41 Comments
Apr 16Liked by Jeffrey Nall, Ph.D.

I have a lot of respect for Aaron Bushnell, and am happy to see his action being defended for the noble thing it was.

I wouldn't do it, nor would I encourage anyone else to, but I think so many of us feel a sense of helplessness watching this ongoing genocide.

A system that supports this does NOT deserve our support, and I will do all I can to withdraw my support from Israel and the war mongers and profiteers that want us to think that genocide is acceptable.

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Beautifully argued and you did it with passion. I say this as a good thing--Passion.

If I may, I will place Aaron Bushnell's act of civil disobedience in the same light as The Passion of Jesus Christ, who according to the NT narrative gave himself willingly unto death, even though it seemed he had no choice in the matter. (It is one of those paradoxes.). Christianity is based on Jesus of Nazareth sacrificing himself for the sake of humanity. I am by no means a Christian, but like all persons with literary education and training, I have read the Bible. This is my understanding. I am open to correction.

That being said, I would think Christians in particular could view Bushnell's decision as one of passion. The word passion has an original meaning of suffering, to endure. This is not an act of a mentally ill person, but one of a highly aware and developed conscience. It seems to me, given what I know, that Bushnell performed a great act of Christian charity.

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Beautifully expressed. Thank you for sharing.

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Apr 20Liked by Jeffrey Nall, Ph.D.

Well I'll be goddamned, you nalled it

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Jun 8Liked by Jeffrey Nall, Ph.D.

Absolutely true. However, as the wanderlust of “Christianity” as a religion has taken it so very far from the example Jesus left for us, I would say that Bushnell performed an act of Christ-like charity. Those who know and love Jesus become like him as the depth of his lovingkindness, mercy and compassion are revealed to them through their experiences in life. Evidently Aaron knew him well and loved him so fervently that he became like him and this likeness brought him to the conclusion that self-immolation was the best, most powerful contribution he could make to the cause of justice in Gaza. And, despite the pathetic accusations of those who lack his depth of character and courage of conviction, I think he was right.

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Yes, from what I have observed and read about Christianity the last 40 years or so, especially as it applies to America, it became more politicized and tied to the Republican Party. I also remember reading C.S. Lewis (yes, I read most of his books) admonishing Christians for becoming too politicized. But that was in the 1940s oe 50s. He was British so it is not clear if many Americans read him or found his writing noteworthy.

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How I wish I could have sat at the pub drinking pints and listening to Lewis and Tolkien’s conversations!! Notable indeed.

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Apr 19Liked by Jeffrey Nall, Ph.D.

“To be untroubled when one should be troubled can be a sign of sickness.”. That's pure gold. Thanks again Dr. Nall.

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May 23Liked by Jeffrey Nall, Ph.D.

Thank you for treating Aaron kindly and with intellectual empathy. There’s that Krishnamurti (sic) quote about it is not a sign of sanity to be well adjusted in a sick society. I protest, mouth off and retreat away from most of the average yankees in this land I was born into as it’s been off kilter capitalism my entire life. First awareness 1970 as kid. I remember sitting in 8th grade and hip art teacher whispered in ear: They are killing students now. My peers were late to awareness and action. RIP all the victims of imperialism, racism and war profiteering. Well written, stay thinking non-conformist.

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Thank you for taking the time to read and share your unique experience resisting conformist thinking.

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Oct 20Liked by Jeffrey Nall, Ph.D.

In my eyes, Aaron Bushnell was not mentally ill in the sense that the media and stat quo etc has us “believing.” This society is very sick and wants us to accept the brutal coldness of this predatory society or else be cast aside drastically by means of poverty, or imprisonment, or homelessness, or many other types of oppression that are not visible to many. While others turn a blind eye knowingly just to save their own lives.

I’m not one to say I’m half as brave as Aaron. He knew that all the protests in the world would not stop the military industrial complex and the politicians etc. God help us because it’s only going to get worse. They want to make that bible prophecies and all come true. But I believe it doesn’t have to be this destructive way but then, my view is in the minority.

I too don’t encourage anyone to do what Aaron Bushnell did but one would think or even hope that the politicians might have the guts to stand up for what is right and fight for what is right for once. I don’t know. I’m thoroughly discouraged right now. Such a heart wrenching and soulless unloving world.

My dad told us as kids, “Two wrongs don’t make a right.”

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Oct 20·edited Oct 20Author

Thank you for taking the time to not only read my piece but also share your perspective. I think you speak for many of us who feel discouraged and disheartened by the unspeakable denigration and destruction of human dignity. And yet if we look closely we find many are speaking up and taking action. Ordinary citizens who refuse to be quiet, who embrace and give meaning to their First Amendment rights. Peace activists confronting the powerful. Activists running for president on a third party ticket, refusing to allow those seeking the presidency who would materially supply a military killing tens of thousands of innocent civilians to go unchallenged.

