It has been a few days since Donald Trump pulled off the greatest upset in the history of American politics by defying the polls and winning the White House, and I along with most of the country is still shocked. I was one of millions of Americans who sat on the couch well past midnight in complete disbelief that Trump had actually pulled it off. The next day I woke up, and watched Hillary Clinton’s concession speech where she told her supporters, “Donald Trump will be our next President, we owe him an open mind and an opportunity to lead.” However, since then those supporters have completely ignored those words.

Protests have surged throughout the country from New York to California all week. Tens of thousands have marched through the streets to protest the outcome, with countless others taking over social media with the #NotMyPresident. Violence has been hurled by both sides at helpless victims just trying to live their lives. Perhaps in one of the most disgusting displays has been on college campuses with several schools across America offering psychological treatment to students as well as classes being canceled. This one personally disturbs me the most because, as I have stated before, a Hillary Clinton presidency made me fear for the lives of my friends and family in the military because of her various actions as Secretary of State. However had she won the election, I can promise you that I would not have needed a school group therapy session just to make it to my next class. The worst part is that he isn’t even President yet!

Nonetheless, all of this has done nothing to stop these people from protesting. They have every right under the first amendment to exercise their right to free speech and peaceful assembly and I fully support their right when it is used correctly. Unfortunately for them, vandalism, blocking traffic, and assault is not suddenly allowed because you have the right to protest. Not to even mention the fact that the candidate you supported implored you to get behind President-elect Trump so that we can move forward. But instead, you decided it would be better for the future of this country to raise hell in the streets protesting something that you cannot and will not change. That is the fact that whether you like it or not, Donald Trump will be the 45^th President of the United States.

The way I see it, these protests are doing far more harm than good. I understand the reason for them, but the election is over and now is not the time for more division. We are already an overwhelmingly divided nation as it is, but now is the time to come together, work together, and compromise to make these next four years good ones. I am not saying to stop letting your voice be heard, but there’s a better way to do it. We won’t make it much farther if we keep fighting and refusing to accept the ideas of someone who thinks differently simply because they are different. I said before the election that I would fully support Hillary Clinton if she won the White House, it’s time for you all to give Donald Trump the same respect I would have given Hillary.