Calls for campaign civility from both parties is nonsensical. For those politicians and media commentators who wish to appear above the fray by calling for civility from all parties during this election cycle are naive, ill-informed, or auditioning for employment in the next administration. There is no equivalency in the wisecracking, denigrating and outrageously insulting comments coming from Trump and his minions, with the name-calling or deceptive accusations coming from the opponents.

Historically elections have generated some of the most scandalous and undignified campaigning but nothing comes close to the incessant barrage of degrading, racist, homophobic, white supremacist garbage spewing from Donald Trump since the moment he rode down the escalator into the presidency and hasn’t ceased to this day. Elections have brought out the best aspirations of many seeking office with commendable speeches and debate responses, but it has also provided the ethically weak, deranged and self-serving with the opportunity to vent their irrational grievances and bullying inclinations. To invoke civility at this juncture is akin to requesting the victims and the perpetrators to shake hands and move on and accountability is never required.

Betty Ussach-Schwartz

Southampton