The one thing most people can agree on at school, in the workplace, and in daily life is that no one can agree on anything. Every new social and political issue is split into two options and two options alone: ‘Do you agree with us or them?’

There are two sides to every story, but America is the exception. The country has always been known as a ‘melting pot’ – accepting all cultures, races, religions, and providing freedom – and it has always been something the country has prided itself on. 

However, what I have always loved about America has somehow become lost. Instead of respecting and taking pride in the unique qualities and opinions of those around us, it seems our country has muddied those qualities and opinions, making only one opinion matter – red or blue. Republican or Democrat. 

There are 328.2 million people living in the United States; 328,200,000 different life stories, qualities, and opinions. So why are our leaders convincing us that we belong in one of two categories? Why are people ‘cancelled’ when their experiences, family, and history have led them to believe something different than someone who grew up with different family, different experiences, and different history?

My family, religion, culture, and lifestyle heavily influence my opinions on topics when it comes to politics and life, but someone who has gone through different hardships than my own has every right to believe something different. There are not two different perspectives in America. There are not two sides to every story. Our country is made up of millions of stories, and it is vital to our unity for us to understand that our own stories are not the only ones that matter.

Maybe we have all experienced different Americas, but the only way for us to see the same one is to embrace the fact that we are individuals. We are humans before we are Republicans or Democrats. 

The ability to be human has not been lost on America, regardless of the bad news, the fighting, the injustice, the pain, and the vulnerability of our current circumstances. When crossing paths with someone whose views differ from your own, it’s imperative to put humanity first. We do not share the same story, but we can share the same future if we aim to celebrate instead of cancel, to understand instead of offend, and to love instead of hate.