What I saw and heard at the Bernie Sanders rally at Purdue

It was an event full of supporters and protestors

Getting in line at 10:30 AM was a mistake. I ended up getting a pretty decent view of the man from Vermont once inside, but when I woke up at 8:30 AM my phone was already lit up with snaps of the line outside the Corec.

Apparently people had started gathering in front of the entrance as early as 5:45 in the morning, sleeping in the Krach the night before. I’m not complaining, though. If anything I’m (besides a little frustrated I didn’t get in line earlier) happy students and people from the area are so fired up about this genuine and progressive movement — one that’s been long overdue for some time.

Waiting in line was actually a pretty quick process. I guess we missed the initial surge of people when the doors first opened at 9:00 AM. I’d say we probably spent 30 minutes shuffling on the sidewalk outside before we actually made it through the doors. The time spent in causal conversation with other Bernie supporters in line was coupled with more than a few interesting sights and sounds.

Of course, one of the campus preacher’s faithful followers was there, proudly donning a “bleeding” baby doll on a stake.

Then there was a small crowd of ten to fifteen protestors peacefully picketing outside the main entrance of Wiley Dining Court.

As we moved along, we received these little paper handouts about why big government is a very bad thing — apparently more government means less diversity and allows the poor to grow poorer while the rich grow richer? I didn’t know that.

We also witnessed a young man walking around with a notepad, asking people if they would rather vote for Trump or Hillary. I wasn’t able to get a picture or video, but most of the Bernie supporters responded by saying things like, “Is ‘neither’ an option?”

Another visual I was unable to snag a shot of was the anti-Planned Parenthood truck circling the Recreational center. Draped with an oversized (and gruesome) image of an aborted fetus on both sides of the white vehicle, it somehow blamed Bernie Sanders — and Starbucks, somehow — for the atrocity.

Moving along through the Secret Service check-in

Once we got inside and past the security check-in, we shuffled into a crammed crowd buzzing with positive energy. Bernie signs were everywhere, some more creative than others, and intermittent chants rang out singing things like “Hey hey, ho ho! Super PAC has got to go!”

At about 11:45 AM, a few introductory speakers came out — including two Purdue students — before Bernie finally stepped up onto the stage. From there, the crowd exploded, and remained alive and energetic throughout his entire ninety minutes at the podium.

What might surprise you is that, unlike rallies I’ve seen from other candidates at colleges or areas where a large majority of young people (that’s us) are present, Bernie never played the “I’m hip just like you” card. The man stuck to the topics he always does, firing up his crowd with the same content and arguments on financial equality and human rights he’s been sticking to literally for decades.

Every few phrases met large cheers from the crowd, but the reactions were not the kind stimulated by calculated one liners or punch lines. These were honest reactions from an honest man, probably the most genuine and truthful (and consistent) nominee on the ballot right now.

Seeing Bernie in the flesh and speaking live as an experience was something special. He gave a university in Indiana the opportunity to directly participate in the political process, something that many Indiana inhabitants all over the state do not feel like they have been part of.

By coming here to a college campus, he has (besides bringing out the droves of dedicated Bernie supporters) ignited the political conversation. So please, take advantage of the right that you have here in the United States and go vote this Tuesday, May 3 at the Indiana primary, whether you are #FeelingTheBern or not.

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