By the time you’re reading this, one of the two presidential candidates will have succeeded in his or her goals, and no matter who it is, many will be angry. This column is not about why you should support one of the candidates, but rather an issue that is getting more and more alarming – the political divide.

While it’s completely reasonable to disagree with opposing political views, hating others who think differently is not a reasonable stance. The political divide stops meaningful debate and discussion; instead, it devolves into exaggerations and insults.  

The political divide is a natural result of our country’s bipartisanship, which is particularly apparent in the current animosity between the two major parties. Democrat Hillary Clinton has already called half of Republican Donald Trump’s supporters “deplorable,” and Trump has labeled his opponent a “nasty woman” who “deserves to be in jail.”

Political discrimination is just worsening the rift. Political discrimination is the unjust treatment of others just because of their political ideologies, and it can be seen in society and even in the federal government. There are few laws stopping corporations from discrimination based on political affiliation, and it is possible to be fired solely based on a person’s ideologies, according to the Huffington Post.

Stories like these are so awful because the people are discriminated against based on their opinions, not their actual character. Some of my friends and distant family members are hardcore Trump supporters, and while I might disagree with their views, they are

still good people. I would hate to see someone prematurely judge them just because of their ideas.

Personally, becoming more open helped me a lot in a political sense. I used to be a hardcore liberal, but once I started to respectfully listen to opposing ideas on issues such as gun control, taxes and racial relations between African Americans and the police force, I started to reconsider my own opinions. And as a result, I’m more of a moderate liberal.

I understand that politics are controversial, and you have every right to believe what you want to, but accept other opinions and listen to the people saying them.