EDITOR'S note:

A spirit of self-criticism is the essence of a beautiful mind. America is strong because it has modest people like Mr Greg Cusack. China is strong because it enshrines the Confucian value of self-criticism.

All is well if peoples and nations respect each other. The Chinese translation of "United States of America is literally "the beautiful country." That's a sign of traditional Chinese culture holding others in respect.

I first heard about China's Information Office of the State Council's report, The Human Rights Record of the United States in 2010, on National Public Radio. I then read Shanghai Daily's story and located the full report elsewhere.

Ouch!

The Scottish poet Robert Burns once wrote, "Oh, would some power the gift give us, to see ourselves as others see us."

Looking at oneself fully in the mirror is not always a pleasant experience - over time, however, we can easily learn to not see some things which do not please us - perhaps the growing lines in our face, or the thinning hair.

Not only do individuals have their own blind spots but also, I believe, so do nations' collective self-images.

We all prefer to think of ourselves, and of our respective countries, as noble, high-principled, and pursuing truth, justice and the "right" way of living. Especially for nations, however, this cannot possibly be all of the truth.

On April 12 the United States marked ("celebrated" is not the right word) the beginning of our savage Civil War in 1861.

Before it ended, 600,000 human beings from both sides of the conflict, including non-combatants, had been killed or died of wounds.

Myth makers

Ever since the ending of that war in 1865, myth makers have worked hard to celebrate the "noble cause," a Southern alliance which had been fighting for "freedom" and for "maintaining the high culture" of their respective states.

As the decades wore on, the centrality of enforced slavery of black people diminished as a factor. In fact, however, such slavery was the cause of that war. (It had been a cancer in the Republic from colonial, pre-independence days.)

Even today many Americans either do not know this, or do not believe it. Such is the power of averting one's face from what one does not want to see.

I have long been uncomfortable with the US' policy of issuing "human rights reports" regarding other countries, for two primary reasons:

1. I think it is simply "bad manners" for one nation to publicly castigate another - especially one which the US wishes to have as a friend, perhaps even an ally some day.

Of course, countries are going to disagree over many policy issues. I personally prefer the days of "old diplomacy" where governmental representatives expressed such concerns and/or objections directly (and privately) to the other government's officials, rather than splashing it all over the pages of newspapers.

After all, in our inter-personal relationships, how many of us could long maintain friendships, let alone marriages, if we publicly criticized or "put down" others?

When we embarrass another, we not only offend by attacking the other's honor, but we effectively back them into a corner where their natural response is defensive and angry.

Public criticism is not a method to achieve the goal supposedly behind the criticism.

2. Throughout my life, I have observed that those who are intent upon criticizing others seem to be very likely not to be very reflective about their own behavior.

In the US, those most vocal about the human rights' failing of others tend to be silent about America's own shortcomings.

One of my favorite sayings of Jesus is: "You will see better to remove the sliver in your brother's eye if first you remove the log from your own."

Folk wisdom

There's also an old folk-wisdom adage that says, "When you point a finger at someone, remember that three fingers of your hand are pointing back at you!"

Part of the problem in the US is, I believe, rooted in the disproportionate influence the far right of the political spectrum has had ever since the end of Word War II.

This is the same group that argued that with the success of the Communist Revolution, the "liberals" in the US had, through ineptness, "lost China."

As if China were "ours" to "lose" in the first place!

This was also the period in which any country which was "communist" was, by definition, "bad" and our likely enemy, while those countries - however dictatorial or repressive - who were "anti-communist" were our "friends."

But the baleful presence of the Right has been felt ever since. I have come to believe that the far right needs enemies, somebody "out there" who is to explain for our troubles and against whom we must always be vigilant.

This helps explain why our military expenses (euphemistically called "defense spending") have remained high no matter what has happened elsewhere.

Even with the end of Soviet rule in Russia, supposedly our arch-rival, it was no time to relax! Fresh enemies were needed and, voila, they appeared!

It quickly became the threat from the Mideast.

I do believe some people, and some movements or cults, do not wish us well. But I also believe that at least some of that can be traced to our presence (often military in nature) practically everywhere in the world.

American culture, American policy, is "in the face" of many people who often feel relatively powerless to resist.

There are many aspects of American history that I deplore. I prefer to remember those while building upon the noble aspirations of our Founders and the essential goodness of all human beings.

There are aspects of Chinese history with which I am not sympathetic, as well.

But when I look at China- her fascinating history, your struggles against outside influence and domination - I regard your current situation with more optimism than dread or disapproval.

I choose to see - and emphasize - the beauty of your land and your people; I do not ignore the less savory aspects (which all of us and our respective lands have), but I do not believe it is my position as your "guest" in your pages, to opine about those.

I do believe China has a continuing great and hopeful future and that we, all of us, together can build upon each other's successes and goodness, while working together to eliminate our all-too-common faults.

If we wish to be brothers rather than enemies, we must "walk the talk." Let us appeal to the best in each of our peoples - the rest will then be more likely to right itself over time.

(The author was a member of the Iowa state House of Representatives. He also served in the Iowan executive branch. He retired in 2004. His e-mail: gloster@iowatelecom.net.)