College Hosts Event Describing 'Trumpism' and 'White Citizenship' as Terrorism
Berea College in Kentucky hosting event as part of 'Gender Talk'
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A Kentucky college has provoked a backlash for hosting and promoting an event that describes supporting President Donald Trump and "white citizenship" as acts of terrorism.
Berea College is hosting the event titled "White citizenship as terrorism: Make America Great Again, Again."
A flyer obtained by Young America's Foundation (YAF) describes the event as a way to "resituate Trumpism and white citizenship as forms of white terrorism enacted against the majority of people living within the borders of the U.S. and beyond."
The event is due to take place on March 17 via Zoom as part of "Gender Talk," according to a page on the liberal college's website.
The Law, Ethics, and Society and the Women's and Gender Non-Conforming Center are sponsoring the session at the college.
YAF said the flyer was obtained through its Campus Bias Tip Line.
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The flyer features images of protesters carrying tiki torches at the racially charged Charlottesville, Virginia, protests at the beginning of Trump's presidency.
The flyer also takes a critical approach to the "Make America Great Again" slogan.
"Despite calls for multiculturalism and color-blindness, segments of white America mourn their so-called loss of privilege, consistently begging to return to the nostalgic past in which their esteemed value as white citizens went unquestioned," it reads.
"Trump's 'Make America Great Again' appears to follow suit by offering a seemingly benign promise to return America to a previously 'great' past.
"But the offer to 'Make America Great Again, Again,' requires we refocus on how the last four years of daily tweets and administrative actions redefine whiteness.
"If terrorism is defined as the use of violence and threats to create a state of fear towards particular communities and identities, then this is what 'Trumpism' is at its core."
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Berea defended the event in a statement to Fox News Thursday.
"To some, the provocative title of the event implies that Berea is not a welcoming place for individuals with differing political views," a statement from the college read.
"That is not true," it added.
"At Berea, we strive to live out our motto: God has made of one blood all peoples of the earth.
"Berea accepts students of all faiths (or none at all), religious beliefs, ethnicities, and political leanings, creating a diverse environment that encourages acceptance, respect, and even appreciation across our differences.
"We encourage open dialog on difficult topics.
"Racism and white nationalism have been topics of great debate over the past five years.
"The event planned for next week seeks to confront aspects of the political spectrum that relate to the difficult topic of race in America.
"While that may cause discomfort, it is a valid and important conversation in this time of political and racial division.
"It is our hope that these types of conversations will occur across the country.
"Open, honest dialogue is essential to understanding racism and moving toward an anti-racist society."
