As of the time I am writing this, I have noticed a distinct lack of administrative statements on the crisis in Gaza. This is especially striking because President Stoltzfus issued statements on both the Russo-Ukraine war and the Jan. 6th Capitol riots shortly after news broke. It has been several weeks since Israel declared war on Hamas and began the siege of Gaza.
Let me preface my own statements by noting that I am neither Palestinian nor Jewish. I found Emma Gingerich’s piece on the importance of the Palestinian perspective insightful and poignant. You can find it in the Oct. 12 edition of The Record. I highly recommend reading it; compared to international news coverage, her story is a breath of fresh air. It is important that our leaders, students, administrators and faculty alike are not silent. We need to be in conversation.What really gets me is that Goshen College is an institution dedicated to global leadership and compassionate peacemaking — yet the administration has been deafeningly silent. Even if the administration has no personal stake in what is happening in the Middle East right now, I am certain that there are people in the student body who are profoundly affected by it.
I encourage President Stoltzfus, other administrators and any and all instructors to at least acknowledge what is happening abroad. To my friends who had the opportunity to spend a few weeks in Israel and Palestine before the war broke out, I encourage you to continue sharing your stories and to continue leading. If you are willing and able to present these stories from your Study-Service Term in a future convocation, it would be timely and worthwhile.
For all of you reading this: read widely, think critically and take care of yourselves and each other.
Editor’s note: President Stoltzfus issued a statement to the campus community via email one day after the Jan. 6 insurrection and wrote on her blog about the Russian invasion of Ukraine one week after it happened.
Liam Morris is a senior communication major with a writing minor.
