Don't forget about the other activists on our campus

The captivating cover of the last week’s Phoenix led me to read the article entitled “Activism shapes student life at Swarthmore” with excitement. However, my excitement turned into disappointment after reading the section entitled “Activism today.” While I realize that “chronicling the history of activism at Swarthmore” is impossible to do in a two-page spread, the incomplete picture of today’s activism neglects to mention the valuable efforts of many student organizations working hard for social change.

I am hoping that this article is part of a longer series that could more adequately capture the activism that is alive at Swarthmore. Mentioning only STAND and WNR as examples of activist groups is akin to picking two plants to represent the entire Scott Aboretum. There is rich diversity in terms of student activist groups, including several that use protests and mass demonstrations as a means to shake both Swarthmore and the world.

Please do not delete this work from the richness of the history of social justice activism at Swarthmore. I look forward to a more complete picture in the coming editions.

Adam Bortner ’12