November 15, 2016

Trump and legitimizing behavior

To the editor:

I’m grateful, as always, for Mark Wingfield’s insights, this time in his “Don’t blame Trump for your hatred” opinion piece. But I do have a question.

Certainly it’s true that Trump didn’t create the vitriol that’s rising to the surface since Tuesday. But I seriously doubt this would have publicly emerged if he had lost the election.

It seems to me that Trump’s victory has mobilized, provided momentum for, and, worst of all, generated a certain legitimacy for such behavior.

Trump’s selection of Stephen Bannon, a champion of white nationalism, as his senior adviser seems to suggest we’re in for a lot more of the same.

Maybe, though, in the long run, it’s at least clearer now what we’re up against.

Ken Sehested, via email