Trump inspires unity reading
STORY AND PHOTOS BY COLLIN BEREND
O n T h u r s d a y , J a n . 19, C la c k a m a s
Com m unity College students and faculty
m em bers gathered in th e C o m m u n ity
C en te r’ s Fireside Lounge to listen and
read w ritten work by either them selves
or from other authors that related to the
current political atm osphere. The event
lasted two hours, from 1-3 p .m . and was
hosted by the W riter’ s Club.
Snacks and w arm drinks, like coffee,
were available fo r visito rs to enjo y as
everyone in tro d uced th e m se lv e s in a
circle. From tim e to tim e, som eone new
w ould w alk in and jo in . So m e o f th e
readings were the works o f authors such
as H ow ard Z in n , w hose w ork stud en t
Christopher Zim m erly-B eck, one o f the
head organizers, read at the gathering.
Throughout the event, topics diverged
a little , but still were connected to the
general th e m e . A tten d ees b ro u gh t up
to p ics about P resid ent D onald Trum p
b ein g a b igo t, racist, sexist and m ore.
Some participants expressed their feelings
surrounding the whole election based on
their past. It was a collective o f em otion
and expression from the extraordinarily
divisive w in by Trump.
“ I ’ve alw ays b een k in d o f p o litic a l
as a k id ,” said Becky Lauer, ah English
m ajo r at th e c o lle g e . “ I w as raised
in an e n v ir o n m e n t w here th a t w as
encouraged.”
Lauer spoke about how Trum p being
elected w as not w hat she w as aligned
w ith, let alone w hat the country should
be striving for,
“ I know revolutions are won with young
peop le,” said Lauer, “ because w e’ re the
ones that go out and do th in g s .”
Lauer fu rther said, “ R evolutions are
built o n school grounds.”
James Eikrem, theater instructor^ attends the reading, and voices his thoughts on
Comments about the protests on Friday,
Jan. 20, for the inauguration and Saturday,
Ja n . 21 fo r th e W o m e n ’ s M arch were
geared toward the element of danger, both
to protestors in vo lving police o fficers,
and violence distributed around the city.
When asked, Lauer explained that while
she d o esn ’ t w an t so m eo n e’ s w indow
broken, that problem is extraordinarily
minuscule in com parison to black people
being “ murdered” by police officers.
Zim m i rly-B eck also pitched on this
issue, saying something similar, and talking
about violence. He alluded that in the minds
of those who would protest, it’ s not simply
about Trump, but a plethora of issues.
“ Look fo r c o m p a ss io n ,” said Lauer
regard in g Trum p and h is sup p orters.
Lauer w as questioned about a student
having been harassed follow ing a public
comment the day after Trump was elected.
“ I don’ t support h arassm en t 1 support
em pathy. People are com plex. You need
to be able to disagree w ith people as a
person, not as a stereotype,” Lauer said.
Zim m erly-Beck gave his own thoughts.
^“ P o litics a re n ’ t ju s t th is th in g th a t
happens above us or to us, it ’ s actually
s o m e th in g we can en g a g e i n ,” said
Zim m erly-B eck.
Zim m erly-B eck explained how he saw
a swastika carved into a bathroom stall
on cam pus.
“ And that sort of thing really makes me
uncom fortable. And it m akes me w ant to
do som ething about it .”
Jo h n Ginsburg, the director o f student
leadership and engagem ent and adviser
for the Associated Student Governm ent,
spoke about how the election results did
ripple through the school and through
students. He suggested that regardless
o f view s, some students feel threatened
or scared. A s one o f the adm inistrators,
his goal is to help these students.
“ M y go al as a s ta ff m em b er, as an
adm inistrator, is to enable all students
here to fe e l lik e i t ’ s safe fo r th e m ,”
G insb urg said. “ A s an advocate fo r all
stu d en ts o f all b ack gro u n d s, [I w ant]
everyone to feel that they’ re accepted.”
B ut he w as clear th a t b ecau se he
sup p orts th e sa fe ty o f stu d en ts w ho
m ay feel threatened, that doesn’t ftiean
h e ’ s picking sides based on a politician.
Rather, he is doing his job and looking
out for all students. ™
O ver th e w e e k e n d , m a n y gath ered
in Portland to protest. O n Friday, Jan .
20, the p rotests again st Trum p ended
in chaos. But the follow ing day ended
p eacefu lly fo r m an y w ho particip ated
in th e W o m e n ’ s M a rc h , w h ic h , w ith
r o u g h ly 1 0 6 ,0 0 0 p a r tic ip a n ts , w as
arguably P o rtlan d ’ s b iggest m arch.
Check out photos from the protests at
theclackamasprint.net.
Attendees included staff, students and community members.
the recent election.
Clackamas Print JANUARY 25.2017 thedackamasprintcom 3