As the author of a book about the origins of civilization, I can make some claims to know it when I see it. The nomination of John Bolton as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations is contrary to civilized behavior on two main counts:

1. It tells the other member states of the UN, as well as the entire world, that the United States intends to continue its role as international bully in world affairs.

2. It tells the people of the United States that the Bush administration will continue to ride roughshed on the opinions of roughly half of the nation's own population, by nominating someone who divides Americans even further rather than unites them around a representative we can all be proud of.

I can only hope that Bolton's nomination will somehow be rejected in the full Senate, despite the lemming-like behavior of so many of our politicians behind the Bush agenda; and hope too that if Bolton does go to the UN, the representatives of other nations will walk out when he attempts to take his seat.