This past Friday marked a transition of power between former President Barack Obama and Donald J. Trump. The Seton Hall community hasn’t been shy about its reaction to the inauguration.
John Soper, a sophomore political science major who attended the Inauguration, said,
“This is a uniquely American experience.” He added, “only in this country can we have a peaceful transition of power and at the same time have people who dissent from that standing close by.”
In lieu of a formal viewing party, students all across the Seton Hall campus turned to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to express their opinions on the day’s events.
Students posted pictures and statuses reacting to everything from Melania Trump’s homage to Jackie Kennedy to Trump’s fiery speech.
“The energy in the city was palpable,” Soper said.” Just walking around you could feel the weight of the event about to take place.”
Students who tuned in at home said the Inauguration felt much like a Trump rally.
Taylor Cain, a sophomore diplomacy major and former intern for the Hillary Clinton campaign, said in an email, “I was frustrated that he used a campaign style speech.”
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Kate Boland/Staff Photographer.[/caption]
Soper said he thought this was a sign of the times. “We’re in a very politically divisive time. That’s just how we live.”
During the Inauguration hundreds of people turned out to protest the swearing in of the 45th President, leaving six officers wounded and over 200 civilians incarcerated, according to CNN.
The day after, there was a global march in support of women’s rights that many students attended in both New York and Washington, D.C.
Kathy Mulhearn, a junior nursing major, attended the march in D.C. She described it as part of her duty as a future health care professional to be an advocate for her patients and to show the government that the decisions they make regarding women’s health have a widespread impact.
“The atmosphere in D.C. was inspiring and brought a hopeful mood to a lot of people,” Mulhearn said. “As I walked around the massive crowds I ran into people from all over the country: Oregon, Alaska, Kentucky, North Carolina, even Montclair, N.J. They all shared this primary goal of being heard and protected.”
Dr. Roseanne Mirabella, a professor of political science and public affairs, also attended the march in D.C. She said, “Women have a habit of marching, but the problem is keeping that energy going and keeping the coalition going. Women aren’t all speaking from the same place and this coalition tried to be inclusive of everyone. Which means that you really have to have conversations with everyone.”
The New York Times reported earlier in the week that an estimated 400,000 people marched in Manhattan, 500,000 in the nation’s capital and 750,000 in Los Angeles. No arrests were made as a result of the march.
Brynne Connolly can be reached at brynne.connolly@student.shu.edu.
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