Civilizations are tested in a crisis.  Their strengths and weaknesses are revealed in such events as earthquakes, the sinking of ships, and social or political eruptions.  Recent events in Hong Kong have illustrated how an area with strong civilizational characteristics performs.  A massive demonstration was conducted peacefully, without property damage and without leaving behind an area strewn with garbage. The values that allow advancement in a society are often described as "Western values."  They are not "Western," "Chinese," or "Catholic."  They are universal values and no more "Western" than 2 + 2 = 4. A dramatic example of these values was provided in 1852, when HMS Birkenhead sank off the coast of Africa.  Its sinking was immortalized by Rudyard Kipling in his poem, "Soldier an' Sailor Too."  There were, as on the Titanic, insufficient...(Read Full Post)