Opinion: Stop the poisonous ‘us vs. them’ rhetoric after Trump’s election

To the editor: Reporting on the heavy pro-Donald Trump vote and other voter preferences that distinguished Lassen County from most of the rest of California that went overwhelmingly for Hillary Clinton, a Lassen County resident explained the difference: “People still have morals and values here.” This disturbing attitude dismisses those who supported Clinton as lacking morals and values. (“In Trump they trust: Why these Californians voted red,” Nov. 17)

It is troubling that this person, a rancher who is also a Lassen County supervisor, appears not to understand that morals and values change as human understanding and experience grow over time. I suspect that few people today would accept living by the social standards of the Dark Ages.

Demeaning those with opposing political views as being immoral does nothing to advance our ability to engage in productive dialogue and make life better for us all.

Robert J. Switzer, West Hollywood

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To the editor: The Trump supporters in Lassen County appear to be a mirror image of Trump’s Rust Belt supporters in that they are mostly white, live in rural communities, only relate with each other and thus feel out of touch with the rest of California and the nation.

While 65% of these residents are on government payrolls, they are anti-government. They claim that they have morals and values, yet they voted for an individual with no political experience, who is willfully ignorant of government, who has made cruel and insulting remarks about women and who has boasted about assaulting women and getting away with it because of his celebrity status.

These people must get their news only from the Internet, because they do not seem to have a clear idea of what took place during the campaign. The reason for the ongoing street protests is not because of the election of a Republican but because of the unfit character of person who won.

Richard C. Armendariz, Huntington Beach

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To the editor: I think we Democrats neglected the working class, the poor, the rural, the isolated. We became the Party of Wall Street and the global elite.

We also became self-congratulatory on how well educated and smart we are. We forgot a basic Democratic principle: We are all in this together, including the citizens in “flyover” areas.

It’s time to get down off our high horse and get to work representing all the people, not just the coastal and global elite, and not just those who agree with us.

Roger Angle, Long Beach

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To the editor: California’s city dwellers cannot see beyond their own immediate surroundings.

Some will “do 90” from Los Angeles to San Francisco along what they call “the 5.” Others embark on airliners from LAX to JFK. The city passenger marvels at the agrarian mosaics 33,000 feet below.

What they miss: journeys along roads like California State Highway 139; a large lake shared by two states (not Tahoe); a cattle drive across the highway. Wildlife abounds.

Kimmo Sahakangas, San Pedro

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To the editor: So, this is the face of the Trump voter. So be it.

But because they knowingly and with vengeance in their hearts voted for the most reprehensible, fear mongering, divisive, hateful candidate of my lifetime, they don’t get to decry being called racist. By their choice, that is what they are.

Melissa Verdugo, Rancho Palos Verdes

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