United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) Statement
2/28/24
Before he committed his extreme act of protest, Aaron Bushnell said, “I’m an active-duty member of the United States Air Force. And I will no longer be complicit in genocide. I’m about to engage in an extreme act of protest but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, it’s not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal.”
As the flames engulfed his body, he shouted, “Free Palestine!” We must honor his sacrifice and join him in demanding, “Free Palestine!”
US Airman Aaron Bushnell made the decision to set himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy to protest the genocide being carried out by Israel against the people of Gaza. He died a martyr. He did this act of martyrdom because 30,000 Gazans have been murdered and 70,000 thousand wounded and most have been displaced and lost their homes. He did it because Israel is starving them, not letting food or water or medical supplies into the Gaza strip. These are war crimes. This is genocide. And he did it knowing that his own country, the United States of America is complicit in this genocide. The US provides the bombs, the planes, the shells and bullets and the money to carry it out.
The United States is totally isolated in the world, it voted in the UN against a cease fire in Gaza while almost the entire world voted for a cease fire. The US government is also totally isolated from its own people on this issue as polls show that more than 2/3 of the people in the US support a ceasefire. But in our “democracy” the will of the people does not seem to coincide with what the government does.
So, what happens when the world sees this genocide in front of their eyes, when they see children and pregnant women being especially targeted? What happens when millions pour into the streets around the world to protest this genocide and the US and its NATO allies continue to support it? Well, then some do extreme acts like Aaron Bushnell. He wanted to get the attention of the people and the politicians and gave his life to do it. But the politicians know what is happening, they just don’t care.
It is not the politicians who will stop the genocide so it must be us, it must be the people. We must stay in the streets; this is the best way we can honor Aaron Bushnell.
Free Palestine! UNACpeace.org
