Progressives are notorious for taking their outrage against President Trump to all new levels. It's not enough to merely disagree with the man or his supporters and stage civil protests. Some feel the need to be spiteful, hateful, and, at times, violent when it comes to their demonstrations. Members of Antifa will engage in real violence to get their fill; it's about "smashing the fash," they say. Other progressives settle for "symbolic violence" to let off some steam.
The Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) went with the latter on Tuesday. Setting up shop outside of the University of South Florida's (USF) Cooper Hall, they expressed their anger toward the president and engaged in "symbolic violence" by beating a President Trump piñata. Talk about nuts.
ICYMI: Want to bash a Trump piñata? Show up at #USF #Tampa Tuesday
— Seán WMNF News (@wmnfnews) January 20, 2018
Listen: https://t.co/W3bdE0VVBZ@TampaBaySDS@USouthFlorida @NewSDS #Florida @realDonaldTrump #TrumpPinata
WMNF interviewed William Blake, a sophomore at USF, about the plans to carry out the protest (italics mine).
WMNF: "Are there concerns – Did you get any push-back last time for using a piñata, that that might be seen as using violence against a person?"
William Blake: “No. A lot of people were really into it. I didn’t take any swings. Not that I was opposed to any sort of symbolic violence. But it was because I wanted to let other people voice their outrage.”
Video below.
There's a trump piñata outside of cooper hall...
— paige brooks (@itss_paigeey) January 23, 2018
So there's a Trump piñata at USF and people are talking about how Trump is doing bad stuff (I know nothing about politics).
— Jota Doce (@CnR_J12) January 23, 2018
MY question is: is there candy in the piñata?
Video sent to me by the Chair of USF College Republicans.
— Micah Rate (@Micah_Rate) January 23, 2018
Students of USF and members of the Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society engage in “symbolic violence” by beating a President Trump piñata outside of the university’s Cooper Hall.
Proof that people are nuts. pic.twitter.com/UwmcUtCzg0
As was indicated in the interview with the Tampa Bay SDS member, this isn't the first time the group has done something like this. The other instance happened last November, and Lauren here appeared to be a fan.
There are people outside Cooper Hall hitting a clown piñata with Trump's face glued on it and this is why I love college.
— Lauren Ellers (@LaurenDramaGirl) November 15, 2017
It seems group beatings of Trump piñatas are pretty popular among crazed liberals.
Protesters taking out a @realDonaldTrump piñata pic.twitter.com/rMOkGFpiDY
— Josh Solomon (@ByJoshSolomon) March 14, 2016
Here's a little girl beating a piñata during the 2018 Women's March in New York City.
Little girl dressed up as Rosie the Riveter cheering her friend hitting a trump piñata sums up 2018. #WomensMarchNYC pic.twitter.com/M2LDa3Wh0k
— Liz Plank (@feministabulous) January 20, 2018
One woman didn't just hit her Donald Trump piñata; she stabbed it. "Going too far?" one Twitter user asks. I would say so.
Going Too Far? Woman Stabs A Donald Trump Piñata!https://t.co/BV5HTVfjnh
— Savguy Meech (@SavguyMeech) January 23, 2018
As a former member of the College Republicans at USF, I was able to reach out to the current chairwoman, Bailey Cunningham, for comment.
Here's what she had to say:
Usually, on campus, I'll see student groups tabling or flyering trying to get students involved on campus, whether it be academic, social, or political. But in this case, I witnessed students kicking, beating, and screaming at a piñata of President Trump. It's disturbing to see students and student groups who supposedly condemn the rhetoric of our president and the actions of Republicans engaging in such violent behavior. Endorsing the beating of a representation of the president of the United States is beyond reprehensible, and events like this are a sign of the troubles we have at our universities across the country.
I couldn't have said it better myself. Who knew engaging in "symbolic violence" promoted a democratic society.
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