All Editorials
OpinionCleveland's Charles Ramsey: hero, or black stereotype?What's behind the media and popular fascination with Charles Ramsey 鈥� the man who helped rescue three women held captive in the Cleveland home of Ariel Castro? It appears to be less because of his heroism than it is from amusement over a certain stereotype of a black man.
The Monitor's ViewIn Boston and Cleveland tragedies, a case for more neighborlinessThe twin tragedies of the Boston bombings and Cleveland kidnappings reveal a need for those close to would-be perpetrators to both care more and be more alert. Balancing the two isn't always easy.
Global ViewpointGoogle's Eric Schmidt: Internet will let Chinese rise upIn an interview, Google鈥檚 Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen say the connectivity of the digital age will empower individuals as never before. This will make revolutionary movements against autocratic regimes such as China easier to start 鈥� but harder to finish.- Global ViewpointGoogle's Eric Schmidt: Internet will let Chinese rise upIn an interview, Google鈥檚 Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen say the connectivity of the digital age will empower individuals as never before. This will make revolutionary movements against autocratic regimes such as China easier to start 鈥� but harder to finish.
OpinionSyria 鈥� another sign that US needs to recalibrate Middle East policyAs the US backs into Syria and other Mideast crises, China is proactively and strategically engaging in the region. Its actions point out what America has to lose if it continues to hesitate in the Middle East.
The Monitor's ViewChina must end cyberspying on US industry, look to its own innovationThe Pentagon accuses China of massive cyberspying on American industry to gain a competitive edge. Beijing has already invested heavily in innovation. Why not look to is own people for creativity?
PJs or pinstripes? The tradeoffs of tele-workYahoo's Marissa Mayer and other CEOs have called a time-out on telecommuting. It's clear that just as some workers thrive on their own and some need to be in an office, some types work are better done in isolation and others in collaboration. It's also clear that telecommuting is only going to increase in the years to come.
To invest or not to invest? The eternal questionInvesting is an individual decision. How you view the stock market depends on where you are in your earnings cycle and what your past experience has been. The only thing the market may be telling everyone聽right now is that the bad old days of the last decade appear to be over.
OpinionObama and South Korea's President Park must agree on North Korea policyAs President Obama meets today with South Korea's President Park Geun-hye, how closely they agree on policy toward North Korea and whether they establish a good working relationship will be key to dealing with an increasingly dangerous new leadership in Pyongyang.
OpinionWhy America's 'hacker generation' can thrive as teachersMany teachers aren鈥檛 feeling much love this Teacher Appreciation Day. But I still believe it is possible to be a good teacher in America 鈥� and worth the effort to try. The shift toward data-driven instruction and innovation creates an environment where the 'hacker generation' can thrive.- Readers RespondReaders Write: Indie booksellers must adapt; Bloomberg money vs. NRA membersLetters to the Editor for the May 6, 2013 weekly print issue:聽Independent booksellers also need to be active participants in the e-book world;聽In the gun debate, Mayor Bloomberg's wealth is giving him an outsized influence over the NRA's 4.5 million members.
The Monitor's ViewIsraeli strike in Syria tips a civil war toward a global responseThe Israeli strike in Syria represents a regional escalation that should push the UN or West to find a way to prevent a collapse of Syrian society. But first, the world must decide what would fill Syria's void. Democracy?
OpinionIn Africa, the best 'charity' is aid for businessThe traditional approach to solving Africa鈥檚 problems through aid has created a cycle of dependency.聽A better approach is to use donor subsidies to fund private, for-profit ventures. Those ventures create systemic and sustainable change in the community.
OpinionUS intervention in Syria must be legitimate in eyes of international lawIsraeli air strikes on Damascus and the conflicting reports on the use of chemical weapons (sarin gas) may complicate President Obama's decision on intervention in Syria. The US must consider the international laws of war before taking any action.
The Monitor's ViewDespite stalled Arab Spring, Muslim nations grasp for democracyElections in Pakistan and Malaysia show step-by-step progress to reconcile Islam with secular values of elected government.
OpinionThinking through options on North KoreaAs history shows, new nuclear states such as North Korea usually probe the limits of their power and聽test聽how other international actors respond. But consider this: Once escalation starts, it can be extremely difficult to control.
The Monitor's ViewIn postelection Venezuela, why nonviolence must winSince its flawed April 14 presidential election, Venezuela has experienced violence over opposition demands for a vote recount. Pro-democracy forces must keep the moral high ground of nonviolence to avoid another Syria.
OpinionObama, Pe帽a Nieto must save a vital part of effort to fight drug traffickingMexico is radically changing the way it cooperates with the US to fight drug trafficking. When President Obama meets with President Pe帽a Nieto today, the two must find a way to save the US-Mexico working groups that have led to arrests in both countries.
OpinionAmerica can't afford the real cost of Guant谩namoThe consequences of ignoring Guant谩namo, its abuses, and its hunger strikers are foreboding 鈥� for the prisoners and for America. President Obama must release聽prisoners with no case against them, move the rest to US courts to be charged and tried, and finally close the detention facility.
The Monitor's ViewImmigration bill and Obama's trip to Mexico: Why the two are linkedPresident Obama's trip to Mexico will help better integrate the two economies. And a piece of the Senate immigration-reform bill focuses on integrating the mainly Mexican population of undocumented immigrants. Each country must respect the other's sensitivities on these two integrations.