In her column published July 3, Betty Grande claims that the current incivility in our society did not start with Donald Trump, but my experience says otherwise.

I find myself becoming more uncivil, not because of liberals, Maxine Waters or the press, but because of the hateful rhetoric, lies, distortions, scapegoating, inhumanity, ignorant rants and fear-mongering coming from the president.

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This rhetoric and divisive behavior evokes strong reactions and outrage in those of us who grew up in a country that would not have rewarded this kind of person with the highest office in the land, those of us who believe in the Constitution and the principles on which this country was founded.

This incivility starts at the top and spreads. Racist and violent acts are being committed by Americans against Hispanics, Muslims and others. So, I'm sorry if I don't get too upset by a restaurant owner politely asking Sarah Huckabee Sanders to leave or by those calling out her and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen for their Trump lies.

It is not surprising that an ignorant, self-promoting, megalomaniac like Donald Trump exists in this world. The unbelievable and outrageous thing is that so many Americans support him.

I repeat Grande's Josephson quote back to her: "What you permit you promote, what you allow you encourage, what you condone you own." When I hear fighting kids insulting each other with the hurtful taunt, "You're just like Donald Trump," I realize how far we have fallen as a country.

Maher lives in Fargo.