Students need emotional support: Second Look
New views on talkers
Letter to the editor:
After 9/11, I spent an entire class explaining how what had just happened could well be the seminal moment of my young students’ lives. I said the exact same thing to my students last week after Donald Trump’s victory. Glenn Reynolds’ notion that “‘Tolerant’ educators exile Trump voters from campus,” because responsible authorities try to counsel and empathize with young students who are in shock, is a fascinating perspective.
The idea that offering such counseling demonizes and marginalizes those who did vote for Trump has merit, but of course, that is precisely what Trump did throughout his campaign to us — those who voted against him!
Trump gave his supporters(mostly white, less educated men) the freedom to vent their frustrations about political correctness, the opportunity to say and do what they really believe.
The fact that there were enough voters to elect Trump is what should be most terrifying. Trump’s appeal was to his followers’ base instincts. He offered them an excuse for their plight (the traditional approach of a demagogue), fed his supporters excuses for their setbacks and gave them other people to blame, for surely it isn’t their responsibility.
So you tell me, why shouldn’t younger Americans be frightened, including those in kindergarten? What The Donald has unleashed is just getting started!
William Southworth, University of Redlands; Redlands, Calif.