By: Ja'afar Bilal
On October 1, 2009, at Cinefest, Georgia State Progressive Student Alliance and the Movement to End Israeli Apartheid-Georgia (MEIA-G) is holding a free film screening of the eye-catching documentary called ”Slingshot Hip Hop,” a film which demonstrates the call for peace and justice by Palestinian hip hop artists.
Imagine spending your childhood as a Palestinian growing up in the Israel, Gaza or the West Bank and not knowing where to look for inspiration or help, trying to search for an outlet from the negative feelings that fulfill your mind, heart, and soul due to constant war and occupation. This is exactly what happens to Tamar, his brother Suhell and their neighbor Mahmoud Jreri, founders of DAM, which is considered the first Palestinian hip hop group. These lifelong friends take on their struggle against oppression by liberating themselves from Israeli aggression through the form of hip hop music.
The trio’s stories to fight oppression are welcomed through the production of a documentary film titled “Slingshot Hip Hop,” directed by Jackie Reem Salloum, who demonstrates through her creativity and artistic ability the obstacles Palestinians face each day. These egregious obstacles Palestinians are faced with include checkpoints, home evictions, the separation wall barrier, the usurping of land, and the many aggressions against the Palestinian people.
Filming through the streets of Gaza and the West Bank , and Lyd -where Tamar and his family were relocated after being displaced from their ancestral home in Jaffa- Tamar lectures to children in the community on how to turn negative feelings into positive energy through his inspiration from Tupac Shakur. He explains how Tupac’s craft of words reflected the reality of discriminations and racism against blacks, so, Tamar applies the same concept to his situation, discrimination and racism against Arabs, specifically Palestinians.
Salloum does an excellent job of showing the world through this film that Palestinians are not the barbarians as presented through media outlets. This is the most important lesson that can be learned from this film. Palestinain children and teenagers have the same desires as all other individuals have. Changing the notion that Palestinians are “backward” people is a lesson that should resonate through the audience’s conscious after watching this film.
To these musicians and young children, and according to the title, hip hop is their weapon to spread the common message of peace, instead of using violence against those who silence the voices of the oppressed; it is a weapon that can educate individuals from all walks of life and help save Palestinians from believing into false pressures, as DAM brings to light, such as being ashamed of being Arab.
Obstacles against the Palestinians, which seem to go unnoticed in the mainstream media, are brought to light which will be intriguing to those who would like to be introduced to their world.
Aside from capturing the ambitions of DAM, Salloum also focuses on a Gazan rap group, known as Palestinian Rapperz, consisting of three young guys (Muhammed al-Farra, Moataz Al-Hewaihy and Kan’aan) who emulate DAM in order for the outside world to hear their story and experiences inside of Gaza. She also touches on two young ladies who rap from Akka, as well as a young man named Mahmoud Shalabi.
The film lacks an explanation of how rappers manage to receive financial backing and how these rappers intend to continue to pursue their goals in the midst of Israeli occupation. Questions are left unanswered such as “Are there any significant changes in the campaign against injustice in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank as a result of these rappers influence among their audience?”
Despite having the climax at the end of the film, one would normally see this as a disappointment. In fact, by doing this, Salloum symbolizes this through the idea that if you work hard enough and never give up in working for a just cause, in the end you will receive the results you desire. Now, you are going to have to watch the film in order to piece together the puzzle of what the climax maybe!
After the film presentation, the Progressive Student Alliance and MEIA-G will be holding a discussion about the film and the upcoming divestment campaign to follow at 66 Courtland St., Suite 240, Atlanta 30303.
You may contact meiageorgia@gmail.com for further questions.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Universal Day of Quds (Jerusalem) - Opinion
By: Ja'afar Bilal
Ever since the early 20th century, with the colonial occupation in Palestine, the world has turned a blind eye towards the Palestinians, especially since 61 years ago. In order to fill the emptiness of lack of support for the Palestinians, Muslims and non-Muslims (Christians and Jews, etc.) from across the globe united together last Friday (September 18, 2009) as “Universal Day of Quds (Jerusalem)” to express their solidarity with the Palestinians not only living Palestine, but also those oppressed living in refugee camps and around the world.
It was thirty years ago on August 7, 1979, when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini –the revolutionary leader of Iran- announced before the world and declared the last Friday of Ramadan as being the “Universal Day of Quds,” also known as All Muslim’s Day or Oppressed People’s Day. This day has no religious significance within the Islam; it is simply a day for all Muslims and non-Muslims to unite and express their solidarity with the Palestinians and all other oppressed individuals around the world.
“Quds Day is an international day, it is not a day devoted to Quds alone. It is the day for the weak and oppressed to confront the arrogant powers, the day for those nations suffering under the pressure of American oppression and oppression by other powers to confront the superpowers; it is the day when the oppressed should arm themselves against the oppressors and rub their noses in the dirt; it is the day when the hypocrites will be distinguished from the true believers,” Khomeini said in a speech made on August 16, 1979.^1
In the beginning of 1948, the Palestinians were ethnically cleansed by the Zionist forces (under Plan Dalet) from their towns and villages only to be sent off to live in refugee camps in Gaza and the West Bank and in the surrounding Arab countries of Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. The strategy of collective punishment of the Palestinians which was used decades ago is still being used today; this method was strategically important for the Zionists to expel the Palestinians from their homes.
According to Israeli historian Ilan Pappe, “It was this plan [Plan Dalet] that sealed the fate of the Palestinians within the territory the Zionist Leaders had set their eyes on for their future Jewish State. Indifferent as to whether these Palestinians might decide to collaborate with or oppose their Jewish State, Plan Dalet called for their systematic and total expulsion from their homeland.”^2
On May 14, 1948, the United Nations unanimously voted for the creation of the State of Israel without fair representation on behalf of the Palestinians. This day is known to Israelis as their “Independence Day” and for Palestinians, “Al’Nakba” or “Catastrophe.” Over 600,000 Palestinians were displaced between 1948, many of whom left with nothing but a few supplies and the clothes on their backs. As of today, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East, there are over 1.3 million Palestinians living in over five dozen refugee camps in the territories and countries mentioned above.
The Palestinians did not have the sophisticated weaponry, training, and financial services provided to the Zionists by the British and Europeans, so they could not effectively form a strong resistance. The native population was terrorized by Zionist militias such as the Hagana, Irgun, and Stern Gang, whose main objectives where to expel Palestinians by use of fierce tactics which involved burning villages and murdering men, women, and children regardless of their inability to defend themselves. Hundreds of towns were demolished to the ground, water supplies were poisoned, and ancient olive groves, and flower and vegetable gardens were uprooted and left to die. There are countless massacres and atrocities such as the most infamous Deir Yassin Massacre that took place in the village of Deir Yassin in the beginning of April 1948. Women were raped, men were shot dead, and villages burned; a total of 254 victims were killed and many of their bodies were buried in mass graves. This figure seems small when compared to the war between Israel and Hamas in December 2008 to January 2009 where there were over 1,400 Palestinians killed and 13 Israelis killed.
Being forcefully dispossessed is not an easy path to embark on. Leaving the land they were raised on and toiled for decades, and separating themselves from the culture and dear people that embraced their hearts to go live in what would become a slum for the rest of their lives is shameful. The vacant lands and homes that were once lively and rich were left empty and replaced by an influx of European Jews.
