Jayson Karuna Hoffman Campus/Community Activity Saad Jaffrey and myself attended a Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP)

Kickoff event at the Damen multipurpose room. Our primary reason for attending this specific event is because the interest a mutual Jordanian friend advocated to us. Initially we seemed to be in for the ride because of the fact that we could knock the sociology campus activity out of the way, however in the end we actually gained a substantial amount of useful knowledge and awareness about a cause we were rather ignorant about. Throughout the coarse of this three-hour event, many students and faculty entered and passed through. The event itself was visited by a multitude of people from all different types of ethnic backgrounds. The SJP kickoff further personified Loyolas prominence in overall diversity and cultural awareness. The Kickoff event contained a variety of Arabic food, music, and cultural activities. Attendees could receive henna tattoos and actively participate in crafting traditional Palestinian embroideries. Students dressed completely dressed in traditional garbs treated us with a Dabke folk dance. The Dabke dance is a group line dance usually performed in joyous occasions such as weddings and ceremonies. The Students for Justice Palestine group also vocalized their purpose and what they are speaking out for. They advocate for human rights and inclusive liberation for the people of Palestine. The students believe that the respective citizens of Palestine should decide their future and have the current aggression towards them halted.

Sociology speaking, the SJP kickoff event further exemplified the idea of race being a symbolic category. Race is socially constructed and artificially given a meaning from people with a superiority complex. Race and religion continues to remain a focal point in violent conflicts. Rather than setting aside differences for the greater good and betterment of society, both parties participate in armed conflicts for power, land, and control. Both the Palestinian society and Israeli society have labeled each other as a different race and thus intensified a whole new realm of conflict. Clearly, the SJP have sided with the Palestinians regarding the conflict, but I do think they have that part wrong. I dont believe that this long winding issue is a mater of whose right or whos wrong, but rather whos going to compromise? The symbolically created categories of race and religion has already penetrated both parties to act in a confrontational matter, but in order to obtain solidarity, both must compromise. Furthermore, the SJP event detailed the importance of human rights for the Palestinians. Throughout the Sociology course, we have talked about human rights pertaining to gender, race, religion, and sexual orientation. Most recently Kelsey Timmermans. Where am I Wearing showcased the lack of rights and decency regarding clothing industry laborers. Sociology and events such as the SJP kickoff illustrates that regardless of religion, class, gender, preference, or creed; we all are truly one race, the human race.

ANNOUNCEMENT: https://www.facebook.com/events/555199124552431/ WEBSITE: http://sjployola.wix.com/sjployola