Student Union
College Students Despair, Protest Trump Nationwide
We climbed the trees. We sat on curbs.
As the night wore on, tears took over as it dawned on many students that the future had quickly been taken away, one poll-closing at a time. Baby Boomers drove the win for the White House, not Millennials.
This morning, as Hillary Clinton gave her concession speech, she assured us all -- young women in particular -- that what she did was just the beginning. She paved a way.
President Barack Obama in his post-election address from the White House, assured the nation that we would all be fine, reminding us that, “This is an intramural scrimmage. We're Americans first. We're patriots first.”
But many young people feel robbed of the popular vote -- Clinton won the most individual votes but not Electoral College votes -- and are pushing back in protests and rage.
Many students crowded Pennsylvania Avenue last night, while others -- primarily on the West Coast -- staged angry walkouts, shouting “F--- Donald Trump!” "Love Trumps Hate!" and “America is dead!”
The Washington Post summed up how university students supported the candidates:
Yale reports that 81 percent of college students sided with Clinton for president, while less than 5 percent backed Trump.
At the University of Virginia, 75 percent supported Clinton, while 13 percent supported Trump.
At Harvard, 87 percent voted Democratic, 6 percent for Republican.
College students have proven to be overwhelmingly Democratic.
BuzzFeed News went live at New York City’s Union Square Park as anti-Trump protestors, a large majority being college students, voiced their disgust with the outcome of last night's election.
In D.C., at American University, students gathered together in a similar protest, and burned an American flag.
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The protest at AU escalated once Trump supporters were spotted, AU's student newspaper, The Eagle, reports.
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Colleges have offered counseling to students and faculty, and implore them to remain safe.
Stockton University in New Jersey reached out to students offering “post election counseling."
The Dean of Student at Dean College in Franklin, Massachusetts, emailed students,
“We encourage continued dialogue and remind you that all of our faculty and staff are available to help you process your thoughts as we move forward together as one nation.”
Dean College's President, Dr. Paula Rooney, also encouraged her students to understand the importance of civil discourse and making a difference and adapting. She also addressed the schools international population.
"This was for our international student population an opportunity to see in real time how the democratic process of selecting a President works and to experience the seriousness with which we as a national take this responsibility"
At Emerson College in Boston, their mass-memo offered a sense of hope and encouragement.
“I challenge you to lift up your sweet and strong voices; lift up your hand of compassion, your hand of hope, your hand of faith.”
Students protested at University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
The Boston Globe live-streamed protesting students gathered on Boston Common.
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