Nancy Swisher: Positive messages for 2016

Thanks for the Jan. 1 opinion columns by Melina Delkic (“What makes us American”) and Gwynne Dyer (“The state of the world 2015”).

They were cogent and welcomed reminders that, though it is hard not to perceive our world today as dark, chaotic, even hopeless, things are, after all, not quite so bad.

Even though a small part of our planet is in war-torn turmoil, most of it is peaceful. Even though vitriolic rhetoric pervades public discourse, we are still a nation that believes in doing good, offering a helping hand to those who need it and embracing strangers who come to our shores weary of oppression and seeking a better life.

I am grateful to have begun the new year with these messages of hope from The N&O.

This story was originally published January 7, 2016 at 4:42 PM with the headline "Nancy Swisher: Positive messages for 2016."