In what seems like a lifetime ago, I posted this a few weeks back after my return from my second delegation to Palestine. Even with all of the most recent acts of terror inflicted upon the people of Gaza and the accelerated violence in the occupied West Bank, I am still left with the same question as I have been posing since last year, “What will it take to speak out and act up?”

This video is crossposted on Instagram and TikTok, so any resharing or reposting would be much appreciated.

Transcript

 As some of you know, I just returned from Palestine, my second trip this year. And once again, seeing how the Palestinian people are treated, it is heartbreakingly obvious that they live under oppressive occupation and a blatant apartheid state. If you have been silent up to now, I don't really know what more to say to convince you to act up and speak out in order to stop what the state of Israel with U. S. support is doing in Gaza and increasingly the West Bank.

* How many more violent images have to show up on your screen in order for you to act?

* How many more times do Palestinians need to put their trauma on display in order for them to be believed?

* How much disproportionate destruction must you witness before you can drop the narrative that this is a conflict between equals?

* How many times do you need to hear people like me before you will step out from behind the veil of complexity and privilege?

* How much of your money needs to be spent on war before you will demand your public servants do better?

* How many more futures will be extinguished before we collectively say enough is enough?

While some will judge you for your timing, it is not too late. While the road to peace and liberation will take generations, I believe this current onslaught only comes to an end if those of you who have been silent up until now finally choose to speak out. I hope you will. Peace.