The World's Gotta Change. So Where's Our Role?

When we watch disaster strike, we feel a sense of helplessness and, by that same measure, a call to action. But what do we task ourselves to do? We aren't statues. The global progression of conflicts has been an accumulation of traditional leadership and traditional forms of engagement, followed by cyclic attempts at resolution. Nothing's accomplished because there's no advancement for either party...

It's a wilderness of mirrors.

Case in focus: Israel.

The immediate war, launched on October 7th, 2023, was, from Hamas's standpoint, necessary in order to protect themselves against Israel's rule. This fight has been going on since long before the formation of Israel itself. The ultimate issue is centered in faith, identity, proximity, and the governance that follows. There are moments of resolution with neighboring checkpoints of peace, but no full stops. Back in 1993, Israel and the PLO agreed to Article V of the Oslo Accords to allow self-governance of the Palestinian people in spaces such as the Gaza Strip and the Jericho area. It didn't hold for much longer after the assassination of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Back in 1973, the Yom Kippur War led to approximately 8 years of relative peace. Further back in time, in the 1500s, the Ottoman Empire maintained stability and peace in that region for hundreds of years. The territory it ruled was far vaster, and communication of the conflicts that occurred was far less rapid until the development of the radio telegraph station in 1906.

Shortly after followed its collapse.

In terms of aid, what's within our control is right in front of us.

"Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes."

We cannot act effectively on what we do not understand. The information we consume, the histories we amplify, the narratives we choose to share — these are our weapons, and they must be wielded with care.

Education is the front line. Libraries, museums, and direct testimony remain effective means of fighting back when you fall short. Our advancement in the decipherment and dissemination of information has also been what propels us. The victors have their truth preserved, so if you are in a position to retell history, deem yourself a hero. Just watch the angle.