Introducing “The Aarons”

Hollywood has its “Oscars” so why can’t the activist community have its “Aarons”?

Introducing “The Aarons”

 words & photos of the U.T. Students for Justice in Palestine  

Aaron Bushnell memorial event 

by C.A. Matthews

The last five months protesting the genocide in Gaza have brought together some very diverse people both online and offline. When a person commented on one of my Substack posts that they found it interesting how they were agreeing with me, a “Communist”, I was momentarily taken aback. Most Communists wouldn’t label me as such, in spite of my cool Substack and Twitter/X avatar picture with the In Event of Capitalist Crisis Break Glass fire alarm box with a hammer and sickle inside.

It really doesn’t make much difference to me how anyone labels what they perceive are my political leanings or philosophical outlook. I’d call myself a Christian Liberationist/Eco-Socialist, but if you want to call me a Green, or a Communist, or a Socialist, or an Anarchist, or a democratic socialist (small d) it doesn’t faze me one bit. I replied to the comment that I hoped I could be labeled “a human with a conscience” during these dark times when a genocide is being livestreamed on social media while simultaneously being denied by the corrupt and manipulative powers-that-be and their sycophants.

This brief interchange got me to thinking. What does it mean to be “a human with a conscience”? What would a human who possessed a conscience look or act like? And then it hit me. “A human with a conscience” is the perfect description of Aaron Bushnell. Aaron who sacrificially gave up his life in order to draw attention to the people of Gaza because it pained his conscience to see their suffering ignored. 

The signed photo was hung on the Free Speech board in the Univ. of Toledo Student Union

A human with a conscience such as Aaron should be praised, but often they’re dismissed, ridiculed, or scoffed at in our mainstream media. People are seldom truly acknowledged for their compassionate actions taken on behalf of others in our self-centered capitalist society. We praise billionaires and entrepreneurs for increasing their corporations’ profit margins instead of honoring all those kind souls who humbly help their neighbors.

Thus, the idea of “The Aarons” was born.

Superficial and self-centered Hollywood has its “Academy Awards” or “Oscars,” so why can’t the selfless and hard-working activist community have its “Aarons”? Officially the awards would be known as “A Human With A Conscience Awards.” I’d freely give them to as many people as possible so that nobody is forgotten or not thanked for their sacrificial giving to the world at large.

The awards presentation ceremony wouldn’t have to be a once a year event in a huge, glitzy theater with sparkly chandeliers and a red carpet because, let’s face it, activists aren’t usually into that sort of fancy dress-up and show off your bling thing. We could just throw a casual, come-as-you-are pot-luck supper while doing some food distribution to hungry folks in the park or near the community center where we passed out the awards. I think Aaron Bushnell would have approved.

My suggestion is we throw the first Human With A Conscience Awards here in inner-city Toledo at the Frederick Douglass Community Center (a.k.a. “The Doug”). But until I can get a non-profit organization set up so we can crowdfund some money in order to host and make the awards themselves, that big ceremony will have to wait. I’d also like to be able to provide a grant to each person or organization who wins/are nominated to help them continue their good work in the community. Because what’s the good of a statuette on your shelf if you’re in desperate need of funding to continue serving others? (If you have experience with creating a non-profit and would like to help me create one, please leave a comment below or direct message me. Thank you.) 

It’s time we recognize and celebrate all those who work selflessly to aid other human beings without regard to status, class, gender identity, race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, or any other characteristic used by the bourgeoisie to divide us. Humans with a conscience are people who care about the people that our sick and twisted society ignores or sneers at because they aren’t “successful” in the dog-eat-dog world of capitalism, or what I call “the endless rat race” of accumulating monetary wealth or material gain.