Since their dispossession, many Palestinians who live in refugee camps are unable to work and function normally among the population. In Lebanon, for example, the Lebanese government will not allow Palestinian refugees to become citizens due to two main factors: one, they would assimilate themselves into the Lebanese population which would in affect deny themselves their right of return that they deserve, and two, their permanent staying in Lebanon would change the demographics within the country, especially among the Muslim and Christian population.
Even in Gaza and the West Bank, Palestinians are on complete lock down. Since January 2007, Israel has placed an embargo on Gaza which is slowly suffocating the Palestinians since Hamas took control through free and fair elections. The West Bank is slowly being erased away by the continuous construction of illegal settlements in which given time, Israel has strategically created a spider web of settlements which makes it impossible for the Palestinians to live normally and even attempt to establish their own state, according to the 1967 borders. These illegal settlements have been condemned by the United Nations and seen as unacceptable by Israel’s strongest ally, the United States. It is not like their condemnations and stance on the question of Palestine really strikes a chord in their organization and nation. The United Nations has never placed sanctions on Israel for its violation of dozens of UN resolutions and the United States is as ready as can be to provide Israel military aid as soon as possible, probably faster than they (the U.S.) can deliver aid to the Iraqis or Afghanis; the U.S. always uses its veto power in the United Nations to block Israel’s actions and policies from being stopped.
If Palestinians refugees were allowed to return back to their homeland, the demographics would change within Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cronies would deem this to be unacceptable because of two reasons. The first being that it would invalidate the myth that many Israeli historians and American academic professors such as Benny Morris and Alan Dershowitz claim and that is, that there were very few to no Palestinians living in Palestine in the early 20th century-as if the land was barren and empty of life. The second reason is if Palestinians were allowed their right of return, many of their towns and villages would be non-existent and they would have no place to stay, as the Zionist settlers built their homes and renamed towns and villages in replace of the Palestinian’s homes; this would result in the change in demographics in Israel.
When Palestinians eventually return to their homeland, many will return to Jerusalem, which will pose a threat to the Zionist dream of completing a Jewish State with the entire holy city of Jerusalem as their capital. Only in Israel is Jerusalem officially recognized as their capital, but to the world Israel’s capital is designated as being Tel-Aviv. From the early months of 1948, the Zionists were successful in removing the Arab populations throughout parts of Jerusalem. As noted in David Ben-Gurion’s diary by Ilan Pappe, “It is true that not all of Jerusalem is Jewish, but it has in it already a huge Jewish bloc: when you enter the city through Lifta and Romema, Mahaneh Yehuda, King George Street and Mea Shearim-there are no Arabs. One hundred percent Jews.”^3 Israel continues to Judaize Jerusalem, as they continue to build more synagogues and order up evacuations of Palestinian families living in East Jerusalem.
With the passing of each day, the Palestinians cannot live their lives as refugees and be treated as if they are animals and thrown to the gates of hell. They have so much patience and courage, only to be pushed aside as if they are subhuman. The egregious conditions and circumstances they are placed in is a depressing sight for anyone to see. People need to become aware and proactive in assisting the oppressed people whether it is the homeless man down the street or the Hmong people in Laos; people do not deserve to be thrown aside because of corrupt governments, corporations, and ideologues can fulfill their ambitions at the expense of destroying the lives of others. People need to be liberated from the shackles of oppression.
This is why the “Universal Day of Quds” was created by Ayatollah Khomeini and this is why communities should stand beside one another, uniting against oppression and crimes against humanity that surround the lives of millions of individuals each day. There needs to be an end to oppression caused by hegemony and a cure of justice that crosses the globe from the violent streets of Colombia to those suffering from bombs and occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan and to those old and crippled Palestinians who sit in their “new homes” holding on to treasured photographs of their previous life, to the same key that used to open the door to their true home 61 years ago which was once in a beautiful, peaceful land called Palestine.
Sources:
1.“Announcement of International Quds Day,” Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, http://www2.irib.ir/worldservice/imam/palestin_E/10.htm, accessed 18 September 2009.
2.Pappe, Ilan, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine (USA: Oneworld Publications 2006), 28.
3.Pappe, Ilan, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine (USA: Oneworld Publications 2006), 68.
Ever since the early 20th century, with the colonial occupation in Palestine, the world has turned a blind eye towards the Palestinians, especially since 61 years ago. In order to fill the emptiness of lack of support for the Palestinians, Muslims and non-Muslims (Christians and Jews, etc.) from across the globe united together last Friday (September 18, 2009) as “Universal Day of Quds (Jerusalem)” to express their solidarity with the Palestinians not only living Palestine, but also those oppressed living in refugee camps and around the world.
It was thirty years ago on August 7, 1979, when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini –the revolutionary leader of Iran- announced before the world and declared the last Friday of Ramadan as being the “Universal Day of Quds,” also known as All Muslim’s Day or Oppressed People’s Day. This day has no religious significance within the Islam; it is simply a day for all Muslims and non-Muslims to unite and express their solidarity with the Palestinians and all other oppressed individuals around the world.
“Quds Day is an international day, it is not a day devoted to Quds alone. It is the day for the weak and oppressed to confront the arrogant powers, the day for those nations suffering under the pressure of American oppression and oppression by other powers to confront the superpowers; it is the day when the oppressed should arm themselves against the oppressors and rub their noses in the dirt; it is the day when the hypocrites will be distinguished from the true believers,” Khomeini said in a speech made on August 16, 1979.^1
In the beginning of 1948, the Palestinians were ethnically cleansed by the Zionist forces (under Plan Dalet) from their towns and villages only to be sent off to live in refugee camps in Gaza and the West Bank and in the surrounding Arab countries of Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. The strategy of collective punishment of the Palestinians which was used decades ago is still being used today; this method was strategically important for the Zionists to expel the Palestinians from their homes.
According to Israeli historian Ilan Pappe, “It was this plan [Plan Dalet] that sealed the fate of the Palestinians within the territory the Zionist Leaders had set their eyes on for their future Jewish State. Indifferent as to whether these Palestinians might decide to collaborate with or oppose their Jewish State, Plan Dalet called for their systematic and total expulsion from their homeland.”^2
On May 14, 1948, the United Nations unanimously voted for the creation of the State of Israel without fair representation on behalf of the Palestinians. This day is known to Israelis as their “Independence Day” and for Palestinians, “Al’Nakba” or “Catastrophe.” Over 600,000 Palestinians were displaced between 1948, many of whom left with nothing but a few supplies and the clothes on their backs. As of today, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East, there are over 1.3 million Palestinians living in over five dozen refugee camps in the territories and countries mentioned above.
The Palestinians did not have the sophisticated weaponry, training, and financial services provided to the Zionists by the British and Europeans, so they could not effectively form a strong resistance. The native population was terrorized by Zionist militias such as the Hagana, Irgun, and Stern Gang, whose main objectives where to expel Palestinians by use of fierce tactics which involved burning villages and murdering men, women, and children regardless of their inability to defend themselves. Hundreds of towns were demolished to the ground, water supplies were poisoned, and ancient olive groves, and flower and vegetable gardens were uprooted and left to die. There are countless massacres and atrocities such as the most infamous Deir Yassin Massacre that took place in the village of Deir Yassin in the beginning of April 1948. Women were raped, men were shot dead, and villages burned; a total of 254 victims were killed and many of their bodies were buried in mass graves. This figure seems small when compared to the war between Israel and Hamas in December 2008 to January 2009 where there were over 1,400 Palestinians killed and 13 Israelis killed.
