Cornel West Praises Aaron Bushnell

Independent presidential candidate Cornel West said Tuesday that Aaron Bushnell's protest of the war in Gaza is part of a "moral" message to the United States.

"We can't reduce what's going in Gaza to some electoral-political strategy," West told CNN's Dana Bash. "We've seen the example of our dear brother, Aaron Bushnell. When he set himself on fire, killed himself, what was he saying? These are moral issues and moral causes. These are not just brands and strategies and tactics."

The Context

The conversation began with Bash asking West about the Michigan Democratic primary and some Democrats, such as Palestinian American Representative Rashida Tlaib, urging residents to vote "uncommitted" as a show of opposition to President Joe Biden and his administration's policies as they pertain to the war in Gaza.

"So much about American politics is about strategy and tactics," West said. "These are deeply moral and spiritual issues having to do with arbitrary power being used.

"When I hear Sister Rashida say, 'Biden is not hearing us.' No, Biden is enabling the killing of us. That's what's taking place here."

He said that Palestinians' worries stem from losing loved ones and that they "are not pieces to be moved on a chess board."

When Bash asked about "eradicating" a terrorist group like Hamas, West said Hamas committed war crimes but that any murders are crimes against humanity.

"Murder is murder, but at the same time, you and I also know that the root of what we're talking about here is an ugly occupation—is an embargo and siege, and then we can call for a ceasefire."

Bushnell's protest comes as Israel's war on Hamas has killed about 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including some 12,300 children, the Associated Press reported, citing the Gaza Health Ministry.

Israel declared war following the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 240 people were taken hostage. Israel's air and ground offensive has since driven about 80 percent of Gaza's population from their homes.

What We Know

Bushnell, an American active-duty member of the U.S. Air Force, set himself on fire on Sunday at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. He repeatedly yelled "free Palestine" as he set himself alight in what he called an "extreme" act of protest, later dying from his injuries.

The 25-year-old from San Antonio, Texas, posted a final message earlier that day on Facebook. The post included a link to a Twitch stream that was ultimately removed.

He wrote: "Many of us like to 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."

Footage posted online of his setting himself on fire, in which he poured liquid and yelled "Free Palestine" repeatedly, included one officer pointing a gun at Bushnell as others extinguished the flames.

"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," Bushnell said prior to the act.

"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."

The footage shows him walking up the driveway of the embassy, setting his phone down on the ground, pouring an unknown liquid from a bottle over himself, and igniting it while yelling "Free Palestine."

"When a tragedy like this occurs, every member of the Air Force feels it," Colonel Celina Noyes, commander of the 70th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing, said following his death. "We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Senior Airman Bushnell."

Bushnell, whose life ended while working as a cyber defense operations specialist with the 531st Intelligence Support Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio, initially joined the Air Force in May 2020. He was in his final role since March 2023, according to his LinkedIn account.

Independent reporter Talia Jane wrote on X, formerly Twitter that Bushnell's loved ones provided consent for a blurred version of the video to be posted online.

He was described as "the kindest, gentlest, silliest little kid in the Air Force" by Errico, a friend who met him in 2022, according to Jane. "He's always trying to think about how we can actually achieve liberation for all with a smile on his face," Errico said.

Views

Bushnell's self-immolation has been described by some Palestinians online as heroic, with many paying tribute to his act. Others have warned of celebrating such a method of protest, cautioning against "copycat acts."

"Absolutely heart shattering. May the memory of 25 year old Aaron Bushnell be a blessing. May his sacrifice be a call to action for those with the ability to do something and a haunting reminder for those who refuse to change course," human rights lawyer Mai El-Sadany posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday.

"A hero and a martyr. May his death not be in vain. May it be a wake up call where we see the end of the genocide and the start of a free Palestine. RIP Aaron Bushnell," wrote activist Aya Hijazi.

"I feel like I've been picked up and shaken, which I suppose was pretty much what Bushnell was going for. Something to shake the world awake to the reality of what's happening. Something to snap us out of the brainwashed and distracted stupor of western dystopia and turn our gaze to Gaza," journalist Caitlin Johnstone wrote, adding that she would "never recommend" anyone "do what Bushnell did."

What's Next

Major General Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, said during a press briefing on Monday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is following the situation.

"They do plan to provide additional information 24 hours after next of kin notifications are complete," said Ryder, adding that the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department has the lead for responding to questions about that incident. "It certainly is a tragic event. We do extend our condolences to the Airman's family.

When asked by another press member whether Bushnell could be considered an extremist under the Pentagon's definition of extremism, Ryder declined to respond and again called the situation "tragic."

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "988" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.

Correction 2/27/24, 1:34 p.m. ET: This article was updated to correct the spelling of Cornel West.

Correction 2/27/24, 2:28 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.