To the editor:

It’s all over the Internet. It’s made national and international news. It’s been tweeted and shared thousands of times. Millions of people have now seen or read about the couple in the Marshall Walmart who created a disturbance by wearing swastikas on their face masks.

This is where we’re at; this is Trump’s America.

But you say this is an isolated incident. This is an outlier, an anomaly.

It is not. Over the past several months, I have witnessed additional hateful acts. In the Marshall Menards, a couple yelled, “We only follow our God’s rules, not your f*****g rules!” when confronted about their failure to cover their faces with a mask. I have seen young men flying a Confederate flag from the back of their pickup truck as they drive around Marshall. I have had people yell “F**k Biden!” and give me the middle finger numerous times as I sit quietly under the Democratic Pop-Up Office in Marshall on Tuesday nights.

The presidency of Donald Trump has unleashed toxic levels of hate, division and animosity into our nation. We see it happening in our country, in our community, even in our own families. There are many of us, I’m sure, who feel the pain of broken relationships and family members who are not speaking to each other because of political divisions.

When I see signs or flags with the “Trump 2020 — Keep America Great” message, I am genuinely mystified. What is “great” about the past 3.5 years? Is it the increased use of racist and sexist rhetoric, leading to a rise in racial violence and confrontations? Is it the staggering amount of division and hatred in this country, which the current administration has fueled with its divisive rhetoric and alarming policies? Is it the pandemic, which the USA leads the world in both deaths and diagnosed cases? Is it the soaring unemployment rate of 11.1%, one of the highest rates in US history? Is it the millions of people who are losing their health insurance in the middle of a national health crisis? What is “great” about any of this?

It’s time to end this. It’s time to make things better. This cannot go on. “A house divided against itself cannot stand,” said Abraham Lincoln. As in Lincoln’s time, our nation is now divided. Another four years of the hatred and division fueled by the presidency of Donald Trump might destroy this country. When you vote on November 3, it’s time to vote Democrat.

Anita Gaul

Marshall