As of Nov. 8, 2016, a large majority of United States citizens have been waging a political uproar centered around the elected victory of President Donald J. Trump. Since then, our country has seen protests and riots, both peaceful and violent, and more than anything else, our country has seen hate.

By national tradition and constitutional appointment, the office of Presidency is a symbol of the nation itself. Since 1789, and the swearing in of President George Washington, that tradition has been paid respect for its symbolism, despite who is sitting in the oval office.

Reflecting on the media’s role in this anti-political movement, junior Johnnie Mitchell believes that “there should be less drama… and the media should be more focused on job of the president than [the] characterization of the president.” She also mentions that, for her, the personal behavior of the President, however inappropriate she believes it to be at times, should not pertain to the job of the Presidency. She believes, as many others do, that Donald Trump’s reputation as a businessman has impacted his Presidential reputation, and by proxy, he, or rather his position, has not been receiving the proper amount of respect that is due.

The Left’s view of the current President of the United States can be summed up as him being a “joke” of a Commander in Chief, who fills his time with Twitter rants and is constantly providing the public with unfiltered comments. The Right believes that Donald Trump’s ruthless business tactics will benefit the country, taking back the United States’ dominant position in global affairs. These general viewpoints prove that while the Right gets too caught up in defending their candidate’s personality and strength, the Left strays away from focus on the office itself, demonizing the man who resides in it.

Since this past Presidential election, the office of Presidency has caused a rift in the social dynamics of the country. One side of the aisle has proven themselves stubborn, defending their candidate at all costs, while the other side, although advocating for unity, has boldened a division by refusing to accept the election’s outcome. These issues, however, wrongfully put aside a greater point: as citizens of the United States, all are represented by the office of presidency, therefore all should respect its national symbolism.