I grew up in a small town and was fortunate enough to have a grandfather who taught me to view the world with a skeptical but fair eye. Being southern, we were surrounded by racism, but he taught me at an early age that judging a man based on the color of his skin is foolish. Through the years, I’d like to think I’ve expanded his teachings to the point that I can approach anything with an open mind, and reach my own conclusion without someone else doing my thinking for me.

I attended college for a few years but could find no field that interested me enough to keep me going to class instead of getting together with friends and arguing over whatever the topic du jour was.