No Place for Hate

This editorial is not about politics.

It is not about an issue that mark us as Democrats vs. Repubilicans, liberals vs. conservatives, pro-life vs. pro-choice, higher vs. lower taxes, amnesty for immigrants vs. big, beautiful border walls, diplomacy vs. bombing No. Korea, Syria, Iran, or anyone else, pro gay, women’s, and minority rights vs. whatever the other side is, or any of the other matters that may divide us along party, religious, or any other beliefs.

Rather, this editorial is about something upon which all Americans should agree: America is no place for hate.

However, the unfortunate reality is that ever since the election of Donald Trump as President, hate crimes that are directed against persons based on their race, ethnicity, national origin, and religious affiliation have increased substantially.

For example, according to a report published last Monday by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), 541 anti-Semitic incidents have occurred so far this year — an 86 percent increase compared to the same period in 2016.

For anyone to deny that the increase in anti-Semitic and other hate-crime incidents is related to the bigotry and invective that occurs almost on a daily basis from those serving in the White House is failing to acknowledge reality.

Words do matter, and when we have elected officials who openly make hate speech part of their campaign and governing rhetoric, it is inevitable that at a minimum they indirectly are giving tacit approval to acts that are contrary to everything that America stands for.

We realize that those who are Trump supporters because of his views on taxes, immigration, abortion, etc. will disagree with our position because they themselves do not support hateful acts and no doubt think of themselves as not being prejudiced — and that probably is true of the vast majority of Trump voters.

However, as much as one may agree with Trump or any other political candidate on any given set of political issues, we submit that there are some things that all of us as Americans make take a stand on — and one of those is that hate speech and hate crimes must be condemned from whatever the source.

Silence on matters such as these, which strike at the very heart of what has made America different than every place else in the world ever since the Pilgrims landed here almost 400 years ago, is itself un-American.

All of us, regardless of our political views and affiliations, have an obligation as citizens of this country to do whatever we can to ensure that America is no place for hate.