Leading up to Ohio's important primary election March 15, a student in Carr Hall has had Trump stickers torn from her dorm door repeatedly.
Dubbed a "swing state," Ohio has always played a significant role in national politics. On many street corners and yards, signs can be found supporting one candidate or another.
But at Ohio University, there are some students who have found their voices silenced.
Katie Moore, a sophomore studying communication studies, is one of those students.
She had stickers supporting businessman Donald Trump as the Republican nominee for president of the United States torn from her door five times within the past two weeks, she said.
"It’s not the sticker," Moore said. "It’s the fact that they think it’s OK to take my freedom of speech, and I do not appreciate that, and I’m not OK with that."
Nathan Brown, a sophomore studying business management and entrepreneurship, said he went to replace Moore's stickers after hearing of the incident from fellow OU College Republicans.
While putting more stickers up, Brown was confronted and recorded the encounter.
"The first amendment means you should be able to express yourself. If it offends you, knock on my door and talk to me," Brown said to The Post afterward. "Don't be rude and just rip it off (and) vandalize property."
Moore said she received the stickers from representatives of the Trump campaign who occasionally stop by the OU College Republicans' meetings.
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President of OU's College Republicans Anna Lippincott said she was "horrified" when she heard of the incident.
"It's absolutely out of line for so many reasons," Lippincott said. "I mean that's your house. You pay rent. That's destruction of property."
Pete Trentacoste, the executive director for Housing and Residence Life, confirmed residents may hang posters or signs advocating for political candidates in their rooms and outside their doors.
"It is important to note that our team is in the early fact-finding stages related to this matter," Trentacoste said in an email.
@kaitfoch
kf992915@ohio.edu
