Democrats and Republicans Unite!

The College Republicrats have written an article about the Campus Antiwar Network. My response follows.

I applaud Burton and Traicoff for knowing so much about the Campus Antiwar Network. Especially given the lack of conversations they have had directly with that organization. The number, specifically, is zero (0).

If Burton or Traicoff had ever had a conversation with me or anyone involved in CAN they would find that it is not our intention to demonize Israelis. Half of the articles I've written on the subject are about Israeli human rights organizations and activists. It is necessary to have a perspective broad enough to separate a government from its people. For example, the United States is involved in several illegal occupations worldwide and upholds racism, sexism and homophobia on institutional levels. That doesn't mean that Americans are monsters.

I acknowledge that the tone I started out with was mocking, so I'd like to end on a sincere note:

Stubbornness is the only way rights have ever been won. The Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted over a year. Think about that. Folks walking to and from work, school and homes for over a year. I intend to continue being stubborn about fighting for human rights and equality worldwide.

I genuinely thank the writers of this article for demonstrating something I've been working to convince folks of for a while: the Democrats and the Republicans are two sides of the same coin.

If either of these gentlemen is interested in having a CONVERSATION with the Campus Antiwar Network and/or reaching out to us supposed sectarians, I can be reached at nancy.paras@gmail.com

august 2009, bil'in, palestine

August 2009 I found myself in Bil'in, Palestine. Ok, so I didn't find myself there, especially not in the post-college-tour-of-the-world sense. I worked super hard all summer rolling burritos and organizing fundraisers and then, in August of 2009, I was broke in Bil'in.

I wasn't there by myself either. That insinuation makes me sounds so much cooler than I am or ever have felt. No, I was with an organization called the Interfaith Peace Builders, and there were about twenty of us from all over the world.

So, I was broke and surrounded by friends in Bil'in in 2009 in August. And it was hot.

We were at the home of Eyad and Tesaheel Burnat. Eyad is the head of the Public Committee there, spokesperson for their weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the wall. He is dark and slight and tired. As he invited us into his home, he explained that their house was raided at 4am. It was 2pm.

They showed us videos of the demonstrations, of the tear gas, pass around the real bullets coated in rubber fired weekly at the villagers and internationals. But I, due to local customs, my own socialization, or whatever, have turned into the babysitter. There are four children. I can't remember one of their names. He was 9. The other are Mohammed (4), Mayar (5), Abdul Khalil (11).

That is all background.

Dusk is seeping in through light-osmosis and the cool air was settling, welcoming the heat like old friends. We are in the garden in the back, Abdul Khalil and me. I've been assigned to stay overnight at another house and he is begging me not to go. I don't speak Arabic and he doesn't speak English, but it is clear. He pulls on my arms, I hug him, smooth his forehead with my thumb, which only makes him more insistent. "Oh, Nancy, Nancy!" he sighs. He is in love.

I ask my group leaders if I can switch out, stay here. They acquiesce.

Back in the garden, thick now with dusk on dusty ground. The gradient smells relieved. He says "Anana?" And I think he has, in his wild devotion, given me a new name. But when I go over to him, he is gentle. He lowers lavender from his mother's garden into my cupped hands. And then thyme.

And it is too much and I tell him to stop, that his mother will be so mad. But still I take my hands up to my face and inhale fragrant gifts from the most romantic man I've known. Abdul Khalil is beaming.

That night, after we've played at grown-up all day, we are children again, both of us. On the roof, after smoking a hookah and seeing who can draw the longest (and then getting busted by his parents), the black is pitch. What are we doing then? Just sitting talking? Singing and laughing? No, we get hushed by the parents when we make noise. We hear but do not see the helicopters. WOOSHWOOSHWOOSHWOOSHWOOSH We feel but do not hear the helicopters. And then the children stand up and sing a new song, they drone and march "the soldiers are coming the soldiers are coming."

Abdul Khalil goes downstairs and back up to the roof. From his clenched fist, he drops a pendant into my open hand. Red hello kitty with a little red bell. I look into his eyes and put it on my necklace. He can't believe it. He is overcome. I am in love.

And when he goes to sleep, I am so frightened that he will not be there to protect me.

Activism Alive in Cincinnati

I was nominated for Best Local Activist in CityBeat's "Best of 2010!"

If you'd like to vote, click right here.

Thanks Rebecca and the Racial Awareness Program for the shoutout!

Thank you to whoever nominated me (even though you misspelled Paraskevopoulos.)

You're probably asking yourself, "Self, why the heck should I vote for her?" Good question. I'll list some of the things I'm working on, and then let you decide for yourself.

projects i'm working on right now:

- planning for national CANference
- book drive for Dheishe Refugee Camp in Bethlehem
- non-political get-together between Zionist and Palestinian-solidarity students, so that when we get together to talk politics, we can see each other as people and not ideologues.

plus!

-peer facilitating the racial awareness program
-writing a zine to sell as a fundraiser for the interfaith peace-builders
-bringing evan greer to campus to teach us how to work with various student groups

as with all things, there are a bunch of people working on all of this, too. it is in no way just me doing this stuff, but it is nice to be recognized.

RIP

Howard Zinn is dead at 87.

Let's all pay our respects by learning something about ourselves and our world today:

Speaking event coming up! Campus Antiwar Network Conference at Urbana-Champaign.

Leave me a msg for more info!