Providence College Students Stab a ‘Trumpkin’ Pumpkin For Stress Relief

Officials at Providence College are investigating a display by the Board of Multicultural Student Affairs that allowed students to stab a pumpkin called “Trumpkin,” meant to represent President Trump.

The “Trumpkin” display called for people to “stab stab stab” the “Trumpkin,” adding, “If you ever feel angry or stressed, feel free to stab Trumpkin!”

The Providence College Republicans first noted the existence of the “Trumpkin.” In a post on Facebook, the executive board of the College Republicans said they were made aware of rumors about the “incredibly disturbing display,” but were able to confirm its existence. The College Republicans also urged people to report information relating to the display to the administration and indicated they were seeking a response from the administration. The College Republicans also mentioned a recent racial incident, which the Daily Wire claims the college administration addressed multiple times.

Firstly and most importantly, if anyone has any information about this or about other incidents that might have been perpetrated against you, you are encouraged to reach out to administration by e-mail and contribute your knowledge to the ongoing investigation.

[…]

Until we receive a response from the school administration, it now falls on our community’s shoulders to not only explore the underlying causes of such deplorable behavior, but also to show diplomatic and mature responses to the incident that undoubtedly divides and hurts us all. There will understandably be many subjective reactions to this incident. Many might even feel unsafe due to the encouragement of violence that this Halloween display calls for. That being said, we believe it is essential that our individual reactions remain both respectful and mature. The immoral social media reactions to the racial Halloween snap-chat will not serve as a precedent for our club, and we expect all of you to exercise the moral and ethical values this institution has instilled in all of us, just as we have in bringing this incident to you.

On Thursday, Providence College confirmed on Twitter that they were made aware of the display on Oct. 24 and that it was removed on Oct. 25:

Providence College’s associate vice president for public affairs, Steven Maurano, told the Providence Journal, “By the time we accessed the office at 9:00 the following morning, it had been removed.”

The Providence Journal reports the president of Providence College, Rev. Brian Shanley, sent an email to students on Thursday about the incident. The email stated the investigation is “ongoing”:

An object described as a ‘Trumpkin’ was displayed in the office of a student organization and its image was circulated on social media. It was offensive to many members of our community, especially because of the exhortation to violence in the form of stabbing with scissors. The display was removed shortly after it was reported to College Administration, and an investigation by the Office of Public Safety is ongoing.

The email also mentioned the importance of supporting diversity in its all forms, including political diversity:

The incidents of the past week involving offensive images on social media have made our campus community more aware of the need for sensitivity toward, and respect for, the differences among us. Our goal continues to be to celebrate and honor diversity ‘in its many forms.

This sensitivity and respect is not limited to issues of race and ethnicity, but also extends to political preferences [...] We need to reflect on these words of Pope Francis: “Let us combine our efforts in promoting a culture of encounter, respect, understanding, and mutual forgiveness.

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