Savannah Rockwin

February 21st, 2017

People on the street

COLLEGE PARK, Md.- When Justin Link arrived at his fraternitys mixer
days before the election, he was shocked to discover the number of
Kappa Delta women who did not attend the event because of his
outward public support for Trump via several social media platforms.
On more than one occasion, Links support for Trump had conflated him
as being racist and anti-gay.

Link, a senior mechanical engineering major, noted he felt

discouraged by peoples false perception of him. Despite the fact he
consequentially stopped vocalizing his support for Trump, Link
struggled to shake the negative labels associated with being pro-
Trump.

He tucked away his Make America Great Again tee and silenced his
opinions.

It's almost like you need to defend yourself for why you voted for him-
its truly intimidating. Liberals on campus are allowed to say whatever
they want because of the liberal nature of UMD.

Following the election, more than 300 students gathered on McKeldin

Mall to show support for marginalized communities who felt affected by
Trump's victory. These sentiments are not just limited to views of the
parties and their policies; they account for personal elements as well.

Going to inauguration was so refreshing because it was the first time I

was able to openly voice my support for Trump without the fear of
judgment weighing down on me. It gave me a chance to be surrounded
by so many people who held the same beliefs as me. I was finally out
of the minority, said Link.

Since his inauguration, Trump has signed executive orders, a directive

to begin scaling back parts of the Affordable Care Act as well as a stop
on government funding to international organizations that provide
abortions. All of which have spurred and intensified political tension.

A shifting politic landscape has prompted students to participate in

marches on campus and in Washington.

As polarization in American politics has been escalating for years, the

gap between both parties has further broadened foregoing animosity.
Americans repugnance of the other side may be even more potent
than their loyalty to their own party.

According to the Pew

Research Center, 49 percent of
Republicans say the
Democratic Party makes
them afraid. Fifty-five percent
of Democrats feel the
same way about
Republicans.

Cade Kern and Hartley Hogenkamp, both seniors at UMD, agreed that
expressing their political views has become useless and polarizing on
campus. Kern notes that college campuses have no longer become
epicenters of free speech, but rather the exact opposite.

Hogenkamp, a government and politics major, said that the biggest

disadvantage of being a Trump supporter on this campus is feeling
powerless against the stigma people attach to the term Trump
Supporter itself.

I would just rather not subject myself to all of the backlash that would
come along with voicing my opinions, as I understand how
outnumbered I am among my peers in terms of my political
affiliations, says the government and politics major.

She also notes that the only safe place she can voice her support for
President Trump is on Snapchat because people couldnt weigh in on
her posts like they could on Facebook or Twitter.
Omitting provisional ballots, less than 15 percent of students voted for
Trump at UMD. After the election, many students articulated their
extreme stress and anxiety to professors.

Nicole Lynch, a communications major, said that her professor, Jon

Hoffman, cancelled class the day after the election because said that
he needed a day to collect himself. The next day, Lynch recalls,
Professor Hoffman focused the class around discussing student fears
and concerns in regards to Trumps presidency.

Its ironic that a communications professor lacked the ability to foster

a genuinely open discussion. It was obvious that he cancelled class for
personal reasons, and then he wanted us to discuss our fears. Putting
aside my own political views, I couldnt help but of the students that
werent afraid, but rather relieved over the election results.