A call for unity in the midst of a broken nation: This is the message we have heard from President Obama, Democratic Nominee Hillary Clinton, and our fellow citizens in light of the 2016 presidential election. There is clearly an outbreak of heartache after this election, so much so that there is an eerie silence hanging over America. Whether there is a dark cloud or a beaming ray of sunshine depends on where you're standing. But the lingering question is whether citizens of this great country will actually be able to unite as has been so urgently encouraged by higher-ups.
President Obama said it in his speech after Trump's victory that we "are all on the same team". This is true, but not everyone thinks so. There are two separate teams who believe they are the "one team" that others have failed to join. Does unity mean one side needs to join the other despite differences? Or does it mean setting differences aside and working together to build a better future?
Whatever the correct answer, it's irrefutable that unity will be challenging. Families have been torn apart. Friendships have been terminated. Possibilities of friendships have been disregarded. Coexistence seems unthinkable. The places that we call home have been torn down on the basis of a vote. Grown adults can't even have a civil conversation about this election season.
Now that the election is over, both party supporters have been stereotyped. In reality, they've been stereotyped for awhile, but in specific I'd like to draw focus to the stereotypes surrounding those who voted for Trump: they are bigots, racists, homophobic, xenophobic, and sexist simply because of how they voted. But that's not true, and frankly it's unfair. The time to realize that both candidates were not ideal contenders to fill the presidential position is now. The time to understand that some people voted against Hillary and not for Trump and vice-versa is now.
There's a long road ahead of us.
It will be incredibly difficult to unite American citizens. It will be difficult to convince one side of the spectrum to set aside their differences when they're convinced the other side is a disease and the reason for all of their problems. It will be difficult to spread love when one side is built on the foundation of hate. It will be difficult to mend the wounds that reopen anytime one person sees a supporter of the opposite party. It will be difficult to promote forgiveness among a group who has already drawn a red line to distance themselves from the other side. It will be difficult to promote a "one world" in the face of hateful and degrading comments.
Despite the difficulty this challenge poses, it will be worth it. We need love and light more than anything right now. We need to fight for what's right through means of civility and empathy.
Martin Luther King once said, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
There will be dark days ahead.
However, we cannot continue to blame each other for the outcome. It is time that we take collective responsibility for the current condition of our country and move forward together. We cannot continue to mock the other party and call this unity. Enough with the name-calling. Enough with the confirmation-bias. Enough with the hate. If you are experiencing heartache, take the time you need to heal, but don't rule out the possibility of forgiveness. Don't reject unity. The fight continues, and with it, us.
As always, love will prevail.
