All Editorials
OpinionVoter ID laws are inherently reasonable, not racist or RepublicanAnalogies between voter ID laws and Jim Crow poll taxes are absurd.聽That pockets of citizens lack ID is a compelling argument for active voter registration drives, not damning attempts to curb fraud. Ensuring the integrity of our electoral process ought not to be a partisan issue.
Is a pro-Romney ad racist? Five questions to ask yourself Our Index of Racist Potential measures the degree that a political ad has the potential to evoke 鈥� consciously or unconsciously 鈥� voters鈥� stereotypical attitudes about people of color, regardless of the intent of the candidate or campaign team. To determine whether a political ad this presidential election season would score on the higher end (more racist) of our index, ask yourself these five sets of questions.- Is a pro-Romney ad racist? Five questions to ask yourself Our Index of Racist Potential measures the degree that a political ad has the potential to evoke 鈥� consciously or unconsciously 鈥� voters鈥� stereotypical attitudes about people of color, regardless of the intent of the candidate or campaign team. To determine whether a political ad this presidential election season would score on the higher end (more racist) of our index, ask yourself these five sets of questions.
The Monitor's ViewNCAA sanctions on Penn State football: Why only penalties?Coming just after the removal of the Joe Paterno statue, the NCAA sanctions on Penn State will help the university make a cultural shift away from placing football first. But the NCAA itself also needs to reward schools already doing this.
The end of 'faster, higher, stronger?'As the cream of the world's athletes converge on London for the Olympics, sports scientists say humans may be reaching the limits of their ability to set world records. But that takes nothing away from the drama of athletic competition.
The Monitor's ViewHow to react to Colorado shooting (hint: no dark knight rises)The Colorado shooting during a screening of the Batman movie 'The Dark Knight Rises' will evoke calls for ways to prevent more mass killings. But such tragedies only point to Americans having to learn how best to react personally.
OpinionWith Syria imploding, is Hezbollah next?Hezbollah鈥檚 loyalty to the brutal regime in Syria is costing it support and exacerbating divisions in Lebanon. Its message runs contrary to the Arab Spring. If a link is found between the militant group and the bus bombing of Israeli tourists in Bulgaria, that makes it look even weaker.
Global ViewpointReinventing the city: An interview with architect Rem Koolhaas'What I see more than anything is the inability of almost every political system to anticipate, mobilize, and take precautions for the future, even when it is obvious that cities will grow or shrink rapidly.' At the same time, 'The reinvention...of cities is taking place all over the world.'- Global ViewpointReinventing the city: An interview with architect Rem Koolhaas'What I see more than anything is the inability of almost every political system to anticipate, mobilize, and take precautions for the future, even when it is obvious that cities will grow or shrink rapidly.' At the same time, 'The reinvention...of cities is taking place all over the world.'
The Monitor's ViewAmerica's big drought: Time to rethink water conservationMuch of the Lower 48 is in a bad drought, the worst since 1956. Yet each drought also brings new ideas for adapting to nature's vagaries. What ideas are worth considering now?
OpinionThe way forward in Syria after Bashar al-AssadYesterday's strategic bomb attack in Damascus shows it's not too soon to consider the way forward in Syria after the rule of Bashar al-Assad. Lessons from other countries teach that Syria and the international community will have to pull together for a successful transition.
OpinionA win for 'secularists' in Libya? It's not what you think.This week, so-called 'secularists' were declared official winners in Libya's parliamentary elections 鈥� and yet they support a constitutional place for Islamic sharia values. This seeming contradiction in Libya belies Western stereotypes about the incompatibility of Islam and democracy.
The Monitor's ViewSyria on the brink of liberty?So many nations 鈥� notably Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia 鈥� claim interests in Syria. It's easy to forget what still drives the civil war there: the seed of freedom planted even before the Arab Spring.
To each his own nicheMass-market campaigning is as passe as mass-market retailing.聽Politicians and pollsters increasingly slice and dice the electorate into demographic niches and tailor their messages to narrow groups of voters. Who are the 'soccer moms' of 2012?
OpinionUS must kill and capture terrorist leaders as soon as possible. It works.Killing or capturing leaders of terrorist groups increases the chances these groups will collapse. In spite of what some politicians see as short-term political and diplomatic costs, my findings suggest targeted killings are an effective counterterrorism strategy in the long run.
Four steps to success in Afghanistan Now that the United States has committed itself to Afghanistan for another 10 years, the most important policy Washington could adopt in Afghanistan is one that helps the Afghans effectively govern their country on their own. To have any hope for success, the US and Afghanistan must accomplish these four goals.
The Monitor's ViewAs bank scandals add up, a need for a culture of integrity in banksThe HSBC scandal comes soon after reckless or deceitful behavior at Barclays and JPMorgan. The pattern lies in a bank culture that doesn't emphasize character enough. A survey of the industry shows why.
OpinionBring back the American Dream? It鈥檚 not that hard.The problem isn't lack of knowledge on what to do, but partisan arguments that ignore common-sense consensus. America needs an activist government and individual responsibility. It needs immediate job creation, and over the long term, debt reduction and stronger families.
The Monitor's ViewOut of disasters in Russia and China, a bloom of compassionRussian volunteers rushed to the city of Krymsk after its July 7 flood, just as Chinese gave generously after a 2008 earthquake. Heartfelt, organized charity isn't easy for authoritarian regimes to tolerate.
OpinionThe threat to American democracy that Romney and Obama aren't talking aboutIt's called the civics gap. Only one-third of Americans can name all three branches of government. Education reform's focus on聽high-stakes testing has sidelined civics education.聽To save American democracy, Romney and Obama must discuss how to help schools educate engaged citizens.