It was another warm summer night as we walked the quiet streets of this small river town. For as many years as I can remember, this was a common occurrence for my Grandfather and me.  We passed neighbors, shop owners, friends, and others simply outside enjoying the summer evenings.

What I learned at that early age were the “standards” that existed for human interaction.  Standards that I would later learn had a lot to do with the return of the Greatest Generation from WWII.  Simply, respect (people and property), decency, courtesy, fairness, generosity, and responsibility.  These were never spoken of as standards, they were exhibited in everyday behavior.  Simply put, they were expected.  If you violated one of these, you stood out. – I had my share of standing out.

Over the years, we have wandered to a new place.  A place that I question as being good for society…