By Bernard Rowan
I studied at the University of Chicago and took a course on comparative politics. David Laitin, now at Stanford, noted the purpose of political science in the 20th century was to understand how the monstrosity of Nazi Germany arose. This concerned the international war and the domestic context for Nazism’s origins and existence.
These days, when I look at the war in Gaza, I don’t think humanity has advanced far. That’s not a comment on political science either. Realists of human nature, such as the founders, have said human interests, passions and opinions incline to self-interest and faction. That spells eventual disaster unless we put the brakes on power in the name of fanciful ideas and on power in groups.
I’ll take a stab at an answer to the question about Nazism. The living problem of Nazism speaks to the failure of thinking about Gaza. It's a stinging indictment to fans of autocratic government. The reason the Nazis arose, and Hamas, is the failure of democratic government in their societies and the willingness of people to substitute ideological security for real security in freedom. The failure of thinking about Gaza now is to allow Hamas an implicit right to exist regardless of its actions. Caring for the innocent civilians of Gaza, the people of Gaza is part of answering Hitler. However, today’s issue that occasions threats to Gaza and Israel’s security is Hamas.
The great religions of humanity, including Christianity, Islam and Judaism, exist for the support and encouragement of life, not the means and ends of violence. They’ve enshrined ethics and codes of law to uphold the value of living in a community and to promote life and happiness under God. They unite in the idea of just war against enemies of the covenant. Those who kill their own people and citizens are without covenants, religious and political. The communities must defend the covenants.
Gazan civilians have a right to exist, and Israel’s defense forces have no right to take their lives. However, I don’t think the international community, including the United Nations, is doing much about it. Their leaders are into talking points and one-sided declamations. Usually, a coalition of the willing should go there to aid civilians. Why isn’t the UN debating and preparing for that very thing?
A grim reality of war, as in why it is hell, can’t neatly escape its prosecution: war over control of lands and boundaries usually involves the deaths of civilians. Those who prosecute wars and kill civilians are responsible.
However, suffering Gazans doesn’t mean Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad has the right to exist as a terrorist organization, any more than previous and current orbits of Al Qaeda and Daesh/ISIS. Nothing justifies as a substitute for legitimate government the ideology, force and violence of a party or organization that hides behind its own people and uses them as a defense shield. The Nazis did a version of ideological substitution and death for freedom and security themselves.
Hamas shouldn’t continue as the de facto government of Gaza. Even if it’s a pawn of Iran. Even if it’s “merely” a counter to the ineffective Palestinian Liberation Authority in the West Bank. Even if the Palestinians deserve a unified state.
Many Gazans contemn Hamas but haven’t the power to change matters themselves. I don’t think the Gazan people have the capacity to throw off their Hamas and Jihadi masters. They are autocrats after all.
The calls for Israel to safeguard the lives of innocents is a necessary and critical limit on their methods, means and goals in Gaza. It's possible for a righteous cause to result in war crimes. Many world leaders and commentators make this argument.
We shouldn’t let Hamas continue its path of intentional murder, including of the Gazan people. They’re counting on our weakness and self-hatred. Just as with Daesh and Osama Bin Laden, civilization needs a clear response to the enemies of life and freedom. We shouldn’t sanction substituting idols of ideology for the sanctity of life. This “lesson” isn’t new. Its reality depends on the minds and hearts of the many, and our shared humanity.
Bernard Rowan (browan10@yahoo.com) is associate provost for contract administration and academic services and professor of political science at Chicago State University. He is a past fellow of the Korea Foundation and former visiting professor at Hanyang University.
Thinking about Gaza
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26.11.2023
By Bernard Rowan I studied at the University of Chicago and took a course on comparative politics. David Laitin, now at Stanford, noted the purpose of political science in the 20th century was to understand how the monstrosity of Nazi Germany arose. This concerned the international war and the domestic context for Nazism’s origins and existence.
These days, when I look at the war in Gaza, I don’t think humanity has advanced far. That’s not a comment on political science either. Realists of human nature, such as the founders, have said human interests, passions and opinions incline to self-interest and faction. That spells eventual disaster unless we put the brakes on power in the name of fanciful ideas and on power in groups.
I’ll take a stab at an answer to the question about Nazism. The living problem of Nazism speaks to the failure of thinking about Gaza. It's a stinging indictment to fans of autocratic government. The reason the Nazis arose, and Hamas, is the failure of democratic government in their societies and the willingness of people to substitute ideological security for real........
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