Protesters marched on the SIU-Carbondale campus today as Donald Trump became the new President.
"I understand. I support - I respect you as an individual, you're supporting this man. That's your freedom of speech. That's your dig, you feel me?"
That's SIU student Mikala Barrett talking to a Trump supporter at an anti-Trump protest in front of the SIU Library today. The protest began at 11 Friday morning and continued until after 1 PM as students marched across campus. Barrett says she is nervous of what Trump's presidency brings.
"It's going to be a sad four years. No one knows what's going to happen. His plans aren't clear. Everything is in the blur."
Student protestor Jackson Covey followed a Trump supporter during the protest and tried to cover a poster the supporter was holding.
"I felt it was disrespectful to what they were trying to say here. I totally support their right to have their own protests and voice their opinions, but the message on their sign and the way he was behaving just felt disrespectful."
The sign reads, "I used to doubt the global warming until Trump won. Now I see the snowflakes melting."
Others such as sophomore Al Shegarfi have a more optimistic view. Shegarfi debated with protestors and says while he understands their concern over Trump's language, he believes Trump will bring the change he wishes to see.
"They just feel that some of the things that Trump has said need to be accounted for, and I totally agree with that. He's said some very terrible things, and I think it's because, in a sense, Trump is very immature, and he doesn't know how to speak to people, but again, you have to look at what he is going to do. Actions speak louder than words, and his actions to me say that he's going to make this country great again."
Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 45th president of the United Stateson Friday.
