Deirdra Harris Glover
Managing Editor
Thousands of demonstrators nationwide have taken to the streets to condemn the impending inauguration of president-elect Donald J. Trump
Protests began on campuses almost immediately after Trump’s victory was announced, leading into citywide marches and shutdowns in California, Colorado, Iowa, Maryland, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and other states.
Senior Trump adviser and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani told Fox News’ “Fox and friends” that his college professors would not be coddling or encouraging students who walked out of class.
“The reality is they are a bunch of spoiled crybabies. And someone said, I think I heard somebody said, we’re bringing up a generation of crybabies. Most kids aren’t crying. Most of the kids are going to class. We are growing up a slightly higher percentage of conservative students now than we’re used to. Because they’re rebelling against the professors. And if you’re looking at the real left-wing loonies on the campus, it’s the professors, not the students.” Giuliani said.
Former Secretary of State and Senator from New York Hillary Clinton acknowledged in her concession speech that Americans needed to accept Trump’s victory and encouraged a peaceful transfer of power, but also urged supporters to build on the movement they had built.
“We spent a year and a half bringing together millions of people from every corner of our country to say with one voice that we believe that the American dream is big enough for everyone,” said Clinton.
“For people of all races, and religions, for men and women, for immigrants, for LGBT people, and people with disabilities. For everyone.”
CBS D.C. reported several high schools in the D.C. area had students walk out en masse, carrying signs that said “Love Trumps Hate” and “You Can’t Divide Us” in reference to Trump’s campaign xenophobia and promises to overturn protections for LGBTQ Americans.
Bernie Sanders, the U.S. senator from Vermont agrees with non-violent protest movements. “People are angry. People are upset. And they want to express their point of view that they are very frightened, in very, very strong disagreement with Mr Trump, who has made bigotry the cornerstone of his campaign,” Mr Sanders told USA Today.
Protests in New York have surrounded Trump Tower. Mayor of New York Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, took to Twitter to encourage peaceful protest:
“I want all New Yorkers to know: as a city we have a lot of tools at our disposal to protect our values and we will use them. Peaceful protests are an American tradition. I’m inspired by people who in midst adversity engage rather than resign themselves and walk away,” said de Blasio.
De Blasio expressed similar views in a radio interview with Hot 97 radio. “We have to recognize that all over this country, the more disruption that’s caused peacefully … the more it will change the trajectory of things,” said de Blasio.
Trump has claimed that “professional protesters” are at the heart of this unrest. The president-elect also said in a “60 Minutes” interview broadcast on Sunday that those who are taking to the streets in fear of his leadership are doing so “only because they don’t know me.”
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