I wonder if Glenn Chateauvert is aware of his flirtation with irony in his letter (Aug. 19) castigating the media for its “hatred aimed at Trump and conservatives”?

First, Trump brings intense scrutiny on himself via petulant, untruthful and often contradictory statements and Twitter blasts, trampling on what had been the norms of political dialogue.

Second, mainstream conservative columnists (George Will, Michael Gerson, David Brooks, Jennifer Rubin, Russ Douthat and on and on) would find it quite distasteful to be paired with Trump in any way. They’re appalled at the damage the president is inflicting on the Grand Old Party.

But the real irony appears in the final paragraph of Chateauvert’s letter, in which he hopes anti-Trump letter writer Ellen Field (letter, Aug. 8), “will let go of her hate and learn to coexist with others who are different or have different views.” Apparently, he unwittingly forgot how a certain thin-skinned Manhattan billionaire with anti-democratic, authoritarian instincts thrives on hateful speech and cares nothing about coexisting with anything but his own massive ego.

Back to mainstream conservatives. In his last public statement as president, Ronald Reagan said, “You can go to France and not be French. You can go to Germany or Turkey or Japan and not be German or Turkish or Japanese. But anyone can come to America from any corner of the world and become an American.”

People who read this letter and don’t get the point should stop watching Fox News. Their “patriotism” needs an overhaul.

Dave Griffiths, Mechanic Falls