Commentary

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Opinion Obama's Germany trip can't be business as usual

President Obama's speech in Berlin today shows that America needs Germany to help with global issues. But German power has limits. Obama needs fresh ideas to help Europe and to fortify the transatlantic relationship, because the circumstances that created this bond no longer exist.
The Monitor's View Brazil protests in a global trend

The Brazil protests follow those in Turkey and India, all three developing countries with established democracies. While the sparks for the protests differ, the theme is the same: Fix democracy; don't replace it.
Opinion Put our kids first, Mr. Holder, and enforce federal law against marijuana

Anyone who is cultivating, selling, or distributing marijuana is violating the federal Controlled Substances Act, regardless of state law. Obama must enforce federal law and begin prosecutions to stop the proliferation of 'medical' and recreational marijuana that is harming our kids.
Opinion G8 leaders must convert words to action against sexual violence in war zones

Syria isn't the only important item on the agenda for the G8 summit in Northern Ireland this week. G8 countries are to be praised for addressing the sexual violence against women in conflict zones, but they must back up their words with funding and specific actions.
The Monitor's View Iran election's surprise winner

The unexpected victory of Hassan Rohani In Iran's presidential election confirms his hint that legitimacy lies with the people, not the turbaned cleric elite.
Readers Write: Most Americans should be investors, not traders

Letter to the Editor for the June 17, 2013 weekly issue: The small investor is led down the garden path of attempting to grow riches from a mix of potent investment vehicles and propitious timing. It doesn't work that way. If investors can exercise patience and discipline, time becomes their ally.
Global Viewpoint No 'Turkish spring': Protests in Turkey are sign of a healthy democracy

Protests in Turkey aren’t a sign of the failure of democracy there but a sign that Turkish politics is now resilient enough to experience public discontent that strengthens participatory democracy. But if Recep Tayyip Erdogan remains insensitive to public opinion, it will cost him his job.
Public schools, private beliefs

Separation of church and state is enshrined in the US Constitution. But here's what's sometimes overlooked: While the state must not back any particular faith -- or even faith itself -- it also must not restrict expressions of faith. That distinction is crucial to how public schools treat religion.
The greening of the West

Long the province of mountain men and rugged individualists, the Intermountain West is drawing a new generation of entrepreneurs, knowledge workers, and venture capitalists keen on experiencing the region's natural wonders while staying connected to the global economy.
The Monitor's View Father's Day: a role for everyone

Father’s Day recognizes the importance of being a dad. Today 1 out of 3 children lives in a home with no father present on a regular basis. But anyone can lend a hand to kids without a dad in their lives.
Opinion Father's Day: Why a 'superhero' father wants to join the Mothers Association

Where are the fathers? In my neighborhood, the Mothers Association gets things done. Too many men want to avoid the thankless tasks that women have performed for hundreds of patriarchal years. They're also missing out on the beautiful intimate mundanity of nurturing a human being.
Opinion Could 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 Viewpoint Why 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.
The Monitor's View Falling 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.
Opinion Making US humanitarian aid to Syria a political tool is ineffective – and dangerous

Calls 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.
The Monitor's View More light on the NSA

Some 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.
Opinion For regional stability, help Syria's internally displaced

More 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.
Opinion 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.
The Monitor's View The US economy's hidden STEM jobs

People 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.
Opinion Solution to NSA overreach – put people in charge of their own data

Massive 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.