This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Something unpleasant and disturbing happened recently. Someone stole a Hillary Clinton campaign poster from my home. We're not talking a yard sign stuck in the grass some distance from the house.

No, to get this poster the thief had to walk across my lawn, up onto my porch, and open my screen door. The poster was pulled from the inside of the glass panel where it was affixed.

A friend who is a Donald Trump supporter — it pains me to write that phrase — suggested it must have been a third-party enthusiast. Forgive my serious doubt. I found the mangled remnants of my poster scattered in the gutter one house away. It had been crumpled first and then ripped to pieces.

This, to me, suggests low intelligence, a mean spirit and real hatred.

What candidate has made these traits hallmarks of his campaign? Who has consistently appealed to the worst in human nature and actively promoted division among and loathing for fellow Americans, especially those "not like us"? You need no prompting. Got it in one.

Michele Margetts

Salt Lake City