Oppression is same problem worldwide

Gutierrez is a fourth-year Chicana/o studies and international
development studies student.

By Gustavo Gutierrez

The origins and myths of Thanksgiving are ironic indeed. Most
educated Americans are unaware of the following fact: on Nov. 25,
1492, the Vatican declared a “day of thanksgiving” to
commemorate not only the fall of Granada by the
“infidel” Muslim Moors, but the subsequent expulsion of
both Jews and Muslims alike. After seven centuries of Islamic rule
on the Iberian Peninsula, the Christian kingdoms of Spain unified
under Ferdinand and Isabelle began an era that would witness one of
the greatest human rights atrocities in the world.

Initially, a “day of thanksgiving” did not
commemorate the indigenous peoples of Massachusetts and the
religious zealots known as the Pilgrims coming together with mutual
respect for one another sitting at the same table. This is a
cultural myth narrative used to indoctrinate Americans like myself
into believing in a sugar-coated version of American ethnocide or,
should I say, holocaust. Furthermore, most people are unaware of
this little known fact: Thanksgiving did not become a national
holiday until the Lincoln administration in the 1860s.

With this historical knowledge now laid out, let’s examine
the current controversy in the Daily Bruin. Many people are upset
that the Daily Bruin would allow the publication of a turkey
bearing the words “Free Palestine” in a section of the
newspaper not reserved for opinion content. However, art has always
been and will continue to be used as means of political
statement.

To denigrate art as being mindless, numbing entertainment is a
great disservice. The “Free Palestine” turkey is a
prime example. We are all entitled to our own opinions and we
should learn to “agree to disagree.” To label
sentiments or opinions you may find objectionable, especially
sentiments speaking out against the actions of the Israeli
government as anti-Semitic, is wrong. An anti-Semite is one who
holds prejudicial views towards individuals who religiously or
culturally are Jewish. The anti-Semite will use his or her biases
to oppress the Jew. This is not always the case for people who
support Palestine.

I believe in both a “Free Palestine” and a state of
Israel. How can I possibly be labeled an anti-Semite? I am opposed
to the treatment of Palestinians in the Occupied Territories in the
hands of the Israeli government and their military machine. I am
however, not opposed to the existence of Israel or those who
practice the tenants of Judaism. This distinction needs to be made
clear and obvious. Israel can alleviate the problems it faces with
its Palestinian neighbors if its political leadership is willing to
compromise. The very term “Occupied Territories” infers
that Israel infringed on the territorial integrity of Arab nations
like Jordan (West Bank) and Egypt (Gaza Strip) since 1967.

The Islamic world must accept the fact that Israel exists, but
Israelis must respect the rights of Palestinians and honor their
call for self-determination and a chance at creating a viable
nation-state. Both sides are not innocent and both have played the
role of “villain.”

It is imperative that Israel finds a solution to this problem of
three decades ““ after all, peace with the Palestinians is one
effective way of combating America’s war on terrorism.

This applies to the other side of the conflict as well. It is
intolerable that a historically persecuted group would perpetuate
the same kind of persecution that has long been aimed at them.
Although the Koran condemns the religious persecution of
“peoples of the Book” which would include Jews and
Christians alike, we see anti-Semitic attacks aimed at the
remaining 10,000 Iranians who culturally or religiously adhere to
Judaism. The Iranian Jewish community is an ancient one, and it is
a tragedy that a nation governed supposedly by the tenants of Islam
would purge its population of the religious and ethnic diversity
that once characterized Iran prior to 1979.

The “Free Palestine” turkey is an example of art
that provokes thought. We should realize the opinions of one
individual student do not necessarily represent the views or
opinions of this school publication or the campus as a whole. We
should also realize that no government is more morally righteous
than another is. It is about time that we realize that oppression
is oppression. All governments and all groups of people at one
point in history have committed atrocities towards another group.
The oppressor isn’t always a Protestant, Anglo-American,
heterosexual male; the oppressor can be anyone, including an
Israeli Jew.

If a decade ago we could speak out against legal apartheid in
South Africa, what makes Israel any different? If speaking out
against Israel is deemed unacceptable, the question becomes why? Is
America sensitive to the fact that it initially, knowingly turned a
blind eye to the near annihilation of European Jewry half a century
ago? If this is the case, that is an unfortunate incident but that
does not justify censorship of any kind. Sometimes the truth can be
a little harsh.

The next time you find the simple phrase “Free
Palestine” displayed anywhere, keep this in mind. Isn’t
it problematic that 18 percent of the Israeli population that is
Arab is subjugated and relegated to second-class citizenship?

Isn’t it problematic that with the formation of a Jewish
state, indigenous Palestinians native to the land base were
forcibly removed from their homes without proper compensation?
Isn’t it ironic that Israel wages its war against unarmed and
poorly equipped Palestinians with American money and American-made
military machinery and weapons while the Palestinians are funded by
monies from “rogue” states like Iraq and Iran? Remember
that a “rogue” state is only labeled a
“rogue” state when it openly defies the strategic
interests of the U.S.

If the U.S. were deeply concerned with the plight of women in
the “volatile” Middle East, wouldn’t we also be
pointing our “morally righteous” fingers at the Saudis?
After all, one of the most repressive regimes in the region happens
to be one of our closest Arab allies. But wait, we are more
interested in maintaining our assured supply of petroleum reserves
than the flourishing of democracy in the “volatile”
Middle East.