Being forcefully dispossessed is not an easy path to embark on. Leaving the land they were raised on and toiled for decades, and separating themselves from the culture and dear people that embraced their hearts to go live in what would become a slum for the rest of their lives is shameful. The vacant lands and homes that were once lively and rich were left empty and replaced by an influx of European Jews.
Since their dispossession, many Palestinians who live in refugee camps are unable to work and function normally among the population. In Lebanon, for example, the Lebanese government will not allow Palestinian refugees to become citizens due to two main factors: one, they would assimilate themselves into the Lebanese population which would in affect deny themselves their right of return that they deserve, and two, their permanent staying in Lebanon would change the demographics within the country, especially among the Muslim and Christian population.
Even in Gaza and the West Bank, Palestinians are on complete lock down. Since January 2007, Israel has placed an embargo on Gaza which is slowly suffocating the Palestinians since Hamas took control through free and fair elections. The West Bank is slowly being erased away by the continuous construction of illegal settlements in which given time, Israel has strategically created a spider web of settlements which makes it impossible for the Palestinians to live normally and even attempt to establish their own state, according to the 1967 borders. These illegal settlements have been condemned by the United Nations and seen as unacceptable by Israel’s strongest ally, the United States. It is not like their condemnations and stance on the question of Palestine really strikes a chord in their organization and nation. The United Nations has never placed sanctions on Israel for its violation of dozens of UN resolutions and the United States is as ready as can be to provide Israel military aid as soon as possible, probably faster than they (the U.S.) can deliver aid to the Iraqis or Afghanis; the U.S. always uses its veto power in the United Nations to block Israel’s actions and policies from being stopped.
If Palestinians refugees were allowed to return back to their homeland, the demographics would change within Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cronies would deem this to be unacceptable because of two reasons. The first being that it would invalidate the myth that many Israeli historians and American academic professors such as Benny Morris and Alan Dershowitz claim and that is, that there were very few to no Palestinians living in Palestine in the early 20th century-as if the land was barren and empty of life. The second reason is if Palestinians were allowed their right of return, many of their towns and villages would be non-existent and they would have no place to stay, as the Zionist settlers built their homes and renamed towns and villages in replace of the Palestinian’s homes; this would result in the change in demographics in Israel.
When Palestinians eventually return to their homeland, many will return to Jerusalem, which will pose a threat to the Zionist dream of completing a Jewish State with the entire holy city of Jerusalem as their capital. Only in Israel is Jerusalem officially recognized as their capital, but to the world Israel’s capital is designated as being Tel-Aviv. From the early months of 1948, the Zionists were successful in removing the Arab populations throughout parts of Jerusalem. As noted in David Ben-Gurion’s diary by Ilan Pappe, “It is true that not all of Jerusalem is Jewish, but it has in it already a huge Jewish bloc: when you enter the city through Lifta and Romema, Mahaneh Yehuda, King George Street and Mea Shearim-there are no Arabs. One hundred percent Jews.”^3 Israel continues to Judaize Jerusalem, as they continue to build more synagogues and order up evacuations of Palestinian families living in East Jerusalem.
With the passing of each day, the Palestinians cannot live their lives as refugees and be treated as if they are animals and thrown to the gates of hell. They have so much patience and courage, only to be pushed aside as if they are subhuman. The egregious conditions and circumstances they are placed in is a depressing sight for anyone to see. People need to become aware and proactive in assisting the oppressed people whether it is the homeless man down the street or the Hmong people in Laos; people do not deserve to be thrown aside because of corrupt governments, corporations, and ideologues can fulfill their ambitions at the expense of destroying the lives of others. People need to be liberated from the shackles of oppression.
This is why the “Universal Day of Quds” was created by Ayatollah Khomeini and this is why communities should stand beside one another, uniting against oppression and crimes against humanity that surround the lives of millions of individuals each day. There needs to be an end to oppression caused by hegemony and a cure of justice that crosses the globe from the violent streets of Colombia to those suffering from bombs and occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan and to those old and crippled Palestinians who sit in their “new homes” holding on to treasured photographs of their previous life, to the same key that used to open the door to their true home 61 years ago which was once in a beautiful, peaceful land called Palestine.
Sources:
1.“Announcement of International Quds Day,” Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, http://www2.irib.ir/worldservice/imam/palestin_E/10.htm, accessed 18 September 2009.
2.Pappe, Ilan, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine (USA: Oneworld Publications 2006), 28.
3.Pappe, Ilan, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine (USA: Oneworld Publications 2006), 68.
Georgia State campus unites to celebrate first Earth Month
Originally published: 04/21/09
By: Ja'afar Bilal
As Earth Day approaches on April 22, 2009, millions across the globe will take-part in improving the Earth’s growth, development, and conservation.
Between April 9 th through the 18th Georgia State University’s Office of Civic Engagement will collaborate with the GSU’s Sustainable Energy Group (SEG) and the Earth Day Committee in honor of GSU’s first celebration of Earth Month. Numerous activities such as guest speakers, street and career fairs will be hosted as part of Earth Month.
“Georgia State University's first Earth Month was a collaborative effort primarily by environmentally-conscious members from different departments and groups, such as the Office of Civic Engagement, Circle K International, University Career Services, and the College of Arts and Sciences,” Gabrielle Arrington, Secretary of SEG, said.
Last week on April 9, as part of promoting and hosting Earth Month awareness, environmental activist and attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, Robert Kennedy Jr., gave a lecture titled “Our Environmental Destiny,” which outlined the causes and solutions on how the U.S. can become and remain independent from foreign oil and conserve and reuse energy to establish sustainability for future generations.
Kennedy said that the U.S. needs to establish a market place that offers rewards and remains efficient, rather than servicing a market place “rigged to filter the most destructive fuels from hell rather than receive the mot pure fuels from heaven.”
He gave examples of countries such as Sweden which is utilizing sawmill waste dust into energy and now is the sixth richest country according to GDP per capita. Furthermore, Kennedy explained how the U.S. has some of the richest and biggest gas deposits in the world, which can supply the U.S. up to 120 years. He also added that a successful economy functions identically with a healthy environmental policy in which he further explained the notion of how there are huge subsidies that are given the “carbon cronies” [incumbents] and how this prevents local and cheap sources of energy from being available on the market for consumers.
By hosting these services SEG is able to achieve its local goals some of which include: advancing environmental awareness and focusing on advocacy for environmental reform both on and off campus. SEG strives with other organizations such as the Earth Day Committee, Sierra Club, and Trees Atlanta in order to successfully reach out to locals to achieve its aspirations of sustaining environmental awareness.
“Some purposes [of this organization as well as others] are to increase participation of the student body in environmental initiatives (such as community service day), increase exposure between environmental organizations in Atlanta and Georgia, student/department organizations and the student body to network and improve the environment within and surrounding Georgia State University,” Arrington explains.
Arrington has long been active in addressing and solving environmental issues; she is a Associate Board Member of Keeping Cobb Beautiful, Co-Coordinator of the Earth Day Committee and she has done work with Energy Action Coalition, a group that advocates solving environmental concerns such as climate change.
Nurturing and preserving the precious habitats of endangered species, preventing the dwindling of necessary resources such as coal and oil encourage activists and organizations in the local community and throughout the world advocate to maintain the Earth’s sustainability.
Understanding the efforts that it takes to organize and construct reform of any caliber acquires the will and determination of a people who are passionate about their community and future. Many within these groups – like Arrington- pursue advocacy not just on the local level, but also on the national and international scale.
