Judith Norman

Template:TOCnestleft Judith Norman

Beginnings of Trinity YDSA

Trinity YDSA was approved as a Registered Student Organization (RSO) in November 2019. Sophomore and YDSA co-chair Victoria Henretty said her interest in creating a chapter began when she attended UTSA chapter meetings last year.

“I liked stuff that they were doing on campus,” Henretty said. “They would call admin out, call professors out for unjust behavior, and I really admired that.”

YDSA also has the support of two faculty advisers: Alfred Montoya, professor of anthropology, and Judith Norman, professor of philosophy. Norman said she is glad to help but plans to let student YDSA members take the lead.

“I think we’re at a moment where young people have more of a grasp of what’s gone wrong and more of a sense of energy about fixing it than the older generation does,” Norman said. “I don’t see myself as a leader. I see myself as an admirer, and hopefully an assistant.”

As the spring semester begins, the chapter is gearing up for activities from a leftist book club to a fossil fuel divestment campaign. YDSA is also in talks with T-Prog and PRIDE, with tentative plans to collaborate on events.

“We’re super interested in working with other student organizations, because leftism is something that affects every single person and all identities,” Henretty said.

Anaya believes leftism is often painted as pessimistic, but he sees YDSA as more about faith in the world’s potential.

“We have so much faith in the world to do better,” Anaya said. “That’s the root of it all — we just want everyone to do better, and that’s why we fight for what we do. It’s not pessimism as much as it is action and optimism.”

CAIR against ACT for America

On Thursday, February 23 2017, the San Antonio, Texas, chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR - San Antonio) will join progressive, interfaith organizations* and elected officials at a news conference to condemn an anti-mosque event hosted that evening by the hate group ACT for America.

WHAT: Interfaith Coalition/Progressive Groups to Condemn Hate Group’s Anti-Mosque Event

WHEN: Thursday, February 23, 5:30 p.m.

WHERE: Outside Village Parkway Baptist Church, 3002 Village Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78251

CONTACT: CAIR - San Antonio President Sarwat Husain, 210-378-9528.

SPONSORS: Council on American-Islamic Relations San Antonio chapter (CAIR-San Antonio), Jewish Voice for Peace of San Antonio (JVP-SA), Indivisible 21, Iraq Veterans Against War, San Antonio (IVAR-SA), Move-SA, Refugee and Immigration Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES), San Antonio Peace Center, Vets Against Islamophobia in Common Defense PAC.

SPEAKERS: Sarwat Husain: President CAIR-SA.

Statements will be read from Congressman Joaquin Castro: Dist. 20, Congressman Lloyd Doggett Dist. 35, and Rep. Diana Arevalo Dist. 16.

Other Speakers include: Manuel Medina: Chair Bexar County Democratic Party, Judith Norman: JVP, Trish Florence: Indivisible 21, Sheikh Said Atif, MCECC.

Opposing Israeli Policy in Gaza

In January 2009 Judith Norman, Trinity Univ., signed a statement circulated by the Magnes Zionist Blog, opposing Israeli policy in Gaza:

As human beings, we are shocked and appalled at the mass destruction unleashed by the State of Israel against the people of Gaza in its military operation, following years of Israeli occupation, siege, and deprivation.

As progressives, we reject the same justifications for the carnage that we heard ad nauseam from the supporters of the Second Iraq War: the so-called "war on terror," the "clash of civilizations," the "need to re-establish deterrence" – all of which served to justify a misguided and unnecessary war, with disastrous consequences for America and Iraq.

References

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