Dear Mr. Trump,

Despair is in the air about the kind of hatred you have brought about in our country and the irreparable harm that you are doing to its institutions. I know that fact pleases you, sir. I know that you live and breathe to increase the pain and wretchedness of those of us who want a diverse, pluralistic society.

You keep feeding the hatreds of your “base” – such as retweeting groundless and malicious attacks against Muslims and immigrants – and it occurs to me that the term “base” is well-used in relation to you and your most ardent Ku Klux Klan and Nazi supporters.

“Base” means the bottom layer, and those who hate along with you are at the lowest rung of society. You might substitute the word “dregs” for the haters you have encouraged, for those like you who debase women – which you bragged about, of course that’s your voice, come on – for those who would steal from the middle class and from future generations to provide unnecessary tax cuts to your billionaire friends.

“Base” is also defined in a way even more appropriate for you, which I quote from http://www.dictionary.com/browse/base:

(1) morally low; without estimable personal qualities; dishonorable; meanspirited; selfish; cowardly.
(2) of little or no value; worthless.
(3) debased or counterfeit.
(4) characteristic of or befitting an inferior person or thing.

So, when I hear you are doing things for your “base,” when I hear that you are catering to your “base,” I understand perfectly, sir.

Very truly yours,

Bruce J. Berger