This past week was monumental in the history of our country. As I listen and read commentary about the happenings, I think more and more on the division in America. President Donald J. Trump repeated the phrase "America first" in his inaugural address on January 20th. Considering that statement, it will be very interesting to see how the President plans to accomplish that.

There is a very distinctive split between the people of America. The obvious being Democrats and Republicans. As a citizen who doesn't identify with either party, it's hard to not get lost in the two-party system of the US government. Conservatives and Liberals in government seem more concerned about proving their own point and being right than reaching a compromise to benefit the people they are supposed to be helping. The same goes for everyday people. We all have our opinions and are aloud to express them, but it seems that we have gotten to a point where hatred has overpowered acceptance. I believe tolerance is a valuable lesson everyone could learn.

The Women's March has been seen in both positive and negative ways. I am in complete support of it but I question what will be accomplished in the long run for human rights. There are some things, like reproductive rights, that should not be decided by the government. Regardless of someone's opinion, no one has the right to control a woman's body or make decision for someone else. To those against the march, I don't have much to say other than protesting is one of the many rights we all have in this country. But to those who preach acceptance and equality, you cannot continue to pick and choose who you have tolerance for. The hypocrisy that exists in America on all sides is astonishing. Hating someone because of a difference in opinions is immature and toxic to the furthering of our country.

The election is over. The campaigning and candidate bashing is over. Hopefully the scandals will all be over. The outcome is not at all what I expected but it is what it is. It is time for the people of this country to unite. We have an incredible amount of diversity and instead of hating those different than you, why not embrace them?

I ask people of all ages to stop hoping that President Trump will fail. By no means did I support him but why are you looking for the leader of our country to fail? Some of his comments and actions are inexcusable. Hope will be a strong tool during his presidency. The beauty of this country is that the people have power. If you want something done, get off Twitter or Facebook and go do something about it. It is possible to make a difference in this world. Throwing a temper tantrum on social media about how hard you think your life is, is not going to solve anything. As a citizen of this country, you can stand up and fight for what you believe in. I encourage you to do just that.