"KKK Bitch" was the racially charged graffiti that appeared in mid-October in Kokomo, Indiana, on cars, homes, and telephone poles. Many of the victims, including Peters, were African American, with some not being African American. A lot of the victims had lawn signs supporting Democratic candidates in the upcoming presidential election, and some of those signs were vandalized with the Ku Klux Klan's initials. Peters believes that this vandalism is politically motivated and is a result of the aggressive and nativist rhetoric of Republican candidate Donald Trump, which has emboldened extremists. Peters is saddened by the fact that such behavior is becoming more common due to the influence of political figures making ignorant statements. Our country appears to be regressing, as police have not identified any suspects in the recent attacks. Democrats, such as the mayor and local party officials, suspect the attacks were politically motivated. However, local Republicans doubt this theory and believe the damage was caused by ignorant troublemakers who do not represent their party. The divisive and provocative political rhetoric is infiltrating public conversations and dividing the population in the United States. The impact of this trend is difficult to measure, as there is no national data tracking politically motivated crimes or inflammatory language. However, the percentage of voters who think it is acceptable to insult political opponents has increased from 30 percent in March to 43 percent in October, according to surveys conducted by the non-partisan Pew Research Center during the campaign season. A majority of voters from both parties have strong negative views of the opposing party, which is a first since Pew began asking this question in 1992. Trust in government is currently at a low point. Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, believes that these trends reflect tensions between different groups that can lead to various levels of conflict. While much of the hostility has been directed towards immigrants, African Americans, and other groups associated with Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, Republicans have also experienced hostility. The focus of discussions on extremism has largely been on the Alt-Right movement, which consists of white nationalists, anti-Semites, and anti-immigration individuals who have aligned themselves with the Trump campaign after being in the political background for some time. During a rally at the statehouse in Columbia, South Carolina on July 18, 2015, a Ku Klux Klan supporter was photographed displaying his tattoos. The Alt-Right community has been energized by Trump's promises to build a wall on the Mexican border, deport illegal immigrants, and scrutinize Muslims for connections to terrorism. Michael Hill, a self-proclaimed white supremacist and leader of the League of the South, believes that the Alt-Right's concerns about the decline of the white, Christian majority in the country have been validated by certain political rhetoric. Hill stated that the overall political climate surrounding certain campaigns has been beneficial for right-wing groups like his. Similar nationalist sentiments have been observed in other countries, such as Russia, Japan, and Britain, where violent incidents related to political beliefs have occurred. Reports of political displays, vandalism, and violence have become more frequent in the United States, with incidents such as a black church being burned and painted with pro-Trump messages in Mississippi, a Republican office being set on fire in North Carolina, and manure being dumped at a Democratic campaign office in Ohio. In Utah, a man who had Trump yard signs on display discovered KKK graffiti on his car. At a college football game in Wisconsin, a fan wore a President Barack Obama mask with a noose around his neck. The Trump and Clinton campaigns did not respond to requests for comment. White nationalist Jared Taylor, whose website American Renaissance is popular among the movement, stated that Trump's positions align with the Alt-Right goal of "slowing the dispossession of whites." However, Taylor believes that the media is exaggerating Trump's support within the Alt-Right in an effort to undermine him. Trump has faced criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans for not quickly denouncing extreme elements of the political right. However, when a prominent KKK newspaper published a positive article about Trump, his campaign immediately issued a statement denouncing it as "repulsive." Figures from the Alt-Right, such as Taylor and Hill, claim they do not support vandalism or violence and argue that their rhetoric is not hate speech, but rather that they are unfairly vilified by the left. According to Heidi Beirich of the Southern Poverty Law Center, left-wing extremists have a history of aggressive confrontation with those they view as fascist or racist. She mentioned that anti-racists tend to be more violent than racists. The First Amendment of the US Constitution protects inflammatory speech, but there are laws allowing law enforcement to investigate and prosecute hate crimes targeting certain groups. Hate crimes against Muslims increased by 86% last year, even though overall hate crimes only saw a 6% increase according to California State University researchers. Some individuals involved in politics believe that there has been a gradual decline in civility that predates the current presidential race. The Republican party chairman for Howard County, Indiana, Craig Dunn, notes that a small number of extreme voices are being magnified through the Internet and social media, leading to an overall breakdown in civility. Local leaders are concerned about the impact on their community, with Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight, a Democrat, expressing worries about increased volatility and tension. The recent graffiti incidents have been particularly concerning, with Monica Fowler, who had her Democratic yard signs vandalized with "KKK," struggling to cope with the attacks. She mentions that it is acceptable to have differing opinions, but if your actions are going to frighten or hurt someone else, she questions your motives.