i'm bruce shapiro, executive director of the dark center for journalism and trauma here at the columbia school of journalism. welcome, on behalf of both the center and columbia. the center is an ideal lab, resource center, networking mechanism for journalists as well as clinicians and scholars and others concerned with news coverage of violence around the world. everything from street crime and family violence up to work line -- were crying and human rights. i'll talk more about the dart center in a few minutes. we are here tonight though for a conversation and a celebration, a conversation with robert jay lifton, psychiatrist, public and election, historian, activist and a celebration of his wonderful and beautiful new memoir, "witness to an extreme century." this event is cosponsored by the dart center, but also by the nation magazine. and i would like to bring up victor, the editor emeritus of the nation, a friend and mentor to many people in this room, to give a welcome on behalf of a nation and say whatever he wants to say. >> hi. what i want to say is, you know, the nation has had