Palestinians Don't Need Any Lectures About Political Violence

"The surreal circumstances surrounding Kirk's murder- the Etsy witches, the engraved bullet carvings-immediately captured public attention. Elected officials and pundits across the political spectrum instantaneously moved to form a narrative that Kirk had been doing politics "the right way," encouraging civil debate in an uncivil time. This was coupled with relentless pressure for the rest of us to perform public grief for a man who many believe would not care if we lived or died."

"For Palestinian Americans and the millions of people who stand with us, these newfound concerns about political violence have come as a surprise. After all, we've been watching genocide-perhaps the ultimate expression of political violence-unfolding in Gaza for two years, as Palestinian journalists like Hossam Shabatt are murdered for simply showing the truth. We've watched both Democratic and Republican administrations fund and arm this genocide while brutally repressing any and all public opposition to Israel's crimes."

Charlie Kirk was a powerful conservative influencer who shifted the Overton window on issues from trans rights to abortion, mobilizing thousands of young conservatives. His murder's surreal details prompted rapid, cross-spectrum public calls that political violence is un-American and pressure for broad public mourning. Palestinian Americans and allies see these reactions as hypocritical given two years of U.S.-backed violence in Gaza, including targeted killings of journalists and destruction of civilian infrastructure. Both Democratic and Republican administrations have funded and armed these operations while repressing domestic opposition. Many religious communities remain silent as Palestinian homes and churches are seized and bombed.

Read at The Nation