My wife has spent much of the past decade working on abuse and bullying issues with an agency in the midcoast region. She not only counseled women who were the subjects of abuse and domestic violence, but also focused especially on young people’s attitudes about themselves and each other.

Despite the progress we have made as a society in bringing these issues into the open, this election cycle shows the tremendous lack of accountability our society still evinces in owning up to its failings in this regard.

Political philosophy and policy debates aside, what is most unfortunate to me is that our country has actually elected someone to our presidency (again) who has a clear history as a systematic abuser of women and who is a chronic bullier. His opponent, meanwhile, was someone with her own record of victim-blaming and intimidation.

We are failing our children and ourselves every time we let the conversation “move on – after all, what more can we say?” We did it with Bill Clinton. It’s true what they say – those who refuse to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.

William Klingelhofer

Rockport