The student president of Cornell University’s College Republicans was physically shoved and called a “racist b****” the day after the November 8 election, she told The Tab, Cornell’s conservative student paper.
“I was actually assaulted on campus for being a Republican,” sophomore Olivia Corn said. “I had someone throw me to the ground and say: ‘F*** you, racist b****, you support a racist party.’”
Corn told The Tab leftist students on campus had become exceptionally emotional when her organization hosted former presidential candidate Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), telling her she was a “disgrace” to women.
“I had people come up and scream in my face about it,” she said, adding she felt insulted to be called a fascist because “I am very far from the definition of a fascist. I am about as moderate of a Republican as you’re going to find- I am pro-choice, I am pro-gay marriage, I believe climate change exists.”
The Republican student organization was known for its criticism of Republican President-Elect Donald Trump, and had endorsed Gary Johnson for president; nonetheless, it received heat for simply not positioning itself on the hard left.
“So that was very interesting to me that automatically people find those words and boxes to put you in when you’re on the conservative side,” Corn explained.
Corn says she did not see her attacker’s face– as the incident happened when it was dark outside– but she thinks she knows who it was. She has since felt nervous walking around alone on campus.
“I now walk with an alarm at all times,” she said. “That’s pretty much my new normal. I don’t walk by myself after a certain time, once it gets dark. And that’s not something I should have to be concerned with. I’m a college student, I’m just trying to get good grades, get to law school, keep my head down – besides being the head of an organization.”
The CR leader reported the incident to school authorities and was offered counseling. Cornell media spokesperson John Carberry confirmed receiving her report.
“On the afternoon of Nov. 10, a female student reported that a physical harassment incident occurred on campus the previous evening,” he wrote. “Cornell University Police began a criminal investigation, and assisted the student in filing a report with our Title IX coordinator and a Bias Incident Report with our Department of Inclusion and Workforce Diversity. The Cornell University Police investigation is ongoing.”
In his email statement to the student paper, Carberry invited students to contact Cornell’s police department if they had any information related to Corn’s attacker.
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