As our board marched into the Student Association Congress meeting on the evening of Oct. 8, we listened to only a few minutes of dialogue before seeing hands rise and the gavel drop. Just like that, the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions resolution from April — which we helped pass along with the Young Democratic Socialists of America, Dominican Student Association, SUNY BDS and a broad coalition of multicultural organizations after a five-hour democratic process — was overturned. It was shocking, but the complete lack of transparency in the process made this abrupt decision even more troubling. The agenda was not disclosed to any of the groups that authored April’s resolution. Only one organization, the Binghamton University Zionist Organization, was publicly aware of the vote prior to the meeting.

This deliberate exclusion contrasts sharply with the inclusive, collaborative spirit that defined the passing of the original resolution. One of the greatest strengths of our movement is the diverse support it received from the campus community. We, Students for Justice in Palestine, are proud that 18 multicultural organizations on campus have joined as allies in the fight against Israel’s crimes of genocide and apartheid, including organizations representing Muslim, Jewish, Asian, Black, Latinx and queer communities. Despite the broad coalition of multicultural organizations united in our cause, the nondiverse SA Congress responded by passing legislation that undermines and targets these very communities — actions that directly contradict their responsibility to represent the student body. Their decision reflects a disregard for the voices and safety of marginalized students, and the attempt to ban masks is another glaring example of this discrimination.

Throughout the history of political activism in the United States, masks have been used to protect activists — specifically activists of color — from being targeted by the American police state. On the streets of Ferguson in 2014 and Minneapolis in 2020, many protesters masked up to protect themselves from and protest against racist police practices. Advocates of the Palestinian cause are urged to mask up for protection from counterprotesters. Across the country, doxxing and harassment have ruined countless lives, and on our campus, we’ve repeatedly seen pro-Israel counter-protesters resort to filming and photographing protesters’ faces as an intimidation tactic.

In the current resistance against Israeli genocide, masks have become a crucial tool for safeguarding activists and preserving their safety. The goal of these agitators is to intimidate protesters so that they do not raise their voices. Unsurprisingly, the SA Congress did nothing to address the pressing issue of doxxing and harassment — they mentioned adding a clause on doxxing but promptly abandoned it. Instead, they passed a resolution that we feel would strip people of color from their primary defense against thuggish intimidation tactics like doxxing. By trying to ban masks, the SA Congress not only ignored the real threats faced by activists but has actively enabled those who seek to silence them through fear and harassment. This resolution is a betrayal of the very students the SA is meant to protect, making it clear that the safety and voices of marginalized communities are not a priority.

While the SA Executive Board vetoed two resolutions passed by the Congress — one supporting a mask ban and another barring unrecognized organizations, including SUNY BDS, from campus — this is only a temporary reprieve. These vetoes will return to the SA Congress at their next meeting on Nov. 12, where a three-fourths majority could overturn the E-Board’s decision. The fact that these harmful resolutions were passed in the first place speaks volumes about the hostile environment facing activists and marginalized communities on our campus.

Finally, we want to highlight that less than 10 percent of Binghamton students voted in the SA E-Board elections — the same can be assumed about last year’s SA congressional elections. Regardless of whether Congress representatives were fairly elected, it is clear the SA congress does not represent the entirety of the University’s diverse and pluralistic student body. Furthermore, the lively debate and open dialogue that characterized the BDS vote back in April was replaced by a clandestine process. We at SJP denounce the undemocratic rescinding of April’s BDS resolution and wholeheartedly object to the SA’s frenzy of anti-Palestinian legislation, including the effort to ban SUNY BDS and its affiliate organizations from campus.

The vetoes offer a moment of relief, but the fight is far from over. The student body must remain vigilant, knowing that the Congress meeting on Nov. 12 could bring these discriminatory policies back to life. Now more than ever, we must continue to stand united in solidarity and advocate for the voices and safety of marginalized communities on campus.

Students for Justice in Palestine is an activist group working to raise awareness and empower Palestinians, their culture and their liberation. 

A Letter to the Editor is an opinion column published in response to a column or article previously published. This is SJP’s response to news coverage on 10/10 titled “What happened at Tuesday’s SA Congress meeting,” which has since been updated in a 10/14 article titled “SA E-Board vetoes two resolutions passed last Tuesday.”

Views expressed in the opinions pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece that represents the view of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the staff editorial.