College Students Holding Surprisingly Small Number of Protests Over Trump
“I don’t really know why that is, because, in my opinion, there should be more of an outcry. But from my perspective, I think people feel really disenfranchised and like there’s nothing we can do”
When Trump won in 2016, college students went crazy. This time around? Not so much.
Inside Higher Ed reports:
Campuses Quiet as Higher Ed Navigates Trump’s Orders
As President Donald Trump churned out more than 80 executive orders over the past three weeks, sending the higher education community into a panic, some students were surprised to see a lack of campus protests—even at institutions traditionally rife with activism.
“I haven’t seen a whole lot, which is kind of uncharacteristic of our campus,” said Alana Parker, a student at American University in Washington, D.C. Though she’s heard of certain student political groups protesting on Capitol Hill, things have been quiet on campus.
“I don’t really know why that is, because, in my opinion, there should be more of an outcry. But from my perspective, I think people feel really disenfranchised and like there’s nothing we can do,” she said.
It’s a stark contrast from two semesters ago, when AU was one of dozens of campuses that made national news after pro-Palestinian students set up encampments in opposition to their universities’ investments in companies with ties to Israel.
Students and faculty at AU—and on campuses across the nation—also protested in 2017 after Trump prohibited individuals from seven majority-Muslim nations from entering the United States, according to a news report from the time.
Angus Johnston, a historian of student protest movements and a professor at Hostos Community College, said that he’s not entirely surprised that campuses seem relatively calm. Over the past 20 years, institutions have grown less and less permissive of student protests, culminating in a harsh crackdown on pro-Palestinian protests in spring 2024—in some cases involving police arrests. Since then, many campuses have introduced new—or enforced existing—rules restricting when, where and how students can demonstrate.
Aron Ali-McClory, a national co-chair of the Young Democratic Socialists of America, said that universities’ restrictions on free speech are “100 percent a factor” in why there aren’t many protests happening on campuses right now.
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I was kicking off my final 3-semesters as an undergrad in Blacksburg, when Obama’s reign of error was just getting started. While we had a good and devoted CR chapter, we were by far outnumbered and shouted down.
It was nice to see the undergrads this cycle—particularly the men—be more receptive to right-of-center policies.
“Over the past 20 years, institutions have grown less and less permissive of student protests, culminating in a harsh crackdown on pro-Palestinian protests in spring 2024
My ass.
The reason there haven’t been many protests this month is that USAID’s NGO funded groups didn’t get the money to have any signs printed.
Correct. The grift of the rent a mobs becomes clearer by the day
Exactly without the funds for their “encampments” suddenly the not so spontaneous and definitely not organic protests have dried up
One word: Oberlin
“Aron Ali-McClory, a national co-chair of the Young Democratic Socialists of America, said that universities’ restrictions on free speech are “100 percent a factor” in why there aren’t many protests happening on campuses right now.”
Right. And sexism and racism are the reasons why Harris flamed out in November. In neither case did wildly unacceptable messages and behavior figure into the mix. Crybullies all. When the adults act, it’s always someone else’s fault.