Violence isn’t endemic to America. Gun violence is.The tragic killings of six people including a federal judge and a 9-year-old girl and serious injury to Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson this weekend underscored this tragic reality. Gun murders occur in other developed countries, not with anywhere near the frequency.There are almost 300 million guns in America, a third of the

Viewpoints Jan. 12, 2011

The “N-word” has become so emotionally charged that its casual use can end a career, as radio shrink Laura Schlessinger discovered the hard way last year. But that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to excise it from classic literature for fear of offending modern sensibilities.Alan Gribben, an English professor at Auburn University, is working with NewSouth Books in Alabama to publish a joint edition

Viewpoints Jan. 11, 2011

Naoto Kan, Japan’s prime minister, likes to cast himself as an ‘Action Man’ bent on churning out new policies to tackle the country’s problems. And to his credit, one cannot say that Kan has done nothing since taking office in June. He has dealt with a crusty China over disputed islands, repaired ties with Washington, and dispatched a key political rival. Thus, it is not surprising that Kan has st

Viewpoints Jan. 11, 2011

Exactly one year ago on Jan. 12, 2010, a great earthquake hit Haiti located on the center of the emerald green Caribbean Sea. In less than a minute, 200,000 people died, more than 100,000 were missing and 1.5 million became homeless at one time. The National Palace and almost all government buildings collapsed. Thirty high-ranking U.N. officials including Hedi Annabi, special representative to the

Viewpoints Jan. 11, 2011

At first glance it seems the ultimate quixotic effort: persuading the new, more Republican Congress to enact legislation to shine light on the role of special-interest money in elections. But campaign reformers might consider appealing to members of Congress allied with the “tea party.” Those in the movement profess to believe that “we the people” have been eclipsed in the political process by sel

Viewpoints Jan. 10, 2011

As President Barack Obama enters the second half of his term, his dreamy honeymoon with Congress and the American public long over, what a relief to see the sensible William Daley at his side. Daley has the experience to excel at one of the nation’s toughest jobs. And yes, he’s a pro-business Democrat, which galls the liberal wing of the Democratic Party.This choice for chief of staff is primarily

Viewpoints Jan. 10, 2011

At a roundabout in Juba, southern Sudan’s capital, stands a digital clock. It has four faces, each titled “Countdown to Southern Sudan Referendum ― Period Remaining.” The referendum on Jan. 9 is part of the peace agreement signed in 2005 ending the civil war between northern and southern Sudan, and its outcome will determine if Sudan remains one country or becomes two. Each side of the clock has a

Viewpoints Jan. 10, 2011

When asked which European country Korea might resemble the most, many think of Italy for its being a peninsula, having a similar climate, love for their national cuisine, fashion addiction and passion for music. Others point to Ireland because of their insularity (South Korea being virtually an island after the Korean War), heavy drinking capacity and singing skills. Historically both Italy and Ir

Viewpoints Jan. 10, 2011

The current tension on the Korean Peninsula continues to have repercussions on the security and economic climate of East Asia, and indeed the rest of the world. Since the end of the Korean War some six decades ago, the stability of the two Koreas has occasionally been rattled, and official peace on the peninsula remains elusive.Nobody really imagined that the current situation on the peninsula wou

Viewpoints Jan. 9, 2011

I tend to think of myself as a person. I’d hazard a guess that most, maybe all, American women consider themselves to be actual human beings, too.The U.S. Supreme Court said that’s what we are, although it took the court until 1971 to say so.Justice Antonin Scalia still doesn’t believe it. In an interview in this month’s California Lawyer magazine, he said that the 14th Amendment means only men wh

Viewpoints Jan. 9, 2011

WASHINGTON ― A funny thing happened in the wake of the midterm elections: Washington entered into an era of bipartisanship, and trade is the unlikely topic of agreement.From the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to the United Auto Workers, President Obama’s announcement that he’ll send the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) to Congress early this year has been applauded. Trade leaders from both partie

Viewpoints Jan. 9, 2011

Eight years ago, a newly elected president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, faced the challenge of saving Brazil from economic and financial collapse.Last Saturday, Lula passed the presidency to Dilma Rousseff having done much, much more than that during his two terms. In the process, he relied on four simple pillars that other leaders would be well advised to consider.After winning a hotly contested p

Viewpoints Jan. 9, 2011

Kim Seok-dong, the newly appointed chairman of the Financial Services Commission, has established a reputation as a troubleshooter. Since the mid-1990s, he has led many task forces formed to resolve crises in the financial and real estate markets. Kim’s appointment comes at the right time, since the domestic financial sector faces a host of problems. In the first place, Kim needs to address the dr

Editorial Jan. 7, 2011