MARCH 15, Friday:
Wielding placards and posters, EMU community protestors gathered outside of the Campus Center last Friday morning. Prompted by the beginning of multiple Board of Trustees meetings occurring that weekend, more than a dozen students and faculty members engaged in community action, intending to push the board to make a statement regarding a permanent ceasefire in Gaza; a request which had been outlined in a Feb. 29 Student Government Association email to the administration, which itself contained a ceasefire petition that had accrued 110 student signatures.
Junior Lauryn Moore, one of the primary student organizers, said that it was “a really last-minute thing.” Moore clarified that she and other student protestors had only discovered the day prior that the board was going to be meeting that Friday “and we knew that we needed to be there.”
Junior Meredith Lehman said “It was a late night and an early morning. We honestly were not sure if anyone would show.” After some planning, at 2:05 p.m. on Thursday, a message was sent by Moore to the Royal Radar, a campus-wide student group chat, calling for students to come together the next morning.
Junior Noussaiba Garti, another of the three students leading the organization effort, said: “Lauryn and I felt that it was really urgent to try and speak to the voices making such big decisions before they did.” They had heard that a call for a ceasefire would not be on the board meeting’s agenda, “so we had to try and make the change instead of just waiting until Monday for President Huxman to do her address.”
“The bottom line was that we found it unconscionable to be considered a peace and justice university but not extend explicit support for those who have been subject to massacre,” said Lehman
Before the meeting began, Garti, Moore, and Lehman shared a nine-point document on the importance of EMU calling for a ceasefire with those who were in the lounge area waiting for the meeting to begin. Lehman said “It is a lot easier to say no to 100 letters or signatures than say no to 20 faces.” After the three spent time going over each of the points, sophomore Eli Stoll briefly spoke to those waiting in the lounge. After this, board members, Huxman, and other staff talked to a few students one on one regarding why they were pushing the university for a statement.
Though the protest had originally planned to remain in the lobby outside of the meeting room, President Huxman made the executive decision to cede her 30-minute time slot to the protestors, inviting them into the space. Once ushered in by Dean Dan Ott, students silently lined the walls, still holding their signs reading: “Neutrality Kills,” “Your Silence is LOUD,” “EMU Students for Ceasefire,” and other Palestinian-liberation slogans. After an originally unrelated opening statement by Senior Kate Landis, Moore, Garti, and Lehman took turns speaking to the present board and staff members, outlining and reiterating their nine-point document on the importance of EMU calling for a ceasefire. “I think Friday’s protest was a testament to the importance of showing up in your community—in ways big and small—to advocate for justice and make your voice heard,” Lehman said.
Professor of Visual and Communication Art Jerry Holsopple said “I think it’s important that students begin to understand the power they have when they organize, and bravely confront people who have power.” Holsopple said he suggested the Friday event so that students would “have a legitimate reason to walk out on Monday.”
MARCH 18, Monday:
“Will EMU be calling for a ceasefire in Gaza?” This is the question that junior Jesse Kanagy posed once the President’s Address shifted to its allotted time for open feedback. He and around 80 other students had gathered in Martin Chapel Monday morning to engage in a walk-out protest; an action which was sparked by preceding rumors and anecdotes that EMU would not be calling for an immediate ceasefire. President Huxman shared that the board was working to craft a statement that would be much “sharper” than the one released last December and that they were actively listening to student concerns. Upon hearing this answer, Kanagy restated his question, and upon President Huxman’s subsequent, second response, the protestors stood and left the building, making their way to Thomas Plaza. I accompanied them there.
While the protestors mingled and seated themselves, a panel of student organizers took the center of the brick semicircle, juniors Aidan Yoder and Jenna Weaver shared stories from their own time in Palestine on an EMU intercultural trip, while junior Rhea Clymer and sophomore Eli Stoll sang songs of Palestinian solidarity and hope. The group then introduced a symbolic bell-ringing ceremony, where nearly 50 volunteers had signed up to ring the EMU community bell once every four seconds in hour shifts from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; each ring representing a life lost in Palestine.
Garti had this to share on Monday’s events: “The walkout felt super powerful and new to me. I’m really proud of everyone who was brave and walked out. Oftentimes, I have this internalized fear of authority or people in higher education status or power status than me, and this experience made me feel like we as the people have a louder voice than we may think.” Tim Seidel, Program Director of Peacebuilding, Development, and Global Studies, and previous Palestine intercultural leader, shared an intimate connection he had with the bell ringing ceremony: “One of my students told me that it reminded them of being back in Palestine, because when you hear a church bell like this…you know what it means. It’s about grief or lament for death, and there’s something that students have been able to do here to bring this whole community into that space of grief and remembering, and that’s really powerful.”
