Aaron Bushnell: How Western Media Failed His Legacy

On February 25, 2024, Aaron Bushnell set himself on fire in front of the Israeli Embassy while yelling “Free Palestine” in protest of the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Bushnell succumbed to his wounds hours later. Despite his intentions to raise awareness, Western mainstream media has twisted the story, leaving out the most critical details and making him out to be a madman. 

One article by the Washington Post was titled “Airman who set self on fire grew up on religious compound, had anarchist past.” Another article by the New York Times was headlined “Airman Dies After Setting Himself on Fire Outside Israeli Embassy in Washington, Air Force Says.” Despite being two of the biggest newspapers across the country, both sources failed to headline anything regarding Palestine and the genocide he aimed to protest.

An article by The Intercept titled “Will Aaron Bushnell’s Death Trigger Anarchism Witch Hunt?” even went as far as highlighting claims that Bushnell’s actions were “in support of terrorism” while featuring a letter from former Army members asking  “why and how the Pentagon could tolerate an airman like Bushnell in its ranks.” 

Compare these headlines to Al Jazeera which released an article titled “Suicide Vs Genocide: Rest In Peace Aaron Bushnell.” Al Jazeera highlighted how rather than examining the atrocities that led to his self-immolation, Western media began insinuating mental health issues.”

While the public has labeled Bushnell’s act of protests as barbaric, Al Jazeera emphasized that the reality of the Palestinian experience under Israeli occupation includes burning to death, especially given Israel’s illegal use of white phosphorus and relentless bombing of civilians. They also highlighted Bushnell’s statement that “compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, [this] is not extreme at all,” as a clear indication that he understood the magnitude of his actions as well as the suffering he aimed to highlight.

The reality is that Bushnell was a Cyber Defense Operations Specialist for the United States Air Force but prepared to leave after witnessing their “flippant attitudes toward violence within the force.” The reality is that Bushnell’s self-immolation was strategically planned as he live-streamed the whole incident and even contacted officials prior to his act of protest to ensure that there was a response. The reality is that Bushnell’s death could have been prevented if instead of pointing a gun at him, the police officer on duty did something to assist him rather than watching him burn. The reality is that as tragic as self-immolation is, this action is a form of protest that has historically taken place–from making a statement in regards to the persecution of Buddhists during the Vietnam War to more recently, environmental activists trying to bring attention to the ongoing climate crisis. 

Ultimately, the reality is that Bushnell’s self-immolation was an act of protest and despite the shortcomings of Western media, it is imperative that Bushnell’s message is heard loud and clear: More than 30,000 Palestinian civilians have been slaughtered and as Americans. We are all complicit.