I found out over the weekend that the school I attended was allowing Donald Trump to hold a rally there this afternoon. The interim president of the school released this message regarding the rally:
Below is a letter I’ve sent to the University as well as several local newspapers.
Dr. Fiorentino, today, I can honestly say that I am ashamed to call myself a West Chester University alumni. In my time at WCU, I learned firsthand the value of the free exchange of ideas you cite in your message, but hate, bigotry, and misogyny have no place on our campus. While every American has the right to freedom of speech, such hateful speech need not be given a platform, much less by an institution that claims to value openness and “constructive dialogue”. How can you possibly look your Muslim students in the eye and tell them that you encourage us all to “come together”, while giving a soundboard to a man who calls them terrorists and speaks openly of surveilling mosques? How is referring to Latino immigrants as “rapists and criminals” constructive? Where was the free exchange of ideas when Donald Trump said (in response to the assault of a peaceful protesor) “Maybe [the protester] should have been roughed up”? How exactly should your female students feel when you host a candidate who refers to women as “disgusting” and “fat pigs”?
For you to hide behind the first amendment to justify your acceptance of Donald Trump on our campus is pathetic. It is cowardly, and it is unbefitting of a university President. It is my sincere hope that West Chester University finds a President worthy of our fine institution. West Chester University should be celebrated for its legacy. It has produced authors, historians, scientists, nurses, accountants, and some of the most highly respected educators in the region. But instead, the students, faculty and alumni are now associated with a hateful, pandering, pathetic political candidate, who uses fear, anger, and bigotry to promote an atmosphere of exclusion and intolerance. I would have hoped for better from you, but sadly the time for courage has passed, and you have found yourself on the wrong side of history. For the sake of our University, the students, faculty and alumni, I think it would be best for you to resign. You have disappointed us all.