It should go without saying – “Nobody should intentionally set themselves on fire”. The death of an active-duty airman who immolated himself on Sunday outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington to protest the civilian deaths in Gaza was a tragedy. One that was repeated many times during the Vietnam war.

It started with a Buddhist monk in downtown Saigon (1963). More would follow. The first American was a Quaker, Norman Morrison, in Washington, DC at the Pentagon (1965). At least seven more occurred in the USA.

Why? Morrison said that he “was shown” what to do while praying for peace. He felt called to act for the benefit of his fellow man. Noble intentions that led to misguided actions. Suicide is a sin according to the Bible.

Jesus died for others, but he was crucified, by Herod. Many have been martyred for their beliefs. John the Baptist was beheaded, also by Herod. Peter was crucified and Paul was beheaded. Joan of Arc was burned at the stake when she was only nineteen. James, the brother of Jesus, was stoned to death. But none of them killed their selves.

Sacrificing yourself to create awareness or sway public opinion sounds courageous. But it’s cowardly, and worse – ineffective. We “didn’t know, what we didn’t know” about our involvement in Vietnam. It would take the deaths of 58,220 U.S. service members, and countless wounded, to get our attention.

When peace finally came, it was the brave who “lived to fight another day” that ended our long nightmare in Vietnam. More than 800 veterans who tossed their medals and ribbons on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. College students who marched, and died (Kent State), in protests across the country. Pentagon workers who staged walkouts. Consciousness objectors. A news anchor, Walter Cronkite, who wasn’t afraid to lose viewers. And a King, Martin Luther, who was willing to lose his life.

It should go without saying that – “The war in Gaza needs to end so that there can be peace”. Approximately 100 children, 70 women, and 70 men die in Gaza every single day. Isn’t that enough?

Randall Rousselo

Roscommon