LETTER: Election shows frightening tolerance for hate

It seems that the results of our recent national election indicate that a significant number of Americans are tolerant of hate speech, bullying, and misogyny, and some are also emboldened to act upon this rhetoric of the president-elect. The number of hate crimes has increased since the election.

This does not bode well for our society even if his inflammatory campaign threats change now that he soon will have the profound responsibility of the presidency and not the persona of a reality TV personality.

His followers witnessed his campaign behavior of hate and some now feel that this is an acceptable norm. I am a privileged white, and do not feel the fear that a Hispanic American, Muslim American, Gay, or other non-white, non straight person now has. I won’t rush out and buy another gun because the election did not go my way, but I will contribute much more to the organizations I usually support (ACLU, Planned Parenthood, and Southern Poverty Law Center) for their predictably increased legal battles.

I will do this not to protect myself, but to protect my descendants or others whose present rights as Americans will be in jeopardy.

—David P. Werner, M.D.

Palmer