LETTER: Voted for Trump

I turned away from the Democratic Party this season.

I did it, not because I think the party tolerates anti-semitism, even though I object to that; I did it, not because they are wrong to harbor it, even though I think they are wrong to provide a haven for it.

Rather, what is the point of a party leadership that will not speak out against an internal irrational hatred of a group, some of whose members are constituents of their own party?

Much has been written elsewhere about anti-semitism; it is hurtful, and it is intended to be hurtful.

It just seems to me that any hate that targets a group, many of whose members are largely defenseless individuals, should be challenged before that hate can pose a physical threat.

What is that?

Being decent?

Hate can and does put lives at risk.

Everyone’s.

I am aware that controversy surrounds Donald Trump.

Both domestic and foreign press reports say that he has shown mostly friendship and goodwill to Jews and to Israel, the only democratic nation in the entire Middle East.

And, I have not read that anti-semitism is the issue to Republicans that it is amongst Democrats.

Furthermore, whereas the domestic press alleges that Donald Trump has every kind of grievous fault, the foreign press reports that I have read either contradict this or are absent of any mention of it.

So, after 59 years of considering myself a Democrat, this year I voted Republican and for Donald Trump.

Avi Buswink

Port Angeles