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When Peace Requires Fire: Why a Liberal Backs Israel’s Strike on Iran
An open letter to my fellow justice-seekers who believe in peace — but not suicide
I was in the car with a close friend, headed to a fundraiser to support Black high school students wanting to attend college. The BBC played softly in the background — just ambiance at first — until the anchor shifted into a scathing critique of Israel’s strike on Iran’s nuclear and missile infrastructure.
The mood changed instantly. The car fell silent.
“Do you support this war?” my friend asked, already guessing my answer.
That was the morning after Israel launched its attack — just days after international, not Israeli, nuclear watchdogs confirmed that Iran had enriched uranium to near-weapons grade levels.
In the hours and days that followed, other friends in the social justice world — people I’ve marched with, organized with, mourned with — saw a few of my posts calling out Iran’s destabilizing role and genocidal threats toward Israel.
They were surprised. Disappointed. Some asked how I could possibly support a military strike. “You?” one said. “A peace guy?”
It’s a fair question.
