March 10, 2006

To the Editors:

This is a call to action. As most everyone knows, since the genocide in Darfur began in 2003, 400,000 people have died and 2.5 million have been driven from their homes. It seems to me that many people, certainly myself included, look at all the causes staring us in the face and feel overwhelmed. But for those of us who feel that the urgent needs of these causes are thrown at us without any direction as to how we can help, for those of us who do nothing because we want to do everything, I want to tell myself and tell everyone that there is in fact a great deal we can do. When it comes to stopping the genocide in Darfur, we as individuals can help.

Now is a pivotal time; now is when we decide whether we will tolerate such cruelty to continue its rule. Our leaders have heard our voices; they know they have our support in ending the genocide, and so they are moving toward that end. The late Senator Paul Simon said that if each member of Congress had received only 100 letters from their constituents, the genocide in Rwanda may have been stopped before it reached such tragic proportions.

We will all eventually look back and have to answer for ourselves and what we allowed. My impression is that at Oberlin we have more than enough of our share of guilt for the privileges we have, and so I don’t say this to make anyone feel guilty. I say this instead to propose a solution.

I know many students on this campus have a cause they carry around with them and devote themselves to above all others, but for those of us unable to give more of ourselves and our time, we can still pay tribute to Senator Paul Simon’s words.

Whatever less-than-glowing things you may have to say about your elected officials, they have to listen to you. They want to get reelected and will listen to the voices of those who will keep them where they are. Tell them that you will not stand for a leader who does not sacrifice everything to stop genocide. Now is when we decide whether all things such as these can end, or whether we will simply choke in horror and look the other way. Call the offices of your congressmen. Call them once a week. It takes maybe seven minutes. The person who answers your call will listen and note that you are concerned about Darfur and when enough of us call, there will be no more turning away. On March 2, Resolution 383 passed in the Senate. It was a commitment to securing the safety of the civilians in Darfur through a NATO bridging-force.

Please call your senators and thank them, and then ask them for more. Call President Bush and tell him what you demand from him. The phone numbers for Senators DeWine and Voinovich are (202) 224-2315 and (202) 224-3353, respectively.

–Penina Eilberg-Schwartz
College sophomore

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December 16, 2005

To the Editors:

In previous letters, assertions were made that Israel’s security measures were the sole cause of the Palestinian’s economic suffering.

Since the beginning of the second Intifada, both Israeli and Palestinian economies have been affected adversely. The success of the Palestinian economy has been hindered by the corruption of Arafat’s government long before the outbreak of any violence in this Intifada.

Israel relies on Palestinian workers for its own economic needs, and the Palestinian economy is highly dependent on Israel. Therefore, it is beneficial to both sides to have a flourishing Palestinian economy, as well as an Israeli one. When Palestinians suffer, Israel suffers, and vice versa.

Curfews, checkpoints and closures are the result of very real security concerns and are part of an effort to protect innocent Israeli citizens from terrorism. They are not simply random acts of Israeli aggression directed at Palestinians in an attempt to destroy the economy.

To place the blame exclusively on Israel is both disingenuous and intellectually irresponsible. It is unhelpful to the cause of peace, both in the Middle East and here at Oberlin. Only when both sides can admit to their own mistakes and take responsibility for the past can there be a possibility for a future peace.

–Hannah Levinson
–Sarah Rosenthal
College sophomores
–Katie Greenberg
College first-year
Oberlin Zionists

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December 2, 2005

To the Editors:

I am writing in response to your article on Aryeh Green’s talk. I was not present at the talk, but I am responding directly to your article, and the claims made by Aryeh Green as quoted by your reporter, [Joshua Keating] on Nov. 18. In particular I would like to address the statement that the Wall is like “airport security.” As an international student, I have been subjected to screening at the airport. I’ve been patted down, I’ve taken off my shoes and I’ve even had my bag swabbed for traces of chemical explosives. All of this was unpleasant, inconvenient and often smacked of racism, because as a person of color and a foreigner, I was singled out for this kind of treatment.

This, however, pales in comparison to the treatment of Palestinians by the Israeli military at checkpoints. This summer my grandmother, who lived in Gaza, Palestine, had a stroke. My relatives outside of Gaza could not visit her in the hospital because it was sealed by the Israeli military. My uncle had to cross illegally into Gaza, risking his own life so he could spend two days with my grandmother. She died this fall and only two of her 12 children could be with her because of travel restrictions.

My family’s story is not unique. These kinds of tragedies continue to play out each day. People can’t see their families or otherwise live a normal life. Whether you call it a “fence” or a “wall” does not change its function — which is the daily brutalization of a population ostensibly for “security.” Comparing it to “airport security” is absolutely absurd. Furthermore, Mr. Green’s position is absurd and contradictory — he positions himself as a reasonable individual and yet he advocates measures that are devastating and criminal under international law. Supporting the wall is self-defeating, because the long-term security of Israel is wrapped up in its treatment of its neighbors.

We, in the Oberlin community, need to go further than parroting simple epithets about “security” and reject support for militaristic approaches to solving the Israel-Palestine conflict.

–Rasha Al Sarraj
Palestinian International Student
College senior