The keepers of the written word in America are so abhorred by the prospect of Donald Trump becoming president that they penned a letter to the country declaring their opposition.Hundreds of writers and authors, many of whom are world renowned, wrote and signed a letter listing the many reasons why they refuse to support the presumptive Republican nominee.Among those who signed the letter include horror author Stephen King, author of The Joy Luck Club Amy Tan, and novelist Daniel Handler, better known to audiences as Lemony Snicket.The letter condemns Trump for abusing language to advocate for violence, bigotry, sexism, and division all in the pursuit of power, which the authors point out has created many a dictatorship. They also declare that wealth and celebrity do not qualify anyone to speak for all Americans, much less lead the military.And in a final flourish, the writers declare that they  unequivocally  oppose Trump s candidacy as a  matter of conscience. Here s the full letter via Lit Hub.Because, as writers, we are particularly aware of the many ways that language can be abused in the name of power;Because we believe that any democracy worthy of the name rests on pluralism, welcomes principled disagreement, and achieves consensus through reasoned debate;Because American history, despite periods of nativism and bigotry, has from the first been a grand experiment in bringing people of different backgrounds together, not pitting them against one another;Because the history of dictatorship is the history of manipulation and division, demagoguery and lies;Because the search for justice is predicated on a respect for the truth;Because we believe that knowledge, experience, flexibility, and historical awareness are indispensable in a leader;Because neither wealth nor celebrity qualifies anyone to speak for the United States, to lead its military, to maintain its alliances, or to represent its people;Because the rise of a political candidate who deliberately appeals to the basest and most violent elements in society, who encourages aggression among his followers, shouts down opponents, intimidates dissenters, and denigrates women and minorities, demands, from each of us, an immediate and forceful response;For all these reasons, we, the undersigned, as a matter of conscience, oppose, unequivocally, the candidacy of Donald J. Trump for the Presidency of the United States.450 writers and authors signed the letter. And a petition has been included so that other Americans can their own names in opposition to Trump.You can add your name by clicking here.What began as a joke has grown to become a threat to our nation and our democratic values. Donald Trump is a disgrace who never should have been allowed to get this far. But he has by appealing to the worst that the conservative base has to offer, including racist white supremacists, misogynists, and gullible evangelicals who think Trump is the new Jesus.As the authors wrote, this is not the time to stay at home while the rest of the country votes. This is the time for  an immediate and forceful response  that makes it clear that any political party who puts the country in this kind of danger will be deprived of capturing political power. That means we all need to use our right to vote while we still have it and overwhelmingly reject Trump and Republicans in November.Featured Image: Getty/Isaac Brekken