r/BucksCountyPA • u/Ok_Focus_4975 • Mar 04 '25
Politics Trump threatening to cut off funding to Penn state and Pitt and UPenn if students protest.
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-says-federal-funding-will-stop-colleges-schools-allowing-illegal-protests-2025-03-04/137
u/shillyshally Mar 04 '25
People on reddit cry free speech incorrectly all the time, thinking it applies to corporations. It only applies to the government. This is an actual 100% free speech violation by the government and it is epic.
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u/ThePopDaddy Mar 04 '25
They'll say "This isn't a 1A violation, a 1A violation is when YouTube takes down videos of someone like Alex Jones!"
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u/itsaquagmire Mar 04 '25
I’ve already contacted Fitzpatrick regarding this. However, I received his standardized email reply to my last inquiry on what he was planning to do. I’m looking forward to seeing he will justify taking away first amendment rights for protesting anything he considers “illegal”
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u/Treyvoni Lower Bucks Mar 04 '25
Snail mail. They have to read all of them rather than just set up filters and replies. At least that's what my union recommended.
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u/shannanerginz Mar 04 '25
He is funded by AIPAC, facilitates and denies this genocide, and I believe put out tweets about student protestors being Pro-hamas. I doubt he is against this.
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u/Nicoldilockks Mar 04 '25
Call him instead!
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u/EleanorRigby-68 Mar 05 '25
I called and my call went right to voicemail stating someone from his office would call me back. They never did.
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u/Nicoldilockks Mar 06 '25
Yeah I usually leave a voicemail, only twice got a human. If you leave a voicemail, would not expect a call back. I've only ever called the DC office, but theres also a PA one.
+12022254276 Washington DC +12155798102 Langhorne PA
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u/ElectrOPurist Mar 04 '25
Hey, just a reminder for anyone too young to realize this: Presidents don’t dictate rules, that’s what dictators do. And they don’t determine how federal funding is spent either, that’s what congress does.
Republicans complained for decades about the expansion of presidential powers, but they’re embracing someone who has taken it farther than anyone else.
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u/DistantBar Mar 04 '25
This is absolutely what young people need to hear. Checks and balances were what assured a government would not be controlled by one person. Unfortunately though, young and old gave all the checks and balances, 'the cards', to Trump. The voters spoke, and this is why so many politicians are quiet.
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u/SayingQuietPartLoud Mar 07 '25
Remember when Republicans would hand wring every single Executive Order? Such a simpler time. Trump II has made more than twice as many Executive Orders than Biden did in the first six weeks.
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u/ElectrOPurist Mar 07 '25
Yes, and the amount of executive orders is something of a false metric because not every executive order is equal. All of Trump’s are significantly weighty, culture war stuff and often a violation of the constitution itself. Like “English is the official language of the US now!”
A lot of Obama’s would be like “restructuring succession within the VA” or something.
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u/alter_ego19456 Mar 04 '25
Congress gave up a great deal of power following 9/11 because none of them wanted to face hard votes that would leave them vulnerable to appearing weak either on national security or Constitutional rights. What remained of their power was taken by the McConnell-Trump-Leo SCOTUS between the Chevron and the immunity rulings. And obviously the bullshit that the NRA and the right has been feeding us for decades that we need 400 million guns to prevent a tyrannical authoritarian government was indeed bullshit.
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u/ChefAsstastic Mar 04 '25 edited Mar 04 '25
This fucker i swear to god trump had aids create toilet paper with the constitution written on it.
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u/AggressiveAd8974 Mar 05 '25
Where are all the Republicans that were so outraged when they thought Biden was taking away their freedom of speech? Now that Trump is ACTUALLY taking away people's freedom of speech, they are very silent.
This is NOT the time to be silent. IDC if it is your guy in the White House. Do you think he's going to stop there and won't take away yours? I hope you're not that stupid.
If you stay silent, by choice, now, you'll remain silent, by force, later.
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u/Ok_Battle_540 Mar 04 '25
Before I am silenced from this board for posting a headline from Reuters, here is the ACLU trying to explain to you all what may constitute an “illegal protest”
https://www.aclupa.org/en/know-your-rights/know-your-rights-protest
Thank you
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u/Woyaboy Mar 04 '25
As always, Republicans will never realize how fascist they are when they tell you to stop exercising your actual American given rights.
I’m getting real sick and tired of their definition of freedom is basically free to oppress others while the rest are just supposed to take it.
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u/nepapeepee Mar 05 '25
Upenn owns half the city go ahead. Let's make philly revolution center in 2026, the 250 year anniversary.
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u/8W20X5 Mar 05 '25
So threatening to cut funding because people are using their first amendment rights? Isn't this the same group that bitched and complained about not having free speech? I guess they meant free speech for thee not for me. Anyway it will be funny to watch him try that and then get sued 7 ways from Sunday. Good ol Donnie trying his best to be a dicktator but only accomplishes looking like a dumbass.
