It depends entirely on those other people. Personally, I wouldn’t do it. But recently, a man who felt differently decided to make such a sacrifice. His name was Aaron Bushnell.

On February 25, 2024, US Air Force serviceman Bushnell went to Washington DC armed only with gasoline, a phone and nerves of steel. He felt that the world has been ignoring the Israeli actions in Gaza for too long, and he was particularly appalled by the United States decision to not push for a ceasefire and instead veto all calls for one in the United Nations…

So Bushnell went to the Israeli embassy and, standing in front of the gates, poured gasoline all over himself. Before he set himself on fire — the event being livestreamed all over the world — he posted the following statement to his social media:

"Many of us like to ask ourselves, 'What would I do if I was alive during slavery? Or the Jim Crow South? Or apartheid? What would I do if my country was committing genocide?' The answer is, you’re doing it. Right now."

He then lit his gasoline-soaked body, dressed in his military uniform, on fire. “Free Palestine!” he yelled out several times, while one embassy guard pointed a gun on him, telling him to “Get down!”, another guard yelling back: “We don’t need guns, we need fire extinguishers!” Bushnell died in the hospital shortly after due to severe third degree burns over his entire body.

Aaron Bushnell considered himself complicit in what happens in Gaza — 30,000 people dead, over two thirds of them women and children. He hoped his actions would spur social change, start a dialogue and finally result in a ceasefire. I may not be in 100% agreement with Mr. Bushnell on all fronts but holy shit, that took balls.