OPINION
Palestinians Fight for Basic Rights
Anjel Clemente
Tensions in the Middle East have been considerable in the last couple of years. One thing that most Americans don’t face in their everyday lives is the restriction of their own freedom. In America, people have the right to voice their opinions. Regardless of whether what they say is offensive to someone else, or may not be understood in the eyes of others, everyone is protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution to say whatever he or she wants. People in Palestine don’t get that freedom.
Instead, citizens from Palestine live with a corrupt government that has very tight restrictions on a person’s individual freedom, especially when it comes to speaking their minds about the government in Palestine and the way it is being run. The government arrests, charges and imprisons people for sticking their tongue out at the government. People who live in small villages are evicted from their homes, and then the houses are demolished. For five decades, violence has filled the Middle Eastern territory, but a potential bright future could be possible despite the constant civil unrest.
Manchester attracts many international students, some of whom may come from a part of the Middle East that is greatly affected by the civil war going on between the public and its government. With so many negatives in the area, it is difficult for people to attend a school or to get an education. But many teenagers who see their opportunity take the chance to come to America to earn a degree and ensure a bright future for themselves and their future families.
Many of the students that originate from Palestine major in peace studies, political science or other majors that would make them more qualified, informed and prepared to be able to accurately and positively make a difference in the Middle East.
It's no secret that the Middle East is not a comfortable, easy-going place. People face a struggle every day that a majority of the people in North America never come close to experiencing. In Palestine, people fight for their freedom to say what they want, to do what they want and to be able to live in a country that isn't dictated by a corrupt government. Palestinians fight for their right to be human beings.