A great divide faces the country, with harsh lines separating states, counties, and families. With the outcome of the presidential election in the past, America needs to start erasing these harsh lines, allowing them to fade as they unite and continue to press for the ideals that America represents, and this all begins with you.

What our next president wants to do is “Make America Great Again”. How can America be great if there is such a divide, where people threaten deportation to anyone with a skin color different than their own, where people accuse supporters of a candidate of being prejudice and supremacists? It can not.

It is perfectly respectable to celebrate a victory by your preferred candidate, but not at the expense of others. The same can be said about a l oss. If your candidate loses, there is no place for insulting and bringing down others who voted on the opposite side. There is no place for people chanting “Build the wall” to discriminate against hispanic students, similar to what happened at Royal Oak Middle School.

People have a right to be afraid, but people also have a right to be excited. However, people do not have a right to tear someone down and make the division in this nation worse because of an election, an event in which we are supposed to be helping America by picking our next leader.

The same goes for people with a right to be happy. If you are unhappy with the election results, do not project anger on the supporters of the victor. Donald Trump is the president of the country, and in order to move forward, those who dislike him need to give him a chance to succeed. Go into this term with an open mind.

Regardless of who is leading the nation. The United States of America needs unity, respect and compassion. If the country is to become one, it needs a universal respect for all walks of life, and compassion for everyone and from everyone.

It can be tough to put aside differences and treat everyone the same way, but no other option exists. In a world full of hunger, thirst, poverty and tragedy, there is no time for division and hostility. In order to improve the nation and its shortcomings the two “sides” of the country cannot be at the odds that they currently are.

President Barack Obama spoke the day after Trump being elected, and preached a message of solidarity to the country.

“We have to remember that we’re actually all on one team,” Obama said. “We’re not Democrats first, we’re not Republicans first, we are Americans first. We’re patriots first. We all want what’s best for this country.”

The future president, who has opposite views of the current president, had a similar message to deliver.

“Now it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division,” President-elect Donald Trump said. ”[We] have to get together. To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people.”

The fact these two very different men preach the same message is telling. For the country to prosper, we need people to come together, and unite under their country, instead of being pulled apart by their conflicts. The future of America is dependent on us.

Whether that future is with or without a wall, having free or expensive college, or taxing low or high rates, that future needs to be one that everyone can rally behind. Without a common cause or goal, this country will go right back to where it was before this election, divided over political candidates.

Despite whether you supported Trump or not, or despite your ethnicity, race, religion or political beliefs, show some compassion, and treat everyone the way you would want to be treated in order to help advance the social progress of the United States of America.