She explains how herself and others who hold prominent positions within local environmental groups such as Lovell Lemons, Carole Golder, McNair Wagner, Delca Jackson and Nick Alexander and Elise Meyers “are only a few of the individuals on the committee who have collaborated and greatly contributed their ideas, time, and resources to make everything possible for Earth Month.”
Arrington provides examples of how SEG and other organizations have worked side by side to ensure the environment receives the treatment it deserves.
“For example, representatives of the Sierra Club and members of the Sustainable Energy Group met to discuss the Beltline Project, including the surrounding communities affected, the different opinions concerning where and how it is built, and how to take a role to ensure that these communities were fairly represented in the project's implementation,” Arrington said. “Traditionally, the group has grassroots origins, and has worked primarily within the environmental community and with university members.”
Maintaining suitability of our resources -economic, social, and environmental- is crucial for future generations to thrive and allocate life’s longevity.
Communities can do small things which would be a small step that can and will eventually lead to larger projects -a positive impact- of conserving and maintaining environmental sustainability.
“By making small changes, such as choosing to buy reusable water bottles and cooking with organic food from local markets, a positive impact can be made on the environment,” Arrington said. “Students should also become familiar with the environmental resources offered on and off campus. Students can reduce the use of plastic bags for lunches, buy re-used books (or e-books) for classes, use recycled paper for printing or computers to take notes (when possible), and use eco-friendly laundry detergent and cleaning supplies.”
By becoming active on and off campus, students help encourage and maintain a healthy planet.
Other services will be held such as the Earth Day Green Career Workshop that is taking place on April 16 for students who are interested in obtaining an environmental friendly job. Furthermore, numerous GSU ‘S Greek organizations will be competing all month long to see who can recycle the most materials. On April 18, the GSU community is going to collaborate with environmental organizations such as Captain Planet to help the community nurture trees in celebration of Kid’s Earth Day.
For more information, those who would like to participate in positive Earth Day activities please visit http://www.gsu.edu/gogreen/.
By: Ja'afar Bilal
As Earth Day approaches on April 22, 2009, millions across the globe will take-part in improving the Earth’s growth, development, and conservation.
Between April 9 th through the 18th Georgia State University’s Office of Civic Engagement will collaborate with the GSU’s Sustainable Energy Group (SEG) and the Earth Day Committee in honor of GSU’s first celebration of Earth Month. Numerous activities such as guest speakers, street and career fairs will be hosted as part of Earth Month.
“Georgia State University's first Earth Month was a collaborative effort primarily by environmentally-conscious members from different departments and groups, such as the Office of Civic Engagement, Circle K International, University Career Services, and the College of Arts and Sciences,” Gabrielle Arrington, Secretary of SEG, said.
Last week on April 9, as part of promoting and hosting Earth Month awareness, environmental activist and attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, Robert Kennedy Jr., gave a lecture titled “Our Environmental Destiny,” which outlined the causes and solutions on how the U.S. can become and remain independent from foreign oil and conserve and reuse energy to establish sustainability for future generations.
Kennedy said that the U.S. needs to establish a market place that offers rewards and remains efficient, rather than servicing a market place “rigged to filter the most destructive fuels from hell rather than receive the mot pure fuels from heaven.”
He gave examples of countries such as Sweden which is utilizing sawmill waste dust into energy and now is the sixth richest country according to GDP per capita. Furthermore, Kennedy explained how the U.S. has some of the richest and biggest gas deposits in the world, which can supply the U.S. up to 120 years. He also added that a successful economy functions identically with a healthy environmental policy in which he further explained the notion of how there are huge subsidies that are given the “carbon cronies” [incumbents] and how this prevents local and cheap sources of energy from being available on the market for consumers.
By hosting these services SEG is able to achieve its local goals some of which include: advancing environmental awareness and focusing on advocacy for environmental reform both on and off campus. SEG strives with other organizations such as the Earth Day Committee, Sierra Club, and Trees Atlanta in order to successfully reach out to locals to achieve its aspirations of sustaining environmental awareness.
“Some purposes [of this organization as well as others] are to increase participation of the student body in environmental initiatives (such as community service day), increase exposure between environmental organizations in Atlanta and Georgia, student/department organizations and the student body to network and improve the environment within and surrounding Georgia State University,” Arrington explains.
Arrington has long been active in addressing and solving environmental issues; she is a Associate Board Member of Keeping Cobb Beautiful, Co-Coordinator of the Earth Day Committee and she has done work with Energy Action Coalition, a group that advocates solving environmental concerns such as climate change.
Nurturing and preserving the precious habitats of endangered species, preventing the dwindling of necessary resources such as coal and oil encourage activists and organizations in the local community and throughout the world advocate to maintain the Earth’s sustainability.
Understanding the efforts that it takes to organize and construct reform of any caliber acquires the will and determination of a people who are passionate about their community and future. Many within these groups – like Arrington- pursue advocacy not just on the local level, but also on the national and international scale.
She explains how herself and others who hold prominent positions within local environmental groups such as Lovell Lemons, Carole Golder, McNair Wagner, Delca Jackson and Nick Alexander and Elise Meyers “are only a few of the individuals on the committee who have collaborated and greatly contributed their ideas, time, and resources to make everything possible for Earth Month.”
Arrington provides examples of how SEG and other organizations have worked side by side to ensure the environment receives the treatment it deserves.
“For example, representatives of the Sierra Club and members of the Sustainable Energy Group met to discuss the Beltline Project, including the surrounding communities affected, the different opinions concerning where and how it is built, and how to take a role to ensure that these communities were fairly represented in the project's implementation,” Arrington said. “Traditionally, the group has grassroots origins, and has worked primarily within the environmental community and with university members.”
Maintaining suitability of our resources -economic, social, and environmental- is crucial for future generations to thrive and allocate life’s longevity.
Communities can do small things which would be a small step that can and will eventually lead to larger projects -a positive impact- of conserving and maintaining environmental sustainability.
“By making small changes, such as choosing to buy reusable water bottles and cooking with organic food from local markets, a positive impact can be made on the environment,” Arrington said. “Students should also become familiar with the environmental resources offered on and off campus. Students can reduce the use of plastic bags for lunches, buy re-used books (or e-books) for classes, use recycled paper for printing or computers to take notes (when possible), and use eco-friendly laundry detergent and cleaning supplies.”
By becoming active on and off campus, students help encourage and maintain a healthy planet.
Other services will be held such as the Earth Day Green Career Workshop that is taking place on April 16 for students who are interested in obtaining an environmental friendly job. Furthermore, numerous GSU ‘S Greek organizations will be competing all month long to see who can recycle the most materials. On April 18, the GSU community is going to collaborate with environmental organizations such as Captain Planet to help the community nurture trees in celebration of Kid’s Earth Day.
For more information, those who would like to participate in positive Earth Day activities please visit http://www.gsu.edu/gogreen/.
Protest in Woodruff Park arouses anti-war sentiments
Originally published: 04/07/08
By: Ja'afar Bilal
With the U.S.’s economy declining, the U.S. continues to squander its money on the wars that the former Bush administration dragged the country into. Iraqi is striving for better days, Afghanistan is in peril, and with the recent 22 day “war” between Israel and Hamas, veterans and dissenters of war held a protest on Thursday March 19, 2009 at Woodruff Park and marched to the CNN Center while chanting anti-war slogans such as “Atlanta Says No to More War.”
The protestors waved anti-protest banners, as well as American and Palestinian flags demanding that CNN as well as other new agencies report the facts of what is actually resulting from the wars.
