Those who seek power have understood the political punch of myth and ritual. They have always manipulated these central components of social life to further their interests -- and none of this changes during the Holidays.
Our diplomats are dedicated civil servants. But you can't expect people to become experts of anything in a matter of months or years -- especially something as nuanced as a foreign language and culture.
Serious illnesses like cancer are seen as adversaries that we must defeat. We battle cancer. We fight our illnesses. We should never give up. But Elizabeth Edwards's example demonstrates that this path is counter-productive.
