Protests over the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza have escalated on college campuses in the United States in recent weeks. Students are seeking to draw attention to the conflict and demand that their respective universities divest from corporate partnerships with companies with ties to and investments in Israel.

Some of these direct-action campaigns have gone largely unnoticed, while others have been met with forceful responses by university and law enforcement agencies. 

Three Central Texas universities offer a microcosm for this moment in time. The University of Texas in Austin (UT), Texas A&M University (A&M) in College Station, and Baylor University in Waco are separated by 100 miles yet connected by a . For this reason, we are withholding the church’s name until later. 

Baylor University

Because Baylor is a private Baptist university, the administration can exercise more control over what happens on its campus. Because its demographics are far less racially and economically diverse than larger public universities, it has never had a reputation as a hotbed of social activism. 

Attempts to raise awareness of social issues usually come from one of two sources–students from marginalized communities or the Garland School of Social Work (GSW). For the former, it is a matter of survival. For the latter, it is required. 

The National Association of Social Workers code of ethics recognizes advocacy for oppressed individuals and communities as a core pillar of the profession. This provides an island on campus (the GSW is located in downtown Waco) for justice-minded students to thrive and, at times, a headache for stakeholders who prefer the illusion of “keeping the peace” over the more difficult work of “making peace.” 

Brynn Eaton, who will graduate this month with a bachelor’s degree in social work, has worked since the war began to raise awareness of the situation in Gaza. 

In October, she and other students hosted an informational table near the Student Union Building. They shared literature that provided a timeline of the history between Israel and Palestinians and offered ways to get involved. Although Student Activities, the department on campus that manages “expressive activities,” approved some of what they wanted to share, much of it was heavily censored. 

They were forbidden to share a handout that listed the demands of the people of Gaza and two photos, one with a timeline and count of the number of Palestinians killed by Israel, the other with an image of a Palestinian father kissing the forehead of his dead child. When the students asked why these were forbidden, Eaton says they were told the images were “too emotional.” 

In February, Eaton and others held a cultural demonstration and vigil for Palestine. The event showcased art from the community and included an open mic where local Palestinians spoke. Eaton said, “This was such a beautiful and moving event, and I am so glad we had the opportunity to do it.”

There are discussions about future activities at Baylor and the Waco community, including peace walks, interfaith marches, and teach-ins. Eaton says students hope to have spiritual leaders “give prayers and talks at different spiritual locations around town.” 

Monday, April 29: Texas A&M University

Although their influence would significantly diminish, Austin and Waco would survive as cities without their universities. It is difficult to imagine College Station and its neighboring Bryan existing without Texas A&M.

From all directions, “Aggieland” emerges from the farmland of the Brazos Valley, and can shock the system. Founded as the “Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas,” it is the largest university in a state that values largeness above all else. 

Aside from Aggie jokes and an obsession with the University of Texas–their hatred for the school in Austin is baked right into the Aggie War Hymn–they are most known for their connection to the U.S. military. (Which should surprise no one after learning their fight song is a “War Hymn.”) Except for service academies, no other institution in the U.S. is more aligned with the military than A&M. 

Because of this, I was almost as surprised to learn about the protests at A&M, organized by the Palestine Solidarity Committee, as I would have if I had learned the same thing was occurring at Baylor. 

Like UT, my only previous foray into the heart of the A&M campus had been for events at the massive Kyle Field. As I walked around campus looking for the Academic Plaza, I passed an old man in a cowboy hat, preaching to the air about society’s ills. Students walked by unfazed, as if he were a daily fixture. 

With the image I have always had of Aggies, I watched him and thought to myself, “That tracks.” 

What created some dissonance for me, however, was the makeup of students I saw walking all around me. The demographics were far less homogenous than what you might expect from one of the most conservative public universities in the nation. The campus felt far more diverse than what I had experienced in Austin just a few days earlier. 

Another difference from the Saturday protests in Austin is that I felt a sense of calmness and order when I approached the gathering. 

One trait I should add to the list of things Aggies are known for is friendliness. It is extremely annoying when they brag about it, and they brag about it often. But when you experience Aggie friendliness, it is endearing and disarming. It would mark the next two hours. 

When I asked a student if anyone had been deputized to speak with the media, I was told they wouldn’t speak to the press. But she gave a written statement and invited me to take photos and video. She also provided me with a bottle of water and sunscreen. 

Every leader’s request for attention began with the signature Aggie, “Howdy!” The response, in unison, was “Howdy!” 

But just because they were friendly doesn’t mean they weren’t determined and passionate about their cause. Everyone I spoke with seemed exceptionally informed about all the details of the history of Israel and Palestine. There were chants, recitations of demands and a march around the academic plaza. 

One student waved a Palestinian flag painted with the words, “This Jew is for a Free Palestine.” 

All this occurred under the shadow of the statue of Lawrence Sullivan “Sul” Ross, the 19th Governor of Texas and a general in the Confederate Army. 

Although none of the students would speak on the record, one of them did comment about how religion plays a part in the courage it took for many of the protestors to show up in the middle of a school like A&M, where there would be hecklers and gawkers. And there were some of those. But for the most part, the day was one of peaceful resistance and resolve. 

Standing Up For Something

Walking back toward my truck to drive back to Waco, I passed a white male student wearing a cross and a T-shirt that read, “Warrior for Christ.” I thought about how I was that student in high school and college. I reflected on all the ways I was lauded and elevated in my religious communities for simply wearing messages like that. 

Adults told other students to be like me because I “stood up for my beliefs, even though they were unpopular.” The reality, however, was that my beliefs were the dominant ones in my community. 

Are those same adults praising the students around the country now who are standing up for their beliefs, despite how unpopular they are? 

This story is incomplete and, to use a word many are too weary of, complicated. 

For every student protest demanding freedom for the people of Palestine, there are Jewish students worried about their safety. For every self-professed Christian walking by and heckling, there are other followers of Jesus standing between them and the crowds, acting as a shield. There are Arab students worried that the protests are becoming too violent and Jewish students furious at the gatekeepers of their faith who demand unwavering support for Zionism. 

And mostly, there are people in power doing people-in-power things: Dictating the terms of debate and refusing to listen. 

It may get too loud for them to do that much longer.