Palestine: 54 Years Under Occupation (May 14-16, Columbus, OH)

[Yoshie Furuhashi <furuhashi.1@xxxxxxx>]

May 14-16, 2002
"Palestine: 54 Years Under Occupation"
The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

The OSU Committee for Justice in Palestine is putting on events under
the rubric of "Palestine: 54 Years Under Occupation" from May 14
through May 16, to commemorate Al-Nakba (the Catastrophe) that the
creation of the state of Israel meant for the Palestinian people, to
raise awareness about the current plight of the Palestinians, and to
launch a campaign to divest from Israel.   For three days, we will be
inhabiting a "refugee camp" on the Oval (the center of the Ohio State
University main campus) as well as hosting a number of cultural and
political events.

Here's the schedule:

Tuesday, May 14

* 11 AM -3 PM  Street Theatre on the Oval
Breakdown:
-11:15 AM  Satirical Lecture by Sharon (with a giant papier-mache
head of Sharon)
-12:15 PM  Tank Tag (including a 6 X 12 ft. Israeli tank and Uncle
Sam as props)
-1:15 PM  Mock Checkpoint (4-6 individuals in Israeli Defense Force
costumes will be enforcing a checkpoint on the oval, while the rest
of us play Palestinians detained by the IDF)
-2:15 PM  House Demolitions

* 5 PM  Seth Tobocman, revolutionary artist, a slideshow presentation
of his work concerning Palestine and Israel  (for examples of
Tobocman's work available on-line, please go to
<http://mediafilter.org/MFF/Seth.html> &
<http://www.softskull.com/catalog/tobocman/you_dont_have_to.html>)
130 Drinko Hall, 55 W 12th Ave.

* 7 PM Screening of _Bethlehem Diary_,  264 MacQuigg Laboratory, 105
W Woodruff Ave.

_Bethlehem Diary_ is a compelling personal account of the current
Intifada -- an opportunity to witness the lives of Palestinian
families living in Bethlehem during this arduous period.  The film
focuses on two Palestinian families and an Israeli human rights
lawyer.  We witness their lives amidst extraordinary events --
through moments of despair and anger.  The intimate, surreal, and
humorous stories they tell help us to understand how violence and
uncertainty affect both their public and private lives.

Wednesday, May 15

* 11 AM -3 AM   Street Theatre on the Oval

* 12 noon - 2 PM  Panel Discussion with Palestinian Refugees
101a Oxley Hall

* 6:30 PM  Open mic night featuring Palestinian poet Suheir Hammad
The Frank W. Hale Jr., Black Cultural Center, 153 W. 12th Ave
About the Poet: Twenty-six-year-old Palestinian-American poet and
political activist Suheir Hammad has published a book of poems, _Born
Palestinian, Born Black_, and a memoir, _Drops Of This Story_, and is
prominently featured in _Listen Up! An Anthology Of Spoken Work
Poetry_.  Recipient of the Audre Lourde Writing Award from Hunter
College, the Morris Center for Healing Poetry Award, and a New York
Mills Artist Residency in Minnesota, Hammad is a frequent reader at
New York reading venues, including numerous radio appearances, and
has performed with The All That Band and Rhythms of Aqua. She has
produced a documentary film, _Half A Lifetime_, and is writing a film
entitled From _Beirut To Brooklyn_, based on her memoir.  Naomi
Shihab Nye has called Hammad's work "a brave flag over the
dispossessed."  In addition to her work as a creative artist, Hammad
has written and spoken out about issues such as the defense of Mumia
Abu-Jamal, domestic violence, sexual abuse, racism, and homophobia.
Currently a college student, Hammad also edits the literary journal
_Butter Phoenix_ and writes a literary column for "Stress" magazine.
(This is a joint effort of the CJP and the African Heritage Festival.
Three winners from the AHF poetry slam will perform with Suheir
Hammad.  The stage will be opened up to the audience after the
performances of Hammad and the AHF poetry slam winners.  The African
Heritage Festival is also sponsoring a Soul Night at Hitchcock Hall
at 8:30 PM.)

Thursday, May 16

* 11 AM -3 PM  Street Theatre on the Oval

*3:30 PM  Die-in
This will be a big action.  There need to be at least 100 people in
the oval lying down covered by shrouds representing the vast number
of Palestinians massacred by the Israeli government.  Please come and
join us!  Also, we will have speakers giving 5-10 minute speeches and
banners explaining the meaning of the action.

In addition:

Wednesday, May 22
7:30 PM, "Israel & Palestine, Images & Reality"
Speaker: Norman G. Finkelstein
About the Speaker: Norman G. Finkelstein received his doctorate from
the Department of Politics, Princeton University, for a thesis on the
theory of Zionism.  He is widely credited with exposing the Joan
Peters book _From Time Immemorial_ (a book heavily promoted by
Zionists) as a hoax.  He is the author of four books: _Image and
Reality of the Israel-Palestine Conflict_ (Verso, 1995), _The Rise
and Fall of Palestine_ (University of Minnesota, 1996), with Ruth
Bettina Birn, _A Nation on Trial: The Goldhagen Thesis and Historical
Truth_ (Henry Holt,1998), and _The Holocaust Industry: Reflections on
the Exploitation of Jewish Suffering_ (Verso, 2000).  His writings
have appeared in the _London Review of Books_, _Index on Censorship_,
_Journal of Palestine Studies_, _New Left Review_, _Middle East
Report_, _Christian Science Monitor_ and _Al-Ahram Weekly_ among
others.  He currently teaches political science at DePaul University
in Chicago.  Norman Finkelstein was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1953.
He is the son of Maryla Husyt Finkelstein, survivor of the Warsaw
Ghetto, Maidanek concentration camp, and Zacharias Finkelstein,
survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto, Auschwitz concentration camp.  He
dedicated his first book to his parents in which he wrote: "May I
never forgive or forget what was done to them."
Location: the OSU College of Law Auditorium, 55 West 12th Avenue
(subject to change)
Sponsors: the Committee for Justice in Palestine, the OSU Dept. of
History, & the Student International Forum

--
Yoshie

* Calendar of Events in Columbus:
<http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/calendar.html>
* Anti-War Activist Resources: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/activist.html>
* Student International Forum: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/>
* Committee for Justice in Palestine: <http://www.osu.edu/students/CJP/>