Redux
Every journey circles home
The outburst of euphoria following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in governments and on social media makes me wonder whether it reflects our passion for human rights or simply confirms what has been said for centuries about war, horror, and madness, forces that transform humans into monsters and cloud their conscience.
The French spokeswoman stated that her country could be “only satisfied” with his death, citing his atrocities, the oppression of his people, the humiliation of women, young people, and minorities, and his responsibility for thousands of deaths in his own country and the wider region. These are truths that cannot be ignored. Anger at a leader who drenches people in blood is understandable.
However, public delight in his death is a consequence of a renewed warlike atmosphere, one in which there are, alas, no limits. Suddenly we all find ourselves in the Colosseum, waiting for the “spectacle” of lions devouring our enemies for our amusement. We are not far removed from the crowds in America who once lynched African Americans without trial.
Even war, the most extreme expression of human violence, has rules. The Geneva Conventions indicate that even opponents deserve protection. These rules are not abstract philosophical concerns. They forbid torture and demand respect for civilians. Satisfaction at someone’s death is never included. Justice requires a fair trial and respect for life, however difficult it is to remember this when rage and the horrors of war overwhelm us. Under international humanitarian law, all persons detained in relation to armed conflict, including combatants and leaders, must be treated humanely and may not be executed without a fair trial. Even the Nazis had to face trial.
The madness of war spreads everywhere. This becomes clear when the pleasure at Khamenei’s death seems louder than the suffering of the civilians. Iran reported that a single attack killed over 100 girls at an elementary school near a military base. It went largely unnoticed. The imbalance between public celebration for a leader and the unbearable pain of innocents shows just how deeply the insanity of war has penetrated within us.
The challenge in the new "spectacle" is to remain human. To see violence and uphold human rights without identifying with cruelty. Democracy and justice are not won by seeking death, nor by enjoying the horror humans inflict on others. The greatest battle we have to give in this new insane reality is to keep our humanity alive, even when the world around us has become a living hell.