Students, faculty and staff organized at the UC flagpole for the Rally for Inclusion on Nov. 10.
On Wednesday, health medicine and society professor Sirry Alang sent an email to several students to spread the word about a nonviolent, silent rally.
“Please come through and show that Lehigh as a community denounces the racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia and sexism that America now embraces,” Alang wrote in an email. “Make signs that show that Lehigh celebrates diversity, and that everyone is welcome on campus.”
Hundreds of students came to the rally with signs that expressed their objection to the rhetoric that has been used during this election, such as “Lehigh denounces xenophobia” and “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” People marched from the flagpole, across Memorial Drive and towards West Packard Avenue. They ended at the Alumni Memorial Building for an open discussion.
Lehigh is one of many schools across the nation that have rallied and protested against president elect Donald Trump. Schools such as University of Tennessee, University of Oregon, University of Michigan and University of Texas have had student protests and rallies today as well.
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6 Comments
Blue lives mater!
If it was a “silent rally”, why are these perpetually aggrieved whiners shouting?
My thoughts are that Lehigh isn’t working these people hard enough if they have the time to waste on this frivolous drivel.
Diversity is the rallying cry but anti-Trump is the reason. All of us are unique so we all should be for diversity but we all also crave community. Thus we have a rally of those with a somewhat common agenda.
I voted for Gov. Johnson because I was appalled by Mr. Trump’s rhetoric but was also appalled by Sec. Clinton’s stand for abortion on demand. “In 2012, 699,202 legal induced abortions were reported to CDC from 49 reporting areas. ” Lehigh undergraduates are missing approximately 2.5 million contemporaries who missed out on rallies, voting and life outside a womb. Each was unique but their diversity was mostly potential.
Along with my vote, I prayed that the election be in God’s hands and that the winner, whom I though would be Sec. Clinton, be influenced to do what was best for the country and world. Mr. Trump won the election by appealing to those who wanted change. The first change I noticed was Mr. Trump himself. He no longer needs to get free publicity through outrageous statements. Now he is beginning to feel the burden of being the leader of our country.
Strom Thurmond was asked in 1948 why he was running against Harry Truman since Truman’s stance on integration was the same as Franklin Roosevelt’s; Strom said: “…Truman means it.” As far as abortion, Sec. Clinton meant it. We have yet to see what Mr. Trump means.
All of us have a mandate to make the world a better place. Do a little each day.
I am sure the thought was well intended. But what is the size of the current Lehigh community – 7,500 counting everyone? What should we take from an article noting that “several hundred” showed up?
An election was held and a winner was identified. My hope is that as much energy is put into making our country a better place than hitting the streets with tons of negativism before the new administration even takes office.
Peaceful protest is a right for all, however universities have become bastions of intolerance. Does anyone believe such a rally (by Trump supporters) would have been permitted had Clinton won? If it was, there would need to be crying rooms for those “traumatized” by such an expression. The system worked according to the rule of law; no riots, no deaths, no revolution. Grow up – the world will not coddle you.
P.S. I unhappily voted for Clinton as the lessor of two evils but am not particularly dismayed by her loss.
The press has immediately picked up where it left off. They “know” what Trump is going to do and are moaning and criticizing it before anything actually happens. What happened to the concept of “the first 100 days”? The press remains lost, distant from their “independent” role in a democracy and thus a damaging factor to the people of our country.