In yet another outrageous example of the totalitarian drift in academia, a College Republicans group in Louisiana stirred up a hornets nest of whiny leftists and tyrannical faculty members after expressing support for President Donald Trump with sidewalk chalk. The speech police were absolutely furious. But their childish and clownish antics backfired — big time — and the young conservatives won big.
The scandalous saga began on October 18, when several members of the Nicholls College Republicans decided to spell out their love for the president of the United States and his “Make America Great Again” agenda in washable chalk on the sidewalk. Messages included “Trump 2020” and “MAGA,” the president’s signature campaign slogan. Chalk notes supporting the unborn and free speech were also offered.
That same day, trouble was already brewing. Snowflake students were being triggered. The fury spilled over into social media, with the young GOP students facing the wrath and hatred of the vitriolic leftist mob. Eventually law enforcement was called in to investigate threats allegedly made against the Republican students. Some of the young Trump supporters told The Newman Report they felt very unsafe. It got so bad that police had to escort some of the students to and from class.
Text messages and social media posts shared with Freedom Project make clear why. Nicholls College Republicans President Markaylan Wiltz, who happens to be black, was demonized by radical leftists online as “MarCOON,” with vile attacks against him. European-descent Republican students were demonized as “racist” and worse. Several victims were too concerned about retaliation to speak with The Newman Report on the record.
Nicholls State University President Jay Clune sent out a message to everyone on campus claiming the sidewalk chalk in favor of Trump, unborn babies, and free speech was a violation of state law and college policy. Apparently they did not get a “permit.” Ironically, pro-abortion and pro-communism messages were scrawled all over college sidewalks last month, but absolutely nothing happened.
At a Student Government meeting about the Republican chalk incident, the lunacy of the college was on full display. Indoctrinated student after brainwashed student whined and moaned, using poor grammar and pathetic non-arguments about how MAGA chalk made them “feel,” while endlessly bleating that the Republican youth must be punished for expressing their views.
As the days dragged on, the besieged College Republicans — terrified for their own physical safety and facing all sorts of outrageous disciplinary threats — received support from top officials. “Again our educators seem to be out of touch with the Constitution!” noted Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry on Twitter. “We will be looking into to whether the President of Nicholls colored these students rights! Students have rights too.”
Fortunately, the intervention by the state’s highest law-enforcement official resulted in the university leadership backing down. After being warned that the school was violating students’ rights, Nicholls President Clune announced that the unconstitutional ban against chalking political messages on sidewalks had been eliminated. He also urged those students who felt “overwhelmed with what is happening around you” to seek help from the University Counseling Center.
“I never could have never expected that our conservative chalking would become such a phenomenon,” Nicholls College Republicans Secretary Jade Hawkins told The Newman Report. “The outlash of hate, harassment, and bullying was a complete shock and incredibly disheartening. A college campus should be a free flowing area for thoughts and ideas, and people should be allowed to disagree.”
Hawkins, one of the victims who was willing to speak publicly on record, said among the best elements of America was the First Amendment, which guarantees the right to free speech. “Students should never have to fear expressing their ideas because of ridicule from students or backlash from the administration,” she said. “I truly wish more people would be willing to openly talk and listen to one another despite their differing political beliefs.”
She also thanked state and federal officials who intervened to protect free speech on the taxpayer-funded campus. “I am forever grateful to Attorney General Jeff Landry, Congressman Mike Johnson, Senator Bill Cassidy, and the many others who reached out to us during these times to show their support for our rights,” Hawkins added. “It is because of their hard work that Nicholls is on its way to becoming a more open university for everyone to share their ideas.”
Fortunately, what could have resulted in tragedy at Nicholls ended up having a happy ending. However, the atmosphere at these overpriced daycare centers masquerading as institutions of “higher learning” across the nation is becoming more and more totalitarian and dangerous with every day that passes. It is past time for some fundamental reforms at these tax-funded colleges and universities, before they take America and freedom down with them.
This article originally appeared at FreedomProject Media and is reprinted here with permission.
