The Life & Death of Aaron Bushnell: Friend Says Self-Immolation Was a Demand for Justice
www.democracynow.org
In an act that has captured the attention of the world, Aaron Bushnell, a 25-year-old active-duty member of the U.S. Air Force, set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington Sunday to protest Israel’s assault on Gaza and U.S. support for the military campaign. Bushnell, who live-streamed the action, said, “I will no longer be complicit in genocide,” before lighting himself on fire and repeatedly shouted “Free Palestine” as he was engulfed in the flames. He was pronounced dead in the hospital later that day. Democracy Now! speaks with Bushnell’s friend and conscientious objector Levi Pierpont, who says his friend’s death was not a suicide but was about using his life to send a message for justice. “We have to honor the message that he left,” says Pierpont, who says Bushnell died “to get people’s attention about the genocide that’s happening in Palestine.” Ann Wright, retired U.S. Army colonel and former diplomat, lays out the history of self-immolation to protest war and how Bushnell’s act could impact U.S. policy for the war on Gaza. “It was an act of courage, an act of bravery, to call attention to U.S. policies,” says Wright, who offers support to Pierpont and other veterans advocating for peace live on air.
    • Zipitydew
      1135·
      9 months ago

      Suicide as protest is the same act as silencing yourself. That’s not protest. It’s submission.

      • CassowaryTom@lemmy.one
        202·
        9 months ago

        Well, we are talking about him now, and millions of people have hears his message in his own words. Or he could still be alive in a sea of picketers being ignored. I don’t approve of suicide either, bit he very effectively got a lot of people to listen to him, or at least to hear him. We all should be so silent.

        • octopus_ink@lemmy.mlEnglish
          132·
          9 months ago

          I’m pretty sure the other commenter will continue to ignore this fairly obvious facet to his death.

        • Zipitydew
          418·
          9 months ago

          For 2 weeks. And then he won’t be part of conversation until the next person does it. Then we’ll all look back. Say remember when they did this too. And forget again.

          Taking away your ability to bring about change isn’t effective protest.

          • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world
            92·
            9 months ago

            I remember pictures and articles of such in textbooks growing up in Florida. That was 1963 in Siagom. 61 years, Half a world away and his sacrifice had an impact to this day. 2 weeks is a bit of an understatement.

            • Zipitydew
              412·
              9 months ago

              Yet not only did the Vietnam war escalate, it went on another 10 years after.

              • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world
                43·
                9 months ago

                So are you calling for another 10 years, or learning from mistakes? I’m not sure what you are arguing for here. Gaza won’t last that long

                • Zipitydew
                  610·
                  9 months ago

                  I’m refuting the general idea here that a person commiting suicide changed the world for the better. Especially when it was someone concerned about what was going on. Who might have gone on to actually help.

                  Regardless of the where/when. A concerned person choosing suicide as their means of protest only takes away their ability to bring about change.

      • Malfeasant@lemmy.world
        113·
        9 months ago

        You’d have an argument if he had shot himself, or ODed on pills, or slashed his wrists, or any number of other painless, or at least very quick, ways of offing himself.

        He set himself on fucking fire. One of the worst ways imaginable to die that doesn’t require someone else’s active participation, and in fact resists someone else actively trying to stop him. It gets attention.