Republican Donald J. Trump was elected President of the United States against Democrat Hillary Clinton on November 8.
The election was tight; Clinton had 232 electoral votes, and Trump had 290 electoral votes. With almost a 50-50 shot for one of the candidates to become president, America seems to be divided over the election results, making this the second most controversial election in the United States’ history. 

   There have been riots breaking out throughout the country in major areas such as: Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Denver, Minneapolis, Baltimore, Dallas and Oakland, California.
Senior Bryan McGillin has strong feelings on the riots after the election.
“It’s ridiculous. It doesn’t solve anything. If you are old enough to vote, then you should be mature enough to respect other’s opinions on what they think is right for the country,” said McGillin.
America is the land of the free. Freedom of speech, or of the press, with the right of the people to peacefully assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances, is granted to all citizens, but there is a price.
The price is that there are laws to create tolerance for the country in regards to not only the government’s restrictions on everyday life, but also in regards to the election and the votes cast for each candidate.

 People are questioning what can be done to stop all of the anger  and if their personal votes even matter if this aftermath.
Junior Paige Kish wishes people would remember that voting is a privilege but some are still judged for it.
“It’s sad because it’s a right that was granted to all American’s being able to be entitled to their own opinion towards who they want as their next president,” said Kish. “It’s sad that I can’t share my opinion verbally to people because they judge me for it. So I can only talk to the people that can actually handle it because others just can’t.    Which has been shown through the riots and outbreaks in schools and other social areas.”
Social studies teacher Abby Kocher stresses to have tolerance regarding the election.
“I think tolerance begins with the understanding of accepting people who are different than you,” said Kocher. “At times it is hard for people to understand differences, but that’s why we need to spend the time learning about others and celebrating our differences.”

Creating this tolerance begins with hearing each other and respecting different opinions.

  In the Civil war era, President Abraham Lincoln once spoke out to his fellow Americans about having tolerance for each other and the country.

“America will never be destroyed from the outside, if we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves,” said Lincoln.

Historically running parallel to this sentiment, tolerance is a part of the freedom granted to Americans, and tolerance is needed for the country to evolve and to not falter.