Paul Hayes, promoter of Georgia Tech Student Radio and WRFG 89.3 Atlanta Community Radio, attended the protest because he questions where money resources are being applied and he disagrees with the injustice committed against the Palestinians.
“Let me first say that I do not support the Taliban, they are killing a lot of people and I am worried about the country,” Hayes said. “It is very poor and it ranks in the top 10 countries in the world for poverty. Obviously al-Qaeda killed many people in New York and Washington, and we have to catch them, but is it possible to catch them in a country the size of Texas.”
Since the U.S. did not draw lessons from the Soviet’s occupation in Afghanistan in the 1980’s, Al-Qaeda continues to strengthen itself by using the mountainous terrain as cover as a means to regain power and control.
President Barak Obama recently deployed 17,000 troops to Afghanistan and by 2010, the last of American troops will be pulled out of Iraq. President Obama is willing to abandon Bush’s old plan and initiate low-level talks with the Palestinians and Hamas. Given President Obama’s approach to discontinuing President Bush’s hostile foreign policies, groups and organization continue to form in Atlanta because the U.S. has not changed its policy of giving Israel its full support.
Local groups such as the Movement to End Israeli Apartheid-Georgia (MEIA-GA) advocate such protests and also call for change in foreign and local support of Israel. MEIA-GA advocates against exploitation, sexism, justice struggles in Palestine, and racism, all of whether being practiced at home or abroad. This organization was formed after the most recent “war” between Israel and Hamas which took place from Dec. 27, 2008, to Jan.19, 2009. Objectives and ambitions of MEIA-GA include educating the community about the injustices committed against Palestinians such as apartheid and also how the community can tackle this notion by refusing to support local stores that sell Israeli products.
“Our goal is to use local targets, such as the farmers market, stores that are here in Atlanta that have more of a commitment to their community as well as the Atlanta community,” Vanessa Faraj said, a prominent member of MEIA-GA. “As far as divestment is concerned, we are want to look at various connections between numerous corporate sponsors that are connected the State of Israel. Something that we are working towards is Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS).”
Faraj says that people throughout the community should and needs to boycott Israeli products, which would “then slowly but surely, expose and sever financial ties that respected communities have with the State of Israel.” The way MEIA-GA is stationed, this organization is able to connect not only the legacy of slavery that has and still haunts the Southern states, to the oppressed people such as the Latinos and African Americans in U.S., as well as those suffering in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Palestine, and all over the world, but also the legacy of civil rights in the movement as well.
MEIA-G declares that Israel practices apartheid under the notion that “Israeli apartheid does not desire to exploit labour but it seeks to maximize its land with the minimum number of Palestinians.” MEIA-GA states that there are three levels of apartheid that Israel practices. The first level is practiced through the exploitation of Palestinians; the second level is the notion that Palestinians are also “civilians” within Israel, yet they are denied access back to their land, and finally, the third level of apartheid remains among the population of Palestinians within Israel, of who are seen as a “demographic threat.”
Hayes, an advocate for peace says that many Palestinians have had their lands confiscated by Israeli settlers. “Israel allows immigration to Palestine from Russia and a lot of Palestinians suffered a blockade by Israel on the Gaza strip. They did not let through medicine, fuel, or food to go to Gaza strip for several months. The United States is spending $3 billion a year in aid to the Israeli government and a lot of that aid gets used for building illegal settlements.”
The blockade, illegal settlements and constant and disproportionate exercise of Israeli’s military power against the Palestinians all have a role in forming apartheid.
“We should also bear in mind that apartheid does not express itself only in terms of policy, but also on the hidden level of ideology as the legal definition suggest,” Ziyaad Lunat said, a friend and comrade of Faraj and also a member of MEI-G. “In the case of Israel, Zionism clearly seeks the ‘oppression and domination by one racial group against other racial group,’ this is expressed in different ways but with the same ultimate goal.”
Faraj said that the first level of apartheid is that Israel denies the right of return for Palestinians living both within Israel and in refugee camps in neighboring Arab states despite the fact that some only live within 15 minutes from their homes.
“Israel apologists/Zionists often use the example of the Palestinians "citizens" of the state of Israel to argue that Israel is not an apartheid state,” she continues. “They say that because Palestinians inside Israel take on public office as if there is no apartheid in Israel. This is disingenuous. The Palestinians citizens of Israel comprise 10% of the global Palestinian population who are forcefully separated from their land. Israel uses these 10% as political tokens by allowing them to occupy some public posts inside Israel for as long as they don't challenge the legitimacy of the racist Zionist establishment. Nonetheless this has not always worked according to plan.”
The second form of apartheid both Faraj and Lunat describe are the two separate legal systems within the Occupied Territories. Lunat says that this system is practiced through exclusively Jewish only roads and towns.
According to B’Tselem, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, Israel is violating international human rights law by continuing to build illegal settlements in the West Bank, which are Jewish only towns. This prohibits establishing of peace, social and economic stability, and is an obstacle and preventive measure for establishing a final settlement to the ongoing conflict.
Lunat explains how the third level of apartheid is practiced by Israel excluding Palestinians living within Israel from public life.
“Palestinian citizens of Israel were outstripped from 93% of their land through state-sponsored land confiscations, Lunat explains. “Palestinian citizens are banned from certain jobs, they are discriminated against municipal budget allocations, they are under-represented in higher education and they cannot live in certain Jewish only towns inside Israel.”
In supporting her comrade, Faraj explains how since 1948, not one single Arab town has been built within Israel, while hundreds of Jewish towns continue to flourish, severely restricting the number of Arab towns being built. Demolition orders are being given the green light as if the homes are not occupied.
“There are an estimated 12,000 outstanding demolition orders in the Galilee and some 30,000 in the Negev to date, Faraj says.” “This is to concentrate Arabs in certain parts of the country while keeping so-called "strategic" areas for Jews only. In the Negev there are over 40 Palestinian villages, which existed before the creation of the state but they are not recognized by the Israeli government.”
Given the blatant and complete disregard for international law, the exploitation of Palestinians, and the Israeli apartheid system described by Faraj and Lunat, organizations such as MEIA-GA will continue to become active in communities locally and abroad to help educate and stop the abuse and terror of a people, no matter which group is under oppression.
MEIA-GA’s future plans are to go into local communities around Atlanta to discuss MEIA-G’s work as well as Israel’s colonialism. Other events include the commemoration events on May 15, Nakba Day, “Day of Catastrophe,” for the Palestinians or also known as “Day of Independence” for Israelis. MEIA-GA also has longer term BDS work planned.
For more information, MEIA-GA can be reached at www.meiag.org or on Facebook.
By: Ja'afar Bilal
With the U.S.’s economy declining, the U.S. continues to squander its money on the wars that the former Bush administration dragged the country into. Iraqi is striving for better days, Afghanistan is in peril, and with the recent 22 day “war” between Israel and Hamas, veterans and dissenters of war held a protest on Thursday March 19, 2009 at Woodruff Park and marched to the CNN Center while chanting anti-war slogans such as “Atlanta Says No to More War.”
The protestors waved anti-protest banners, as well as American and Palestinian flags demanding that CNN as well as other new agencies report the facts of what is actually resulting from the wars.
Paul Hayes, promoter of Georgia Tech Student Radio and WRFG 89.3 Atlanta Community Radio, attended the protest because he questions where money resources are being applied and he disagrees with the injustice committed against the Palestinians.
