We have a duty to act

Photo courtesy of Jivan Wilbertstein

Ongoing peaceful protests on college campuses for the resolution of conflicts in the Middle East, specifically Palestine and Lebanon, demands action from college administrations.

Remember South Africa! Remember Vietnam! SUNY Geneseo, what side are we on? 

Hurricanes are becoming more intense, forest fires are increasingly ravaging the western United States, Tornado Alley is shifting eastward, and entire species are going extinct—all as genocides and wars are raging on with no end in sight. I have watched several videos and seen multiple photos, and each time I thought I had seen it all, more notifications and updates from the New York Times or Washington Post fill my screen. I have the privilege of being in the middle of western New York, where countless buildings are not turned to rubble by war or storms, but I would be mistaken to say I feel permanently safe here. Climate change does not and will not discriminate when it comes to destruction. As X user PerthshireMags noted in July 2022, “Climate change will manifest as a series of disasters viewed through phones with footage that gets closer and closer to where you live until you’re the one filming.” 

Moreover, it is important to realize that all issues are interconnected. Several universities across the country, including here at Geneseo, have a value of sustainability. At Geneseo, our value of sustainability means “building a culture of well-being that integrates and applies principles of environmental, social, and economic stewardship informed by an understanding of the past and our obligations to the future.” Sure, this is great, but with the perceived institutional neutrality that President Battles wishes to proclaim, this value means nothing. 

At the same time, the ongoing plausible genocide in Gaza by Israel (as stated by the International Court of Justice) has produced well over 60 million tons of carbon dioxide. To that, I say, how dare members of the university administration claim to be a globally engaged university and make efforts to be more sustainable when blatantly and outwardly ignoring these atrocities? I don’t want to hear SUNY Geneseo read another land acknowledgment about the land they stole until they acknowledge that university, local, state, and federal funds are currently used in an, as stated in an article by the United Nations, illegal occupation abroad. Anyone who has studied intersectionality or cares even an ounce about social justice issues knows that staying neutral only aids the oppressors. History might not remember those who did not act, but it will remember those who stood up for justice and those who stood in the way. 

Unlike Judaism, Zionism is not a religion but a political ideology and one that is inherently violent.  Blaming all Jews for the violence and calling for the death of them is antisemitic—calling for the end of Zionist state-sponsored violence is not. Being anti-Zionist does not automatically equate to being antisemitic. A lot of anti-Zionist Jews have been saying this for years now, and it took me an embarrassingly long time (roughly 2021) to recognize this. 

Creating ethno-states is never a good idea, especially for places that wish to be called democracies. Imperial forces can never be democracies if they rely on the oppression of others for legitimacy. Remember—condemning acts of state-sanctioned violence against groups isn’t antisemitic. I may not be religious, but there are several Mitzvot (commandments) that the State of Israel is currently violating against not just Palestinians but also the Lebanese as well. 

One of the prime examples of this is Sh’mot 20:13, which reads, “You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” The reckless killings of hundreds of thousands of civilians must end. The killings of roughly 1,200 Israeli citizens were unjustifiable. Anyone who says otherwise is disgusting. However, a year-long plus full-scale “war” with several, conservatively estimated, tens of thousands killed or wounded is more deplorable, immoral, and unjustifiable. Collective punishment is a war crime. Bombing “safe zones” is a war crime. Killing civilians? Yes, it’s a war crime. As someone who strongly believes in following policies, I find it increasingly difficult to do so as new rules are being made due to students across the country demanding an end to the everlasting conflict and the investment in such.

Universities nationwide, including Geneseo, have begun implementing new policies directly aimed at squashing effective student organizing. This raises a hypothetical question: Had university students decided to set up encampments collectively, occupy university halls, hold protests, etc., for, say, the ever-worsening climate crisis, would university administrations passed these new restrictions?

I don’t think so. In fact, except with the occupation of university halls, I think people would have cheered students on, calling alongside them to end the investment in fossil fuels. University officials attempting to swiftly extinguish the embers of the protests in the previous semester forget about the sparks sent flying when stepping on glowing coal. These demonstrations have hit a nerve. A protest chant of “disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest” remains permanently echoed in my mind. 

For the sake of humanity, we must peacefully demand the divestment of resources from the destruction of others. We have a duty to uphold our values as a university. We have a duty to uphold the morals and ethics we have for each other and ourselves. We have a duty to act.