President-Elect Bill Clinton

I hope we are not foolish enough to believe the election of Clinton is a mandate for his policies and beliefs, whatever they may really be. I also hope we do not delude ourselves into believing that this is the beginning of some sort of healing process in the U.S. Far from being the mandate that Clinton claims, the reality is that our nation stands more divided than ever.

The groups that specifically supported Clinton stand in direct opposition to the groups that supported George Bush, with many on both sides finding the alternative completely unacceptable. As a result, the election of Clinton will simply help bring to the forefront the hostility and rage that many Americans feel. We are searching for ways to solve our problems, but I fear we have just taken two steps backward.

KENNETH MICHAEL BAUER

Santa Monica