Students also engaged in another symbolic form of protest, involving many leaving their shoes in the grass along the promenade. This is an activist exhibit that has been done similarly elsewhere that, in its totality, is meant to bring attention to the loss of life and opportunity occurring because of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Yoder expressed that all students are welcome to contribute shoes to the project.
A few hours after the protest ended, I returned to Thomas Plaza and spoke with Clymer and senior Abby Greenleaf during their stint ringing the bell. They had this to share regarding their hopes going forward: “They won’t release a statement calling for a ceasefire. People have met with Susan and shared emails back and forth, and people seem to personally be sympathetic to the cause, but there seems to be a disconnect between their personal feelings and their actions, and I just don’t understand that.” Greenleaf added: “Calling for a ceasefire isn’t pro-HAMAS, or pro-violence, so I’m shocked that EMU feels like they can’t just say that.”
MARCH 19, Tuesday:
At 1:02 p.m., the President’s Office released its statement. The statement condemned the indiscriminate violence in the region and urged the Biden administration and Congress to call for a humanitarian pause, including a ceasefire in Gaza. The letter also recognizes the violations of human rights committed by all involved parties. “The significant loss of life, as well as torture, abuse, and mass starvation occurring among innocents—mostly women and children—are war crimes,” it says. It then recognizes that the United States cannot “remain complicit in violating international law while, at the same time, calling itself the beacon of human rights and freedom.”
In the heading prior to these acknowledgments, they also claim that “university statements on specific military conflicts are not well-aligned with ‘Third Way’ Anabaptism.” This language has led to some confusion regarding if the university itself is calling for a ceasefire, or if it is solely calling for our government leaders to do so. On this topic, Moore shared: “I was a bit confused when reading the email from the president’s office. It was very wordy and I felt that the entire thing was a bit muddy in terms of what was actually being said.” However, Moore appreciated the article posted to the my.emu website, stating she believes that EMU is calling on national leaders to call for a ceasefire. Garti shared a similar affection for the my.emu article, but had this to say regarding the official statement: “It’s still six months late.” “The ‘Third Way’ Anabaptism is something I struggle to incorporate into what’s happening right now and into a simple call for a ceasefire as a first step. But that’s just my personal take.” She did, however, appreciate that the office is being “a bit louder about it,” and that they promised to send a letter to the Biden administration and Congress. She believes that the actions taken by the university are “good examples to display to students and to the community.”
Director of Social Work Deanna Durham shared a similar sentiment: “I am grateful for the hard work of Susan, Administration, and the board; and for the faculty, staff, and students who are doing the hard work of organizing and continuing to draw attention to the unconscionable situation in Gaza. I see the statement as a big step and the need for ongoing organizing and discussion. I wish I better understood the resistance—where is it coming from—to a very strong statement asking for a permanent ceasefire.”
MARCH 20, Wednesday:
At 3 p.m., a modest gathering of students, staff, and community members met again at Thomas Plaza to reconnect after the week’s events. A similar cast of student leaders led the gathering in singing hymns, and shared new stories of their connection to the Palestinian people. Throughout the event, they shared their appreciation for the letter sent by the administration but also stated that there is much more still to do. “We’re super glad to hear that they will be calling on the Biden administration to call for a ceasefire,” shared first-year Ciela Acosta. “I do think that the email that was sent out was a step in the right direction, and I’m really grateful that happened.”
This was also the last day of the ringing of the bell. Community members are encouraged to continue contributing shoes to the lawn, or to reclaim them.
WHAT’S NEXT?:
In the future, Garti said she hopes that EMU will collaborate with the Harrisonburg community, such as the Friendly City for Palestine, “on tangible solutions to help Gaza at the moment.” Moore said she would like to see “EMU move quicker when deciding when and how they will make statements regarding crises like what’s happening in Palestine.” She pointed out how students have been vocal about EMU calling for a protest for months. Moore believes that the amount of time it took to make a statement and the school’s lack of communication “made it seem like they didn’t care at all.” She also hopes that in the future “EMU will make statements because they actually support the movement and not just because students are pressuring them to do so.”
Lehman left us with this insight: “ I would like to see continued action from students in the future, in ways big and small. In the future, I would also like to see more intentional interaction between students and the Board of Trustees. I understand how this is difficult logistically, but I think it would provide some really valuable insight on both ends. For students: what the decision-making body of our university looks like, and for the board: what the students on our campus care about and need.”
Will Blosser and Zack Furr participated in demonstrations.
