All Commentary
OpinionCould today's Iran election be a 1975 turning point?It’s difficult to predict how Iranians will react to this election. The peeling back of even the veneer of political choice and change may be the last straw for Iranians and eventually lead to another uprising, just as the shah’s 1975 scrapping of political parties helped spur the 1979 revolution.
Global ViewpointWhy boycotting Iran’s presidential election is an act of integrityIn reality, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will decide Iran's presidential election. That is why actively boycotting this election would be an act to regain dignity as well as be a mass, nonviolent uprising that could end a regime that prolongs its existence by moving Iran from crisis to crisis.
- Global ViewpointWhy boycotting Iran’s presidential election is an act of integrity
In reality, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will decide Iran's presidential election. That is why actively boycotting this election would be an act to regain dignity as well as be a mass, nonviolent uprising that could end a regime that prolongs its existence by moving Iran from crisis to crisis.
- A Christian Science PerspectiveBecoming a father
A Christian Science perspective: In celebrating Father's Day, a dad reflects on his 'instant fatherhood' and the joy that came with it.
The Monitor's ViewFalling white birthrate: The new American ‘us’America's white majority is slipping away faster than ever, affecting issues from the immigration debate to the future of the economy.
OpinionMaking US humanitarian aid to Syria a political tool is ineffective – and dangerousCalls are growing to route US humanitarian aid to Syria through opposition groups, using aid as a political tool to earn the US credit with the population. This would be ineffective and dangerous. Instead more must be done to ensure the safety and access of aid groups working in Syria.
- A Christian Science PerspectiveComing together to do some good
A Christian Science perspective: There’s a connection between us all that enables us to find our way through anything.
The Monitor's ViewMore light on the NSASome government actions must be clandestine. But US citizens are being told so little about government spying on them that they lack the information they need to have an informed opinion about it.
OpinionFor regional stability, help Syria's internally displacedMore than 5.75 million Syrians have been displaced in the two-year civil war. Some have fled to neighbor countries as refugees, but 4.25 million remain in Syria. Increased aid for these internally displaced is essential to managing the refugee crisis and maintaining regional stability.
- 4 factors to consider in US options for North Korea North Korea has captured global attention with its provocative behavior in recent months. What will Kim Jong-un do next? Here are four factors to consider when thinking through US options on North Korea.
- A Christian Science PerspectiveWhere is home in the housing market?
A Christian Science perspective: Spiritual intuition can be your compass.
The Monitor's ViewThe US economy's hidden STEM jobsPeople with PhDs aren’t the only contributors to a high-tech economy. Lots of good jobs will exist for those with less than a bachelor's degree.
OpinionSolution to NSA overreach – put people in charge of their own dataMassive US surveillance of phone records and Internet data disclosed by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden should prompt a public debate on the balance between privacy and the use of personal data. A 'new deal on data' should put people in charge of their own communication.
OpinionBest way for Obama to help Syria is with aid and diplomacy – not weaponsGiving military aid to Syria's rebels – however just their cause – will only prolong the civil war and increase the risk of sectarian conflagration in the region. A better way to help the Syrian people is to pursue diplomatic efforts to end the conflict and provide more humanitarian aid.
- A Christian Science PerspectiveA mighty help for European flood victims
A Christian Science perspective.
The Monitor's ViewGetting the fix out of sportsSports in India, Europe, and the US all suffer from match-fixing. The corrupting influence is sports betting, a vice that shouldn't be further encouraged.
- Readers RespondReaders Write: Gun-rights advocates have it wrong; Obama's 'red line' blurred on chemical weapons in Syria
Letters to the Editor for the June 10, 2013 weekly print magazine:
The interpretation of the Second Amendment by gun-rights advocates as disallowing any regulation of guns fails to understand human rights. By supporting gun ownership as an unrestricted right, they allow gun violence and public mayhem to exist.
Lost in the heartfelt hand-wringing and deliberation over the conflict in Syria is the fact that with every passing day more innocents die on America's watch.
OpinionOn Iran's nuclear program, Obama should take a cue from JFK and 'go first'Fifty years ago, John F. Kennedy announced the US would stop nuclear tests in space. The move was meant to build trust for negotiations with the Soviets, and it worked. President Obama should follow the JFK example by, for instance, waiving some sanctions on Iran.
OpinionWhy Supreme Court's gay marriage ruling won't be like Roe v. WadeSome saw Justice Ginsburg's recent questioning of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision on abortion as a sign of how it might rule on gay marriage. But unlike with Roe, if the court rules in favor of same-sex marriage, it would be in line with the democratic process and public opinion.
- A Christian Science PerspectivePromoting collective good through prayer and action
A Christian Science perspective: A government employee's integrity helps end corruption.
