By Anna Sackel
More than fifty Quinnipiac University students and faculty lined up outside of Arnold Bernhard Library on the Mount Carmel campus on Feb. 8, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in support of immigrants and refugees in America.
The silent vigil was put together by a students and professors who are opposed to the ban President Trump set forth in his executive order. Some of those in attendance included Provost Mark Thompson, political science professor Jennifer Sacco, and multiple members of the Student Government Association.
SGA senior representative Christopher Desilets said he came to the vigil because he wants to stand up for those who are too afraid.
“My mother is an immigrant, she’s not a refugee, but she’s still not from America and she was given additional opportunities that I don’t think are being offered to people today because the American Dream has kind of disappeared in a lot of ways.”
The demonstrators were lined up in front of the library holding signs saying things like ‘support refugees’ and ‘build understanding not walls.’ One student, sophomore Stephanie Martinez, was holding a sign with the Statue of Liberty that read ‘we are all immigrants, including her’, got teary-eyed when asked why she was in attendance.
“I’m here for my family, because we’ve been here for a really long time and to know that parts of my family can get kicked out or just doing what they think is best for their family is just hard.”
Not everyone there was supporting immigrants and refugees. Some were there to show their support for Trumps executive order. Junior Peter Carusone approached some of the protestors to express his disdain.
“Why I’m here is to try to show the hypocrisy of the people standing outside here.” Carusone expressed why he believed the order is constitutional and why he is a Trump supporter. He then went on to say how he respected the protesters, but has to disagree with what they stand for.
“I do appreciate the first amendment fully and I respect everyone out here. I find humor in it just because I find it very hypocritical. I don’t see how this is gathering love.”
The silent vigil lasted for over two hours and ended in the demonstrators singing ‘This Land is Your Land’ together.
Ali Munshi, Vice President of the Muslim Student Association and SGA Vice President for Student Affairs, has been vocal on campus about his views and expressing his support for those affected by the executive order.
“It’s a great time for everyone to come together and understand that we’re all one people, this is all one nation, we’re a nation of immigrants and that’s the beauty of it.”