“Let me first say that I do not support the Taliban, they are killing a lot of people and I am worried about the country,” Hayes said. “It is very poor and it ranks in the top 10 countries in the world for poverty. Obviously al-Qaeda killed many people in New York and Washington, and we have to catch them, but is it possible to catch them in a country the size of Texas.”
Since the U.S. did not draw lessons from the Soviet’s occupation in Afghanistan in the 1980’s, Al-Qaeda continues to strengthen itself by using the mountainous terrain as cover as a means to regain power and control.
President Barak Obama recently deployed 17,000 troops to Afghanistan and by 2010, the last of American troops will be pulled out of Iraq. President Obama is willing to abandon Bush’s old plan and initiate low-level talks with the Palestinians and Hamas. Given President Obama’s approach to discontinuing President Bush’s hostile foreign policies, groups and organization continue to form in Atlanta because the U.S. has not changed its policy of giving Israel its full support.
Local groups such as the Movement to End Israeli Apartheid-Georgia (MEIA-GA) advocate such protests and also call for change in foreign and local support of Israel. MEIA-GA advocates against exploitation, sexism, justice struggles in Palestine, and racism, all of whether being practiced at home or abroad. This organization was formed after the most recent “war” between Israel and Hamas which took place from Dec. 27, 2008, to Jan.19, 2009. Objectives and ambitions of MEIA-GA include educating the community about the injustices committed against Palestinians such as apartheid and also how the community can tackle this notion by refusing to support local stores that sell Israeli products.
“Our goal is to use local targets, such as the farmers market, stores that are here in Atlanta that have more of a commitment to their community as well as the Atlanta community,” Vanessa Faraj said, a prominent member of MEIA-GA. “As far as divestment is concerned, we are want to look at various connections between numerous corporate sponsors that are connected the State of Israel. Something that we are working towards is Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS).”
Faraj says that people throughout the community should and needs to boycott Israeli products, which would “then slowly but surely, expose and sever financial ties that respected communities have with the State of Israel.” The way MEIA-GA is stationed, this organization is able to connect not only the legacy of slavery that has and still haunts the Southern states, to the oppressed people such as the Latinos and African Americans in U.S., as well as those suffering in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Palestine, and all over the world, but also the legacy of civil rights in the movement as well.
MEIA-G declares that Israel practices apartheid under the notion that “Israeli apartheid does not desire to exploit labour but it seeks to maximize its land with the minimum number of Palestinians.” MEIA-GA states that there are three levels of apartheid that Israel practices. The first level is practiced through the exploitation of Palestinians; the second level is the notion that Palestinians are also “civilians” within Israel, yet they are denied access back to their land, and finally, the third level of apartheid remains among the population of Palestinians within Israel, of who are seen as a “demographic threat.”
Hayes, an advocate for peace says that many Palestinians have had their lands confiscated by Israeli settlers. “Israel allows immigration to Palestine from Russia and a lot of Palestinians suffered a blockade by Israel on the Gaza strip. They did not let through medicine, fuel, or food to go to Gaza strip for several months. The United States is spending $3 billion a year in aid to the Israeli government and a lot of that aid gets used for building illegal settlements.”
The blockade, illegal settlements and constant and disproportionate exercise of Israeli’s military power against the Palestinians all have a role in forming apartheid.
“We should also bear in mind that apartheid does not express itself only in terms of policy, but also on the hidden level of ideology as the legal definition suggest,” Ziyaad Lunat said, a friend and comrade of Faraj and also a member of MEI-G. “In the case of Israel, Zionism clearly seeks the ‘oppression and domination by one racial group against other racial group,’ this is expressed in different ways but with the same ultimate goal.”
Faraj said that the first level of apartheid is that Israel denies the right of return for Palestinians living both within Israel and in refugee camps in neighboring Arab states despite the fact that some only live within 15 minutes from their homes.
“Israel apologists/Zionists often use the example of the Palestinians "citizens" of the state of Israel to argue that Israel is not an apartheid state,” she continues. “They say that because Palestinians inside Israel take on public office as if there is no apartheid in Israel. This is disingenuous. The Palestinians citizens of Israel comprise 10% of the global Palestinian population who are forcefully separated from their land. Israel uses these 10% as political tokens by allowing them to occupy some public posts inside Israel for as long as they don't challenge the legitimacy of the racist Zionist establishment. Nonetheless this has not always worked according to plan.”
The second form of apartheid both Faraj and Lunat describe are the two separate legal systems within the Occupied Territories. Lunat says that this system is practiced through exclusively Jewish only roads and towns.
According to B’Tselem, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, Israel is violating international human rights law by continuing to build illegal settlements in the West Bank, which are Jewish only towns. This prohibits establishing of peace, social and economic stability, and is an obstacle and preventive measure for establishing a final settlement to the ongoing conflict.
Lunat explains how the third level of apartheid is practiced by Israel excluding Palestinians living within Israel from public life.
“Palestinian citizens of Israel were outstripped from 93% of their land through state-sponsored land confiscations, Lunat explains. “Palestinian citizens are banned from certain jobs, they are discriminated against municipal budget allocations, they are under-represented in higher education and they cannot live in certain Jewish only towns inside Israel.”
In supporting her comrade, Faraj explains how since 1948, not one single Arab town has been built within Israel, while hundreds of Jewish towns continue to flourish, severely restricting the number of Arab towns being built. Demolition orders are being given the green light as if the homes are not occupied.
“There are an estimated 12,000 outstanding demolition orders in the Galilee and some 30,000 in the Negev to date, Faraj says.” “This is to concentrate Arabs in certain parts of the country while keeping so-called "strategic" areas for Jews only. In the Negev there are over 40 Palestinian villages, which existed before the creation of the state but they are not recognized by the Israeli government.”
Given the blatant and complete disregard for international law, the exploitation of Palestinians, and the Israeli apartheid system described by Faraj and Lunat, organizations such as MEIA-GA will continue to become active in communities locally and abroad to help educate and stop the abuse and terror of a people, no matter which group is under oppression.
MEIA-GA’s future plans are to go into local communities around Atlanta to discuss MEIA-G’s work as well as Israel’s colonialism. Other events include the commemoration events on May 15, Nakba Day, “Day of Catastrophe,” for the Palestinians or also known as “Day of Independence” for Israelis. MEIA-GA also has longer term BDS work planned.
For more information, MEIA-GA can be reached at www.meiag.org or on Facebook.
Norman Finkelstein goes "Behind the Gaza Massacre"
Originally published: 03/24/09
By: Ja'afar Bilal
Norman Finkelstein, former DePaul University Assistant Professor of Political Science, prominent author, and currently an independent forensic scholar, gave a lecture on March 5, 2009, entitled "Behind the Gaza Massacre," outlining the events of the recent war between Israel and Hamas at Emory's Glenn Memorial Building by invitation from Emory University's Emory Advocates for Justice in Palestine (EAJP) in honor of Israeli Apartheid Week between March 2-5, 2009.
The lecture began with an introduction by EAJP Coordination Committee member, Navyug Gill, of Atlanta's first Israeli Apartheid week, as well as a review of the activities held by Emory in celebration of Israeli Apartheid week.
"Israel's strategic doctrine has always shown great concern for what they call deterrence capacity," said Finkelstein. Finkelstein explained that the so-called 22 day war which began on December 27, 2008, known as Operation Cast Lead to Israel, between Hamas and Israel, was a mere massacre and blood bath of the Palestinian people.
