The Killing of Children Is Unjustifiable. Simple.
There are truths so fundamental that they should not require debate. The murder of children is one of them. It is an abomination, a moral failure so profound that any attempt to justify it reveals not just intellectual dishonesty, but a rot in the soul.
And yet, here we are watching in real time as the world turns away from the slaughter of Palestinian children, as though their lives are somehow less sacred, less grievable, than others. As time carries on, I have become acutely aware of a disturbing contrast between those who are using their voices, their platforms, and their privilege to demand justice, and those who remain silent.
I have heard the excuses:
"It’s too complicated."
"We can’t do anything about it."
"I don’t want to get involved."
But what is complicated about opposing the killing of children? What is nuanced about condemning genocide? For those in the mental health field how can you continue business as usual when your expertise is desperately needed? When an entire population is being traumatized, when those bearing witness are breaking under the weight of grief, where are your voices? Where is your guidance for those struggling to process this horror?
The silence of feminists has been particularly appalling. Where are the analyses of the gendered violence being inflicted on Palestinian women and girls? The destruction of reproductive healthcare, the deliberate targeting of mothers, the weaponization of sexual violence? Will we only see feminist retrospectives years from now, when it is too late for the women and children being massacred today?
Maryam Aldossari, writing for Al Jazeera, expressed this betrayal perfectly:
"Beyond this physical and emotional exhaustion, I am also consumed by a deep anger, a profound disappointment, towards feminists in my country, the United Kingdom, and beyond."
And what of the spiritual communities—the yogis, the wellness gurus, the Burning Man devotees who preach love and connection? How can you chant "Namaste"—"the light in me sees the light in you"—while turning away from the extinguishing of thousands of lights in Gaza?
In October, November 2023 perhaps people needed time to educate themselves. But now? There is no excuse left except cowardice, comfort, and complicity.
I have come to believe that much of the anxiety, the "nervous system dysregulation," the stress so many claim to feel is not just about the horror unfolding but about the cognitive dissonance of knowing what is right and refusing to act. There is a poison in silence. In looking away. In telling yourself, "It’s not my problem." Because deep down, you know it is. You know that children are being burned alive, that families are being wiped from existence, that an entire people are being erased in real time. And to deny that truth—to mute it, to rationalize it—is to fracture your own soul.
The Most Documented Genocide in History and Still, the World Looks Away
No crime in history has been so thoroughly documented by its victims. Palestinians in Gaza have filmed their own extermination—posting the evidence on social media, begging the world to see.
A dead baby in a rainbow jumpsuit.
A beheaded fetus
A father cradling his daughter’s lifeless body, stroking her pigtail one last time.
Entire families buried in mass graves, their names erased from civil registries.
No crime has been so openly confessed by its perpetrators. Israeli officials have declared their intent to "empty Gaza of Gazans." They have imposed a starvation blockade, bombed hospitals, executed surrendering civilians. They have destroyed 83% of plant life, 80% of agricultural land, 95% of livestock—deliberately making the land uninhabitable.
This is not war. This is not ‘self defense’. This is extermination.
And yet, the world’s institutions, media, and governments continue to equivocate. To speak of "both sides." To fund the weapons. To silence the protesters.
What Does Your Silence Enable?
History will ask: How did this happen? And the answer will be: Because good people stayed silent. Because yoga instructors cared more about their retreat bookings than about murdered children. Because mental health professionals prioritized "neutrality" over moral clarity. Because you don’t deem “genocide” worth losing friends over. Because feminists abandoned Palestinian women when they needed solidarity most.
Silence is not peace. Silence is violence.
To those who criticize my stance by claiming I’m spreading hate, that’s a cop-out. This isn’t about hate; it’s about accountability. You should know where your tax dollars are going. You should know what your silence is enabling. You should know that the promise of 'never again' must apply to all people, not just some. The news won’t force you to see the truth, so if it takes a few of us to hold up a mirror to the society we’ve built, then so be it. Maybe—just maybe—there’s still hope. Hope that you’ll give a damn, that you’ll care, that you’ll rise above your differences—your background, your faith, your politics—and stand together for humanity. Because if not now, when? If not us, who?
The Only Way Forward: Truth, Justice, and Radical Courage
Of course, peace and love are the goal. But you do not get there by bypassing reality. You get there by facing it—by allowing yourself to be uncomfortable, to be angry, to be broken open by the truth. This moment demands:
Discomfort—the willingness to disrupt your own life, your business, your social circles.
Accountability—naming this for what it is: a genocide.
Humility—recognizing that your voice alone is not enough, but it is necessary.
Solidarity—centering the oppressed, not your own fears.
The path to liberation is not easy. But it is the only path worth taking.
To those still silent: What will it take for you to finally say enough? How many more children must die before you find your voice? The time for handwringing is over. The time for vague condolences is over. This is a test of our collective humanity. And right now, too many are failing.
But it is not too late to choose courage. To stand on the right side of history. To say, loudly and unambiguously: The killing of children is unjustifiable. Simple. Just fucking say it Free Palestine.
Poster art by Shahzaad Raja