Are there any other qualifications a person must meet in order to receive an Aaron? I believe my article on The New Litmus Test describes the essential character an Aaron recipient should have. First and foremost, they cannot be pro-genocide or pro-Zionist. They can’t be enthusiastic about white settler colonialism in any way, shape or form. Forcing indigenous peoples from their homeland isn’t a thing a compassionate human does or condones. Practicing racism and apartheid isn’t something to be proud of, in other words. Expressing classist or elitist opinions are telltale signs of a lack of conscience as well.

What about those who make excuses for those who commit or aid and abet genocide? Or those who simply turn a blind eye and pretend that a genocide in Gaza isn’t happening? These kinds of actions reveal to me they’re not worthy Aaron recipients. While pulling the trigger and killing another makes you a murderer, those who help the killer load the weapon or place it in the killer’s hand or commit perjury to cover for the killer's movements can also be charged with murder. 

For example, Hitler himself never hit the switches or turned any valves on the gas chambers at the death camps, now did he? Yet we consider Hitler responsible for the crime of genocide committed by his soldiers working under his orders. Kissing up to genocidal powers-that-be and then claiming later that you were “only following orders” or trying to fit in with the crowd to maintain your status or further your career doesn’t indicate that you ever put the needs of others before your own or even possessed a conscience in the first place. Actions like these will bring about their own rewards in time.

Genocide apologists who post vile comments online against the victims of Israeli violence are on par with the actual culprits, in my opinion. Anyone who spends so much time and energy trying to convince others they’re “good people” while making excuses for those who are ethnically cleansing innocent civilians and starving children probably wouldn’t want to hang with us do-gooders anyway. They're free to attend the Oscars instead.

Please drop me your suggestions of award categories and the names of humans and groups worthy of an Aaron in the comments below. My talented husband has helped me put together a meme that they can display on their social media accounts showing that they’ve been nominated for an Aaron in the meantime. Folks who see the meme will know to thank them for their service to their fellow human beings. And hopefully, this award will encourage others to demonstrate that they, too, have a conscience and want to help their neighbors at home and around the globe.

Wouldn’t it be great if everyone on the planet could be nominated for a Human With a Conscience award? Wouldn’t you like to live in such a world? I know I would.

Here are some my ideas for Aaron recipients so far:

Best Medical Group with a Conscience: Doctors Without Borders

Best Food Distro Group with a Conscience: Food Not Bombs, Third Thursday

Best Community Center/Library Builder with a Conscience (Detroit): Unholy Rome with Tour for the Poor 

Best Activist Organizers with a Conscience: AMP – American Muslims for Palestine, Jewish Voice For Peace, Not In Our Name, Veterans for Peace, CodePink

Best Indie Podcasting Channel Highlighting the Struggle of the Workers with a Conscience: Revolutionary Blackout Network

Best Video Compiler Blogger with a Conscience: Truthful News Weekend on Beanstock's World https://beanstocksworld.wordpress.com

Best Network of Independent Podcasters with a Conscience: Indie News Network/Indie Media Today https://www.indiemediatoday.com/

Best Comedian-Journalist with a Conscience: Lee Camp, Ron Placone, Graham Elwood

Best Essayist/Political Commentator with a Conscience: Caitlin Johnstone (and Tim Foley), Chris Hedges, Julian McFarlane

Best Political Cartoonist with a Conscience: Mr. Fish (ScheerReport), Mark Taylor (DeMockracy Ink)

Best Independent Journalist with a Conscience: Max Blumenthal, Aaron Mate, Glenn Greenwald, Richard Medhurst

Best Documentary Maker with a Conscience: Abby Martin

Best Podcast Interviewer with a Conscience: Sabby Sabs, Briahna Joy Gray, Katie Halper, Joy Marie Mann

Best Alternative Radio Show with a Conscience: DJ Amjad’s Deep Mix: Music and More

Best Film-maker with a Conscience: Jonathan Glazer

Best Film Festival with a Conscience: The Media Decompression's 2024 Palestine Film Festival https://mdctoledo.org/

