Activist or Advocate? Lessons from My Israel Travels

In Israel, a FAMU student explores connections between her Christian background and far-off Middle Eastern affairs

By Alexia Robinson, THE BLACK COLLEGIAN

As this nation witnesses the benchmark anniversaries of the Civil Rights Movement, I can’t help but compare myself and my generation to those people from the 60’s who marched for freedom and justice for all. Does my generation have the courage to sit-in and boycott?

Nowadays, when you consider the words student activism, what comes to mind? Marches, protests and bull horns? Do you envision students standing on street corners waving hand-made posters demanding peace in the Middle East, gay rights or preservation of a woman’s right to choose?

Yes, student activism in my generation does manifest itself in those ways, but I’d like to think that we are savvier than that; we can also deploy more sophisticated strategies at our disposal in today’s enhanced media and communications technology landscape.  We lobby our government officials, we engage in organized dialogues, and we draft and implement action plans.

But some people still don’t believe we have what it takes to fully support any cause.

But they are wrong.  In a series of articles for THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Online, I will explore the state of student activism among African-American students on U.S. college campuses and in communities around the country.

And I will start with me.

Activist, Advocate...or Ally?

I have never considered myself to be an “activist”. For me, the term has a lot of negative connotations. Activists are always protesting and pushing some petition in your face. Politicians loathe them, and lay citizens try to avoid them at grocery stores and on the street.

On the other hand, activists see a problem and do what they can to fix it.  Armed with information, activists try, for all it’s worth, to inform others about the errors of their ways. So in that context, I guess I’ve always been an activist, although I prefer the term advocate.

In my mind, advocates don’t march. They disseminate information and meet with decision makers. They work to change policy, not just pass around petitions. Of course, there are definitely causes I believe in and defend with a passion, such as freedom of speech and equal rights. But my methods are what make the difference.

So, although I’ve worked painstakingly to make those distinctions for myself, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has given me another title – Campus Ally.

With my background – African-American, Christian, graduate of a Historically Black University – I am presumed to be unlikely ally of Israel. But AIPAC thinks otherwise, and has decided that my background makes me the perfect friend of Israel. It’s not a title that I wear on my sleeve; it’s not even on my resume. It’s decidedly absent along with my party affiliation from my list of hobbies and organizations for the simple fact that those groups come with stereotypes all their own. I don’t wish to be cast in their shadows.

But it is an association that has proven to be spiritually rewarding. Speaking of spirit, that’s the best place to start in describing my work with AIPAC.

Getting to Know the Holy Land

The first time I heard about Israel was probably in Sunday School. In my young mind, Israel was the place on the other side of the Red Sea where Moses led his people to freedom in the Promised Land.

My next encounter with Israel came when a Catholic friend of my family traveled to Israel on a tour of the Holy Land. At the time, I was intrigued and wished I could see the place where Jesus walked.

But I never expected that I would. That’s where AIPAC comes in.

AIPAC is, for all intents and purposes, a lobbying group for the American-Israel relationship. Its goal, which it achieves quite effectively, is to show people Israel’s value to not only America, but to the world. That’s where I come in.

As a budding journalist aspiring to be a media mogul, my career goal is to be in a position to publish stories that encompass foreign affairs, including those in Israel. It is helpful that I am equipped, thanks to AIPAC, to make an informed assessment of the issues in the Middle East. I might even go on to do something crazy like run for public office and be responsible for shaping public policy. At least, that’s what AIPAC hopes I will do. Either way, AIPAC is banking on my potential -- a chance that many organizations don’t take on young people. But that is for another column.

Anyway, my first-hand knowledge of Israel has proven helpful already even in understanding the current border crisis. As a matter of fact, I’ve gone to an Israeli military base. I was in shooting range of the Hezbollah in January while I traveled through the Golan Heights with other AIPAC Campus Allies. For 10 days, I was immersed in Israel’s culture. I met its people, ate their food, traveled the roads and dined with dignitaries.

And it changed my life, and more importantly, my outlook on the world and more importantly, the war on terror and the need for peace.

No, AIPAC has not brainwashed me into some propagandist for Israel. AIPAC has allowed me access to sights and experiences that let me form my own opinion of the country, which is, honestly, more than I can say for the media. That is to say that I am a Campus Ally by choice – not coercion.

For me, being an AIPAC Campus Ally is not about being pro-Jewish state and anti-Muslim or anti-Palestinian. Israel is not the perfect country nor does it have a perfect government, but it is striving for peace. It is surrounded by neighbors who don’t want to see that happen, and in some cases don’t want it to exist. At some level, their anger may be justified when you consider the poverty many Palestinians live in. One of my favorite advocates, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”  But peace or equality can never be achieved through a rocket.

Although I am pro-peace, another reason for my interest in Israel is deeply personal and has nothing to do with my work with AIPAC.

As a Christian, I am concerned about preserving the landmarks of my faith. As I sat on the steps of the old temple in Jerusalem where Jesus preached, a peace washed over me. That’s not an experience AIPAC created for me; it’s one they exposed me to. I am a Campus Ally for AIPAC because I’ve seen what injustice and intolerance can do to a people. I’ve seen the walls and fences it builds.

Knowledge is Power

But whether I embrace the title activist, AIPAC has armed me with the tools to be an effective ally to Israel because they supply me with information. And we all know that knowledge empowers you and first-hand knowledge, to me, is priceless.

This series of stories is intended to be about student activism. However, as I stated previously, I do not consider myself to be an activist. But before I could address activism of others, I had to look inward and figure out what motivates me. To be an effective ally/activist/advocate means that you must be motivated by something – faith, self-knowledge, passion or even boredom. For me, knowledge is at the top of my list.

What Do You Think?

Is activism a thing of the past?  Are today's African-American students less committed to important social, political and world issues than were those of previous generations?  We welcome and encourage your feedback and views throughout this series!