By David Giacomini
This past Tuesday night I was part of the large group of Americans watching as the 2016 Presidential election drew to a close. This was one of the closest elections in recent history, and also one of the most divisive. When the results were finally in, Donald Trump had been elected as the 45th President of the United States. With an election as bitterly divided as this one, it is not surprising that Trump’s victory has caused a great deal of shock across the country, especially since Hillary Clinton had been seen as the clear winner by many. For everybody who is feeling upset with the results of the election I can sympathize, but I also realize the need to move on and accept the outcome.
No matter how you voted in this election, the important thing now is to not to fall into hate for the opposition. Mere hours after the results were finalized, anti-Trump protests took place in many major U.S. cities. Last night, people were marching down Union Square in New York City and blocked off the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles. Leading up to the election, many people on social media talked about wanting to leave the country if Trump won the presidency. I certainly heard a lot of people genuinely considering this Tuesday night. But going to Canada is not going to solve any of the problems.
People have to be willing to work with change. Trump’s victory shows that there is a large percentage of the population that felt he could act as their voice and had a good vision for the country. I say give Trump a chance. In her concession speech, Hillary Clinton called for her supporters to look towards the future and give Trump “an open mind and a chance to lead.” Supporters of both candidates need to be willing to get together and cooperate in order make the country work.
Despite the calls for understanding, I feel that this will be a lot easier said than done. In his victory speech, Trump said himself, “It is time for America to bind the wounds of division. We have to get together.” However, exactly how and when this will occur has yet to be seen.
David is junior History major and a Photography minor.
