How October 7th Could Have Gone…
How October 7th and all that came after it could have gone so much better than it did.
Thursday, April 25th, 2024
I often find myself amazed at how badly people can mess things up. I’m sure you do, too. But, even when it’s really, really obvious — people who have chosen a side find it very hard to hear any criticism of their favorite team, their favorite terrorist group, their favorite political party, their favorite side of a wedge issue — you get the idea.
This makes conversation almost impossible. People in this state of denial know it, consciously or unconsciously, and their defenses are up way, way high!
Don’t come close to me with your rational or logical arguments — I don’t want to hear them! Don’t show me the video of my team fouling the other team, or my favorite terrorist group gang raping, dismembering, taunting and slaughtering a young woman in front of her family — I won’t look!
You get the idea. And, I’ve got a solution.
DO NOT point out what was done badly. They can’t hear it. Instead, talk about what could have been done that would have been awesome! Like this…
(1) On October 7th, 2023, the soldiers of Hamas could have broken through the border of Israel, taken hostages without shooting anyone, and transported those hostages back into Gaza, where they could have taken video of each one proving they were healthy, fed, and provided with medical care. They could have allowed the Red Cross to attend them and bring necessary medication. While doing this, the Gazan Government (Hamas) could have stated to the world, “We have done this because Israel is oppressing the Palestinian people of Gaza, and because innocent Gazans have been unfairly detained, arrested, and imprisoned by Israel. We want to discuss an end to this 75 year long tragedy, beginning with an exchange of prisoners.”
If they’d done this, I would have respected the gravity of their call for justice.
(2) In the days following October 7th, 2023, all Pro-Palestinian organizers in Western countries could have organized silent vigils, candle ceremonies, and various peaceful, nonviolent protests and marches that would draw attention by blocking traffic or impeding the normal activities of life. As they gained media attention, they could have spoken up clearly, with a united message, seeking to raise awareness of their cause. They could have stated, with absolute sincerity and clarity, “We stand with the people of Gaza, who have taken action in order to resist oppression, and we praise them for remaining on the high road by treating all of the hostages very well because they are innocent civilians and not responsible for the actions of the nation of Israel.”
If they’d done this, I would have supported their activism and peaceful protests.
(3) College students inspired to participate, organize, peacefully protest, and engage in various other activities — could have continued to attend classes, in between protesting, insisting that their classwork assignments, reports and projects (where applicable), be focused on the complicated issues related to Israel and the surrounding region. These students, upon receiving their graded papers back from their professors, could have stood up in the middle of these peaceful protests, reading them aloud to fellow protesters, creating a constant source of additional information, education and awareness building. They could have professionally and respectfully invited local media, school media and national media to come and interview them about their peaceful protests, magnifying their voices and helping achieve the laudable goals of the Gazan people.
If they’d done this, I’d have been impressed by their maturity and attention to detail.
(4) Immediately following the terrible events of October 7th, and especially at the first hint of violent outbursts from students, the leadership of Western Universities could have published a written statement expressing complete and absolute support for all students, period. While highlighting the need for respect, compassion, and kindness shown to all students from or having family in Israel, Gaza, and surrounding countries — the American Universities could have offered a clear and succinct reminder that zero bigotry is allowed on campus. Whether it be directed at trans students, black students, Asian students, Palestinian students, Muslim students, or Jewish students it doesn’t matter. “Our school has a zero tolerance policy with regard to bigotry of all sorts,” would have been a great public statement to hear from all Universities. They could have gone a step further, actively encouraging students to educate themselves on the principles of non-violence, as drafted, utilized, and practiced by the Reverent Martin Luther King Jr. and those who seek to follow in his footsteps.
If they’d done this, I’d have not blamed them for students who chose chaos over peace, and far less violence would have befallen Israeli/Jewish students, in particular.
(5) Since October 7th, 2023, millions of American college students could have learned a ton about nonviolence, beginning with the book “Stride Toward Freedom,” written by MLK Jr. which he describes as “the chronicle of 50,000 Negroes who took to heart the principles of nonviolence, who learned to fight for their rights with the weapon of love, and who in the process, acquired a new estimate of their own human worth.”
“True pacifism,” or “nonviolent resistance,” King wrote, is “a courageous confrontation of evil by the power of love” (King, Stride, 80). Both “morally and practically” committed to nonviolence, King believed that “the Christian doctrine of love operating through the Gandhian method of nonviolence was one of the most potent weapons available to oppressed people in their struggle for freedom” (King, Stride, 79; Papers 5:422).”
I recommend using this technique of explaining “how it could have been done so much better,” in conversations with everyone from coworkers to grocery store clerks. And — don’t be snarky!
The truth is, if the people of Gaza had elected a decent, peace-seeking, law-abiding group into power, and they’d conducted themselves in the manner I describe on October 7th, everything today would be different and far better than it is.
So, remind people! “It could have been handled so well, and here’s how…”
They are more likely to hear you, because they will feel heard, empathized with, not attacked, and not even contradicted. And — you are more likely to feel comfortable enough to speak, because you’re not directly contradicting anyone. Or challenging their distress and claims to victimhood.
You’re just saying, “Wow! Imagine if this is what was done? We’d have all the support of the International Community, if we’d stayed on the moral high ground, and far less people would have suffered and died.”
This approach, I think, will allow people to pause and think more freely and honestly — when they’re ready — in the safety and privacy of their own thoughts. And then, their actions will change, because we do what we think…