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There’s widespread concern that the wave of hate crimes unleashed by Donald Trump’s election victory will become normal during his presidency.

Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) stepped to the podium on the Senate floor Tuesday to call on Trump to “rise to the dignity of the office,” Time reports.

“We have a responsibility to prevent Trump’s bullying, aggressive behavior from becoming normalized in the eyes of Americans—especially the millions of young people who are watching and wondering, for example, if sexual assault is now a laughing matter,” he said.

Also unacceptable as normal, Reid stated, is that the Ku Klux Klan plans to celebrate Trump’s victory with a parade.

Pointing to Southern Poverty Law Center reports, Reid said there have been at least 315 hate crime incidents in little more than a week since Election Day.

“Many of our fellow Americans believe that Trump’s election validates the kind of bullying, aggressive behavior Trump modeled on a daily basis,” Reid lamented.

The senator said Trump has the main responsibility to reverse this wave of hatred. Instead, he has chosen to do the opposite by appointing Stephen Bannon, known for promoting White nationalism, as chief White House strategist and senior advisor.

“If Trump is serious about seeking unity, the first thing he should do is rescind his appointment of Steve Bannon,” Reid said. “Rescind it. Don’t do it.”

The retiring senate minority leader said Trump’s talk about national unity is meaningless if a “champion of racial division” has an office in the White House.

SOURCE: Time

SEE ALSO:

Trump Team Defends Bannon Choice Despite His Affinity For White Nationalism

Should Steve Bannon Be In The Trump Administration?

Reid Urges Trump To Drop White Nationalist From Cabinet  was originally published on newsone.com