JAMES LILLIN
Staff Writer
On Nov. 16, more than 150 students turned out to march across campus and along Ring Road to peacefully protest the election of President-elect Donald J. Trump.
The protest was organized by senior communication major Abigail Everhart and senior psychology major Cassandra Vaccarelli.
“We put it all together, made a Facebook group, invited a lot of clubs, contacted UP, contacted President Horvath and made sure we were good to go,” said Everhart.
“The turnout was a lot greater than we had expected. At first, it was just me and Abby, but so many people showed up,” said Vaccarelli.
Students first met at University Commons to listen to a few brief speeches, including one given by junior audio/radio production major Kanard Lewis, who said the rhetoric used by Trump and some of his supporters during the campaign put “institutional and hidden” qualities of America into the spotlight.
“Trump’s just a man. He’s not a god. God’s still on the throne,” Lewis said. “We can’t let his beliefs penetrate us so that we view each other as ‘others’ instead of people.”
Many students carried signs and banners, including many that said “Not My President,” and “Love Trumps Hate,” as well as many decrying Trump’s perceived sexism, racism, homophobia and transphobia. There were a few signs that said “Tuck Frump,” and one less-subtle sign that said “Fuck Trump.” Many students wore Bernie Sanders shirts, with a few wearing shirts that bore Hillary Clinton’s campaign logo.
“It’s important to not just stand back and let things happen,” said Vaccarelli, “and I feel like if people stand together and make their voices heard, we can really make a difference together.”
As the collected group of protesters moved across campus, they engaged in collective chants, with highlights including “together we stand, united we fall.” The protest ended at the flagpole outside of Gregory Hall.
The protest was well-received, with students remaining gathered around the flagpole even after the march ended to talk about what the protest meant to them.
“We’re all struggling, but we’re trying to fight for what we believe in,” said sophomore social work major Kelsey Lomber, “and it’s amazing that we can unite together and band together like brothers to have a better life.”
“It definitely strengthened me,” said junior audio/radio production and English major Emery Frost, “because since the election, I’ve seen some scary things around Fredonia, but it reassured the fact that I have people that care about me, and we can keep each other safe.”
In the end, the event created a place where people felt free to share their stories, worries and fears about the election, and to talk about what steps to take in the future to create a better America.
“I think that, for me, it [didn’t] nullify people’s fears,” said Lewis, “but it helps us recognize why we’re fearful now because it was so hidden. When you don’t want to see the truth, but then you have it being slapped into your face out of nowhere, it makes it impossible to ignore, but then you can deal with it and craft it into something empowering.”
Protest, Love Trumps Hate, Trump, Election, Donald Trump, March