Regarding Daniel Henninger’s “Les Deplorables” (Wonder Land, Sept. 15): Mr. Henninger concludes that, “If the Democrats lose behind Hillary Clinton, it will be in part because America’s les deplorables decided enough of this is enough.” The “this” in Mr. Henninger’s estimation is the progressive barrage of political correctness and self-righteous indignation that now has degenerated into a “confused moral narcissism.”

The other side of Mr. Henninger’s political coin is that if the Democrats win behind Hillary Clinton, all of the cultural trends of the last eight years will be reaffirmed and accelerated. One wonders, then, if in a few years it will be deplorable to stand up for the national anthem at a sporting event, assuming the anthem is still played. The progressive transformation of the last eight years was extraordinary in speed and scope, and the non-deplorables supporting Mrs. Clinton may succeed in associating the national anthem and the stars and stripes with racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia and Islamophobia. Unless America atones fully for its past transgressions and current injustices, our stained national symbols may have to change, along with our traditions and history (per Michelle Obama) and our deep-seated cultural codes and religious beliefs. Until that cleansing takes place, standing up for injustice during the national anthem may be a sign that one is an unrepentant bigot. Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling in protest may be the norm—until we are all progressively perfected.

David Palmer

Columbia, S.C.