
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A large crowd braved a frosty autumn evening Nov. 14 to take part in a “unity circle” in front of Woodburn Hall on the WVU campus.
The gathering was sponsored by the Student Government Association with the backing of more than 20 student organizations.
Shani Waris, a junior, majoring in biomedical engineering and economics, explained the purpose of the gathering.
“Essentially following the election on Tuesday, and even before the election, it’s no secret there’s been a great deal of divisiveness in this country,” Waris said, explaining that “a lot of minority groups and people in general have been concerned for their safety around campus and the community and the nation as a whole.”
Waris told the crowd of an experience in which fellow students yelled “Make America great again” and “I love T-R-U-M-P” to him and others.
“If you don’t think that’s verbal harassment and anything to be take seriously … if that was me walking alone and there’s a group of people yelling that stuff at me, you don’t feel safe,” Waris told the crowd. “Even if they’re all talk, you just don’t feel safe.”