Today is the holiest of the year for non-Orthodox Christians. Millions will pay tribute to a man they say was the Son of God, sent to earth in human form to preach and work miracles then go as foretold to a terrible death to save a humanity steeped in original sin.
A few I’m sure will spare a thought, and a mention in their prayers, for Aaron Bushnell. Since many more, I’m equally sure, will not, today’s post is a memory jogger for those of every faith and none who might otherwise see out the day without giving him a moment’s head space. I speak of the USAF airman who thirty-three days ago, on February 25, stood outside the Israeli Embassy of his country’s capital, Washington DC. There, livestreaming his own very personal response to genocide actual and ongoing, he doused his uniformed body in gasoline.
I saw him take a lighter from his pocket. Some details are blurred but I think it was right-hand trouser. Or was it right-hand jacket? I watched just the once and want no second viewing.
As I and millions of others looked on from the comfort of our homes, in real time or later, he fumbled with the lighter. It took two or three attempts before he succeeded, and the flames consumed him. For the ears of the world he chanted repeatedly, “Free Palestine!” Then the chants gave way to screams of mortal agony as horrified security agents swooped belatedly in, one ludicrously pointing a gun at the conflagration in human form.
Hours earlier Aaron had posted his final message to Facebook:
MANY OF US ASK OURSELVES, “WHAT WOULD I DO IF I WAS ALIVE DURING SLAVERY? OR THE JIM CROW SOUTH? OR APARTHEID? WHAT WOULD I DO IF MY COUNTRY WAS COMMITTING GENOCIDE?”
THE ANSWER IS, YOU’RE DOING IT. RIGHT NOW.
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Hi Phil,
Thanks for reminding me about Aaron’s sacrifice. I couldn’t watch the video just the stills being posted on line. It made me wonder how many people identifying themselves as ‘Christians’ ever gave a second thought about their ‘devotion’ to Christian Values. I wonder how many of them would hold fast to their humanity as Aaron obviously did, or were many of them his detractors, dismissing his actions as that of a mentally/emotionally disturbed nut job?
All I could feel was great sadness. He was a good soul lost.
Hope you are well.
Susan:)
Hi Susan
My experience, as one who suffered abuse in a Baptist Children’s Home, is that Christians in general are no better or worse than the rest of us. I’ve known a few atrocious ones, many I could take or leave, a fair sprinkling I think fondly of and changed my life for the better, and a tiny few whose humanity deeply impressed me.
That said, none of us know who we are until tested.
Yes, our lovely media sought slyly to paint Aaron Bushnell as disturbed if not deranged. It’s not just that so extraordinary a sacrifice challenges and implicates every one of us, in many cases causing us to deflect and deny the immensity of courage shown. In the case of the media it’s business suicide to go against the Israeli lobby.
I’m well, thanks, and wish the same for you.