‘Fervor Gives Way to Reason’

Goodwin’s retraction of his earlier mistaken stance supporting the Libyan raid was an act of courage.

I am reminded of an ancient Chinese method of settling disputes wherein the village elders would summon the contentious parties to the commons. Each party would state its case. A debate would ensue in the presence of citizens of the village who would act as judges. But there was one injunction: “The one who strikes the first blow is the loser. For he (she) has run out of ideas.”

Have we, professing to be a highly moral nation and proclaiming to the world of our traditions of freedom and democracy, become so bereft of ideas that we have stooped down so low and become boastful of bombing helpless citizens who are themselves victims of a ruler gone berserk?

U KYAW WIN

Laguna Hills