And if we take a longer view we see that many of the moral obscenities of the past were treated as benign realities for far too long, until enough brave and principled people took action in small and big ways to make change. We must all do our part to stand up for the love of life and human dignity. We are entitled to be discouraged and frightened, but we must maintain a humanistic faith in the possibility of change and our power to participate in that change. Although our efforts will bear fruit too late to rescue many, it can and will bear fruit if we refuse to accept fatalism and defeatism.

And we must remember that some of the good we do or stand up for is good in itself. So that even if we fail to achieve a given goal we succeed in honoring our foremost values. And this we must recognize as a humanistic "victory" , a victory of immortal values.

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May 25Liked by Jeffrey Nall, Ph.D.

“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.”

-Jiddu Krishnamurti

“If a million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.”

-Anatole France

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May 14Liked by Jeffrey Nall, Ph.D.

When I read about Bushnell's act it took me straightaway to Saigon.

From Wikipedia we have:

The worldwide publication of the photograph of the June 11, 1963, self-immolation of Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc (1897–1963) brought international attention to the persecution of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese government of Ngo Dinh Diem, a Catholic.

John F. Kennedy said of one photograph, "No news picture in history has generated so much emotion around the world as that one."

Five monks followed his example.

A CIA organized assassination toppled Diệm, on 2 November 1963.

This exited many people to consider what was going on in Vietnam.

Perhaps 70 and 90 percent of the population of Vietnam at that time was Buddhist.

Some Catholic priests ran their own private armies;[15] there were forced conversions, looting, shelling, and demolition of pagodas in some areas, to which the government turned a blind eye.[16] Some Buddhist villages converted en masse to receive aid or avoid being forcibly resettled by Diệm's regime.[17] The "private" status that was imposed on Buddhism by the French, which required official permission to be obtained by those wishing to conduct public Buddhist activities, was not repealed by Diệm.[18] Catholics were also de facto exempt from corvée labor, which the government obliged all citizens to perform, and United States aid was distributed disproportionately to Catholic majority villages by Diệm's regime.[19]

The Catholic Church was the largest landowner in the country and enjoyed special exemptions in property acquisition, and land owned by the Catholic Church was exempt from land reform.[20] The white and gold Vatican flag was regularly flown at all major public events in South Vietnam,[21] and Diệm dedicated his country to the Virgin Mary in 1959.[19]

On 16 March 1965, Alice Herz, an 82-year-old peace activist, immolated herself in front of the Federal Department Store in northwest Detroit.[50] Later that same year, Norman Morrison, a 31-year-old Quaker pacifist, poured kerosene over himself and set light to himself below the third-floor window of Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara at the Pentagon on 2 November 1965. A week later, Roger Allen LaPorte did the same thing in front of the United Nations in New York City.

Equity, Justice, Freedom.

Freedom from oppression. Freedom to produce, to innovate, to advance the prospects of humanity.

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Apr 24Liked by Jeffrey Nall, Ph.D.

Great article on an important issue (one I have also been writing about since 0ct 7). It may be important to distinguish between two types of non responders (to genocide and war crimes). One are the genocide supporters, who can be further identified by the strands of misinformation possessing them, or as outright psychos with racist, white supremacist or anti Muslim bent. The other lot are worth talking about, these being those who do not respond in order to avoid giving the Middle East issue any attention. Where attention goes, energy flows etc. I have several close friends, and can vouch for their integrity, kindness and compassion. They choose not to engage, as they see the whole shitstorm as itself part of the war on humanity. Personally, I have certainly noticed my own energies, mood, faith in humanity etc being deeply challenged by Middle East news, mainstream coverage, and perhaps most of all by peeks behind enemy lines. Have a glance at Bari Weiss’s substack, for instance. On the other hand, The multifaith protests at Columbia University campus are a great example of positive protest with ethical foundations and clear goals, and therefore not susceptible to infiltration by warlike energies…

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For all of the madness, not only of the violence besieging the Palestinian people but also the ignorance, apathy, and perfunctory dehumanization of people being so mercilessly violated, I think you're right to highlight the movement building in opposition to the U.S. supported IIsraeli onslaught. From the people joining code pink bird dogging elected officials, to the people interrupting Chelsea handler comedy shows, to people attending Jill Biden speeches protest and of course to these University protests, we are seeing that the embers of compassionate Humanity are not easily stomped out. And we would do ourselves a great favor to differentiate between acknowledging the reality that the forces of ignorance, apathy, and dehumanization are strong, and suggesting that all hope is lost. Clearly it is not. So long as people of compassion, goodwill, and lovers of the truth remain so too does a fighting chance of change remain.

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Jun 8Liked by Jeffrey Nall, Ph.D.

Weeping at the possibility the extraordinary sacrifices made by Palestinians and those risking everything in their defense might actually change the world. Let there be light.

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May 17Liked by Jeffrey Nall, Ph.D.

