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Issue 6

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FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2023

VOLUME 108 | ISSUE 6

SUNY Plattsburgh’s independent student newspaper since 1997

MSA gives community during Ramadan

JAYNE SMITH/Cardinal Points

Abigail Jarrett, Moustapha Diarra, Sidiya Faye, Jana Bar, Eleham Musah and Chelsie Knight pose in the Kent Hall lounge after decorating it for Ramadan March 22.

MSA makes Ramadan away from home less lonely BY JESSE TAYLOR Staff Writer

Students gathered to cook food, pray and celebrate the holy month of Ramadan in the Kent Hall kitchen Sunday. Organized by the Muslim Student Association, this allows Muslim students to have a com-

munity to celebrate one of the most important worldwide religious holidays. Ramadan is marked by a period of forgiveness, repentance and experiencing how people without basic necessities live. Fasting from sunup to sundown, millions of Muslims around the world partici-

pate in the religious month in an effort to become closer to Allah. Ramadan started March 22 and will continue until April 20 of this year. Typically, members of the Muslim community gather with family and friends to break their fast at dinnertime, or Iftar.

Having a large community of people to break fast with is one of the highlights of Ramadan. However, before the MSA was established, it was difficult for Muslim students at Plattsburgh to find a community to celebrate Ramadan. Saran Kaba, vice president of the MSA,

recognizes that. “When I am home my mom, my dad, my sisters, we chat, we eat, we pray together, but we don’t have that here,” Kaba said. While having Iftar with friends is not the same as with family, it is better than nothing. Breaking fast and praying alone

during Ramadan is difficult as a follower of Islam. Hawa Sillah, secretary of the MSA, said, “It just gives you a sense of feeling lonely.” That is the complete opposite of what Ramadan is supposed to be. RAMADAN > 3

Ethics Institute talks uphold democracy BY ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA

News & Managing Editor

ROLDNARDY NORELUS/Cardinal Points

Greek life signs on inclusive language BY ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA News & Managing Editor

Every one of Greek life organizations at SUNY Plattsburgh signed on an internal contract condemning the use of hateful language earlier this semester. The contract targets the use of language that is “improper” and does not align with Fraternity and Sorority Life’s values of inclusivity, community service and self-improvement.

“We don’t accept bias, prejudice, hateful language in our community anymore. We’re not going to tolerate it,” Emma Peer, president of the Inter-Sorority Association, said. “If it continues, then there will be serious repercussions for whatever organization. We’re really trying to get past a lot of issues within our community, and a lot of it has to do with [diversity, equity and inclusion].” CONTRACT > 3

The Institute of Ethics in Public Life hosted a virtual discussion on transitional justice in Ukraine March 22. More than weekly events about niche topics, they help participants navigate and uphold democracy. Daniel Lake, director of the Institute of Ethics in Public Life and professor of political science, invited SUNY Oneonta History Professor Matt Murphy to host a talk on transitional justice in Ukraine. It has been more than a year since Russia’s launch of an active invasion Feb. 24, 2022. Murphy first introduced the concept of transitional justice — policies intended to address injustices linked to a previous regime and smooth the transition to a new regime. The term “regime” does not refer specifically to an authoritarian government, but

any form of government or political control that the nation is distancing itself from. Transitional justice can appear in the form of purges, trials, truth commissions and amnesty. Murphy has studied transitional justice for more than 25 years: “Luckily for me, unluckily for the world, the issue doesn’t go away.” Some of Ukraine’s current domestic acts of transitional justice include introducing legislation outlawing collaboration with an aggressor state and intensifying post-Soviet efforts to “deRussify” the nation. Street names have been changed, statues dismantled and literature removed from libraries, as reported by the international news channel France 24. More people are choosing to speak Ukrainian over Russian as well. A major point of discussion was the International

Criminal Court’s recent arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin. The ICC accused Putin of war crimes and “personal responsibility for the abductions of children in Ukraine,” according to an Associated Press article March 17. Sharing the latter accusation is Maria LvovaBelova, commissioner for Children’s Rights in Putin’s office. Such a gesture, as well as the establishment of the International Centre for the Prosecution of Crimes of Aggression against Ukraine by the European Union March 7, can be viewed as acts of transitional justice. However, neither the ICC nor the EU have the power to enforce their jurisdiction: Putin may be arrested only if a country he is visiting takes it upon itself to send him to ICC’s headquarters in The Hague, the Netherlands, or if his political successor does so.

ETHICS > 2

OPINION Creed III: movie review

SPORTS WLAX Senior Day

ARTS & CULTURE Dance groups off to compete

THIS WEEK IN PHOTOS Ramadan

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