New York Times: Hate Poisons America

A ready supply of high-powered guns combined with hateful online rhetoric and brutal attacks on specific communities – the most recent a shooting in a Pittsburgh synagogue and bombs mailed to leading Democrats – demonstrate how hatred can consume entire societies. Americans no longer feel safe in their schools, workplaces, places of worship or entertainment. In Pittsburgh, the gunman shouted, “Jews must die,” reflecting a rise in global anti-Semitism. Yet anyone can become the “other,” targets of intense hatred and resentment in a society steeped with misinformation and outright lies. Citizens are quick to anger, hunting for scapegoats online, in turn encouraging isolation and despair. “Violent crime remains at historic lows across the United States,” suggests a New York Times editorial. “But by various indexes, hate appears to be on the rise.” The country must tighten gun laws and improve background checks. Citizens also must practice civility and made decisions every day about whether spread fear and anger or kindness and honesty. As former US President Barack Obama reminds, voters have the opportunity to determine the character of their country with every election. – YaleGlobal