Trump win creates tension on Rutgers campus

Ever since Donald Trump was elected president, much violence and disruption has occurred across the states.

People of color have been beaten, neighborhoods vandalized, and minority populations discriminated against.

Just last week, a Spanish church in Maryland was vandalized when someone wrote “Trump nation, whites only” across a banner offering church services.

The hate has spread practically everywhere — even into Rutgers’ backyard. Already on campus, multiple experiences of discrimination have been reported by students.

One Korean student was told to go back to North Korea. Another Muslim student was told to take off her hair scarf. These are just a couple examples of witnessed situations of discrimination.

In retaliation, many students rose in protest against Trump’s victory during a walk-out on Wednesday, November 16th. Of course, there was also some backlash from students who thought differently.

Student Trump supporters came to make their voices heard as well. There, they shouted their own chants — dressed up with Trump t-shirts, hats and banners.

While, thankfully, the protest stayed peaceful, it still stood as a disturbing force to the vibe on campus. It was the first time the clear division of beliefs among the school population was put on display and openly made known.

Rutgers senior Kadreamia Brown has felt a change on campus since that fateful Tuesday.

“I do feel like that tone has been serious since that Tuesday of election day… I have started hearing things about discrimination on campus, and I believe President Barchi even sent something out about respecting other people’s views and things like that because of things that are starting to go on around campus. All in all, I do think the campus is a little more serious and people are hurt about it. I even had a teacher cancel class simply because of just that week,” Brown said.

Despite this unfriendly vibe on campus, Brown says she has yet to change her behavior for safety purposes, but is now keeping an eye out for people who are being discriminatory.

She now ponders “how they may react since someone who’s just as discriminatory as them is on their side now.”

On the other hand, there are students like Charity Jones, who feel the same on campus.

“I feel like I feel the same because there’s nothing we can do about the president. But I do feel like the campus vibe has gotten a lot more serious and gloomy. But I still see people just continuing on with their everyday life because, like I said, there’s nothing we can do at this point,” Jones said.

Perhaps some really have moved on and given up, but if this is true, is that actually a healthy reaction for the student body? Especially when there is bound to be disagreement anyway, whether it be announced or swept under the rug.

Protests may blatantly show the division of beliefs among students, but perhaps it is more important to voice these differing opinions than to feel hopeless and give up fighting for what one believes.

Whether the unashamedly loud fight will continue on campus among the student population or not, there is no doubt that Trump’s victory has changed the vibe of Rutgers campus and similarly — the country.

One has to question, is a president who widely instills such a sense of division the right leader needed for a country that prides itself on unity in diversity?