Opinion: The upcoming U.S. election results need to be respected; no matter who wins

As a citizen of both the US and Canada, one thing that has been incredibly concerning to me is the amount of division in the two nations when it comes to the political spectrum.

Gone are the days when political rivals could sit down next to each other and have a polite discussion without letting ideologies tear them apart. And this rivalry culminates with the U.S. election just two weeks away, as President Donald Trump faces former Vice-President Joe Biden.

The second presidential debate took place on October 22nd, and was a much calmer discussion than the disaster that preceded it a few weeks previous.

There’s no doubt that there is little, if any respect between the two candidates, who continually attack each other both politically and personally without mercy.

It is my personal opinion that these two candidates are not the best that America has to offer, from either political party. There are far more capable Democratic or Republican leaders than Trump or Biden.

On one hand, while I believe Trump has been effective for the economy, made some excellent decisions throughout his term, and has the negotiating skills and charisma required to get things done for America, I do not enjoy his delivery.

Trump has a history of ridiculous tweets, inaccurate statements, and un-presidential-like insults and phrases. He is a polarizing figure, no doubt about that. I know plenty of people who love him, and I know plenty of people who hate him. There seems to be no in-between.

I have to give President Trump credit for making great decisions in the face of “fake news”, which is certainly a reality. The media has a habit of taking many actions and words from Trump out of context and fabricating news stories.

If you pay attention to what Trump actually says, and what the media reports on, they are two very different things. But time and time again, Trump has made decisions that the media hated that turned out to benefit the public.

Let’s face the facts, there are going to be a lot of people who will vote for Biden, only because they don’t want Trump. And I think almost everyone knows, Biden doesn’t offer America much.

He’s been in politics longer than any presidential candidate ever (with hardly any tangible accomplishments), he has extremely sketchy dealings with his son Hunter, and he has had so many 'dementia' moments this election year that people are questioning his cognitive health.

That’s not exactly your perfect candidate résumé. And I wouldn’t say that either Trump or Biden check all the boxes of what you want the leader of your country to look, sound, and act like.

But here’s the scary part: one of these guys is going to win. And no matter who wins there will be a major uproar from the opposing political party.

Trump-loving Republicans are going to lose their minds if Sleepy Joe defeats their hero. Many Democrats are going to go apoplectic if Trump pulls off a re-election.

As Dr. Jordan Peterson so wisely pointed out in a panel with Bill Maher, Trump was elected, which of course means that there are tens of millions of people who voted for him and who have his back. Simultaneously, he notes, the left hates Trump and his supporters.

Peterson wisely recognizes that, “you need to have respect for the rest of your citizens, if your country isn’t going to pull itself apart”. If the left doesn’t allow members of the right to cross over to their side of the tent, they don’t have a shot. The same is true for the right.

As the great Abraham Lincoln once stated, “A house divided against itself cannot stand”. The US is on the brink of an political, economic, and social collapse, and if the results of this election aren’t respected, no matter who wins, things are going to quickly fall apart.

While the media predicts a Biden victory, this really doesn’t mean much. The media consistently tries to act like the election is a done-deal, when things are much closer than what they forecast. They did the same thing in 2016, and were they ever wrong!

And of course, if Trump does win this election, the media will assume that he rigged it, and continue to bash the President for every word that exits his mouth. These big-name news companies have forgotten what un-biased reporting is supposed to look like.

All in all, I look forward to these election results. November 2nd will be an exciting night in American history, and I have no doubt that many Canadians will eagerly await the results of our neighbour’s election.

No matter what party takes home this victory, it’s about time that Canadians and Americans alike begin to respect political rivals. You don’t have to agree with your opponent, you don’t even have to like your opponent, but at least show the decency to treat your fellow citizens with the respect you would expect shown to you.