Finkelstein noted two main reasons why Israel went to war with Hamas. One of the reasons that he mentioned was so that Israel could continue to employ its strategy of "deterrence capacity;" instilling fear in the Palestinians through the use of military might and has always been the method chosen when dealing with "terrorists.
Secondly, Hamas is becoming too modernized and reasonable on the diplomatic front for settlement and peace. With preventing Hamas and the Arabs from becoming modernized, Israel will be able to effectively control the population, which would in turn remind the Palestinians and Arabs of who is in control.
Once Hamas won election in January 2006, Israel placed an embargo on Gaza. Approximately one year later, Hamas took control of the enclave; Israel tightened the embargo which can be seen as a form of collective punishment of the Palestinian people, making it like a virtual prison controlling land, air, and sea and all necessary essentials such as the shipment of medical supplies, food, etc. that Palestinians need in order to live their lives.
Finkelstein decided to refer to the war as a "massacre" due to the fact that the killing ratio was 100 to 1, "according to any reasonable dictionary definition, . . . it is appropriate to call it a massacre." As he noted, there were at least 1,300 Palestinians killed compared to a total of 13 Israelis killed.
As many are aware, Israel is able to take full advantage of their superior military technology against a compared primitive resistance.
"The basic facts are pretty straight forward; Israel flew about 3,000 combat missions over Gaza," said Finkelstein. "All the planes returned safely, none were damaged, let alone downed and Hamas had no anti-aircraft artillery to speak of. On the ground, there were no major battles fought in Gaza. The Israelis have special night equipment, are technologically sophisticated, and Hamas was unable to fight in any significant way."
Israel was able to choose whether to maintain the truce that was established in June 2008 with Hamas. Hamas remained honorable to the truce.
"Israel officially justified the Gaza massacre, what is now called Operation Cast Lead, and said that it was an act of self defense against Hamas rocket attacks," said Finkelstein. "In that rationale, plainly it lacks credibility. If Israel wanted to avert the Hamas rocket attacks, it would not have broken the seize fire that triggered the Hamas rocket attacks.. They also had the option, at least as late as December 23rd, of renewing the seize fire with Hamas, but it refused."
Other resistance groups in support of the collapse of the Zionist regime such as the Lebanese resistance group, Hezbollah, were also widely discussed throughout the lecture which allowed Finkelstein to further support the notion that Israel is trying to strengthen its "deterrence capacity."
"During the 2006 war in Lebanon, there was an area in South suburb of Beirut called or known as the Dahiya. It was composed mostly for Shia Muslims or major supporters of Hezbollah," said Finkelstein. In 2006, Israel went to the Dahiya suburb with its planes and basically turned it into a parking lot. Finkelstein vehemently said that after Israel flattened Dahiya with its bombs, "it resembled the bombed out cities in Europe after the terror bombing."
Since Israel lost the war in Lebanon in 2006, they were not able to strengthen their "deterrence capacity," and recently, they [Israel] found their chances with Hamas.
To support his lecture, Finkelstein quoted numerous prominent Israeli journalists and American military analysts such as Gideon Levy and Anthony Cortisman.
Following his lecture, audience members were able to ask questions; accepting dissenters first and then those in solidarity followed after. Narciza Bijedic-Hadzikadic, an attendee of the lecture, assessed the parallels between the 1990's war in her home country of Bosnia and the injustices committed against the Palestinians.
"There are many parallels between the injustices that the Bosnians had to endure what the Palestinians are enduring now," said Bijedic-Hadzikadic. "The Bosnians only had to suffer through ferocious times for four years, while the Palestinians endured similar or worse conditions for over six decades."
Bijedic-Hadzikadic also said that she decided to attend the lecture in order to learn about the conflict from a non-Muslim viewpoint, which was based on legitimate facts, and to also show her solidarity with her brothers in Palestine. Furthermore, she said that even the smallest support can make the biggest difference, eventually leading to even larger support.
After the questions were taken, Finkelstein was applauded with an outstanding ovation.
Finkelstein lost his eligibility for tenure in June of 2007 due to his candor in expressing his controversial political views, thereby expressing solidarity with Hezbollah during the 2006 war with Israel.
By: Ja'afar Bilal
Norman Finkelstein, former DePaul University Assistant Professor of Political Science, prominent author, and currently an independent forensic scholar, gave a lecture on March 5, 2009, entitled "Behind the Gaza Massacre," outlining the events of the recent war between Israel and Hamas at Emory's Glenn Memorial Building by invitation from Emory University's Emory Advocates for Justice in Palestine (EAJP) in honor of Israeli Apartheid Week between March 2-5, 2009.
The lecture began with an introduction by EAJP Coordination Committee member, Navyug Gill, of Atlanta's first Israeli Apartheid week, as well as a review of the activities held by Emory in celebration of Israeli Apartheid week.
"Israel's strategic doctrine has always shown great concern for what they call deterrence capacity," said Finkelstein. Finkelstein explained that the so-called 22 day war which began on December 27, 2008, known as Operation Cast Lead to Israel, between Hamas and Israel, was a mere massacre and blood bath of the Palestinian people.
Finkelstein noted two main reasons why Israel went to war with Hamas. One of the reasons that he mentioned was so that Israel could continue to employ its strategy of "deterrence capacity;" instilling fear in the Palestinians through the use of military might and has always been the method chosen when dealing with "terrorists.
Secondly, Hamas is becoming too modernized and reasonable on the diplomatic front for settlement and peace. With preventing Hamas and the Arabs from becoming modernized, Israel will be able to effectively control the population, which would in turn remind the Palestinians and Arabs of who is in control.
Once Hamas won election in January 2006, Israel placed an embargo on Gaza. Approximately one year later, Hamas took control of the enclave; Israel tightened the embargo which can be seen as a form of collective punishment of the Palestinian people, making it like a virtual prison controlling land, air, and sea and all necessary essentials such as the shipment of medical supplies, food, etc. that Palestinians need in order to live their lives.
Finkelstein decided to refer to the war as a "massacre" due to the fact that the killing ratio was 100 to 1, "according to any reasonable dictionary definition, . . . it is appropriate to call it a massacre." As he noted, there were at least 1,300 Palestinians killed compared to a total of 13 Israelis killed.
As many are aware, Israel is able to take full advantage of their superior military technology against a compared primitive resistance.
"The basic facts are pretty straight forward; Israel flew about 3,000 combat missions over Gaza," said Finkelstein. "All the planes returned safely, none were damaged, let alone downed and Hamas had no anti-aircraft artillery to speak of. On the ground, there were no major battles fought in Gaza. The Israelis have special night equipment, are technologically sophisticated, and Hamas was unable to fight in any significant way."
Israel was able to choose whether to maintain the truce that was established in June 2008 with Hamas. Hamas remained honorable to the truce.
"Israel officially justified the Gaza massacre, what is now called Operation Cast Lead, and said that it was an act of self defense against Hamas rocket attacks," said Finkelstein. "In that rationale, plainly it lacks credibility. If Israel wanted to avert the Hamas rocket attacks, it would not have broken the seize fire that triggered the Hamas rocket attacks.. They also had the option, at least as late as December 23rd, of renewing the seize fire with Hamas, but it refused."
Other resistance groups in support of the collapse of the Zionist regime such as the Lebanese resistance group, Hezbollah, were also widely discussed throughout the lecture which allowed Finkelstein to further support the notion that Israel is trying to strengthen its "deterrence capacity."
