Resistance is a difficult endeavor. With the romanticization of dystopian novels, we often lose sight of the role of the education system in the struggle against fascism. People like to think that revolutions are driven by spontaneity, yet with the ongoing elimination of the Department of Education, I fear that a shock factor would be rendered fruitless.
Cornell is actively being deprived of resources that keep democracy alive. Freedom of speech, as seen in Columbia’s cowardly concessions, is gradually weakening. There will come a time when repressive silence dominates campus, muffled by Cornell’s submission to a fascist regime. Education in an institution that preaches “any person, any study” will be heavily monitored by a government that does not care for our future or existence, much less for human agency.
A while ago, Mexican news outlets reported on the discovery of an extermination camp in the isolated outskirts of Reynosa, Tamaulipas. It was the second such site after the initial report of a “death ranch” in Guadalajara, Jalisco. The number of victims is unknown, but over 700 articles of clothing, shoes and accessories were found covered in human ashes. Across Jalisco and Tamaulipas, candles and memorials have been placed in protest of Mexican federal government’s inaction. If not for Cornell’s Latino Studies Program, many students would remain unaware that the U.S. gun industry profits from cartel violence in Mexico.
However, even if I were to make a point about the importance of learning about colonization in the Middle East (which, mind you, is my second major) or knowing about US intervention in Central America — and the subsequent genocides that occurred — Cornell’s administration would be adamant about "following the law". Because why would they adhere to this university’s principles when money is on the line?
Education is an act of resistance. True education — inclusive, critical and expansive — prevents one-sided narratives and ensures a diversity of perspective. “Any person, any study” at its core is rebellion, yet the administration is failing to resist. Fascism thrives by reducing academics to spoon-fed propaganda. A university that surrenders to political pressure surrenders its moral obligation.
If Cornell chooses compliance to the so-called “law” — or, more so, the militarization of our education — empathy will suffer. Cornell will be an evident culprit if readers continue to believe that I am a dangerous alien. But the truth is that I am a US citizen, the daughter of two hard-working Mexican parents — and no, they did not come to steal your jobs. You wouldn’t know that if it weren’t for DEI, without ethnic studies, without a Department of Education willing to protect our stories. These programs now have targets on their backs.
Empathy is the core of “any person, any study.” Education ensures that you — the student — can build a world grounded in intersectionality, understanding and community. It’s how we continue to say, “I am here” through the diffusion of culture, history, language and science. True education makes you stronger not because you are suddenly smarter, but because it makes you human.
The Trump administration will likely publicly target Cornell in due time. I can only hope that our administration has the guts to choose academic freedom and defend their academic principles. If not, we are doomed. But as I’ve said, our humanity cannot be ripped away from us. If, one day, you notice no one is talking about the active genocide in Guadalajara and Reynosa or the ways our domestic politics are silencing and oppressing others — do not be afraid to resist. While it can be fickle, resistance comes in trickles, not floods.
Preserving the foundations of our education is how we fight back. Neutrality in a time of political turmoil is not safety — it is complicity. One day, maybe it’ll be you who’s next.
We are only defeated when our education diminishes. It is time we act now.
Hannia Arevalo is an Opinion Columnist and the Graphics Editor on the Cornell Sun’s 143rd Editorial Board. They are a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences studying Government and Near Eastern Studies. As native Texan and proud Mexican-American, their fortnightly column, Ni de Aqui, Ni de Alla, hopes to provide a space to express their political perspectives. They can be reached at harevalo@cornellsun.com.
