Hate, Pride, Protest, Violence and Hope in the Trump Era | Weekend Read

Each weekend, Patch shares stories sparking conversations beyond one neighborhood:

Hate Crimes Are Up — But the Government Isn't Keeping Good Track of Them

A mix of information – state level, anecdotal, federally collected, dating from two years ago to last week – is sure to fuel the country's evolving conversation and concern about the potential for violence in a divided America. Already, those worried about the consequences of Trump's triumph have seized on some of the reports to stoke worry about emboldened white nationalists. And Trump's supporters have moved quickly to try and debunk the swirl of alleged incidents of intimidation and violence that have surfaced in social media.

But even in the early stages of what promises to be a prolonged focus on crimes colored by prejudice and politics, there appears to be one irrefutable truth: the data is deeply flawed. >>> Read more.

• More: Acts of Hatred, Racism Come in Immediate Aftermath of Donald Trump's Election
• More: Pro-Trump Teen Beaten in Rockville Student Protests: Police

Post-It Note Kindness Catching On

COLUMBIA, MD — Middle school students in Columbia were greeted with positivity this week, finding messages like "You are perfect just as you are" and "I believe in you!" posted on their lockers.
Oakland Mills Middle School staff wrote and posted the sticky notes on Monday night so that kids would see them first thing on Tuesday morning.

"...we wanted, even if just for a few moments, to surround our students with positive messages and reminders about how important they were, and how valuable they were to our school," Oakland Mills Middle School Principal Megan Chrobak told Patch. "It was important for us to remind all of our students that they matter, that they have great ideas, and they are what makes our school great!" >>> Read more.

• More: Muslim Teacher Told to Hang Herself With Headscarf

Violent Anti-Trump Protesters Have Dirty Little Secret: They Helped Elect Him

“Not my president” has been the message of protesters since the surprise election of Donald Trump. It was written on placards and chanted as they marched. They screamed to the world that Trump’s election was not acceptable to them, that they would be watching his every move closely. Democracy, the message went, depended on vigilance.

Many of the most exercised and violent of the group protesting the election's outcome, though, have this dirty, little secret in common: They never bothered to vote. >>> Read more.

Top image via Sarah Walls