Now Is The Time For America To Band Together

Tuesday evening has been anything but easy. Supporters of both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have been up in arms during the entirety of the 2016 election cycle, and for both Republicans and Democrats there seems to be very little middle ground. And yet, while Trump and Clinton supporters seemingly couldn't be more different, when the election is over and a president is elected it is paramount that we band together — Republicans, Democrats, and even third party voters alike.

While Clinton and Trump have been slinging insults at one another for months it's time the American people take the high road and not give in to divisiveness. We need to rise above the hatred these candidates may feel towards one another, because at the end of the day, we will be a stronger nation if we stand together. But that doesn't mean it will be easy.

Obviously, supporters of Tuesday night's eventual winner will be thrilled, and those who stood by the ultimate loser will be sad, disappointed, and perhaps even angry and disillusioned. However it is of chief importance that we accept the results of the election — whatever they may be — and move towards a better America regardless of who moves into the White House. It's going to be a tough pill to swallow for some, but it's what needs to happen. It's extremely easy to throw vicious rhetoric at one another and become angry when we feel we have been wronged, but as Clinton's campaign says: "We're stronger together." And she's right. This statement from Clinton during Meet the Press in May says it all:

Look, we are stronger together. We are stronger together in facing our internal challenges and our external ones. We are stronger together if we work to improve the economy... We are stronger together when we have a bipartisan, even nonpartisan foreign policy that protects our country. And that provides a kind of steady, strong, smart leadership that the rest of the world expects from us.

Clinton realizes that how the world views America is important. Not only that, all Americans will face a better fate if we agree to get along.

One sentiment flooding the conversation this election season is a desire to move to Canada if a particular candidate is elected. Celebrities from Bryan Cranston to Barbara Streisand have expressed their wishes to flee the USA if the ginger-haired Republican makes it into office. This is deeply saddening. Despite what Trump argues, I believe America is a great nation. We have a ways to go, surely, but that is even more reason not to abandon our nation during its hour of need. Fleeing to another place will only deepen America's problems. I sincerely believe that running away when the going gets tough will only make America's current situation so much worse — and it would certainly be the cowardly thing to do.

Despite what may unfold on Tuesday night it will take heroic efforts by every American to make the USA a place where we can live with one another in some level of harmony. Democrats and Republicans have both become downright nasty, but once this election is over, there will be a new president that we will all have to live with for at least four years.

So, my fellow Americans, let's take the high road. Let us realize that Americans should be one another's allies, not foes. We are the United States of America, after all.