake news.
- Can Colombia’s peace help Venezuela’s conflict?
As a peace deal helps end a long war in Colombia, Venezuela is descending into violence. What can Colombia teach its neighbor about healing and reconciliation?
- Hear this, oh those who listen
Hecklers who aim to silence campus speakers or elected leaders, sometimes with violence, must not erode a democracy’s commitment to consider a diversity of views in public forums.
- Trump’s possible logic on North Korea
More than any other foreign security issue, President Trump is engaged in solving the North Korean nuclear threat. One possible reason: to prevent nonnuclear nations like Japan from going nuclear. The moral logic of nonproliferation demands a US role.
- Israeli president’s advice on Holocaust remembrance
President Reuven Rivlin used this year’s Holocaust Remembrance Day to reflect on how Israeli society can apply the Shoah’s lessons for peace.
- A Mideast rivalry worth watching
Iran and Saudi Arabia now have reformist leaders bent on granting certain liberties that appeal to young people. That sort of contest of ideas is far better than their violent rivalry in regional conflicts.
- How to make natural calamities ‘dull’
Natural disasters like the current drought in Somalia need not evoke a frantic global reaction. By pooling their risks in regionwide insurance schemes, more countries are better prepared to quickly respond to disaster.
- Why North Korea may be a threat to itself
A survey of refugees reveals a large underground economy in North Korea that runs on US dollars – and rising corruption. Perhaps the US needs patience as the regime rots from within.
- A borderless world in curbing corruption
More countries now allow outside influence in battling corruption. Latest example: Ukraine agrees to set up an anti-corruption court as a condition of aid. A bill in the US Senate would greatly expand this global drive against graft.
- Turkey’s potential shift on mosque and state
A referendum result will likely give strong powers to a president who founded the governing Islamist party. As long as its democracy is preserved, Turkey may find a new balance between Islam and secular rule.
- When artists are on the frontlines – of peace
From South Korea to Colombia, many performers and other artists play a unique role in creating a receptivity toward peace and in healing the trauma of conflict. Their works can open a dialogue for trust, even amid war.
- Next up in curbing corruption: South Africa
Large protests against corruption could help force President Zuma to resign. South Africa, like many large emerging economies, faces a rising demand for honesty and accountability.
- What Americans mean by ‘health’
The concept of health has expanded rapidly beyond physical well-being, a survey discovers. More people expect health to be mental, even spiritual. Many industries, such as hotels and hospitals, are responding.
- Egypt’s example of cross-faith goodwill
The latest ISIS attack on Christians pushes Egyptians to confront their religious tensions. Yet the country’s faith leaders are already ahead in grass-roots reconciliation.
- Wells Fargo’s recovery from a costly scandal
The bank’s board releases an internal probe on the causes for the fake-accounts scandal and concludes that senior executives failed in their ethical management. Solution: Manage with incentives and examples that inspire employees to act rightly.
- Trump’s epiphany on Syria
Once apparently indifferent to the slaughter in Syria, Trump as president saw more closely the killing of the innocent and knew of his power to prevent it. In a globalized world, such feelings of moral responsibility are new to many, not only an American leader.
- If Trump visits China, here’s what he should see
The US-China summit in Florida is only the start for redefining a difficult relationship. If President Trump now returns the visit, he should see the future of China – a place that leads in innovation and freedom.