To the Editor:
The problem with last week’s “Making points” letter (Dec. 1) is that the author tries and fails in creating an analogy between the disappointment of sports fans and people who fear for their safety because of their ethnicity, religion, sexual preference, or immigration status after the election results. For an analogy to work, you must compare two like subjects, hence the ol’ “apples with apples” saying.
In the 10 days after the election, the Southern Poverty Law Foundation reported 867 bias-related crimes that ranged from discrimination, threats, harassment, and vandalism to sexual assault and violence. They also reported that many of the perpetrators invoked the president-elect’s name while committing these acts. This election has emboldened racists, xenophobes, misogynists, and homophobic people to come out of the shadows and act on their hate. How could people not be fearful? To think those fears are on par with the discouragement felt by a sports fan is inconceivable.
Maria Black
Edgartown
