Correspondence #1
The following correspodence is the initial email sent from the Alumni group to Anne Houtman, president of Earlham College, and other community leaders.
Sent: Wednesday, November 8, 2023 11:27 AM
Subject: Earlham alumni calling for action on Palestine
Dear Earlham College,
I am sending this email on behalf of many members of the Earlham Alumni community.
As members of the Earlham Alumni community, we stand firmly in solidarity with the indigenous people of Palestine who have resisted Israel's violent settler colonial regime for seventy-five years. We are extremely disappointed by Earlham’s silence about the events unfolding in Palestine, predicated upon the dehumanization of Palestinians, and lack of support towards the SJP and affected students.
This silence in the face of the mass genocide of Palestinians is not in keeping with the Principles and Practices we were taught as Earlham students, and which we now live by and promote as an extension of the Earlham community. As stated in Earlham’s Principles and Practices, “we aspire to work actively for the building of the institution of peace through equitable and nonviolent resolution of conflict, the removal of causes of violence and injustice, the relief of suffering, the equitable sharing of resources and the addressing of the roots of conflict and violence in our own behavior.”
The college’s privileged silence demonstrates that Earlham is not a space for questioning violent injustices, but rather an institution committed to preserving the status quo of settler colonialism in its many forms.
We call on Earlham’s administration to:
Take a PUBLIC, moral, and humane stand against Israel's bombardment of Gaza and genocide of the Palestinian people.
Call on Senators and Congressional Representatives to demand an immediate ceasefire.
Divest from all arms manufacturers and U.S. and Israel-based companies complicit in the destruction of Gaza and the ongoing occupation and dispossession of Palestinians, no matter the time, energy, and effort needed.
Formally apologize to Palestinian students and alumni for staying silent for 30+ days and for not offering the necessary support to students who are affected by the situation in Gaza.
We caution that a lack of response to these demands and continued silence towards Palestine and her people, will break our faith in Earlham and the values it purports to stand for. Without swift action, we alumni, standing with the current students, will no longer feel comfortable in supporting Earlham as this present silence and inaction is a dishonor to the college’s principles.
Earlham swiftly took a public stand for Ukraine early last year, one day after Russia’s invasion. Your silence towards Palestine has been heard loudly for the last 30 days. We demand an immediate answer to this open statement. With every passing day hundreds of innocent Palestinians are being brutally murdered.
The benefits of Earlham’s commitment to peace and justice must extend far enough to reach the college’s Palestinian community. Your silence mocks your mission (once again).
We need to know if our alma mater practices what it preaches.
In unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people,
Members of the Earlham Alumni Community
(Signatures have been held due to safety concerns.)