Thank you for honoring Bushnell's sacrifice appropriately.

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Aaron died for all of us, so let us live good lives for him.

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Jul 4Liked by Jeffrey Nall, Ph.D.

Aaron Bushnell's passionate gift to humanity has cleaved a depth into my own distress over the suffering of the Palestinians.

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Jul 21Liked by Jeffrey Nall, Ph.D.

Amen. 🙏

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Jun 8Liked by Jeffrey Nall, Ph.D.

Thank you for this excellent argument. To me, Bushnell was a shocking case of a pure heart; I was happy that such people exist in this world but also sad to lose him so soon.

The "sick society" concept is interesting, on the other hand. It reminded me of the Quranic story about the Israelites when they refused to enter the Promised Land. As a society, they were not ready for this major step even though they had Moses and a few wise others among them. Therefore, God made them wander in the desert (literally 'lost their way' in the Quran) for forty years, so a new generation came about with a changed psyche. This new generation produced David who led the renewed society to victory. Living in a sick society could be confusing as to what is right and what is wrong; I think reading and traveling are the best ways to create a distance and question one's perspective. When enough people change their perspective, the sick society starts to heal. Hopefully!

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Thanks, Dr. Nall, for a thought-provoking read with my morning tea. While it is personally comforting to read a reasoned reinforcement of my belief that I am not crazy, this world is, I'm not sure it's the real issue. Perhaps the real issue is how we confront and cope with a sick society.

Over 40 years ago I learned an important lesson from Rev. Daniel Berrigan. He was an activist Jesuit priest, and I worked with him on some issues. The first thing he did was disabuse me of my notion that his work was about a media-based influencing of society. It was always about "witness." It's about relentlessly pointing to the wrongs of society to open minds and hearts to the sickness and evil we have collectively accepted. Ironically, Berrigan's public life began with fire (using home-made napalm to burn draft board records), yet I don't think he would have accepted Bushnell's use of fire as good witness.

Suicide has always fascinated and troubled me. Philosopher E.M. Cioran wrote: "I live only because it is in my power to die whenever I want; without the idea of suicide I would have killed myself a long time ago." It is as powerful as a bomb, yet it always leaves damage, "collateral damage," the militarists would call it. While it is a flame that burns bright as protest, it also seems wasteful of the potential of life.

The best example I can offer of the potential of life is Ammon Hennacy. He spent his long life as powerful witness against a sick society that accepts war and injustice as normal, even desirable. When I compare my life to his I come up wanting, yet his example makes me do what I can every day to provide some witness. I wrote about him here: https://deadreckoning1.wordpress.com/2010/02/04/irritatingly-right/

Thanks again.

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Jul 20·edited Jul 20Author

I agree that a key question is how to address living in a sick world. I address this in my last two articles. On the topic of Bushnell, I argue that his self-immolation is not suicide: https://jeffreynall.substack.com/p/self-sacrifice-is-not-suicide-understanding

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I'm tempted to shout "semantics" in reply, but I think I have a more compelling argument. I will argue that our personal agency does not extend to harming others. Bushnell's suicide (and I won't call it a sacrifice) answered violence with violence --- both a violence to himself as well as to his friends, family, compatriots and myself as a fellow member of the community of humans. I would agree that it could be sacrifice, but only if he had permission from all of us who would suffer harm from his death. He did not have such general permission. He took it upon himself to inflict harm upon others through his action. Perhaps he saw it as a greater good, but I do not.

Your example of taking a bullet for a child holds as sacrifice because of a perception of permission. Everyone will agree such a suicide (or at least self-harm) is justified, and that is tacit general permission. I would ask Thich Nhat Hanh if he believes his fellow monks who self-immolated to protest a war I participated in had the permission of their monastic community as well as families and friends. A sacrifice with permission does not do the harm inflicted by suicide. Perhaps something else I wrote may make the argument:

https://deadreckoning1.wordpress.com/2014/09/30/the-forbidden-screen-door/

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Jul 20Liked by Jeffrey Nall, Ph.D.

In my own piece following Bushnell's act, I asked: "No one can contend that they don’t know why Aaron Bushnell did what he did the other day in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C. So, go on, then: why did he do it?" (https://endlesschain.substack.com/p/aaron-bushnell-did-not-forsake-his).

I arrived at two conclusions: he did it because it was all that he could do to try to make a difference and it was a difference worth the making. And he did it, not because of what happened to him, but because of what would happen to us because he did it.

It has now been three months and I return to Mr Bushnell almost daily. Because I ask myself how I can make a difference, and whether I would have the courage to make the statement he did, and how Aaron Bushnell did, in truth, change me and my outlook.

As, now, has your article. Thank you.

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May 11Liked by Jeffrey Nall, Ph.D.

Brilliant article…

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Thank you for reading!

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Sep 29Liked by Jeffrey Nall, Ph.D.

Excellent article. Thank you for this.

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