Obviously we are assured that "Freedom is on the march!" But where do we stand as regards our image - - the undisputed bastion and fount of liberty and justice? - - or as the kind of work in progress that is uncomfortably painted into a corner right about now.
Don't squirm to come up with all the answers! Listen to a current roundup of opinions from around the globe, courtesy of the more or less excellent international newsgathering service of the BBC.
And remember: this is a lot of hard work.