‘I work in an office full of Trump supporters, I never get a chance to speak up’: Students and faculty protest against the Muslim ban
‘I’m here arguing against the unconstitutional nature of the ban’
On Sunday, UF students and faculty gathered in Turlington to rally against President Trump’s executive order banning people from certain countries to enter the US.
The unity was beautiful, albeit awkward—in the crowd there were so many different backgrounds and reasons to be out there. I came just as the UF Professor of Religion finished reading President Fuchs’s statement regarding President Trump’s ban on people from Islamic countries.
“She read it as an act of solidarity towards the students and faculty affected by the ban,” her friend explained to The Tab.
One man explained “I’m here arguing against the unconstitutional nature of the ban.”
Another protestor told The Tab, “My wife and I are here to support the Muslims in this country. My wife is Jewish and I attend Synagogue regularly, but I’m an atheist—we immigrated here several years ago.”
“I work in an office full of Trump supporters, so I never get a chance to speak up. If they found out my voice was shot because I came here to protest they would hate me. I might actually get fired.”
In between conversations the crowd chanted together “No ban! No wall! You build it up we’ll tear it down!”
“Hey hey! Ho ho! Islamophobia has got to go!”
“Muslims are! Welcome here!”
Without an actual leader, however, the crowd lacked a solid sense of direction. John Zoldos, a third year computer engineering student, told The Tab, “I’m not sure how much of an effect this has, but I hope at least one person here sees this and feels more welcome in this country than they did yesterday.”
Finally, someone spoke out that we should march on University Avenue. An older man added that marching would be fine as long as everyone stuck to the sidewalk on the University’s side without going past 13th street. It took a moment for the idea to register before a few people walked off slowly with the rest of the crowd gradually committing to the action.
Hesitation dissolved into walking—conversations gave way to chanting. People came together slowly to help each other do the right thing in the face of something they found wrong.
