Kavanaugh Protest
Flashback to a few weeks ago on September 27th, as millions of viewers held their breath and watched Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s emotional testimony, accusing Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault. Thousands of citizens flooded the capital to protest his confirmation, and thousands more protested locally. At noon on October 4th, over 100 students and faculty marched to the front of Hendricks Chapel, right in the center of the Syracuse University quad. Among these students were Sarah Epelman, a senior at Syracuse majoring in Political Science and Policy Studies with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies, and Clark Bermudez, a senior Environmental Studies major at ESF. Epelman and Bermudez are two of several students who helped organize the walkout on campus.
Epelman and Bermudez felt empowered to help organize this walkout due to the national call to action during Kavanaugh’s hearings.
“We felt it was our opportunity to bring out even more people, and, we had hoped, to help cancel Kavanaugh altogether. We wanted to highlight the issue of rape culture at all levels of society, both in the Supreme Court and on our own campus,” said Bermudez.
This walkout stood for so much more than Kavanaugh’s confirmation alone; it stood for zero tolerance of rape culture on the SU campus as well.
“We also wanted to point this walkout at the SU administration, to highlight the issue of rape culture on campus and the residual hate that lingers from the Theta Tau incident. The school wants us to forget and ignore but we refuse,” said Epelman.
Hundreds of students who participated in the walkout were angry and upset about the results of the Kavanaugh hearing, but the large turnout at the walkout and overwhelming amount of support made Epelman and Bermudez feel hopeful about the future.
“There is a movement happening beyond #MeToo and it is gaining momentum. It’s not just a political change but also a culture shift. So, while everything is looking down right now, we need people to keep looking forward and see the potential in the future for change,” said Epelman.
Students like Epelman and Bermudez hoped that everyone who engaged in the walkout felt empowered and inspired to help make a difference.
“There are few things more therapeutic than being surrounded by people who are just as dedicated to changing the world as you are. When I feel overwhelmed, or defeated, by the situation, I can think about the people on this campus, and all around the country, who are equally committed to creating a better world. It’s a reminder that, despite the losses we may face along the way, we are unstoppable,” said Bermudez.