Solitary, Poor, Nasty, Brutish, and Short
President Donald J. Trump pushes Montenegrin Prime Minister Dusko Markovic out of his way. It took so little time. I am a humanist. I believe in the essential goodness of human beings. I believe that, given the chance, humans will choose community over isolation, charity over selfishness, mercy over condemnation. I am also an American patriot. I believe Americans are blessed with an openness, a generosity of spirit, and a dedication to human rights that, given the chance to shine, can guide the rest of the world toward a future that is far better for all human beings. With all of that said, I have to admit that the last six months have me questioning whether either of these belief systems has any merit. So buckle up, reader. I've got a lot to say here, and it's not going to be easy going for either of us. To begin, let's go back 38 years, to the first semester of my freshman year at Willamette University. Two of my new friends were taking an int...