Anti-Donald Trump propaganda has increasingly appeared at UC Merced – both in classrooms and in online campus conversations – in recent weeks as the Republican presidential frontrunner continues to gain ground.
Most notably, a cartoon image of “Patrick The Star” from Spongebob Squarepants saying: “If Trump gets voted – let’s just get UC Merced and push it somewhere else!” – a play off of a famous line from the TV show many students grew up watching — went viral on campus.
First appeared in a dorm room window. Then it was seen on the campus’ most popular Facebook page “UC Merced Classifieds” – a group with over 11,000 members. That’s when it really began to pick up steam.
Students began to recreate the drawing throughout campus, mostly on whiteboards. One psychology professor gave an entire lecture with the drawing on the board, apparently unaware of the doodle behind him.
RELATED: Trump chalking by College Republicans is a ‘hate crime,’ black students claim
RELATED: ‘Grossly obscene’ and ‘offensive’ pro-Trump graffiti investigated at Georgetown U.
RELATED: Fraternity makes a joke Trump wall, Latino students and football players lose their minds
More serious anti-Trump rhetoric has been shared around UC Merced social media circles, mainly on the “UC Merced Classifieds” Facebook page. Some compare Trump to Hitler. Other images include a student posting a petition calling for the “arrest and prosecution of Donald J. Trump for incitement to violence.” Many of the posts are liked and shared.
Recently the Democrats Club at UC Merced held a fundraiser on campus called “Partisan Pennies,” where students donated their change to the club by putting change in the jar corresponding to the candidate of their choice. Trump lost, and the club is planning a “Pie Trump Day,” where a member will dress as Trump and have students throw pies at him.
“You cannot escape anti-Trump rhetoric at UC Merced – it is everywhere,” one student told The College Fix.
Like The College Fix on Facebook / Follow us on Twitter
RELATED: UT-Chattanooga student senator pressured to resign over pro-Trump chalking
RELATED: ‘NYU’s pro-Trump students fear for their safety — and grades’
Please join the conversation about our stories on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, MeWe, Rumble, Gab, Minds and Gettr.