Letters: White power movement shouldn’t be taken lightly

We wonder how we got here. As we elevated beliefs above the facts that disprove them, we acquired antipathy toward both reason and knowledge, favoring familiar ignorance instead.

America was warned in 2016 that white supremacists and evangelical zealots were energized by the prospect of a Trump presidency. Last weekend, one of a growing number of white supremacist rallies finally elicited a violent reaction, hoping to achieve the next step toward legitimacy: martyrdom. Even marginally intelligent people would condemn the violence and express disgust at the white power movement. Divisive and vitriolic, Trump relishes insulting and denouncing celebrities, immigrants, Muslims, transgender, liberals, newspapers, “fake” journalists, etc., but included swastika-wearing white supremacists as just one of “many sides.” Trump continues to use the presidency to legitimize white power despite mouthing insincere condemnation.

The world already fought this war in the 1940s because such filthy beliefs were allowed to fester. Will you help delegitimize the white supremacy Donald is normalizing, or will you take up a tiki torch and march with hate? This isn’t media bias or politics-as-usual. America cannot be cavalier about a resurgence of white power.

This story was originally published September 4, 2017 at 2:09 PM with the headline "Letters: White power movement shouldn’t be taken lightly."