Article by: Robbie Kan, Contributing Writer
On Oct. 2, President Donald Trump arrived on the University of South Alabama’s campus for an Alabama Republican rally, and as expected, the visit was rather chaotic. This rainy fall day involved road closures, events and classes being canceled and students and faculty adjusting to the heightened security due to the presence of the president.
But the disruption of normal daily life and the ensuing frenzy of the president’s visit were only part of the story. As expected, Trump’s visit created a wide variety of reactions across campus, some being indifferent, others enthusiastic, and others upset and rather opposed. Many students gathered to attend the rally while others gathered in protest against the president.
The protest drew a few hundred people, who were mostly students, outside the Mitchell Center with signs and chants against President Trump. The chants included “No Trump,” No KKK,” and “No fascists in America,” among others. When asked why he was at the protest, Tucker Morton, a junior at South Alabama, responded, “I attended the Trump protest because I believe the most patriotic thing you can do is to stand up for what you believe in. The beauty of our Constitution is that it enables us to do so, and that’s what I love about our country. Regardless of your political affiliation, we have to respect these rights whether what is being protested is something you agree with or not.”
The protest represented one side of the reaction to Trump’s visit, while inside the Mitchell Center was very different. Supporters lined up hours before the event, with lines spreading outside the doors. The rally brought together many local Republicans, including senator nominees, house candidates, and the governor nominee, Tommy Tuberville. The rally started with a remark from Scott Stadthagen, a member of the Alabama House of Representatives, stating, “Here in Alabama we know what a woman is.” This comment was met with applause from attendees and set the tone for many themes discussed throughout the rally.
Throughout the rally, several recurring themes emerged from the guest speakers and President Trump. Many speakers focused on the dangers of communism and socialism, with specific mentions of politicians such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayeed. Many of the talking points included rhetoric about the danger that Democrats pose if they win political office. Other talking points included border security, lower crime rates, lower taxes and many other commonly held Republican values.
While the guest speakers energized the crowd and established the overall message of the rally, the loudest reaction of the evening was reserved for President Trump. As he took the stage with patriotic music in the background, attendees rose to their feet, cheered loudly, and began to chant, “U-S-A.” Trump’s speech echoed the themes from earlier speakers. He discussed how he has closed the border, eliminated tax on overtime and tips, and how he aims to keep women out of men’s sports. He also discussed policies and projects more local to Alabama, such as revitalizing shipbuilding in Cherokee, Alabama, by funding it with 30 million dollars. He talked about the groundbreaking of the I-10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway Project and how his administration helped fund the project with a 2.52 billion dollar loan that helped finance the construction. Trump also discussed the Protect College Sports Act, “allowing it to establish standards for student-athlete compensation, eligibility, transferring, and other activities.”
While many of Trump’s remarks focused on policies and achievements his administration credits itself with, some of the statements made by Trump revisited controversial themes that have become staples of his political speeches. Among them were his continued claims that the 2020 election was rigged and his promotion of a proposal to provide a $5,000 dividend to every U.S. citizen. This proposal originally occurred at the Republican Party’s inaugural midterm convention on Wednesday, Sept. 9. “President Donald Trump said that his administration will send $5,000 to every U.S. adult citizen if the GOP retains control of the House and Senate in November’s elections.”
On the economy, Trump argued that he has handled it well, stating, “We’ve done nothing but bring prices down,” and described his first two years as the “greatest two years of any president.” After Trump finished his remarks, the rally closed with Trump’s signature song, “YMCA,” as he did his famous fist-pump dance. The event ended on a celebratory note with attendees cheering and taking in the final moments of the president’s visit before leaving the Mitchell Center.
The rally drew varying responses from those in attendance. When asked about how he felt about Trump on stage, one student, who didn’t want to give their name, said, “I felt indifferent about seeing Trump on stage. It was cool to see an active president on stage no matter who it is. Again, most of what he was saying to me seemed like a somewhat rehearsed comedy show to get people upset about what the left is or is not doing.”
Overall, Trump’s visit to South Alabama transformed the campus from its normal routine to an unusual level of political engagement on both sides of the aisle. The rally and protest showed differing political views across the campus and in the city of Mobile. Whether attendees came to support, oppose, or just observe the event, Trump’s visit made an early fall Friday pretty interesting.
