I was up until two in the morning follow the results of the presidential election. I had CNN, NBC, Fox News, the New York Times, the Washington post, and ABC news pulled up on my laptop. I spent hours following every minute of the election coverage. There was a watch party going on in my sororities formal living room with girls from all over the country waiting for the results. One of my best friends was in her room next to mine. She kept banging on the wall every ten minutes wanting me to come in her room, so she could tell me what was happening. I had several group texts I was in with people discussing who was going to win. The past few hours of my life have been consumed by this election. I'm not going to share who I voted for because that doesn't matter. What matters is the fact that right now we are a country divided.
I woke up the next morning to so much hate and angry on my social media that it broke my heart. People were saying the ugliest things to each other that they would normally never say. I was shocked that people I knew were acting this way on both sides of the divide. As I walked around campus this morning, I heard a lot of conversations about the results of the election. Regardless of who you wanted to win, we are all people and we shouldn't treat each other this way. You don't know why someone voted the way that they did. I know a lot of people would be surprised at why I voted for the person I did. It's gotten to the point that I'm afraid to say who I voted for because I don't know if the person I tell will attack me for it or not.
People need to stop yelling and start talking. Instead of calling someone sexist or bring up someone's integrity, ask the person why they voted the way they did. You never know they may surprise you; they may think about the issues in a completely different way from you. Just because you believe something to be true doesn't mean it is. You are not the end all be all when it comes to opinions on politics. We are a diverse nation filled with people of difference races, religions, cultures, backgrounds, views, and especially opinions. People need to realize that just because someone doesn't think like you doesn't mean they are necessarily wrong. It especially doesn't mean that they are a horrible person.
I keep seeing people say that this election has divided our country even more. Right now that couldn't be more true. I can say with absolute certainty that everyone attacking each other's opinions and beliefs isn't helping united our country. In fact, it's making the problem ever worse. The fact is that Trump won regardless of whether or not you wanted it to happen. We can't change the past. All we can do now is move forward with the future and do everything we can to make it a good one.
The next time you think about posting something election related on social media or open your mouth to share an opinion that isn't fact based, stop for a minute. Make sure whatever it is you have to say is helping instead of hurting our country. A friend of mine posted a very true statement on Facebook today. She ended it with a quote that seems more appropriate than ever now. "United we stand, divided we fall."