Best Political Figure with a Conscience: Dr. Jill Stein, Green Party (Sign the pledge against genocide at her website https://jillstein2024.com); Claudia de la Cruz, Party of Socialism and Liberation; Dr. Cornel West

Best Religious Figure with a Conscience: the Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac of Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in the West Bank who gave the famous “Christ in the Rubble” sermon on Christmas Eve

Humans with a Conscience who sacrificed their lives in service to others: Rachel Corrie, Aaron Bushnell

I know I’ve left out a lot of worthy recipients. Share your thoughts below in the comments and share this link with your contacts who might have more suggestions. The main requirement to be nominated is to be “a human with a conscience” so, no A.I. ‘bots please! Also, no sociopaths, psychopaths, neoliberals, or other warmongers

We should all strive to be a human with a conscience and follow Aaron Bushnell’s instruction: Free Palestine!

Related Articles and Other Interesting Links 

 

True Civilization https://therevolutioncontinues.substack.com/p/true-civilization

 

The New Litmus Test https://therevolutioncontinues.substack.com/p/the-new-litmus-test 

 

Remembering Rachel Corrie: American in Gaza Crushed by Israeli Bulldozer https://youtu.be/qHCafAwhFZo?si=I9OOtIdcnqOh3sCN 

They're Really Going To Try To Lay All The Blame For Gaza On Netanyahu https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/theyre-really-going-to-try-to-lay

Genocidal Psychopaths Celebrate International Day To Combat Islamophobia https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/genocidal-psychopaths-celebrate-international

Killing Palestinians by Blocking Aid. Killing Palestinians by Airdropping Aid https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/gaza-food-drops-human-rights

US building Gaza port to facilitate mass 'voluntary' migration: Anadolu Agency https://thecradle.co/articles-id/23838

Report Exposes The Oil Giants ‘Fueling Israel’s War Machine’ https://popularresistance.org/report-exposes-the-oil-giants-fueling-israels-war-machine/

Mapping the Business of War https://thebusinessofwar.substack.com/p/mapping-the-business-of-war

Investigation exposes Israel's lies and shows they killed their own on Oct 7th https://www.councilestatemedia.uk/p/investigation-exposes-israels-lies

The US wants to ban TikTok to protect Israel's genocide https://www.councilestatemedia.uk/p/the-us-wants-to-ban-tiktok-to-protect

If Israel Wants To Be An "Independent Nation", Let It Be An Independent Nation https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/if-israel-wants-to-be-an-independent

Crocodile Tears For Gaza While Backing Its Destruction https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/crocodile-tears-for-gaza-while-backing

ACLU Slams House for Latest Plan to Ban TikTok and Stifle Free Speech  https://scheerpost.com/2024/03/13/aclu-slams-house-for-latest-plan-to-ban-tiktok-and-stifle-free-speech/
 
The Genocide in Gaza Is Filling Our Beautiful Month of Ramadan With Dread https://truthout.org/articles/the-genocide-in-gaza-is-filling-our-beautiful-month-of-ramadan-with-dread/

Ending Impunity for the Crimes Against Palestinian and Israeli Civilians, A to Z https://www.passblue.com/2024/03/07/ending-impunity-for-the-crimes-against-palestinian-and-israeli-civilians-from-a-to-z/

Canada and Sweden defy global trend: Rush to aid Palestinians as Israel faces torture allegations https://www.nationofchange.org/2024/03/13/canada-and-sweden-defy-global-trend-rush-to-aid-palestinians-as-israel-faces-torture-allegations/

US marathon runners wave Palestinian flag at Olympic trials https://therealnews.com/us-marathon-runner-waves-palestinian-flag-at-olympic-trials

Unequal before the law https://therealnews.com/unequal-before-the-law

Biden’s Use of the Slur “Illegal” Underscores His Rightward Lurch on Immigration https://truthout.org/articles/bidens-use-of-the-slur-illegal-underscores-his-rightward-lurch-on-immigration/

