Rex Smith

We are living in a worldwide crisis of gloom. That, anyway, is what I took from a new international poll of 20,000 people across western democracies and Japan.

What would you say is the biggest problem facing our country? Now, if you said, “Donald Trump,” I wouldn’t necessarily disagree, but that’s not the kind of answer we’re looking for here. Hold that thought, though: you may be onto something.

There was a remarkable line in one of the holiday greetings I got last week – so thoughtful, in fact, that I’m thinking of getting it needlepointed onto a seat cushion, so that I’ll have it around all year.

I am a secret fan of aphorisms – those pithy observations that contain a general truth, like, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and, “Actions speak louder than words.”

This commentary is about language – foul language, nasty language, language that seemingly incites people to bad behavior.

A couple of messages land in my email every morning that are intended to teach me a new word.

Maybe you don’t know what Grok is. No matter – according to the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, only 26 percent of Americans have heard of Grok.

A few weeks back, I visited Scotland for the first time, and just before traveling I learned that Scotland is actually my family’s homeland – well, it was, anyway, a very long time ago.

We’re all familiar with the saying, “You’re known by the company you keep.” Etymologists say it probably originated with the Greek playwright Euripedes, who was born 25 centuries ago – so it’s a well-established concept.

If you don’t think America is in terrible trouble in this Era of Trump, you’re not paying attention. And so if you’re not paying attention, you also may not realize that, in fact, the resistance is gaining ground, and Donald Trump is weaker than you may think.