Proclaiming Israel's right to defend itself
In "Should the US and Princeton Divest from Israel?," Vincent Lloyd mentions a long list of grievances he has with the actions of the state of Israel and uses them as reasons to divest. Though Lloyd barely mentions it, you probably know that Israel is currently locked in a battle with Palestinian terrorists — with approval from the Palestinian Authority — that does not hesitate to use civilians as shields. These terrorists operate out of densely-populated civilian areas, and since neither the Palestinian Authority nor the United Nations bothers to even attempt to stop the terrorism, Israel is forced to step in to defend its citizens. And then the Palestinian Authority and the United Nations complain about all the collateral damage that Israel caused.
Lloyd correctly notes that the Geneva Convention states that a country "may not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into territories it occupies" and notes that "this is exactly what has been happening." Actually, this is exactly what has not been happening. Mr. Lloyd demonstrates that he does not understand the terms "deport" or "transfer." The Israeli government does not force its citizens to move to the occupied territories — they relocate there of their own volition. I raised this point in a letter to the Daily Princetonian last year, but I suppose that it's just too inconvenient for the anti-Israel club to give up their "Fourth Geneva" quote. Elliott Marc Davis
Reparations not for slavery, but for the 100 years after
After reading Eric Harkleroad's piece "Today's civil rights leaders betray African-Americans," I was compelled to write. Mr. Harkleroad brought out some very good points — that Martin Luther King, Jr. must be rolling over in his grave right about now and that the biggest problems facing black Americans today are babies having babies. He also mentions reparations.
I've often thought about what Dr. King is thinking, looking down upon his people, sighing, crying, shaking his head in despair at the black-on-black homicides, babies having babies, high unemployment and high school dropout rates, the thug mentally of many of our black youth. The list is endless. He has to be thinking "Did I give my life for this, for my people to go backwards?" I too believe that these are the most pressing issues that face our black communities, issues that our so-called black leaders should highlight and fight against.
However, I do believe in reparations. Not for slavery but for the 100 years after. I'm not quite 50 and I vividly remember the colored only and white only signs throughout the south: you can't go here, you can't go there, you can't work here, you can't play there. These illegal Jim-Crow laws truly hindered my parents from reaching that American dream, along with millions of other colored folk. They were not lazy, they worked hard everyday, yet they were denied first class citizenship.
Today, if one mentions a mere apology for slavery, most white folks' shorts get all knotted. I believe if the U.S. government ever, ever considers monetary reparations for my people, there will surely be another civil war. If America had truly recognized our emancipation a century and a half ago, wouldn't there be a national holiday, say like the 4th of July, commemorating this freedom?
Yes indeed, I'll go to my grave believing that America has yet to pay, not for slavery, but for the 100 years after. Peace and love my fellow Americans, remember, we're all in this together. Pamela A. Hairston
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Princeton, practice what you preach: SPIA graduate students on protest and dialogue
Guest Contributors"As policy students, we are appalled by the blatant hypocrisy of the University administration, which has relied on fear-mongering and false narratives to discredit student protestors. We are increasingly disillusioned with the dissonance of what we are taught in our classrooms and the University’s actions."
"As policy students, we are appalled by the blatant hypocrisy of the University administration, which has relied on fear-mongering and false narratives to discredit student protestors. We are increasingly disillusioned with the dissonance of what we are taught in our classrooms and the University’s actions."
Faculty call on the Board of Trustees to act in face of hunger strike
Guest Contributors“The Princeton University administration should understand that the law loses its moral force when it becomes so detached from ethics and basic human decency. The administration is sacrificing its moral sense and its purported affiliation to human decency in the name of upholding arbitrarily designed and implemented campus rules and regulations.”
“The Princeton University administration should understand that the law loses its moral force when it becomes so detached from ethics and basic human decency. The administration is sacrificing its moral sense and its purported affiliation to human decency in the name of upholding arbitrarily designed and implemented campus rules and regulations.”
Letter to the Editor: The gross manufacturing of narrative
Sarah Sakha"The Gaza Solidarity Encampment, a space we have created together, is an unwavering testament to community and care in the face of apathy, keeping each other safe by growing large, impenetrable, and powerful. And we have done so in spite of a larger apparatus working against students."
"The Gaza Solidarity Encampment, a space we have created together, is an unwavering testament to community and care in the face of apathy, keeping each other safe by growing large, impenetrable, and powerful. And we have done so in spite of a larger apparatus working against students."
