March 2009 Ethical Hero – Stanley Sheinbaum

Published: March 12, 2009

By Jim Lichtman
Image
Read More

Stanley SteinbaumStanley Sheinbaum is the epitome of a world citizen.

He spoke out forcefully against the Vietnam War and was the defense strategist for Daniel Ellsberg during the Pentagon Papers trial. When a coup in Greece imprisoned his friend, Andreas Papandreou, Sheinbaum took great personal risk to save Papandreou’s life. In a bold move, Stanley led a group of American Jews to meet with Yasser Arafat and persuaded him to denounce terrorism against Israel.  At the request of US President Bill Clinton, Sheinbaum traveled to Damascus to set up a summit with Syria. His life story holds lessons for all who are interested in peace and understanding the world.

Born June 12, 1920. An indifferent student in his early years, he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and With Great Distinction from Stanford University in 1949, doing his postgraduate work in Economics there as well as teaching. A Fulbright scholar in the 1950s, he is one of the few people on the planet who was a fellow of both the Hoover Institute and the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions (in Santa Barbara). A networker with remarkable reach, and a negotiator with remarkable diplomatic skills, he has often brought opposing groups together and found common ground where there was once only enmity. He is the founding (and current) publisher of the journal New Perspectives Quarterly.

In November 2008, Stanley received the 2008 Nucelar Age Peace Foundation’s World Citizenship Award for his sustained and courageous efforts to forge peace and create new dialogue between old adversaries.

Comments

Leave a Comment



Read More Articles
The Latest... And Sometimes Greatest
The Choice is Still Ours
In 1951, The Day the Earth Stood Still delivered a stark warning: humanity’s survival depends on its ability to overcome fear and embrace cooperation. More...
March 24, 2025
Why I Write So Much About Trump
Several times, I’ve been asked why I spend so much time writing about President Donald Trump. Two reasons (I’ll get to the second later): So...
March 21, 2025
When Fear Dictates Policy
“The mob is easily deceived, for it judges by appearances.” Aristotle’s words speak to a dangerous flaw in human nature: how easily fear can be...
March 19, 2025
This Needs to Be Said
Respect is the foundation of a cohesive society, building trust, understanding, and cooperation. Manners—rooted in courtesy, and civility—shape how we engage with and treat others....
March 17, 2025
The $100 Million Commercial
Super Bowl ad space is always enormous. This year, a 30-second commercial slot cost approximately $7 million, and that doesn’t include creative and production costs...
March 13, 2025
Democracy is a Test of Character
In his first inaugural address, Franklin D. Roosevelt declared, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” At the time, the country was...
March 10, 2025