Two students at the University of New Hampshire who counter-protested a campus protest against President-elect Donald Trump are being targeted by numerous professors at the university who are calling for their expulsion.
One of the students wore a Richard Nixon costume; the other was costumed as Harambe.
Robin Hackett, an associate professor of English and a faculty member of the Women’s Studies Program, wrote online, “Time to call for an investigation leading to the expulsion of these students.” UNH professor Siobhan Senier wrote to the university’s president and provost, terming the student in the Harambe costume “harassing, intimidating, and racist … Somebody knows who these two students are. And whatever their intent is, it seems that a conversation with them is in order … I implore you to take a strong stand on behalf of our most vulnerable students, faculty and staff.”
English professor Molly Campbell echoed, “There was a huge truck waving American and trump flags driving back and forth blaring it’s horn. Nixon was throwing pacifiers at the crowd.”
Lecturer Larry Beemer added, ““Are they assholes? Definitely; are they Racist agitators? Yes, but probably only because of personal ignorance, which isn’t an excuse.”
Campus Reform, which reported the story, noted:
At least two of the professors who called for disciplinary action against the counter-protesters are members of the Women’s Studies Program, which sanctioned the anti-Trump rally on its official Facebook page, flouting tax rules that prevent universities from engaging in partisan political activity.
Campus Reform added:
The march, organized by the UNH College Democrats, specifically brands itself as an anti-Trump event in the description. “This is to show our solidarity with all people who are at risk of getting their rights taken away by a Trump presidency, and to ensure that it is known that Trump’s hateful rhetoric does not represent our generation and we will not allow any anti-climate, racist, sexist, or xenophobic policies to win through,” the description states. WSP even provided students with materials for the event, encouraging protesters to come by to “make your own poster.”