Free Republic

It can be said that gaining wisdom is a process of gaining some dark insights into life. One such insight is this: A lot of evil has been abetted by nice people. By “nice,” I am referring to the way people comport themselves in the personal realm. We refer to people as being “nice” if they are friendly to strangers, more or less honest in their dealings with others, take care of their families, support friends, and are pleasant to be around. We all want nice neighbors. To put it another way, “nice” generally refers to the micro—the personal—realm. It...

It can be said that gaining wisdom is a process of gaining some dark insights into life. One such insight is this: A lot of evil has been abetted by nice people. By "nice," I am referring to the way people comport themselves in the personal realm. We refer to people as being "nice" if they are friendly to strangers, more or less honest in their dealings with others, take care of their families, support friends and are pleasant to be around. We all want nice neighbors. To put it another way, "nice" generally refers to the micro, the personal,...

There is always a part of the story that tugs at your heartstrings. This is a story that tells “the what” that happens after the beginning and before the end. You know, the part of the story you don’t always hear. Those are not my words. They are Graham Murdock’s. I asked him to tell me his crazy cat story, and he sent it to me, already written. Does that mean I get the day off? This is a weird one and involves a cat, two Springfield women, a South Carolinian and begins with Graham. On Dec. 13, 2008, his...