De Anza College president calls Trump “dog of a racist pig”

Jon Dupin, Staff Reporter

CORRECTION AND CLARIFICATION: The event described was a meeting, not a rally. We have also retracted a private conversation that occurred at the meeting.

De Anza College president Brian Murphy called President-elect Donald Trump a “dog of a racist pig” at a quickly organized “Not My President,” meeting in East Cottage, Nov 10.

At the planning meeting, organized by the civic engagement program VIDA, Murphy spoke at length about the dismayed shock experienced by many staff and students. He paused in the middle of his statement, overwhelmed by tearful emotion.

“At a very personal level, a lot – a lot – of faculty and staff are having a hard time,” he told the crowd. “It seems like a big blow.”

Murphy said the next three months would be difficult.

“A lot of my colleagues are taking a mental health day,” he said.

Election night had yielded unexpected results for VIDA interns at a watch party Tuesday when Donald Trump won the electoral college.

VIDA, a De Anza organization whose purpose is to amplify and direct student activist voices, is expected to set up a string of events and meetings within the next few weeks to provide a space for students to express distaste for the president-elect.

“We just wanted to have a bonding night and the interns put this on,” said Cadence Calixto, a 19-year old De Anza College political science and anthropology major.

Students made shirts and signs to express their frustration and disappointment, with materials reading, “Not My President,” and others using choice written expletives to describe the president-elect.

“I felt the need to rally and protest,” Calixto said.

Students and staff also gathered in the main quad Wednesday to voice their feelings about the election of Donald Trump.