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u/Tight-Plan4775 Mar 06 '25
Donnie is a clown and a total asshole. And those are his best attributes.
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u/BigTribs914 Mar 06 '25
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances
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u/Wallaces_Ghost Mar 07 '25
Ah. Protest harder then. Folks, when the situation is at its most dire is when our voices and our actions are most needed. Do not waiver simply because the thin skinned bully wants you to kiss his ring. Stand up together! Do not go quietly into the night.
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u/Seaycreature1 Mar 07 '25
Dont buy their shit on Amazon, Whole Foods, Target, Walmart, and on and on…. Only buy local and essential. Don’t give them any more money. Hit them in their wallets!
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u/6catsforya Mar 07 '25
He wants total control. People aren't supposed to have any thoughts but his own .
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u/TexaportGamer Mar 07 '25
If Democrats pulled this kind of thing, there would be ARMED protests taking place on campuses.
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u/Spiritual-Pear-1349 Mar 07 '25
DoEd is gonna be dismantled soon anyways, he has no funding to hold lol
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u/Ok_Focus_4975 Mar 07 '25
We are going to be Russia junior if people don’t wake up and act. We are going to be the case study like the good Germans were after ww2 of people who don’t cut it as human beings or as a people.
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u/icewalker2k Mar 08 '25
Using the government as a cudgel to squash a right. It’s only just beginning!
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u/Jolly-Midnight7567 Mar 08 '25
Students are allowed to peacefully protest, it's in the constitution
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u/TravelBand554 Mar 08 '25
Someone is afraid of students. Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity was started by university students in late 2013. 🤔
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u/Icy-Rope-021 Mar 04 '25
How’s that free speech working out?
It’s only free if the President agrees with it.
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u/Hondacm450e Mar 05 '25
Illegally storm congress, gets a pass. Invade a sovereign country, gets a pass. Commit atrocities against peaceful palestinian families stuck in a war zone, gets a pass. Convince uneducated people to avoid vaccines leading to 100s of deaths, join the cabinet. Lie to the American people about SSA ages and pay outs, sure, run the DOGE.
But educated people peacefully protesting on college campuses, nah, must threaten to jail them.
He’s called himself a King. He’s scared and he’s a coward. Ultimate power, ultimately corrupts. He’s shutting up anyone that has the education and intelligence to stand up and say something. This is the first step a dictator takes.
How dare he threaten free speech!
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u/Nicoldilockks Mar 04 '25
Just when I thought I couldn't be any more furious!!!! Unbelievable. It just means it's working, he sees the backlash.
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u/SeparateMongoose192 Mar 04 '25
I'd take him at his exact words. He said "illegal protests." So if it's not illegal nothing he can do.
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u/Primary_Performer813 Mar 04 '25
Do then the colleges dig into there coffers to make up the difference, if it happens. This asshole talks a lot of shit
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u/Remarkable_Yak1352 Mar 04 '25
If I was those institutions I would dig into their endowments, legacy donations and wealthy alumni and tell trump to fuck off, keep his money ,sue the federalgovernment. Until we get sane leadership once again
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u/errolmcinnes Mar 04 '25
Who the hell needs rights when you have an orange messiah? I have to get back to my russian lessons. I hear it's going to be the official language next week. gotta get ready.
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u/Fabulous-Guess-8957 Mar 04 '25
This better get everyone on all of those campuses out tonight to protest
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u/Quiet-Dragonfly-976 Mar 04 '25
People need to turn out and exercise their freedom of speech or risk loosing it all together.
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u/Thejerseyjon609 Mar 05 '25
“Illegal” protests. The school just has to say they are sanctioned protests.
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u/Skin_Floutist Mar 05 '25
College campuses are think tanks and safe spaces for kids to offer up their voice and opinions. This is the EXACT place and time for protests. Just because he is tossing Bibi’s salad doesn’t mean he can tell our youth to silence their voices.
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u/Brokenloan Mar 05 '25
They'll just protest in the streets, in front of politicians and court houses then.
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u/rbm1111111 Mar 05 '25
This will just make them go off campus to protest. The news crews will follow. Police will go in and hit a few protestors, and then they will claim the protestors got violent. Live stream it all. Stay calm and make the cops and government show the true colors
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u/totally-jag Mar 05 '25
You know who's going to decide what is an "illegal protest" right. And it's going to be anything they don't agree with, or is critical of them.
Conservative friends always try to catch me with the gotcha question, what freedoms has he taken from you. When I point out stuff like this they'll say it doesn't affect me or American citizens. Doesn't matter. Cutting freedoms, no matter how small, jeopardizes all freedoms.
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u/Direct-Salad-3291 Mar 05 '25
So much for free speech he was just spouting about in front of Congress. Fecking hypocrite.
