The illusion that idyllic Vermont was wrapped in a political bubble away from the hate and racism demonstrated in much of the country was shattered this week when two swastikas were painted on the front door of Havurah, the meeting house for Addison County’s Jewish congregation in Middlebury, and hate speech was scrawled on the dorm room of a female Muslim student at Middlebury College.
Such displays of hate and discrimination rip apart the fabric of our community, just as Trump’s campaign purposely sought to pit Americans against each other, bringing out the worst in ourselves as individuals and as a nation. We know hate begets hate, and violence begets violence. To prevent either, the community must collectively demonstrate no tolerance for such hurtful actions. Restraint, empathy, understanding of all perspectives is what we must pursue, while emphasizing open arms to all residents and mutual respect for each other’s beliefs.
Angelo S. Lynn