Dear Mr. Iftin,

I am responding to your very heartfelt and disturbing essay (“Taking a step back, but not giving up,” Dec. 3).

The response to your articles, ideas and thoughts by more than a few hateful people was difficult to hear, rationalize or understand except to observe the obvious. America, Maine and Scarborough have our share of individuals who, following the lead of some charismatic leader who can use their ignorance and prejudices to further their own goals, feel entitled to put their worst instincts and behavior on display. As you most certainly know (from your own personal experience) this is not isolated to a particular group, country or region. America is and has not been immune to these periodic episodes of insanity.

My wife and I were visiting friends last evening. My friend immediately referred to your essay as the first topic of conversation. He was in an outrage and it apparently evoked very bad memories of a Jewish child navigating a city neighborhood with strong ethnic majorities (non-Jewish) surrounding his home. He credits his older brother who had the gift of gab and a wicked left hook for his survival. The point is, he survived and through the gift of public education, athletic achievement, hard work and our constitutional protections, he and millions more have built us into a prosperous, generous and welcoming nation, state and community.

You are proof positive that those qualities and actions are still valued and rewarded.

Thank you for your contributions in reminding those of us (a majority of citizens) of how much we have to be grateful for and how vigilant we have to be to keep it. I look forward to reading your columns in the future.

Ken Maclean
Scarborough