This morning I heard your Character Counts commentary about your cruise through northern Europe. You said your children learned from watching the Olympics on German television that “to everyone else in the world, the U.S. is just another country.” And you said that from watching the “intense coverage of the Russian invasion of Georgia” your children found that “it was a shock to discover that a lot of the world is not convinced we’re either honest or good.”

Mr. Josephson, you were not hearing what the people of a foreign land think of America, you were hearing what a media outlet thinks of America. Media around the world tell of and portray events in a manner that is often quite different from the truth.

The election of Mr. Sarcozy in France is a stark example of the difference between what the media tell us and what is actual fact. We were told the French people hated us, but Mr. Sarcozy won election by praising America’s virtues and by promising to make France more like America. His laudatory speeches are words that we should hear from the leaders of America. Sadly, that is rarely the case.

It is rare that I hear your commentary, but I was once a regular listener. I stopped listening because, too often, your views are populous in nature, a reflection of a culture that places political correctness above reality. Unfortunately, most of the world is governed by force (just ask the people of Georgia), and the aggressors set the rules. Our silly sensitivities are seen as weakness in a world at war with an enemy that takes no prisoners.

Children must be taught the reality that America is “honest and good.” However imperfectly, we are the only nation that protects weaker nations from aggressors. America’s ships are present in Georgia’s port to save lives; Russia is there to kill people and plunder their nation. Yet, your children learned from a media unfriendly to America only that we are not to be trusted, and you did not correct that view.

To want a better world governed by exemplary human character is a noble desire. But we must face reality if we are to make headway toward that ideal just as a physician must diagnose before he can begin effective treatment of a disease.

If you want America’s standing in the world to improve, start by defending Her. A person of your skill and influence can make a positive difference. But your statement of hope that the next President will improve our standing in the world is beneath you. If you feel it necessary to criticize President Bush, have the character to do so directly. It is the job of individual Americans to create the face of America by living moral lives and by speaking out against injustice and the degradation of our country by media that thrive on anti-American diatribe and a pop culture that knows no limits of depravity. The job of the President of the United States is to defend and protect this nation. No President has done that better than George W. Bush.

Victor Stella, Irvine, CA

Victor, have you ever travelled outside the United States?

I read the commentary this morning (i don't get the chance to hear them on the radio) and then the posted comment of Victor Stella. The posted comment was very well written and made several very important points. I often hear about the disparity between what the media or other groups tell us about the world's opinions on Americans and what the citizenry of the world actually thinks. I don't know what the truth is. I haven't traveled, but the disparity is alarming. I do believe though that the primary characteristic that fuels both opinions about Americans is our liberty because the spirit of liberty is a basic desire of all people. But those who desire control over large groups of people must extinguish it. I understand that the famous "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" speech was a compilation of speeches that he had made, but there were several things in it that have had a lasting effect on me. One is that, in the case of defending the spirit of liberty, we cannot be "slandered from our duty by false accusations." This also applies to promoting character. I am sure that Mr. Josephson, Mr. Bush and Mr. Stella are all doing their duty as they see it, and they should all be commended for that.

I happen to agree with Victor in that regardless of what other countries think of this great country, it should be our job to defend her at all cost. If someone feels the way the media portrays our country and our military, then they should leave and find a country more suited to whatever needs that person feels will make them proud of where they live instead of biting the very hand that feeds them and using all the wonderful resources that our country provides, which by the way we are willing to share with a world that according to some of your readers hates us.

The last time I checked, there was no written or unwritten law that says we have to do that. We do it willingly because of the goodness and kindness of this great country and its people. I believe media outlets could care less about the good things that happen in our country because according to them feel-good stories don't sell. How often do you read about kind acts and actions of people next door? You are in a position of influence for good, and I hope you will consider defending our country not because we are perfect but because so many in fact really try to love thy neighbor.

I read Mr. Josephson's commentary every week and often share them with my students. I teach at a university in China. I find his commentaries to be inspiring in a world that I consider to have very little character or a lack thereof.
This last article was one I am sharing. The truth is, most people have a patriotic concept of their own country. The Chinese and Americans are no different. As a Canadian, I don't like to hear negative things about my country, but it is far from perfect and has its own problems.
When I ask students where they would most like to go in the world, most of them say the USA. When asked if they like the USA, they say "No." They're not saying they dislike the common American when they say "no," but are making reference to their government. They've been taught not to like it just as we are taught not to accept anything other than a democratic society! Similarly, most people will say they don't like China, but are also referring to its government.
I enjoyed reading the comment from "the Dutch woman" and couldn't agree more. We cannot know another country and truly understand it until we visit/live there. The media is not always an honest outlet of information. I often shake my head when I read some comments.

In reply to Mr. Stella, I do not perceive Bill O'Reilly as a person who reasons, but rather is extremely far right on the political spectrum and rabidly opinionated.

If we disregard the media and observe behaviors, one must wonder why Canadians hold Senator (formerly General) Romeo d'Allaire and former Justice Louise Arbour of the International Court at the Hague and the Supreme Court of Canada, who is currently advocating for human rights internationally at the United Nations, in such high esteem while Americans seem to be proud of the aggressive exploits of Madeleine Albright and George Bush.

In fact, many of our friends in Canada are expat Americans who left the USA for precisely the reasons I have outlined.

Beverly (Seyler),
You asked Victor if he'd ever traveled outside the USA. I'm assuming by that question you have. My question to you is which of those countries do you love enough, admire enough to go live in? Oh! That would be the USA. Right?

Dissension does not make one unpatriotic. It is the bedrock of democracy. The "Love it or Leave it" mentality is rather outmoded in my opinion. How about if we try to make it better?

I wanted to commend you. I travel frequently to other nations so I am keenly aware that we are no no longer perceived as the nation to look up to. I thought it very gutsy of you to present this position as it might not be in your best interest - from the KNX management view.

The media in the US is so politically colored that it is difficult for the public to get the real story . . . especialy that character is important.

Look at the current election - never a straight answer, with candidates concentrating only on negative comments (character assassination) about the opponent and very rarely give solutions on the real issues facing us. Certainly character counts, but not when you are running for office of president of the USA!

How are we able to judge who will be the best leader for the country? Negative character is all we hear about from and about our future leaders. We are led to believe this is the only way to get ahead and succeed.

We are continuously confronted with this type of thinking by the media from ads about products (Apple/MS, etc), political and media hype. Take a recent KNX comment by one of the news reporters on OJ's upcoming trial noting "how fascinated the public is with another OJ trial." I do not think character counts in today's newscasting.

I listen attentively to your commentaries when they are on the media. Please continue to cast your unbiased gems.