April 25 Response Post

Allison Attenello’s article was interesting at many different levels. One specific quote really stood out for me: “identity and power intersect to privilege some and marginalize others”. I think this is something that is so easy to forget in our day-to-day lives, especially in the “Colgate Bubble”. I know we have talked about this before, but the vast majority of us are where we are (Colgate), not because of our own merrits, but because of the situations we have been born into. I think it is important to remind ourselves of this fact, especially at a place like Colgate.

Additionally, I loved what Attenello had to say about the way we identify ourselves. After working with the Unidad de New Brunswick group, Attenello questioned whether it was helping or hurting the cause, having herself as a leader of the organization. She began to believe that she was hurting the cause, as a white, Italian, middle class college student. However, after time, Attenello came to realize that may be she was defining her identity in a very limited way. Instead of thinking of herself simply as the previously listed characteristics, she began to think of herself in relation to the Unidad de New Brunswick. She realized that her identity did not bother them, and she realized that her identity could be used as a “tool” to help Unidad de New Brunswick achieve its objectives. Although she did eventually end up leaving the group, it’s great that Attenello came to see her identity “privilege” (as a white Italian middle class woman) as a possible tool to help others who are facing discrimination because of their racial/ethnic/socioeconomic identities.

In “Blurring the Lines that Divide”, Pruce discusses her experience as a Jewish female and her activism on campus in the midst of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. As opposed to Attenello, Pruce used her own identity and experiences to support her own cause. She wanted to fight anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism on her campus, and she channeled her past experiences (in Israel before college), and became an activist on her campus. Finally, Pruce moved to Israel and pursued an internship. I respect how Pruce took her cause abroad, to the country that she so loved. This strikes home for me because one of my best friends from home decided to move to Israel last summer, out of his passion for his religion. I struggled with his decision, mostly from a safety standpoint, because he told me that he intended on joining the army. I know he has moved there because of his faith, but I hope that he remains safe.