"During the 2006 war in Lebanon, there was an area in South suburb of Beirut called or known as the Dahiya. It was composed mostly for Shia Muslims or major supporters of Hezbollah," said Finkelstein. In 2006, Israel went to the Dahiya suburb with its planes and basically turned it into a parking lot. Finkelstein vehemently said that after Israel flattened Dahiya with its bombs, "it resembled the bombed out cities in Europe after the terror bombing."
Since Israel lost the war in Lebanon in 2006, they were not able to strengthen their "deterrence capacity," and recently, they [Israel] found their chances with Hamas.
To support his lecture, Finkelstein quoted numerous prominent Israeli journalists and American military analysts such as Gideon Levy and Anthony Cortisman.
Following his lecture, audience members were able to ask questions; accepting dissenters first and then those in solidarity followed after. Narciza Bijedic-Hadzikadic, an attendee of the lecture, assessed the parallels between the 1990's war in her home country of Bosnia and the injustices committed against the Palestinians.
"There are many parallels between the injustices that the Bosnians had to endure what the Palestinians are enduring now," said Bijedic-Hadzikadic. "The Bosnians only had to suffer through ferocious times for four years, while the Palestinians endured similar or worse conditions for over six decades."
Bijedic-Hadzikadic also said that she decided to attend the lecture in order to learn about the conflict from a non-Muslim viewpoint, which was based on legitimate facts, and to also show her solidarity with her brothers in Palestine. Furthermore, she said that even the smallest support can make the biggest difference, eventually leading to even larger support.
After the questions were taken, Finkelstein was applauded with an outstanding ovation.
Finkelstein lost his eligibility for tenure in June of 2007 due to his candor in expressing his controversial political views, thereby expressing solidarity with Hezbollah during the 2006 war with Israel.
New Panther Career Net system makes employment
Originally published: 02/18/09
By: Ja'afar Bilal
With the economy in the hole and with over one million individuals on the hunt for jobs, it seems like landing an internship during college or job after college will be like finding a needle in a hay stack. After all of the hard work of obtaining a degree, students are able to take advantage of the Georgia State Universities Career Services.
On February 2, 2009, the new and improved Georgia State University Panther Career Net (PCN) board went paperless which means students are required to log-on to the on-line job board and/or the Robinson Career Connection on-line job board using their campus ID and password or GoSOLAR login.
The PCN was introduced to Georgia State in 2005 with the primary purpose of informing students of career, employment, and on-campus recruiting services. The PCN is a medium that is used to assist career managers and the student body concerning the students' careers.
With over 12,000 students currently enrolled in the system, the PCN allows students to organize and post their resumes online, set-up interviews with employers for paid/unpaid internships, part-time/full-time employment, and also provides students the opportunity to communicate with Georgia State personnel who are available to assist students in career services.
"The PCN also informs students about upcoming career related events such as workshops and on and off campus career fairs," says Shalanda Cofer, Operations, Marketing and Technology Manager of the University Career Services. "Our goal is to provide students with 24/7 access to job listings and other career related resources offered through Panther Career Net from anywhere, whether they are here on campus, at home, or studying abroad."
There are over 8,400 employees that are enlisted into the PCN system. In addition, there are over 600 jobs postings that cover a wide range of majors which include computer science, accounting, education, political science, public relations, economics, and so much more.
"University Career Services maintains an active role in pursuing and engaging employers to recruit at Georgia State University," Cofer said. "Each year we strategically set goals in connecting students to employers. Establishing partnerships is a key element in achieving our goals. We seek out top recruiting companies, attend career/employers conferences, and host career and internship fairs to make employers more visible to students and alumni."
Students are able to set up interviews online at the convenience of their own schedule.
"Students have the opportunity to meet employers weekly through partnered programs and on campus recruiting, all posted on Panther Career Net," said Cofer.
Also, students are able to register for counseling services and upcoming workshop events that are hosted at Georgia State such as the Career Connection Day that is being held on March 2nd in which the Georgia Department of Labor and the representatives of the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site will be attending.
Alumni students are not left out of the picture; they are allowed to have access to PCN for one year after they graduate. Once their year has ended, the alumni will be given the opportunity to continue to enroll in the Alumni Association so they may continue the use of the PCN, as well as the Alumni Career Services.
For more information, please visit http://www.gsu.edu/career/ or call the University Career Services at (404) 413-1820.
By: Ja'afar Bilal
With the economy in the hole and with over one million individuals on the hunt for jobs, it seems like landing an internship during college or job after college will be like finding a needle in a hay stack. After all of the hard work of obtaining a degree, students are able to take advantage of the Georgia State Universities Career Services.
On February 2, 2009, the new and improved Georgia State University Panther Career Net (PCN) board went paperless which means students are required to log-on to the on-line job board and/or the Robinson Career Connection on-line job board using their campus ID and password or GoSOLAR login.
The PCN was introduced to Georgia State in 2005 with the primary purpose of informing students of career, employment, and on-campus recruiting services. The PCN is a medium that is used to assist career managers and the student body concerning the students' careers.
With over 12,000 students currently enrolled in the system, the PCN allows students to organize and post their resumes online, set-up interviews with employers for paid/unpaid internships, part-time/full-time employment, and also provides students the opportunity to communicate with Georgia State personnel who are available to assist students in career services.
"The PCN also informs students about upcoming career related events such as workshops and on and off campus career fairs," says Shalanda Cofer, Operations, Marketing and Technology Manager of the University Career Services. "Our goal is to provide students with 24/7 access to job listings and other career related resources offered through Panther Career Net from anywhere, whether they are here on campus, at home, or studying abroad."
There are over 8,400 employees that are enlisted into the PCN system. In addition, there are over 600 jobs postings that cover a wide range of majors which include computer science, accounting, education, political science, public relations, economics, and so much more.
"University Career Services maintains an active role in pursuing and engaging employers to recruit at Georgia State University," Cofer said. "Each year we strategically set goals in connecting students to employers. Establishing partnerships is a key element in achieving our goals. We seek out top recruiting companies, attend career/employers conferences, and host career and internship fairs to make employers more visible to students and alumni."
Students are able to set up interviews online at the convenience of their own schedule.
"Students have the opportunity to meet employers weekly through partnered programs and on campus recruiting, all posted on Panther Career Net," said Cofer.
Also, students are able to register for counseling services and upcoming workshop events that are hosted at Georgia State such as the Career Connection Day that is being held on March 2nd in which the Georgia Department of Labor and the representatives of the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site will be attending.
Alumni students are not left out of the picture; they are allowed to have access to PCN for one year after they graduate. Once their year has ended, the alumni will be given the opportunity to continue to enroll in the Alumni Association so they may continue the use of the PCN, as well as the Alumni Career Services.
For more information, please visit http://www.gsu.edu/career/ or call the University Career Services at (404) 413-1820.
The Atlanta Opera presents La Cenerentola: Presentation stars Georgia State alumna Magdalena Wor
Originally published: 12/09/08
By: Ja'afar Bilal
Previously performed in 1981, The Atlanta Opera hosted its second showing of how triumphant incentives prevail over oppression in Gioachino Rossini's Cinderella (La Cenerentola).
to be continued. .. . . .
I have to copy text from newspaper because my article was not published on newspaper website.
By: Ja'afar Bilal
Previously performed in 1981, The Atlanta Opera hosted its second showing of how triumphant incentives prevail over oppression in Gioachino Rossini's Cinderella (La Cenerentola).
to be continued. .. . . .
I have to copy text from newspaper because my article was not published on newspaper website.
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