Baby Jesus in the Rubble
Inland Empire CODEPINK's Holiday Art Exhibit at Ontario's Christmas Parade
This past weekend, Inland Empire CODEPINK participated in Ontario's annual Christmas parade and tree lighting ceremony with a powerful statement against the genocide in Gaza. The local CODEPINK chapter, along with Ontario United for Liberation and Chino Valley for Palestine Liberation, Palestinian Christians used the holiday event to protest U.S. involvement in the ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Their message: Christmas should be canceled while a genocide is happening.
The protest was organized in response to the unwavering support and funding that the U.S. government has provided for Israel's genocide in Gaza and occupation of Palestine. As the Ontario community gathered to celebrate the holiday season, the local peace activists used the festive occasion as a backdrop to highlight the stark contrast between the spirit of Christmas and the devastation in Gaza.
The most striking image of the protest was a baby Jesus figure placed under the rubble of what looked like bombed-out buildings. This art installation was meant to symbolically represent how Israel's genocide in Gaza is currently destroying the birthplace of Jesus Christ. The baby Jesus, often depicted as a symbol of hope, peace, and rebirth, was placed under the ruins to emphasize the suffering of children in Gaza, who are being murdered daily with U.S. made bombs.
As organizer Maisoon Afaneh explained, "If Jesus was to be born in Gaza today, he would be born under the rubble."
For the second year in a row, the people of Gaza are enduring deadly and brutal conditions - while the rest of the world celebrates a holiday that is marked by peace and joy. The group's display was a stark disparity between the two.
The action was not just about drawing attention to the horrors of the ongoing genocide in Gaza but also about urging those in power, like Rep. Norma Torres, to take action, explicitly calling for an end to military aid to Israel and an end to the decades-long occupation of Palestine.
"Christmas is supposed to be a time of peace and goodwill, but what about the children in Gaza?" Afaneh asked. "What about the families who can't celebrate because they're living under constant threat of violence and displacement?"
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