About 50 students gathered Thursday afternoon at Western Michigan University to protest the election of Donald Trump as president.
One of the event’s organizers – Sarah Geist – says it was intended to counter hate with love:
"I am here because a lot of us felt very hurt and fearful and marginalized when we heard the election results. And some of my friends and I decided to come together and make a peaceful protest that would promote love and equality and make sure that everyone knew that despite what's going on, there is still a place for us in the world," she says.
"And that, if we speak up, and if we love each other and practice kindness and generosity, that we will make it through this. That's the only way to progress when you have a situation like this."
During the campaign, Trump made statements about deporting undocumented immigrants and Muslims. Western junior Rachel Zack held a sign at the protest that read, “Jewish and Proud.” She says it was a shock waking up Wednesday to find that Trump was president-elect:
"It's very scary. Anyone of a different religion, anyone of a different race, ethnicity, lifestyle, anything; he has single-handedly them all feel secluded and alone, and no one is alone. No one is alone in this. We are all fighting together."
Western senior Jonathan McKinney is the acting president of the university’s Native American Student Association. He says Trump’s election demonstrates the need to talk to other people and not listen so much to the media and politicians:
"We've been talking about how manipulated our emotions have been. They tell us, these campaigns (and) the media are telling us how to feel, who to hate, who our problems are really caused by. And I think it's a lot easier to figure out what's going on in reality when you come out and you talk to people and you talk to people outside of your normal clique."
The event Thursday was organized by students using Facebook and other social media.
