opinion

LETTER: A year later, a change of heart on Trump

More than a year ago, around election time, I was beginning school at Rutgers University and was eager to seek out extracurricular activities. Along the way, I tried out a variety of clubs and ended up joining a few as well as not following through with others.

When the election was down to Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, I was planning on voting for Trump, so I went to a few meetings held by the “Rutgers for Trump” club. I was on their Facebook page and saw that a reporter for the Home News Tribune was seeking opinions from club members for a newspaper article. Although I was not a member of the club, I had been to one or two meetings and thought it would be exciting to be in the newspaper, so I decided to participate.

The writer asked me about my opinion on an ongoing protest about immigration, as well as on a series of chalk messages that were written around campus. I proceeded to give her my (then) opinion on the protest, but I was not familiar with the chalk messages. She asked me about them and said they had to do with immigration, so I answered with an opinion, despite not actually knowing what they said. Later, after reading the published article, I found out to my dismay that among the chalk writings were rather inflammatory and offensive remarks — the kind that I would never defend, even as a freshman who was planning on voting for Trump at the time.

On a similar note, I would like to address my beliefs as a whole. As time passed and I had spent a year at university, I have matured as an individual. I had been exposed to new opinions from my professors and peers and learned a lot by debating with people of different backgrounds and political beliefs. This, in combination with my disillusion with the President since he has taken office, has made me reflect on last year’s election. Furthermore, it is important for us as Americans to understand that immigration is not a simple issue. It is a delicate matter concerning human beings, and the ramifications of its legislation affect millions of lives.

In summation, my beliefs have matured along with me throughout this past year, and I do not wish to associate with any organization of which I had been a member as mentioned in the aforementioned article.

George Metreveli, Rutgers University