Post Election Violence: Can Christians Help Stop It?

Donald Trump’s win as president elect is stirring emotions from all sides, Republican and Democrat, which are leaving some Christians wondering how they can stop it.

Anti-Trump Protestors and Trump supporters are not shying away from sharing how they really feel about the election and their chosen candidate.

Racism is coming from both sides of the political aisle.

                                                                                           Some are even calling for death. Watch below:

One high school in Minnesota was vandalized with what CNN called, “Racist, pro-Trump” graffiti.

The wall that was vandalized reads, “Black lives don’t matter and neither does your vote.” 

Other racist comments were also seen on display in New Orleans, where people painted the words, “die whites dies” on the Lee Circle Monuments, according to a Breitbart report.

One person also spray painted “Make America white again,” with a swastika symbol in the middle of a baseball dugout wall near Buffalo, NY.

Donald Trump rebuked these actions in a recent 60 Minutes interview and said that he was “so saddened” by the violence from both sides.

He also told those causing problems to “stop it.”

"If it helps. I will say this, and I will say right to the cameras: Stop it,” Trump said.

President Obama and former democratic presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton have not called for an end to the protests as of yet, even though Trump and his campaign team have requested their help.

Kellyanne Conway, Trump's former campaign manager, said that both Clinton and Obama should speak out and help  calm the turbulence between groups causing strife on both sides.

Conway also says that Trump will not only listen to the people that put him in office, but he will listen to those from both parties.

“Trump is there for them. And he is going to be a president that listens and takes the counsel of many different people, including those from the other side of the aisle,” Conway told Chuck Todd on NBC's “Meet the Press” on Sunday.”

The situation has left some Christians wondering how the situation can be calmed down and how they should act as Christ followers.

Regent Professor Nicholas Higgins tells his students the path to reconciliation between voters can come from Christ’s simple command, which is to “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

Higgins says that each voter needs to treat one another how they asked to be treated during the election, no matter who won; otherwise both groups would be hypocritical.

“Trump won in large part because he offered a voice to many groups that felt marginalized and underrepresented in the government. For Trump supporters to react by marginalizing others would be self-contradictory and not exemplify the call to do unto others.”

“Clinton supporters thought they would win and were, two weeks ago, calling for Trump and his supporters to accept the outcome of the election. They, too, need to do what they asked the Trump supporters to do and follow the advice to do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” Higgins said.

In response to the protests Higgins says that they should be conducted peacefully rather than violently.

“Protests that provide imminent danger are not protected, so those engaging in protests should do so peacefully.  It is in such action that their concerns will be most reasonably heard and more likely to be responded too,” he said.

Some are wondering whether the backlash has been as heated in past elections, but Higgins said that it has come from both sides in the past, however it has not been as violent as it is in the 2016 election.

“This backlash has occurred in previous elections. In 2000 when Bush won, there were tons of protests over the system and how the Electoral College violates the will of the majority (as is being said now). There were calls to repeal the Electoral College.  When Obama was elected, there were numerous protests over his qualifications and background,” he said.

“In most of these cases, there was much less violence, but it cannot be said that there was none,” Higgins added.

Overall he says that the solution to ending the hate from all sides can come from being ‘a light to others and to love their neighbor, even if there are policy disagreements.’

‘So often we forget that the most powerful action we can take is not to vote for someone else to do something but to actively follow the commands of Christ in our own life.  Reach out to those around us; listen to their concerns at a coffee shop. Often, merely listening without responding, is sufficient to show that there is an interest in the views of others,’ Higgins added.

Lastly Higgins said that he does believe the protests will calm down eventually, but that ‘it is important to realize that people on both sides of the party divide can love the Lord.'