To the editor: Some of the letter writers seem to think that making any comparison between former President Trump and Adolf Hitler is inherently more divisive than anything Trump does.
But these comparisons do not refer to the Hitler of World War II and the Holocaust, but to the Hitler of the 1930s.
He gained power by stoking resentment; accusing the elected government of treasonous conduct; creating a cult of personality; defining patriotism as loyalty to him personally; identifying a scapegoat population that could be hated and subjugated with impunity; dehumanizing opponents as “vermin”; and promoting militia groups to shore up his position with the threat of violence.
The methodological constant was lying: incessant, scandalous, ridiculous and, above all, shameless, until the lies stopped being questioned and reality was defined by what came out of his mouth.
Trump cannot continue this pattern of behavior and avoid comparisons.
Michael Maniccia, Alhambra
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To the editor: Trump supporters worry and complain when their hero is compared to Hitler and Mussolini.
As a student of World War II and Hitler's rise to power, I believe that if you don't recognize the similarities between Trump and Hitler and their tactics for gaining power, you either don't know much about Hitler or you're denying what has been obvious for years.
The political divide will not be healed when one side offers an anti-democratic insurgent as its presidential candidate.
To paraphrase a famous quote, if the gloves fit, you should be condemned. Trump's gloves fit him quite tightly.
Ray McKown, Torrance