Chris Hedges: Joe Biden’s Parting Gift to America Will be Christian Fascism  https://scheerpost.com/2024/03/17/chris-hedges-joe-bidens-parting-gift-to-america-will-be-christian-fascism/

Black Alliance For Peace: Haiti Behind The Headlines https://popularresistance.org/black-alliance-for-peace-backgrounder-haiti-behind-the-headlines/

Judge Allows East Palestine Residents’ Lawsuit Against Norfolk Southern https://popularresistance.org/judge-allows-east-palestine-residents-lawsuit-against-norfolk-southern/

The last days of Julian Assange in the United States https://www.declassifieduk.org/the-last-days-of-julian-assange-in-the-united-states/

Failed ICJ Case Against Russia Backfires, Paves Way for Genocide Charges Against Ukraine https://www.mintpressnews.com/failed-icj-case-against-russia-backfires-paves-way-for-genocide-charges-against-ukraine/287028/

You Can't Trust Any Part Of This Dystopia If You Want Health And Sanity https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/you-cant-trust-any-part-of-this-dystopia

Their Time Will Come (Say Free Palestine on Saint Patrick's Day) https://matthewhoh.substack.com/p/their-time-will-come

Subscribe to The Revolution Continues on Substack today! Blogspot/Blogger isn't working as well as it once did (Is it blatant censorship? Who knows?) so it's time to migrate to a better platform. Go to https://therevolutioncontinues.substack.com/ and click on one of the stories and subscribe at the link at the end of the article. You'll enjoy having each week's post automatically sent to your email box or reading it at the Substack site. Many thanks for your consideration.

The Ladies Who Lunch at the Food Bank

The Ladies Who Lunch at the Food Bank 

by Carol Parker

It has always been a dream of mine, and most women of my generation, I suspect, to one day see a woman elected president of the United States. I still hold that dream. But I know in my heart (call it woman's intuition if you like) that right now, at this moment, Bernie Sanders' solutions to all the financial worries that keep me up at night make the most sense. I trust him because he has not wavered from his principled positions his entire career. I believe he, and he alone of all the candidates running for the presidency, is most in touch with middle class, working class, and poor Americans.

This summer Hillary Clinton rolled out her proposed economic plan in a much-anticipated speech. As populist as she sounded, I am still not persuaded her solutions are bold enough to restore prosperity to the average American.

UC Professor Robert Reich is someone I much admire. His documentary movie, Inequality for All, is a must-see if you want to understand just how we got ourselves into the economic pickle we're in and how best to get out of it. He blogged about her speech  giving her props for saying that “the defining economic challenge of our times” was "to raise incomes for hard-working Americans so that they can enjoy a middle-class life.”

But Reich went on to say, "I was disappointed she didn’t call for busting up the biggest banks or resurrecting the Glass-Steagall Act." He also said he expected to see more from her on corporate reform. "Overall," he said, " the proposals she advanced didn’t rise to the important economic objectives she articulates." He concluded by saying, "Hopefully, she'll provide more in coming weeks and months."

And that's the thing. We don't have to wait weeks and months. Bernie Sanders has been unequivocally saying, since the inception of his campaign and for years before, that we need a major restructuring of our tax and banking systems. He has called for reenacting the Glass-Steagall Act. Unlike his opponents, he is not accepting donations from the same corporations and banks that need reining in. Unlike his opponents, he has condemned unfair trade practices like NAFTA and the pending TPP. He advocates for strong unions, and he voted against the devastating and costly Iraq war.

From a symbolic standpoint, electing our first woman president would be a wonderful thing. Let's not deny it, sisters, it would be awesome. But we have such a superior alternative in Bernie Sanders that we can be patient a little longer. I believe it is worth the wait.

Bernie speaks authentically and authoritatively about the concerns of the poor and those of us who struggle to stay afloat in an economy that is far from recovered.  He, himself, came from very humble beginnings and has spent his lifetime pursuing justice for those in need.

