A group of students, staff and faculty stand in front of Bunche Hall with protest signs every Monday. We gather there to bear witness to the Orwellian nightmare that is the presidency of Donald Trump, and to let the world know that we cannot let this become normal.
We demonstrate because we fear that the mendacious statements, outrageous policies and sheer administrative incompetence of the Trump administration will eventually exhaust the majority of the people in this country, causing them to accept as normal what should never be the nature of our civic and political life under any circumstance.
We now face a new and menacing world of “alternative facts,” dishonesty, fearmongering, racism, misogyny and incompetence. We are threatened with the destruction of our environment and our liberties. We also face a return to a world without health care, which is and ought to be a right for all those who live here. Yet, the United States is the only developed country that does not guarantee health care for all its citizens, and our country’s leaders intend to keep it that way.
We do not shout – at least not too much. Rather, we are silent witnesses to passing students, staff and faculty. We think that what is happening is not right, and that the danger that Trump’s authoritarian administration represents for the world and civil society should be opposed. A university is a place for the exchange of ideas, open discourse and the discussion of truth.
This is why we as students, teachers and citizens – but far more as humans – need to stand together against the Trump administration’s war on liberty and basic fact. This is a war that closely matches the one waged by the government in George Orwell’s chilling novel “1984”. Along those, we must also assert that two plus two is not five, that “ignorance is not knowledge,” that “freedom is not slavery,” that “peace is not war” – regardless of what the Trump administration would like for you to believe.
We need to proclaim that no human is ever “illegal” and that we are best when we accept the differences of others and embrace them as contributors to our society. Differences are not to be feared. We celebrate differences of opinions, race, ethnicity and national origins. Students, above all people, should know and support these points of view because no one is as important for or relevant to the future as they are.
Because of this, we call on students, staff and faculty to join us each Monday. Bring signs to articulate your opposition and your engagement. Even if you don’t have words printed on paper or cardboard, come stand with us for a few minutes.
Fight with us for your future, society’s future and our university’s future. We will go on resisting for our children and grandchildren who may have to live in a world in which decades of social progress have been swept away by authoritarian and regressive policies. Please come and join us Mondays from 11:50 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in front of Bunche Hall.
Cordially,
Andrew Apter, Ali Behdad, Robin Derby, Ellen Dubois, Scarlett Freund, James Gelvin, Jessica Goldberg, Toby Higbie, Margaret Jacob, Robin Kelley, Efrain Kristal, Vinay Lal, Ann Major, Sara Melzer, Minayo Nasiali, Carla Gardina Pestana, Teo Ruiz, Sarah Stein, Brenda Stevenson, Kevin Terraciano, Jesus Torrecilla and Juliet Williams.
I am no fan of President Trumps methods, and voted for President Obama twice, but I completely understand why so many people voted for Trump. First of all democrats and republicans were happy to see him go in and make a mess out of 17 respected Republicans in the primaries, and then people were tired of not be heard or listened to in Washington, and wanted him to go in and shake up the system. President Trump is shaking up the system for good or bad, but more people are paying attention than ever before. Thousands of bills come before Congress every year, so stay on top of your elected Representatives, and make them accountable for their votes. The Press is staying on top of President Trump and he cannot even scratch himself without it being exposed. The biggest problem for me is that he speaks for all of us on the world stage, and it could get embarrassing, but hopefully, he will learn some valuable lessons along the way. For those who thought Obama was too weak, lets see if Trump continues to beat on his chest or if he softens after losing big time in Congress on his most important platform to completely reverse the Affordable Healthcare Act/Obamacare, and other issues that require more thought than just grand standing.
Its sad that people as ignorant as you all are can become professors. How many of you supported Bernie Sanders during the primary? Do you honestly believe that conscripting doctors to provide healthcare and running 1/5 of our economy through a Soviet Style bureau is a good thing? Is this not the most authoritarian and anti-freedom position possible? Have you ever heard of a little word called liberty?
How many of you are Democrats who probably couldn’t explain the difference between a socialist and a democrat? Do you even realize that “1984” was a critique of English socialism and totalitarianism? I look forward to joining you outside of Bunche Hall. Its hard to believe to that people as stupid as you all obviously are can be gainfully employed at an institution of higher learning. Actually, it really shouldn’t be a surprise because the administration at this Marxist indoctrination camp are even worse. I’m sure this comment will get deleted as it goes against the party line here at the Daily Bruin.
u mad brah?
Well said my friend – just a bunch of sheep gravitating towards the next stupid cause.. with little understanding of the consequences of their own actions.
Democrats = fascist cowards
Let’s see. Centralized control. Check. Suppression of thought. Check. Fearmongering. Check. Incompetence. Check.
Who knew that Trump was actually a liberal?