By now, it has been a couple of weeks since the election. As you all have more than likely noticed, protests have been popping up all across the nation as people have mobilized to express their sentiments of dissent. Students in particular have been dedicated to these displays of resistance, organizing marches, rallies, and other demonstrations to voice their objections. UMass is no exception—as covered in a previous Her Campus article, students very quickly organized a rally called Ignite Your Right: Humanity Against Trump. I personally attended this event, and was overwhelmed by the glowing aura of love, peace, inclusivity, and solidarity that emanated from each and every person in attendance. But before there was a rally, there was a march.
The morning after the election, I woke up with a sense that something would happen. I had stayed up obscenely late to watch the entirety of the electoral process unfold, so I went to bed fully aware of the Trump victory. What I did not know, however, was what would come next. On November 9th, I awoke with the knowledge that something needed to be done—and that something would be done—to take a stand against any form of hatred or violence that may have arisen in the wake of the election results. Within a couple of hours from getting out of bed, I stumbled across a call to action on my Facebook newsfeed: “Goodell Lawn 12:30 pm today.” The post described a peaceful platform for discourse and organization regarding the current political and social climate, as well as a show of unity at a time of such great distress for so many.
Not for a moment did I hesitate before deciding to attend. Like many students, I woke up that morning feeling a bit uncertain, but I knew that I needed to be around people who understood how I was feeling and who would stand with me. I showed up to the event alone, but with the knowledge that friends of mine were on the way. I was handed a sign proclaiming UMass’s stance against hatred, and then we began our march around campus, calling out chants such as “Love trumps hate” and “This is what democracy looks like.” Both the Boston Globe and the Amherst Wire dedicated some coverage to this event, which was organized and mobilized with incredible efficiency.
I’ve seen a lot of commentary on social media denouncing protestors, questioning the legitimacy of the movement, and doubting that there is a point to making any kind of statement at all. I have seen posts calling protestors “whiny,” “entitled,” “lazy,” “spoiled,” and a whole host of other terms intended to belittle the movement. I’ve heard claims that the momentum will burn itself out, as the weather gets colder and final exams approach. Time and time again, individuals outside of the protest movement have made a point of declaring it uncalled-for, childish, and futile. There are a great many people who feel that protest has no place in the current political climate. But there are also a great many people who support this wholeheartedly, people who are taking steps to enact change every day. On November 9th, 2016, I was fortunate enough to witness the growth of a movement in action.
The group started out fairly small, but by the time we were stopped marching our numbers had grown significantly with a discussion of plans for a follow-up protest two days later—the event that become Ignite Your Right. I had a friend holding my hand on each side. I felt safe, and I felt loved, and I felt empowered. That’s what this is about. The objective of the protest was not premised on the assumption that this march around campus would single-handledly reverse the outcome of the election. This was never about rejecting the outcome because we’re sore losers. This is about something far bigger than that. It’s about taking a stand. It’s about advocating for yourself, for each other, for anyone who is feeling unsure or unsafe or unheard right now. It’s about unity and peaceful resistance and love. At the end of the day, it’s about love.