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MSU Students Voice Post-Election Resistance to Anti-LGBT and Immigration Rhetoric

Rob Canning, WKMS

Murray State students protesting the victory of President-Elect Donald Trump say they want to make sure minority groups aren’t pushed aside or out of sight.  

A few dozen students congregated outside Waterfield Library Wednesday morning with signs reading ‘We Deserve to Feel Safe,’ ‘Black Lives Matter’ and ‘You Can’t Vote Out My Rights.’  

"This isn't a protest about the outcome of the election; democratic process happened, the people spoke, and Trump is our next president," said senior Devan Reed. "There's nothing anyone can do about that, there's nothing I necessarily want to do about that. What this is about is speaking out for minority groups to say that there are some many people who do want to divide our nation, take rights away from LGBT people or remove people born in this country to undocumented immigrants. This is just to say we're not going to be silent and let our rights be taken and the next four years are not going to take us."

Credit Rob Canning, WKMS

Organizer Cole Lawrence, a senior, says the protest was in response to the outpour of jeering and social media vitriol he saw after election night from Trump supporters proud of the Republican businessman’s apparent 'xenaphobic' stances.

“I don’t want to scream about how he won, because the democratic process is what allowed him to win," said Lawrence. "So you can’t protest that, there’s nothing you can change. But you can talk about your rights as a person of color or a gay person, or a woman. You can come out here and let people know you have a voice, before someone smothers it.”

Other protesters say they’re not as much worried about Trump himself, but rather the type of people that could “come out of the woodwork” locally feeling legitimized by Trump’s inflammatory campaign rhetoric.

“'If he can do it, so can I,' which basically includes saying anyone who is handicapped is hurt, making fun of handicapped people, or talking about how the gay community should be turned straight," said senior Helena Jones. "I’m mostly afraid that a lot of people are going to come out and say ‘well, that’s cool, now I can do that.’”

Vinny Skosky, who voted for Trump, was passing by the protest. He supports the students' right to be able to protest, but doesn’t expect any animosity to come from Trump against LGBT groups.

Credit Rob Canning, WKM

"It doesn't affect me personally, but I have a family member in the LGBT community" said Skosky. "I'm more of a person.. it's everybody's own life. In my opinion, it goes the same with the 2nd Amendment: if I want the right to own a gun, I feel like I should have it. If you want the right to marry a man and you're a man, or if you want the right to marry a woman and you're a woman, by all means have it.

"As far as the Trump/Pence campaign with that, when the Orlando shooting happened with the gay nightclub and all that, I think Trump handled that very well and I don’t see any reason why the LGBT community should fear their campaign. I know Pence has had some different standpoints on the LGBT community, which I understand some fears there but overall I don’t think the nation itself will allow any radical ideals on a Republican part.”

Skosky says he's received a lot of compliments on his Trump/Pence shirt, and he thinks many students didn’t openly support Trump during the campaign for fear of ‘ridicule or backlash,’ but expects more of the "silent majority" to "come out of the woodwork" within the next few months.  

Trump easily carried the Bluegrass state winning all but 2 of 120 counties.  It was also a big night for Republicans winning in most statewide races and ending the Democratic majority in the state house.  

Rob Canning is a native of Murray, KY, a 2015 TV Production grad of Murray State. At MSU, he served as team captain of the Murray State Rowing Club. Rob's goal is to become a screenwriter, film director or producer and looks to the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Guy Ritchie for inspiration. He appreciates good music, mainly favoring British rock n' roll, and approves of anything with Jack White's name on it. When not studying, rowing or writing, Rob enjoys spending his free time with a book or guitar.
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