On a hot afternoon in November, a student group called Sunrise organized a walkout to protest the election of Donald Trump. They met at UVA’s amphitheater after learning that the Rotunda was already booked for a 21-gun salute to veterans.
Two dozen students arrived with handmade signs while many more lounged around the amphitheater having a late lunch – unaware of the rally.
Asked about his thoughts on the election, one of them shrugged. The young woman sitting next to him was equally dismissive. "I mean I won’t say that I’m ecstatic, but I don’t like being political," she explained. "I don’t think I know enough about it," replied a third. "I would have to look into it a little bit more."
Some wondered about the small group gathered in one section of the amphitheater – puzzled by the presence of local TV cameras, but they couldn’t hear the students from Sunrise. UVA does not allow amplified sound when classes are in session, and even those who took part in the rally had some trouble hearing speakers. Graduate student Henry DeMarco reminded the group of how dire climate change could be.
"Now we’re looking down the barrel of three degrees Celsius warming worldwide, which would mean civilizational collapse. The coming years and the coming decades — it's going to be worse than we've ever seen before."
But he held hope that people might put down their phones and connect against a common, existential threat.
"Our digital age is characterized by withdrawal and alienation. You know we sort of hole-up in our homes and fall into these depressive cycles instead of community building, but we’re doing that today, and I think there’s going to be a lot more of that. I mean you look at North Carolina. There are probably folks who haven’t spoken to their neighbors before who are suddenly bailing them out of water or driving them to hospitals. You know people found community in this turmoil and struggle."
Another speaker –Sophie Briscomb -- expressed uncertainty about how to proceed.
"This week is not the end all/be all for the future of America. I don’t want this speech to be about why you should hate Donald Trump, but we are here disappointed and also desperate for something to grab hold of – to feel some sense of control."
Lillianne McMinn proposed joining a movement to stop construction of a gas burning power plant in Chesterfield, and Oliver Nicholson called on students to connect with the larger community.
"Don’t let yourself be in a UVA bubble. There’s more to Charlottesville than just the organization you see here. There are people in the community who have been here since the Nazis marched on campus. They've been fighting for climate justice," he said. "You need to be willing to do what is right, in spite of what the university wants for you, in spite of what the government wants for you, because at the end of the day the government is more than willing to take away your rights."
Students will have another chance to express their political concerns in a few weeks, when the Republican Party of Virginia holds an annual event at the Forum Hotel in Charlottesville. They’ll plan for statewide elections including the race for Governor in 2025.
