2016: A Little Good But a Lot of Bad & Ugly

In about 7 hours, 2017 will make itself known on the East Coast of the United States and not a minute too soon although perhaps a second too late.

There was a little bit of good. In my own life, I obtained my paralegal certificate and my first paralegal job within this calendar year.

And the Cubs won the World Series for the first time since 1908.

But 2016 was mostly bad and ugly. Islamic terrorism struck in Orlando, Nice, Berlin and throughout the Middle East. As the Obama Administration ceded control of the Middle East to Russia, Americans were faced two of the worst possible choices for President and made one. In less than three weeks, Donald Trump becomes the 45th President of the United States. A man without an ounce of character or virtue but a surplus of ego and buffoonery.

I did what I could to warn people of the folly of Trump at The American Spectator until I was told by the powers that be that Trump was above criticism of any kind. Unwilling to worship at the altar of Trump, I walked away. Of course, my words don't reach as many people as they once did but they are my words - right or wrong.

Death is a constant in life. But it seemed this year death was largely confined to the good (Fidel Castro a rare exception despite Justin Trudeau's praise). David Bowie, Gene Wilder, Prince, Robert Vaughn, Leonard Cohen, George Michael, Garry Shandling, Ron Glass, Abe Vigoda, Carrie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds, Muhammad Ali, Arnold Palmer, Gordie Howe, Jose Fernandez and John Glenn all left this world this year. I've scarcely scratched the surface, but the scar of 2016 runs deep.

One can and must hope for a better 2017, but I suspect the scar will only get deeper.