Dear CHS,
The 2016 election was an emotional, tumultuous experience for almost everyone involved. The rhetoric that spilled from both Democrats and Republicans was harsh and insistent for the better part of the last two years. This election showcased how divided our country has become. Voting was split along race, gender, religion, social class and almost any other grouping one can think of.

The election results did not do anything to ease the emotions that were running high around the country. Some people are joyous and relieved, while others remain more tense and fearful than ever.

Now that this long, and painful election is finally over, we are left questioning what lies ahead for our nation. Where will our country go from here? What choices will our new president make, and how will those choices impact not only us as CHS students, but generations to come?

Yes, this is an emotional time, but it’s time for us to stop being a disjointed student body and come together. Although we may not share the same political opinions or backgrounds, we are all students at the same school, all a part of the CHS community.

Many of us may be angry at the outcome, but instead of using this anger to rant about the state of our country, we must funnel that displeasure into positive actions. Some of us are pleased with the results of the elections and have used the victory as a chance to express themselves, sometimes in harmful ways.
It is crucial, for the sake of unity, to be respectful of those who have differing perspectives. Whether or not the election turned out as you had hoped, the only way to heal the divide is overcome the strong emotions of this election by treating each other respectfully.

There is currently a great deal of hate and negativity circulating around the country, but the first thing we have to do is realize that we’re not alone.

According to the US Department of Education, there are 52.6 million students in America. Although students may only make up about 16 percent of our nation’s population, we are 100 percent of the future.
While most CHS students are unable to vote, there are still many ways to be politically active and stand up for what one believes in.

Students at Blair, Northwood, Richard Montgomery and Einstein High School held a walk out of their respective schools.

While the protest at RM had a skirmish with violence, for the most part, the peaceful protests that students of all different races and genders participated in were just one of many ways that young, disenfranchised people can voice how they feel.

No matter what your political stance is, you have the capability to play an active role by reaching out to district representatives, state congressmen and senators. Be involved in communicating your opinions and beliefs, and make sure these representatives are speaking for your opinions as well.
The election is over, and whatever side you supported, we can all agree that the results have brought some sense of closure.

As the CHS community, we must now turn our focus to be accepting of one another, despite the many things that may separate us. We must concentrate on building a stronger community, regardless of the politics.

With hope for the future,

The Observer Staff