Now, I should promptly point out that I politically lean left most of the time, but I am not a staunch Democrat. There are definitely times when I criticize the actions of people who often share the same beliefs as I do, and right now seems to be one of those times. The Democrats at protest. Specifically, Democrats at protest against President-elect Donald Trump. I agree that this election wasn’t something that we could be proud about, because it really was not the glistening example of American democracy at work. I agree that this election did not go the way many of us wanted it go, because it did not go the way that I wanted it to. But I respect the winner picked by the American voting system; therefore, while I am definitely not a strong supporter, I respect that new President-elect Donald Trump. But to many people, that seems completely unacceptable. Protests have broken across the nation against Donald Trump’s victory, and many of them have turned aggressive or just flat out violent. It breaks my heart to see that the country that I love have fallen such deeply into chaos, and it breaks my heart that people—of both sides of the political spectrum—fail to notice that we need to unite because this is the time we need to most. So this is my plea: please, stop this.

Of course, as citizens of this country, every American has the right to protest. Whether it be against actions of the government, a business or any other organization, that right is guaranteed by our Constitution. Therefore, all the protesters have the right to protest because that right is backed by the very cornerstone of America’s democracy. In fact, I expect there to be protests or voice of opposition after every election so that everyone’s voices are heard and the electoral system keeps itself on its toes, conduct itself in as professionally and as perfectly as possible and therefore make itself more accountable. But many (not all, though) of anti-Trump protest have been peaceful, and spread even more divisive rhetoric to a nation that is already torn; that is where many of us can probably agree that that is not helping anyone. America was already divided because of race and religious issues, and most American are tired of fighting against one another. So why then, can we not respect one another’s choice and learn to coexist together? What good will burning the American flag do for anyone’s benefit? And how is destroying properties a medium to protest against a new president?

Protesters argue that Hillary Clinton lost the presidency despite winning the popular vote and that that is not democratic. The American election system and the electoral college has been in place since the dawn of this country, and while yes, it has many flaws, it still is what kept America a beacon of free world for nearly a century, and every candidate who has run for president in American history was chosen the same way. And as far as history can remember every time, the loser conceded and the winner was respected as the next president. Of course a lot of people are not going to like him, because that’s democracy, where all ideologies battle one another. But we must remember that it is important that we accept the winner of this election, and respect him and give him the chance to lead. This is what Hillary Clinton said. We have yet to see how Trump’s presidency will be effective (or ineffective as the case very well could may be) and that will be when we have to decide whether he is actually deserving of that office.

Also, I should point out the hypocrisy in all these protests and angry rhetorics. Since the beginning, those on the political left accused Donald Trump of dividing the country even further, and here we are, trying to fight that division with even more division. A lot of people will tell you that that is not how to do that, and these people include those who are not necessarily majoring in philosophy. And before any alt-right conservatives see this as a chance to jump in and add onto just how hypocritical those stupid sheep-minded liberals are, I would just like to tell you to sit down because you don’t get to talk either; punching people because they are exercising their right to speak against someone? Harassing other people just because they don’t share the same religion? Why is it so difficult for the voting-age adults—full grown adults--of this country to stop with the insulting, the name-calling and assaulting that even 12 year-olds on the internet see as childish? America is already battered from all the division against one another, and another violent conflict against each other is the last thing this country needs.

As I finish this writing, I would like to point out that while I am not a citizen of this country yet, I have fallen deeply in love with this country as much as I love the country in which I was born. So it breaks my heart whenever someone says that this country is divided. The United States of America that I fell in love with showed me kindness and acceptance; that no matter what my skin color, ethnicity or my beliefs were, people treated me equally and fairly. The United States of America that I fell in love with also showed me clash of ideas and approaches that each of us have to solve the many problems that we have in this country—which we should have, because we can’t be perfect. But most of all, the United States of America that I fell in love with showed unity; that people who were very different both physically and philosophically fused together as one and yielded to one another in respect. Very few countries in the world have that ability, and that’s the America that I fell in love with. So it truly breaks my heart then, that people are not uniting when we need to most, but instead are now inciting hate and anger towards one another. United States was never, and is not just one man. United States is not a government. United States is the people that live in it and the freedoms that are given to all of its people. So please, it’s time that we stop fighting and come together to preserve this country that we all love.