For many years I have volunteered in my community, and in the past decade I have seen a gradual erosion of middle class well-being.

People who are educated and experienced want to work but cannot find full-time jobs with benefits. The only thing they can secure are low-wage, temporary, part-time positions. Many resort to contract work in what we're now calling the "gig" economy. Some have given up on our political process altogether. Trickle-down economics has failed them. They are gripped with uncertainty. I have seen their worry first hand, and more and more I think about how close I am to being in their shoes. When I encounter others who doubt things are as bad as they are, I share with them the kinds of conversations I've had with women I've met while volunteering at food programs.

Here's a sampling: 

The Senior

She edges up through the line along the conveyor belt so I can present her with a can of tomato paste. It is cold and drafty in the huge warehouse. At the end of her three-hour journey of waiting and snaking through the long line, she will walk out with a bag of non-perishable groceries valued at somewhere around $15. If she is lucky, an additional bag of fruit gleaned from local gardens and some day-old bread donated by a grocery chain will also ride home with her on the bus. She is there because her meager Social Security check and paltry savings comes nowhere close enough to keeping a roof over her head let alone food on the table.

That could be me, I think, in just a few years. Then I remember Bernie Sanders' call to not only preserve but expand Social Security. He has been a champion for seniors and veterans his entire career. 

The Millennials

Young adults arrive - some female students from the nearby college and their friends who are recent graduates. None have been able to find living wage jobs. They tell me they are there gathering peanut butter and tuna to complement their Top Ramen diets.

They could be my own young adult children, I imagine, if mine weren't still living at home. Then I remember Bernie Sanders' promise to reduce interest on existing student debt and make public colleges and universities free. I remember that he's lobbying for a $15 an hour minimum wage. While other candidates have put forward their own proposals to make college more affordable,  I believe Bernie's plan is more generous to students and includes a specific plan for funding it.

http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/our-research/senior-hunger-research/facing-hunger-after-fifty.html

The Boomer

In walks a former mid-level manager who can't find work. Her husband has been furloughed and his income slashed. She tells me they're close to losing everything. She's brought a sandwich with her and shares it with another woman in line next to her. "Look at us,” she muses. "We're the Ladies Who Lunch at the Food Bank."

Millions of middle-class, paycheck-to-paycheck families lost everything in the Recession and have fallen far down the economic ladder, my own family among them. Bernie will make the systemic changes in our financial system needs to get to the root of the problem and bring American jobs back home, create new jobs in green industries, and rebuild our country's crumbling infrastructure.  He has won endorsements from key labor groups, including National Nurses United.  He stands with the American worker.

For the "Ladies who Lunch at the Food Bank" now (and those of us women who may be dining there soon if things don't improve), I invite you to join me at Bernie Sanders' table where truth and justice are consistently served and none need go hungry. 

You can find out how to support his campaign and become involved in your local community by going to berniesanders.com.

BIO: Carol Parker is a retired journalist living in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and two of their three young adult children. She is a volunteer for Bay Area for Bernie http://bayareaforbernie.com/ on whose website an earlier version of this article first appeared.  A life long peace and justice activist, she currently serves on her synagogue's social action committee. Previously she was involved with Occupy Oakland,  served as vice president of the Alameda Food Bank board of directors and was a regional coordinator for the Beyond War Movement.  During the 1980's she founded and  led an organization for parents called "Raising Children a New Way in a Violent World" and won a national "People Speaking" award for her child advocacy. 

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The "Books for Bernie" book sale this past week demonstrates just how committed Bernie Sanders' supporters are! (And how much they love books.) Events coming up in NW Ohio include a possible "flash mob" sing along at Oktoberfest. Intrigued? Join us! Check out the NW Ohio for Bernie Sanders Facebook page link on the sidebar.

What's your group doing to promote Bernie's bid for the White House? Have an event or photo you'd like to share? Send us an email at thebernieblog2016@gmail.com