Hours after Donald Trump was named the President-elect, students walked to class to find political statements in chalk throughout campus.
Kappa Phi, a Christian women’s organization, is celebrating their big/little week, in which members typically stay up late to chalk the day before the celebrations officially begin. Big/little week consist of decorating their sisters’ dorm doors, giving them gifts and leaving notes with chalk.
However, members woke up Nov. 9 to see their work had been vandalized. Their messages to sisters within the organization were changed to include things like “Hillary 4 Jail” or “Trump Train.”
Chalk was vandalized to read “Little Hillary 4 Jail. I love you, Trump.” Photo submitted by Natalie Gregg.
Despite the vandalism on Kappa Phi’s chalk, Meghan Webb, theater for young audiences junior and Kappa Phi, said she doesn’t think their organization was targetted.
“I think people vandalized it not as a personal attack on our organization, but because it just happened to be there when they went out with the intention of writing nasty things,” she said.
Webb said she has seen negative things come from both sides since the election was called.
“It does upset me to see that someone would stoop this low to spread hate, but I think that level of hatred has honestly been seen from both sides in the last 12 hours,” Webb said. “If they aren’t writing hateful messages in chalk, they’re taking to facebook and saying things like ‘I hate you and please get out of my life’ if you voted for Trump or voted third party.”
Kimberlea Harlow, psychology/child advocacy junior and Kappa Phi, posted pictures on Facebook, and said it was disgraceful.
“Free speech doesn’t include the right to spew your political opinions all over something that has nothing
Chalk vandalized to read “Little Hillary, your husband is a douche, but I love you!” Photo submitted by Natalie Gregg.
to do with the presidential election,” she said. “I personally am taking a little and all of her chalk had been crossed out and/or had nasty things added to it. This was basically just a complete unnecessary show of ignorant hate that I really wish didn’t exist on our campus. ”
Despite the vandalism on their big/little chalk messages, Kappa Phi members say this will not affect them.
“Going to OCU, you assume that everyone really truly does embrace people and love on them but seeing this today has really shaken that for me,” Harlow said. “I’m sad, I’m hurt, I’m disappointed, but this doesn’t affect KPHI.”
Harlow then quoted Michelle Obama’s “When they go low, we go high.”
The political chalk appears throughout campus, not only in areas where Kappa Phi members have chalked. All of the chalk appears to be pro-Trump and anti-Hillary Clinton, with several offensive words.
Photo by Web Editor Sage Tokach.
Officials have already gone to work to remove the chalk.
Harlow said they will clean off any that might be left, and they will re-chalk later in the afternoon.
“Yes, the chalking upsets me,” Webb said. “Not really because of the act itself but because of what it represents. ”
The chalking policy was changed last year.
The policy requires that LaVetra Ray, assistant director of student activities, approve all chalking. Chalk is only allowed on sidewalks and may not be within 30 feet of any building entrances. Organizations who break this policy are subject to a $200 fine and the organization is required to clean the area with power washers provided by facilities.
Leave a Reply