This is not who we are . . .

[Hortensis]

4. If that was who we were, how the hell did we ever create our democracy

and advance equality for all? Yes, a minority among us have fought every inch of progress we're ever made, but in the end they always lose and equality wins.

This bigger-than-usual moment is merely the current variation on what we've lived and fought through every year of our republic, including its creation. The rage and anxiety of those dragged along kicking and screaming is louder than usual because of both fearfully huge known and unknown changes and the great advances we've made in this troubled century.

And we continue to advance. That's who we cumulatively are.