Sad.

I just saw on the local news that synagogues in the state are getting police protection at their Hanukkah services because of the current political environment of violence.

When the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR) was held in Hartford, there was an officer sitting in front of the venue because of past incidents.

Politicians are stirring up animosity—just look at how Trump responded to the murder of the National Guard service member. He seemed to blame all Afghan nationals for the killing by one person.

Just the other day with the murder of Rob Reiner, Trump posted:

"A very sad thing happened last night in Hollywood. Rob Reiner, a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star, has passed away, together with his wife, Michele, reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS. He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump, with his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administration surpassed all goals and expectations of greatness, and with the Golden Age of America upon us, perhaps like never before."

"May Rob and Michele rest in peace!"

But when Charlie Kirk was murdered, Trump flew the flags at half-mast.

I got to hear the story of a convicted individual who shot at a mosque next door to his house. Instead of jail time, he agreed to restorative justice. The Imam of the mosque agreed to restorative justice and sat down with the gunman; now they go around talking about overcoming hate. He now goes around with the Mosque Imam talking about violence and how ignorance causes it.

We need to counter the demonizing of us through education. We need to tell our stories, we need to sit down together and talk out our differences, like what happened after the shooting of the mosque in Meriden, CT.

This is why they want to silence us. This is why they want to ban our books—because understanding grows acceptance.

[/Editorial]