Democracy Dies in Darkness
The decline of social gathering places is contributing to this trend.
Published: September 2, 2026 at 2:52 p.m. EDT
By Juhie Bhatia, The Nation
Image Credit: Wong Maye-E/AP
The Nation, established by abolitionists in 1865, has consistently explored political and cultural issues with an independent and progressive stance.
In 2011, Richard Kyte, an ethics professor at Viterbo University, observed a growing isolation among two colleagues. To address this, he proposed meeting every Wednesday at 6:30 am for breakfast at a café, located five blocks from their university in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
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