With political tensions rising across the country, people within the Golden State of California have already started to speak up and encourage the idea of seceding from the United States.

According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, to secede means “to withdraw from an organization.” But historically, and even in the modern era, secession isn’t an uncommon or new solution.

One of the main goals for the Confederate states during the Civil War was to break away from the rest the United States, and even more recently, Britain made the move to secede from the European Union on June 23, 2016 in the movement that was coined as “Brexit.”

The mere idea that a state or country could break away from their economic and national partners sounds tragic, something almost akin to a bad breakup or a divorce. To others though, it may seem like the best and only option for both parties.

With the presidential election now over, it seems that naming Donald Trump as our commander-in-chief may have been the last thing to push some groups of Californians over the edge into considering leaving the United States.

Is this the type of call to arms that rings true in the hearts of many? Or is it just bunch of liberals jumping the gun too early?

The Yes California Independance Campaign, shortened to ‘Calexit’ after last year’s Brexit, was started by Louis J. Marinelli and Marcus Ruiz Evans in August 2015.

According to the Yes California website, it is a campaign that focuses on “qualifying a ballot measure that would give the people of California the chance to vote to remain a part of the Union, or to separate from it to become its own independent country.”

Would the separation be beneficial for both parties? Well, mostly not, especially for progressives.

California has been, in most cases, on the forefront of innovation, making strides to help others, and a breeding ground for creative eccentrics to get their new ideas out into the open. Secession would cripple California and leave it open to invasion.

By itself, if California were to secede, it’s population would be roughly 39 million people living within it, according to the federal census website. Without the help of the federal U.S. government, though, a lot of the population would have to shift jobs into developing a new military to defend us, and engineers to keep our homes powered.

If none of those things are accomplished within a timely manner, then California would be completely undefended and easy to take over by any other invading country since we wouldn’t have a strong military, navy or air force.

It would also be a huge blow to people who consider themselves progressives, people who strive to understand, change and move forward. If anything, it would be the complete antithesis of the progressive movement if the secession movement were to succeed.

Instead of working through their issues with the presidency and his politics, or trying to change anything and help the rest of the country, these secessionists want to just leave entirely, a sentiment that seems very akin to surrender to me.

The mere idea screams that the supporters of this petition have utterly given up completely on the United States, that the “land of the free and home of the brave” has lost all meaning to them and, much like a rebellious child, they want to run away and do things their own way.

American people should be able to help each other out, to be open to everyone and everything, especially if it’s discussion about how to move forward.

Shutting everything out and leaving changes nothing, and instead just shows how petty you can be. If you feel like the world is changing into something you don’t like, speak up and help be the solution instead of creating another problem.