Thank you. In the course of this election we’ve seen the Republican nominee plumb depths unprecedented in modern politics. Your endorsement of Hillary Clinton as a tireless public servant and the most qualified candidate to seek the presidency, especially in light of the grave threat to the Republic represented by her opponent, is principled and brave. It was heartening to see.

Your response to the vile threats of violence and death deployed by the worst among us to intimidate and silence you took the kind of courage most cannot muster. It represents the best and highest ideals of both your profession and this country. As a very recent immigrant, married gay man, and lifelong liberal, I cannot overstate how much it means to have a conservative newspaper standing up for the United States as the melting pot it is meant to be.

This campaign has divided the nation and reopened fault lines many of us hoped were at least on their way to being sealed. The overt racism, homophobia, anti-semitism, nativism, etc. we’ve seen galvanised amongst the Republican base has been disturbing — and viscerally terrifying for those of us who stand to have rights and freedoms only recently gained stripped away should Hillary lose. You have taken a stand against that darkness for us and your country, demonstrating our shared ideals in a time of crisis. For that you have earned my abiding respect, whatever our past or present political disagreements.

Many on the left and right have been trying to work out how to heal the rifts between us after this is over. We all clearly have a lot more work to do perfecting our union, but I think that’s as good a place as any to start building bridges.

I hope you, your colleagues, and your families stay safe. Keep up the good work.