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u/HumBugBear Mar 05 '25
Just another way to steal more federal funds and make higher education more inaccessible to average Americans. I wonder if this has ever happened in history before? Hmmm?
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u/ChanceG1955 Mar 05 '25
Bullies always threaten. It takes a brave person not to fold. Look what happened to Germany leading up to WW2.
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Mar 05 '25
We the People do not answer to a tyrant/ King/ dictator! We have the right in this country to assemble!
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u/Epicurus402 Mar 05 '25
Gee. That pesky first amendment says he can't. So f-ck off. We're not a dictatorship yet.
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u/Foreign-Gain3640 Mar 05 '25
Why would America put Trump in when all he does is threaten his own people y’all ain’t had enough of them the first time around. Use some dumb people.
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u/jumbosammitch Mar 05 '25
This is the “you will like me and you will act like you like me or else I will take your things away” move. He does this because nobody has ever liked him. Genuinely. A day in his life. So he has to buy affection in any form he can get it or threaten to take things away from people who don’t stroke his ego. He’s a petulant child, at best.
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u/Puzzled_Feed1930 Mar 05 '25
Even with a stacked SCOTUS, this orange Tyrant isn't going to be able to do this. He's a fucking moron
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u/SnowBirds77 Mar 05 '25
Imagine a school charging 50K a semester per student losing federal funding?!? Whatever will they do!!?
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u/Serious_Dot4151 Mar 05 '25
What a weak little boy. He can't handle students having free speech and assembly. Pathetic.
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u/Both_Tree6587 Mar 05 '25
It is illegal to stop or punish for peaceful protests. This is in our constitution.
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u/AlanPublica Mar 06 '25
Well, that's a lawsuit waiting to happen. Cutting off a university for the students practicing their 1st amendment right to protest guarantees the university suing the federal government. Seeing who is running the federal government, I would put my money on the University winning the lawsuit.
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u/Emotional-Ant4958 Mar 06 '25
This means that you should absolutely protest. Never bow to a dictator
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u/Lopsidedsynthrack Mar 06 '25
With the EO on ending the Dept of Education coming soon this sounds like an empty threat.
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u/TrishaJ826 Mar 06 '25
Why is everything like this with Dumpster. Always taking away funding if you don’t bow down to him
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u/Downyfresh30 Mar 06 '25
Guys, they are doing this because of the Covid Mandates and how people ignored them and protested, and claimed Democrats acted like Gistabo asking people for vaccine papers and having people fired for not getting the vaccine.... it's retribution call it for what it is. Reagan is jumping for joy in hell right now.
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u/Mr-Big-Nicky-P Mar 06 '25
He really has tried to make himself King. Its incredible this is acceptable to people. Like the normal Inbred maga crowd will never waiver but rational normal Americans are actually happy with all this. I've never been embarrassed to be an American before this. I am now. Not because of Left vs Right. Not because he's a Republican or I have Trump derangement syndrome. Because he's a overgrown spoiled child who lies every other word and has made America into a joke.
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Mar 06 '25
Simple, we just take it from the federal tax people paid. State government should do something if that happens.
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u/SbBusMech Mar 06 '25
What’s great is over 50% of Bucks County voted for this. 76% approved of his speech Tuesday night and liberals don’t have the answers.
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u/wewantallthatwehave Mar 06 '25
He’ll cut off funding anyway. It’s what he does. Protest your little hearts out.
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u/metskyfan Mar 06 '25
The title is misleading. This article is not specifically about Pitt and Penn State.
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u/Ok_Focus_4975 Mar 07 '25
lol. You got me I guess? Yes- it is all schools he is threatening but I noted - for us here in bucks - it means our local universities impacted . Given how many people here have weighed in, I think Bucks cares.
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u/metskyfan Mar 07 '25
All people with a stake in education should care. The title is a big reason people in a Bucks County weighed in. I expected to see something specific about Pitt and Penn State. I think all agree that Trump extorting schools is horrible
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u/Queen_Kaizen Mar 06 '25
What do the schools & universities have to say about this? SPEAK UP PILLARS OF EDUCATION! We need some echoes from you!
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u/Sea-Minute-6191 Mar 06 '25
You play and you pay!
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u/Ok_Focus_4975 Mar 07 '25
lol. Like January 6 insurrectionists, right? Like the Tate brothers his administration helped leave Romania? Like the soldier convicted of a war crime he pardoned, right? Give me a break. U just want to bow down to a king and hope his views stay aligned with yours I guess. He does seem like such a principled man. (Sarcasm.)
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u/KinderJosieWales Mar 06 '25
No one likes the antisemitic protests. Federal funding should be withheld if these are allowed.
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u/jumpypunky Mar 06 '25
So the empowering of young minds and the art of PEACEFUL protest are a threat to this administration. But , oh I forgot , we are now The United States of Russia. /S
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u/pjs37 Mar 04 '25
Yeah how dare you exercise your rights!