"Don't assume anyone thinks one way about everything just because they give one opinion that disagrees with yours."
Amen to that, brother.

@prado, re the OP -
I think the United States were already "divided" in political/philosophical terms before the election, and its only the votecounts from Tuesday that are really driving it home. I'm somewhat puzzled that the lament for our nation's division is coming up NOW, and not before the election. Makes me wonder (and wonder only, not think) that the call for unity is a practical way the left might be trying to shore up its discouraged base, and appeal for clemency and fairness from a perceived victor.

To that end, Prado: what do you think of this article?
http://thefederalist.com/2016/11/09/five-things-trumps-victory-should-teach-media/

That's another sentiment that goes both ways. Just read ND's comments to see the right calling for unity under the victor as a way to preempt objections to Trump's agenda by the opposition party.

Also, just because the OP talks about the divide at present doesn't mean it's claiming the divide just began on Tuesday.

Good article.

@Leth - Fair. That's a decent point re: calls for unity under the victor. I guess I assumed it was coming from the left because that's been the source of the calls for unity I've seen on facebook. For better or for worse, I am not active enough on this forum to remember who sits on what side of which aisle.

@teacon7

i can't argue with the article. From Breitbart to the Post... the media has been terrible. this is what we get for a buzzed culture: the death of serious news

Anti-Trump "Liberals": read this. Now.

http://www.vox.com/2016/4/21/11451378/smug-american-liberalism

By far the most important explanation of why Trump won you will read - IF you care more about not losing the next election than you do about feeling a smug sense of superiority to tens of millions of Americans who wound up voting for Trump, despite oftentimes being former members of the Democratic coalition.

Somehow everything is liberals' fault.

It's not the fault of the people who voted for Trump or the media that gave him billions of dollars of essentially free advertising.

It's college feminists. It's all their fault.

That Vox article is one of the smuggest hit pieces I've ever read.

And that's coming from someone who's only capable of communicating through smug hit pieces.

Trump is the United States of America President. To deny this is denying the existing democratic structure and not acknowledging the voice of the American people. Riots regarding this are unfounded such as the #notmypresident riots, but it is no secret that there are people in America who go against foundational American values. In this case, surprisingly public, the people are being ignorant and they do not know what they are rioting against nor what they are trying to achieve. All that they care for is about the 'who' in the presidential office and not about what it means to be American.

OP, your introducing post, believe it or not, holds no substance to many Americans. 'Those whose views don't fall into that binary shirk away, fearing their voice is no longer welcome.' America will move on, regardless of who the president is. The day you see all that America has stood for abandoned is the day the blood of patriots will spill to restore freedom and liberty in this blessed country of ours.

Trump is not the President. Obama is the President of the United States.

I spoke of centrists with that quote, Hyperion. Increased divisiveness would make the centrists feel unwelcome, and they would constantly be called traitors by one side or the other. It had begun before the election, but then was highlighted and emphasized shortly after.