We can’t ignore what’s happening in Gaza

If you turn off the news and refine your social media feed, it’s easy to ignore what’s happening in Gaza right now. Especially for white folks like me, there’s an underlying ability to disassociate from the suffering of Palestinian people. As I’ve talked to my friends and neighbors, people have varying degrees of awareness of what’s happening, but everyone seems to agree that whatever it is, it needs to stop. The majority of Americans support a cease-fire, and we don’t want our tax dollars spent on weapons and war, especially without any accountability for how they’re used. We don’t want to see or hear any more stories of children being killed and dismembered, entire families being killed, or the genocide of Palestinian people.

We must stop being afraid of saying the “right thing” to not anger anyone. You don’t need to be Muslim, or Arab, or a person of color, or part of a marginalized group to stand for Gaza. You just need to be human. I’ve felt helpless and sad these past few months, and everyone has their way of taking action, but I suggest we start talking about what’s happening, and calling your representatives. The U.S. is playing a huge role in this conflict, and we need to set an example for the rest of the world. No matter where people live, their lives matter, and all our liberation is entwined. No one of us is free until all of us are free.

Jessica O’Malley

Downers Grove