Lovely letter by Democrats Tom Chambers and Dorothy Hollenbeck (Leader, Aug. 14) supporting a friend and neighbor “who has endured with considerable grace multiple episodes of harassment and petty vandalism in our community, solely because she is a supporter of Donald Trump.” They end their letter by envisioning “a Port Townsend where all voices are welcomed respectfully, and listening and civil discourse take priority over bullying and self-righteous monologues.”

Sadly, in the very same issue, is an ugly example of the sort of hateful rhetoric that contributes to this harassment and bullying. Bob Domin’s self-righteous rant lumps together and condemns all Republicans as evil. “American Republicans are the greatest threat to human life on the planet...They surpass every terrorist group in brutish brutality...Hitler’s Nazis could not go quite so far as these savage Republicans.”

Calling all Republicans evil is the same as calling all Muslims terrorists, or all Mexicans rapists. Saying Republicans are worse than Nazis is reprehensible. Do you even know any Republicans  personally, Bob? For your information, according to the most recent AP polling, less than half of all Republicans are climate change deniers. And only an unhinged few are welcoming to “Nazis, Klansman, and other white racists.” It probably makes you feel virtuous, Bob, putting all who are not of your party into the same box of extreme evil intentions, but it actually makes you sound ignorant and unhinged yourself.

I am not a Republican, but I am appalled by the distorted reality, arrogance, and hate emanating from both parties in this country.

I thank Dorothy and Tom for their call for civil discourse.

Audrey Jean
PORT TOWNSEND