By Matthew Donohue
RVCC second year student David Evers is passionate about social issues. He wants to fix the world’s problems.
And he wants you to help.
At his first Social Justice Club meeting in 2006 he heard an Israeli and a Palestinian speak about the conflict in Gaza. He liked the way the evening went.
“This was an open forum. It allowed both sides explore the issue” he said. He joined up. This year he became club president and leads the club in its activities.
In January, SJC showed Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth,” a film about the science and politics of global warming. “This was an awareness campaign (to show) RVCC students they can do something about global climate change,” Evers said.
Under Ever’s leadership, the SJC holds film discussions and forums on a variety of topics to focus attention on the ethical aspects of social issues.
The Iraq War is a good example. SJC recently showed the movie “Iraq for Sale” to educated students about companies that profit from the war. The movie also explores how the war has contributed to the national debt.
During the discussion after the film, Evers took the opportunity to briefly comment on George W. Bush and the damage he feels the war has done to Bush’s presidential legacy. In his view, Bush would have to begin making positive decisions instead of ones which negatively affect the country.
The SJC is also addressing the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Africa, where hundreds of thousands have been killed and displaced in ethnic and cultural warfare.
“Last semester the club held a bake sale raising money helping refugees coming to America,” Evers said. In addition, the club assisted local refugees adjust to earning a living in America.
Evers is also concerned about issues close to home. For example, he wants the SJC to do something about parking problems at RVCC. “Students should have enough parking spaces when they pay tuition to go here and be able to find parking spaces without jumping the curb and having their cars towed away,” he said. He wants the club to initiate a parking campaign to address the problem.
“People will talk to tow companies convincing them not to tow students’ cars when the college calls.” He also said the SJC would support students who get their cars towed.
Evers grew up in Long Hill Township and attended Watchung Hills High school. He now lives in Somerset County’s Franklin Township and majors in Business Administration.
Although he is committed to social justice, he knows that many RVCC students are not. And while he believes that it is his and the SJC’s responsibility to get more students involved, he doesn’t expect people to become active just because he wants them to.
“We are not here to push our opinions on RVCC students.” Students, he said, must make their own decisions on the issues.
He just wants to make sure they know what those issues are.
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