Flame: Protesting in America

A man recently self-immolated in protest of the genocide happening in Gaza. He was US military, and his convictions were so strong about the assault on Palestine, he had to make a statement by igniting his body, rather than participate in genocide.

This is shocking and disconcerting, but it’s no means the first time a person has self-immolated in protest of a cause. Throughout history, this has been an extreme form of protest to bring attention to a horrific crisis. Another man recently self-immolated in protest of the genocide in the Congo.

Now, the narrative being spun is that Aaron Bushnell was mentally ill, and the focus has been placed on mental illness in the US, in an attempt to remove any focus on the genocide in Palestine or the US involvement by supporting the state of Israel.

Vilifying protestors

America has a long history of denouncing protestors and trying to silence voices in protest. Despite creating the First Amendment, the US frequently attempts to figuratively and literally police peaceful protest, especially when the protest concerns civil rights. Narratives are pulled from the air to discredit protestors, and even vilify them. From bringing up police records, to creating associations, to claiming mental illness, it seems no one standing for a progressive issue has credibility to use their voice in protest.

Self-immolating is extreme, and it is tragic; tragic that voices are silenced and criminalized for speaking out against an event or situation that is so oppressive, so destructive, so harmful, that the only way to be heard is to light yourself on fire. Yes, it is tragic.

Weaponizing mental illness

This country also has a long history of calling people crazy when a message is not well-received, and institutionalizing people, usually to discredit them. Countless women, Queer people, black people, disabled people can attest to this. We don’t like the message, it’s uncomfortable, so lock them up. Weaponize mental illness to use as a tool to take down descentors.

And unfortunately, the weaponizing of mental illness continues. Labeling people as mentally ill as a tactic to discredit, because they speak out against something is a strong current throughout US history, and the recent self-immolation of Aaron Bushnell is a perfect example.

Boycotting and using your voice

Few people want to openly discuss what is happening in Gaza, or the ties America has to Israel. And if they do, soft language is used, such as replacing genocide with conflict. Many people who speak out in support of Palestine are harassed, often fired from jobs and sometimes, receive death threats.

Last week, I attended a viewing of the documentary Boycott. It’s amazing how many people are obtuse, or simply don’t care, to what is happening to free expression and civil liberties in the US. Boycott was made in 2021, well before the events leading to the current war and genocide in Palestine that started last October. And yet, it focuses on three people being oppressed and having rights removed all because of their lack of support of Israel. The film details another copy-and-paste legislation floating around state legislators to sanction people and businesses not supporting the state of Israel.

Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) is a global movement started by Palestinians in 2005 to challenge the support of colonization and apartheid in Palestine lands. The anti-BDS is being used specifically to silence those boycotting Israel, or at least not supporting it in the US. However, according to a legal expert in the film, if just 10 words are changed in the anti-BDS legislation, it can apply to anything. The concern is that the far-right plans to use legislation like this to not just silence, but criminalize any person or entity boycotting and disagreeing with a prevailing stance, such as the inane support of Israel.

Why people support the decolonization of Palestine

The #FreePalestine movement is not anti-semitic, and it’s not about removing Jewish people from the region. It’s about providing equal rights and freedoms to Palestines living in the region who have been colonized by settlers.

During and after WWII, when Jews fled Nazi-occupied Europe, refugees were relocated to Israel. These white, European Jews were largely liberal, academics and artists, and the State of Israel took form in 1948. In the 1970’s, a conservative branch of Judism, known as Zionism, took control, and Palestinians and others native to the region found restrictions tightening and oppressive laws removing freedoms and supporting genocide. Throughout this short history of the State of Israel, which is not the same as the location Israel, America has been in support of and financially funded the purchasing of weapons.

As thousands die from torrents of bombs and starvation, and find themselves displaced, the US continues to fund the State of Israel. Our tax money is going to supply these bombs and other weapons. Americans want us to believe that Israel is the victim here, and all Muslims are terrorists. For some reason, we are more willing to believe this lie than consider the fact that the State of Israel is oppressing a group of people and committing genocide.

Do US politicians really stand with Israel?

We’ve heard several politicians vocalize their support for Israel, and how they stand with Israel. And yet, during CPAC, where the majority of politicians who claim to support Israel have been conferencing, Nazis have openly been mingling and even speaking at the conference. Do I need to point out the absurdity of this?

Labeling people as anti-semitic because they want Palestinians to receive equal treatment is a complete misdirect. Anti-semitism has been rampant in the US since we also colonized a land and its people. During WWII, America was concerned about the number of Jews being allowed into the country, so, only a certain number were allowed, and the rest were diverted to Israel. This was a racist, anti-semitic policy. American hero Henry Ford was a well-documented anti-semite. So much so, the Nazis awarded him in 1938. And of course, darling of the far-right, Donald Trump, has made countless anti-semitic comments.

Cry for help

Aaron Bushnell was crying for help. Not because he was mentally ill though. He was sickened by policies his own government created. He was gutted by a genocide that has pushed people out of their homes and murdered innocent people in the thousands, just in the last few months, all funded by his government. He was enraged by the silencing of those in support of decolonization. He could no longer be complicit by silence.

We can debate his actions, whether it’s right or wrong. We can discuss if this type of extreme protest moves the dial or not. We can have compassion for Bushnell and his family and friends. But don’t mistake his actions for mental illness. And don’t shout about mental illness in order to shift the conversation away from why he self-immolated.

By Imperfection

Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter is a mom and writer from Omaha, Nebraska but recently relocated to Urbandale, IA. When she’s not chasing children, picking up messes or reorganizing the house, she enjoys yoga or reading to relax. In her spare time (A.K.A. her dreams) she’s a Broadway star. Kuenning-Pollpeter is a freelance marketer during the day, a creative writer at night. Her work has appeared in the Brevity blog, The Omaha World Herald, 13th Floor, Misbehaving Nebraskans, Hippocampus, Emerging Nebraska Writers and Random Sample Review. She has her BFA and MFA in writing from the University of Nebraska Omaha. Her essay “The Body” was a McKenna Fellowship finalist, and her essay “Imperfection” was a 2020 Best of the Net Nominee. She is blind and writes frequently about disability. She’s working on a memoir about the disabled feminine experience. With the kids though, expect it in stores in about a decade.

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Flame: Protesting in America