Oxfam logo. Image from web.
Oxfam night seems like a pretty uncontroversial and likable idea. Last Thursday, Harris closed for dinner and donated to Oxfam America money that would have been used to feed students. Oxfam is an acclaimed international organization that works towards ending poverty and relieving suffering around the world.
However, I have actually heard complaints about Oxfam night. Some students feel they are not sufficiently informed ahead of time, despite notices in the Daily CONNtact and outside of Harris; for others it is simply inconvenient. Students are busy, and with Harris closed they are forced to rearrange their schedules in order to accommodate other dinner plans. I have also heard the misunderstanding that students have to pay extra to participate, or they do not like the fact that they have no choice in the matter. Or perhaps some students simply miss the bustle and nightly ritual of eating in Harris.
While I completely understand the importance of fast and convenient meals for busy college students (I live in the Plex and absolutely love the proximity to Harris), I am one hundred percent in favor of Oxfam night and believe that it is a great opportunity to help others as well as change up our own routine.
Despite what some people may think, the college does not leave us stranded without food for a night; Jane Addams dining hall remained open, and it offered essentially the same food as Harris with a cozier atmosphere. For students with more time or a greater desire to do something different, Oxfam night can be a great incentive to get off campus. Last year, my friends and I were thrilled that Harris was closed; it was a great excuse to go out to dinner. Of course, many college students also have tight budgets, and I’m no exception. I am trying to get through the entire holiday season this year on about $80—a rather challenging goal—so I did not go out to eat last Thursday.
Luckily, there were several alternatives to leaving campus or going to JA that were available to students. Some dorms held events with food for their residents, and other organizations offered meals. Yalla Bina hosted a dinner for only $7, giving students a great opportunity to learn while eating delicious food from another culture, and the 1 in 4 organization teamed up with Professor Feldman of the philosophy department and organized “Pizza and Pornography,” a discussion of the effects of pornography on women. As the name implies, the event included free pizza. By sacrificing the convenience of Harris, Oxfam can offer a good opportunity for students to break out of their routines.
For me, however, the real importance of Oxfam night lies in its actual purpose. I doubt many students would take the initiative to donate money to the organization unprompted, so this is a great way to make a donation without actually having to do anything. Regardless of your feelings toward humanitarian aid or philanthropy, I feel that it is invaluable to take the time to appreciate how lucky we really are. It is easy to forget that millions of people all over the world die from starvation and disease related to malnutrition living in this idyllic college setting.
We may argue that this is not directly our fault and we are not obligated to really help, but we are more connected than we think. For example, the majority of us own laptops and cell phones, which contain the mineral coltan, most of which is found in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo and has contributed to the ongoing conflict there. This conflict, which has spanned more than ten years, has left over five million people dead, many from starvation and disease, and proliferated the use of rape as a weapon of war. The enormous demand for certain minerals in developed countries contributes to the ongoing violence. The next time you feel like complaining about food in Harris, you might remember that in the Congo thousands of women are starving, because there is a high chance they will be gang raped or shot if they walk to the fields to tend their crops. We do not have to deal with the trauma of living in refugee camps and picking through bags of sand in the hope that there are a few grains of rice left from the day before.
These are extreme examples, but they are true. I completely understand the complaints about Harris food, and in the context of our own isolated experience these might be valid grievances. After all, we are paying a ridiculous amount of money to go here, and good food shouldn’t be too much to ask for. Many students come from families with traditions of excellent cooking and are disappointed by college food. In my opinion, the food is usually pretty good, but I am not particularly picky. The real point is that whatever our individual tastes may be, we are consistently provided with plenty of food, as well as the means to keep our bodies healthy. We should be taking the time to appreciate how much we do have, instead of focusing on what we do not have. Millions of people would love to be in our positions. Oxfam night should cause us all to reflect on how fortunate we really are. •
