Bigotry and hate crimes have skyrocketed in the nation since the Nov. 8 presidential election with vandalism and verbal and physical abuse incidents.

President Elect Donald Trump opened the door for all types of intolerance, behavior that has not been acceptable in this country for decades.

Only 10 days after the election, the Southern Poverty Law Center reported 867 cases of hateful intimidation or harassment.

In the 10 days following the election, hate crimes spiked 6 percent according to the FBI.

The targets of these hate crimes include Muslim Americans, Hispanics, Jewish people, African Americans, and LGBT individuals.

The motivation behind these events are most directly linked with the divisive speech of the President Elect Trump during the presidential campaign.

These elected officials who have disparaged people by race, physical disability, sexual orientation, gender and nationality, thoughout their campaigns do not and should not represent us as a people. We can change. We can make our voices heard and set examples for acceptable behavior.

We do not and should not as a people condone genocide threats to mosques, vandalism to public and private property. We need to reassure our neighbors that we are not all swastika wielding bigots. We do not condone a school cafeteria chanting “Build a Wall”. We have the ability to change the entire ugly ordeal and rise from this low time for America into a time of humanitarianism.

It’s now the time of the year where people embrace their fellow man and spread joy during the season. It’s hard to enjoy this holiday season when hate seems to be the first thing which comes to mind.

We can change this. Right here in Seminole, Texas. Just because someone does not go to your church or embrace your lifestyle does not mean their choices do not have value.

Just because beliefs are not the same as yours, doesn’t mean they are not valid or important. We can weed intolerant speech out of our vocabulary. We can see our neighbors as equals who deserve the same respect. This could be just as simple as not shouting down an opposing view in class.

Turn the other cheek. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

This choice to do the right thing is not the easiest task. It takes willpower and the willingness to admit that you have been wrong. Be the better person and try to see the other person’s point of view.

There are no rewards for intolerance, only penalties. This country became a world leader not through its intolerance but through its acceptance of the differences of others.

Rather than plunge the United States back five or six decades to a less tolerant time, let’s work together, each doing our small part to make America a place anyone would want to live.