Just Do It
Philly Loves Palestine
Art show, Thu., Nov. 29, 7-10 p.m., free, Kaffa's Crossing, 4423 Chestnut St.; film screening, Fri., Nov. 30, 6-9 p.m., $5, Lava Zone, 4134 Lancaster Ave.; hip-hop concert, Sat., Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m., $10-$20 suggested donation, Rotunda, 4014 Walnut St., myspace.com/hiphop4palestine, hiphop4palestine@gmail.com
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Ever feel that the United States is on the wrong side of almost every international conflict (except that time we beat the Nazis)? Philly Loves Palestine, a three-day arts and culture celebration, offers you a chance to show some affection for the underdogs of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Organized by the Temple chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), the series kicks off with an art show featuring photos from Palestine along with debkah performances and a dance party. If you prefer sitting to shaking it, Friday brings a film screening of documentaries about Israeli and Palestinian artists. PLP wraps up with a hip-hop show with local acts such as TuPhace, Baltimorians S.O.N. and DJ Thor of Norway. Proceeds benefit SJP and Birthright Unplugged (birthrightunplugged.org), an organization that brings Palestinian children from the West Bank and Gaza to visit sites in Israel.
In addition to exploring Palestinian culture, SJP wants the U.S. to take a neutral stance in the conflict and for Temple to divest from companies that profit from it. "SJP wants Temple to pledge not to invest in companies that profit off of the military occupation and the destruction of Palestinian lives," says member Zakia Abukhdeir. "We're standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people."
Also In This Week's Agenda Section
In regards to the "burka" - it's not common to see such a thing with the Palestinian community, as the majority of Palestinians are religiously-liberal, if not secular. Perhaps you're thinking of Taliban-era Afghanistan. If so, you might want to invest in a map...
Lastly, I think you should attend this concert and see for yourself whether or not performers sing about "Bitchez and Hos being executed in the public square." I think you'll find the organizers and audience to be very liberal and progressive in their points of view... something you obviously aren't.
But I digress, as you'll probably not attend any of these events, but still somehow manage to be offended by them. Three cheers for the ignorant!
It's really important to keep in mind that Hamas received funding and behind-the-scenes aid from Israel for years starting under Golda Meir's government. They did this to split the secular, largely peaceful movements for change that came about in the occupied territories and among the refugees.
I know several friends that have visited Palestine, and have participated in LGBT marches in the West Bank, and had Orthodox Jewish settlers come to protest the Palestinians taking part. I don't say this to make it as though Israelis are intolerant as a whole, but just to point out that there are religious extremists in both camps, and that that doesn't change the fact that the history of this conflict is one of the Israelis ethnically cleansing (removing Palestinians) in order to create and then maintain what was before a non-existant ethnic majority.
We want democracy. Go SJP!