The Guardian (October 8)
“Sport and politics often mix. But authoritarian regimes are clearly laundering their reputations through control of global games.” On one hand, “the ruthless advance of commercial interests” may seem “like progress,” but “realpolitik can’t be overlooked. Respecting different cultures does not mean abuse is condoned. The lure of the arena ought not excuse a lack of moral responsibility.”
Tags: Abuse, Authoritarian regimes, Commercial interests, Control, Cultures, Global games, Laundering, Politics, Progress, Realpolitik, Reputations, Respect, Ruthless, Sport
The Economist (September 2)
“After pausing his missile tests just long enough for America’s secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, to say that Mr Kim was showing ‘restraint’, and for Mr Trump himself to claim to have Mr Kim’s ‘respect’, North Korea’s dictator unleashed three short-range missiles into the Sea of Japan.” Then Mr Kim shot an intermediate-range missile over Hokkaido, leaving many on edge. Despite this menace, it remains “striking that in Japan and South Korea, many fear Mr Trump’s unpredictability even more than Mr Kim’s.”
Tags: Hokkaido, Kim, Missile tests, North Korea, Respect, Restraint, Sea of Japan, South Korea, Tillerson, Trump, U.S., Unpredictability
Chicago Tribune (July 5)
“The greatest threat facing America is President Donald Trump…. Daily he shows he lacks the character, discipline, intellect, judgment or respect for the office to be president of the United States.” One might “have to go back to King George III to find a head of state who so threatened America. But there is no precedent for one whose character is so obviously ill-suited to the presidency.”
Tags: Character, Discipline, Ill-suited, Intellect, Judgment, Presidency, Respect, Threat, Trump, U.S.
LA Times (October 18)
Donald Trump is famous for lashing out, but now he is also “targeting the very political system in which he is competing for the presidency. He is claiming that this election is ‘rigged’…. This is dangerous demagoguery, even for Trump.” A fundamental democratic principle is “respect for the outcome of elections even if your candidate isn’t the winner.”
Washington Post (January 11, 2014)
China’s ambassador to the U.S., who served as ambassador to Japan from 2007 to 2009, writes “Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s recent homage at the Yasukuni war shrine deeply disturbed people in China and much of Asia. The dispute surrounding his actions is about more than symbolism; it goes to the heart of his intentions for Japan’s future and his willingness to build an atmosphere of trust, respect and equality in East Asia.”
Tags: Ambassador, Asia, China, Dispute, East Asia, Equality, Future, Intentions, Japan, Respect, Shinzo Abe, Shrine, Symbolism, Trust, U.S., War, Willingness, Yasukuni
Washington Post (October 2)
“Americans’ respect for their Congress has, sad to say, diminished in recent years. But citizens still expect a minimal level of competence and responsibility: Pay the bills and try not to embarrass us in front of the world. By those minimal standards, this Congress is failing. More specifically, the Republican leaders of the House of Representatives are failing. They should fulfill their basic duties to the American people or make way for legislators who will.”
Tags: Citizens, Competence, Congress, Duties, House of Representatives, Legislators, Republicans, Respect, Responsibility, Standards
