Whew, what an election week...so far. Truly, these last few days have been exhausting for the American people, and an entire week still hasn’t passed yet. Never have I personally been so passionate or involved in politics (it always struck me as involving old white men perpetually bickering with no results to show).

I was deeply stunned by the presidential election results as it seems was everyone. This possibility had always been there, but I so wanted to believe there wasn’t a chance.

While my own perception of America has been soured, this election has had the power to break relationships and camaraderie in our communities. Violent protests extending from Portland to New York are still being resolved by law enforcement. People have been reported to be assaulted for supporting the other side.

It’s understandable that many feel anger or frustration, but this has already escalated too far in way too short a duration.

As a representative democracy, we the people have the right to vote for who we put our faith in. And when that delegate is chosen, we have always left the politics to the politicians. This has been the basis of our country’s governing system for many years.

Now, this election has awakened emotions in the American people that have been long lost to placation. A battle of politics deformed into a war of principle.

There is a romance in the newfound passion that has been ignited in the country, as it is a refreshing and endearing sight to behold when contrasted to our previous fugue state. We, as a people, have been desensitized to a point of numbness in our connection to the government and despite everything, it is sincerely beautiful to see people CARE.

With that being said, however, it’s now time for us to dial it down, return to our lives and stop fighting each other. Violence is born from savagery, yet we pride ourselves in civilization. From the Founding Fathers to the present day, we acknowledged and put our faith into the doctrine of representative democracy for better or worse. The journey of our country has been extraordinary, as we have all participated in creating a place of possibilities and freedom that at once was deemed impossible.

At the edge of this precipice, it is not the time to lose faith in our system or the American people. Whether or not you agree with the results of this election, you have done your part. To every vote, two sides will always be present or there would be no basis for the ballot in the first place. Win or lose, the power of our doctrine lies in the idea that anything is possible as long as there is more support for than against. It’s a simple idea, but to be an American you need to be at peace with this omnipresent truth.

So it happened. Trump won the election and now is the president of the United States. Boy, did it pain me to write that last sentence. Now, leave politics to the old white men again and let’s return to our privileged lives in America where we are all can relate in the experiences we share, like when your mom makes the laundry feel comforting and somehow just better than you ever could, or when you realize that you should’ve worn a coat but decide it’s less of an opportunity cost to freeze your ass off for the whole day than take the few steps back home and put on the appropriate attire.

People of the United States of America, it’s now time to put away your torches and pitchforks and go find a supporter of the other side to give them a big ol’ bear hug. We’re in it together, and it feels way better to love than to hate. Anyways, from what I’ve seen from all the movies Hollywood produces, it’s far better to go down with someone by your side.