If you were on campus at around 2:00 p.m. Friday, you most likely witnessed a protest of Donald Trump’s election and the people who supported it. A large group of students walked around the campus holding up signs chanting together phrases like “Love trumps hate”, “Stand up, fight back” and “No justice, no peace.”
The protest also included spoken word, students reading poems and singing together. It was meant to unite the people who felt like their voices weren’t heard in this election and show their presence on this campus. It was a peaceful protest, but that didn’t mean that it wasn’t intense or powerful.
I spoke with a friend of mine currently living in Oklahoma about the protest on campus. I mentioned that even though it was peaceful, there was something almost intimidating or aggressive about it. “What’s really scary is when there aren’t any protests at all,” he said.
That statement changed how I looked at these protests. Before I didn’t have a problem with them, but I didn’t see any real purpose. Yes, they brought people together, but they weren’t bringing about any real changes. As I watched the protest on campus, I continued to think it wouldn’t help. In fact, I thought protests were likely to incite more anger and aggression which would only bring everyone further down. However, I now understand just how important it is that these protests exist.
If someone is feeling threatened or worried about their safety now that the election is over, it would be even more frightening for them if these protests weren’t happening. Even if you yourself don’t participate in a protest, just knowing that they are happening could offer comfort. Knowing that the other side exists and that people are just as angry as you are can make a big difference to anyone feeling concerned about the outcome of the election.
Thalia Garcia is a junior majoring in Software Engineering. She’s from Miami and wants to eventually start her own software engineering business or work in animation! She loves pastelitos and café con leche.
words_thalia garcia.
