Trumpty Dumpty on a symbolic cardboard wall
NEW PALTZ – Hundreds gathered outside the Jacobson Faculty Tower
at SUNY New Paltz Monday afternoon, to tear down a symbolic wall built
out of cardboard boxes. The rally was billed as “Not My President
Day.”
The event, organized by United University Professionals and Move Forward NY, along with numerous co-sponsors, jump-started a looming springtime resistance movement against the policies of President Donald Trump. Similar demonstrations took place simultaneously across the nation.
“That’s the kind of leader we have at the moment, one who is willing to brazenly disregard the values upon which this nation was founded,” explained Dr. Brian Obach, sociology professor at the college. An effigy of the president, named Humpty Trumpty, was designed by Obach, who also conceived the idea for a cardboard box paper wall.
“In a sense, I’m glad that he says what he does,” Obach told the crowd. “Had Hillary been elected, we would not be here right now. We would be home believing all is well. All is not well.”
Beth Wilson, UUP union chapter president for SUNY New Paltz, said that
immigration rhetoric from the Trump administration contributed to a college
deficit nearly $4 million for the current academic year. Out of more than
50 foreign exchange students admitted for the spring 2017 semester, only
five showed up in January.
“They perceived this country to be such a hostile place for people from other countries to be coming to at the current moment,” Wilson said. “That’s a direct impact on this college, and on this community, and it directly because of all the nonsense coming out of Trump and his administration. I stand against that.”
Immigration was the subject of New Paltz Deputy Supervisor Daniel Torres’ remarks.
“The campus that we all stand on right now, is a direct result of refugees, the people who founded our community” Torres noted, referring to the French Huguenot settlers, who fled European religious persecution in the 17th Century including famous political leaders, including Franklin Roosevelt.
Former New Paltz Village Mayor Jason West is also a descendant of the Huguenots, Torres said.
“The arguments used today against refugees, could easily apply to the people who founded our community,” Torres said. “It was just a few people, in one town, in Upstate New York, who lived on one street, who have greatly impacted our nation. When we talk about not letting one person in, that’s the impact we’re talking about.”
A few hundred attended the SUNY New Paltz event, one of many held nationwide on Presidents’ Day
