"My name is Aaron Bushnell, I am an active-duty member of the United States Air Force and I will no longer be complicit in genocide. I am 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."

By now you may have seen the reports of Aaron Bushnell, an active duty member of the U.S. Air Force who live-streamed his self-immolation in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C.

Video and still images of his protest have been circulating ever since.

I never served in the military, folks. In fact, as a public high school teacher and lifelong antiwar activist, I actively worked to counter military recruiters who targeted my students for enlistment – especially in the wake of 9/11.

I never served in the military, and I don’t use words like this lightly: Aaron Bushnell was a patriot.

There is no higher calling of service than the one we owe to our collective humanity – and Aaron demonstrated in his final act that his loyalty was pledged to humanity.

Not a country with imaginary lines on a map. Not a skin color or a cultural identity. Humankind.

The most jarring thing about Aaron’s protest was how calm he was. Those who saw the video and knew him personally said that he was clearly of sound mind and body. He knew exactly what he was doing when he said, “I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest.”

What Aaron did was extreme. He did it so that all of us would listen. And we are.

Aaron was not the first American citizen to engage in this form of protest to try and stop Israel’s genocide. Another woman did the same back in December. But Aaron is the first one we’re talking about.

I stand with Aaron. I share his conscience and his anguish. But I am sad and furious that he felt driven to this – furious not with Aaron, but with our leaders who refuse to listen.

Aaron did not have to take this extreme action. Active duty servicemembers who do not want to be complicit in genocide and war crimes have other options. One of them is to learn their rights as conscientious objectors.

If you or someone you love is in the service right now, and you are struggling with the weight of this genocide facilitated with American dollars and American military technology, I hear you, and I am with you.

You do not have to bear that burden alone. I encourage you to reach out to The Center on Conscience & War to learn more about your rights.

To quote my friend Miranda: “He didn’t die for nothing. He died for everything.”

Let’s honor Aaron’s sacrifice by ending this genocide, and committing to elect leaders who will stand up to America’s endless militarism.

Just as I look on the children in Gaza and see the faces of my own kids, I can’t help but see the faces of my former students in Aaron.

I wish he was still with us, but we will not let his sacrifice be in vain.

Rest in power, Aaron. We will never forget you, and we will free Palestine.

In solidarity,

Jason