Director, Commonwealth Policy Center

Donald Trump’s victory sparked protests in major cities with chants of “Not My President” and “Love Trumps Hate.” Some of the protest has gotten vile; one sign photographed at an organized protest read, “Rape Melania.” This kind of mindless anger has become symptomatic of how American culture often responds to politics. If democracy means anything, it means the possibility of not getting one’s own way politically and the inability to cope with the “other side’s” victory is not just immaturity; it’s a sign of deep misunderstanding of how our Republic works. Being disappointed or even offended at the outcome of an election is understandable. But the protests since the election indicates that far too many Americans have no grasp of how their fellow citizens could disagree with them at the voting booth. And this is worrisome.