"One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This" by Omar El Akkad
Introduction/Synopsis
This book, is a personal reflection interwoven with observations on contemporary conflicts, particularly the Israel-Hamas War. It touches on themes of violence, identity, and the social conditions of Muslims and Arabs in the United States. The author reflects on language, memory, and the impact of war, while also sharing personal anecdotes and experiences. The book seems to grapple with questions of morality, responsibility, and the complexities of navigating a world marked by conflict and injustice. The author also reflects on his experience of being an immigrant in the West.
He criticizes how Western media approaches conflicts differently based on who the victims are, particularly noting the stark contrast in coverage between Israeli and Palestinian casualties. He does not see the killing in Gaza as a betrayal of democratic ideals but as proof that those ideals have been lies from the start: “It has always been this way.” He criticizes how Western media approaches conflicts differently based on who the victims are, particularly noting the stark contrast in coverage between Israeli and Palestinian casualties. El Akkad argues this represents a fundamental moral failure of Western liberalism and exposes its contradictions.
His book is a distraught but eloquent cry against our tolerance for other people’s calamities.
Personal Narrative and Historical Context
El Akkad weaves his personal story with broader historical and political analysis. The memoir includes powerful anecdotes from his childhood in Qatar, where he smuggled censored books and music; his family's experience being detained at the U.S.-Canada border; his reporting from war zones in Afghanistan; and his coverage of the military tribunals at Guantánamo Bay.
Chapter wise summary
In Chapter One, "Departure," the author reflects on themes of displacement, identity, and the weight of cultural heritage. He contrasts his daughter's innocent, stable world in Oregon with his own fragmented childhood marked by war and displacement. He grapples with the decision of whether or not to expose his daughter to the complexities and potential prejudices associated with her Middle Eastern heritage, ultimately leaning towards shielding her, driven by a sense of protectiveness and perhaps, he admits, cowardice. He also recounts his first memory of war during the First Gulf War and reflects on the different treatment afforded to "expats" versus "economic migrants" in Qatar.
In Chapter Two, "Witness," the author reflects on the nature of being a journalist in conflict zones, acknowledging the inherent voyeurism and the power dynamics at play. He recounts his experience covering the NATO invasion of Afghanistan, contrasting his relative safety and privilege with the constant danger faced by Afghan soldiers. He then juxtaposes this with the image of an American soldier from his childhood, and then delves into the way that information was reported when regarding a massacre of Palestinians, as well as what is deemed important by those holding power.
In Chapter Three, "Values," the author explores themes of identity, belonging, and the compromises one makes in the face of political realities. He recounts a personal experience of being denied entry into the United States with his family, highlighting the arbitrary nature of power and the constant negotiation of identity required of immigrants. He contrasts his father's belief in rational argument with the reality of systemic bias. The chapter then broadens to critique the moral calculus of Western liberalism, particularly its indifference to Palestinian suffering. The author examines how the powerful justify violence and maintain a self-serving narrative.
In Chapter Four, "Language," the author delves into the power of language to shape perceptions and obscure realities, particularly in the context of conflict and political power. He reflects on his experiences as a journalist in Afghanistan, contrasting the throwaway mentions of Afghan deaths with the more prominent narratives of Western experiences. He explores how language can be manipulated to sanitize violence, dehumanize victims, and protect the powerful. The chapter also recounts his experience with a mapping project in Iqaluit, Nunavut, illustrating how language and cognitive frameworks can limit understanding and perpetuate cultural biases.
In Chapter Five, "Resistance," the author continues to explore themes of power, responsibility, and the complexities of moral action in the face of injustice. He juxtaposes scenes of atrocities with observations on cultural performances and political discourse, highlighting the disconnect between professed values and actual actions. The author grapples with the question of how to respond to a system that seems indifferent to human suffering, exploring the limitations of both active and negative resistance. He examines the challenges of maintaining one's integrity and finding meaning in a world where power often trumps ethical considerations.
( To be added )
Good Quotes
- " Yes, this is tragic, but necessary,
because the alternative is barbarism. The alternative to the countless killed and
maimed and orphaned and left without home without school without hospital
and the screaming from under the rubble and the corpses disposed of by
vultures and dogs and the days-old babies left to scream and starve, is
barbarism."
- "The barbarians instigate and the civilized are forced to respond. The starting point of history can always be shifted, such that one side is always instigating, the other always justified in respond"
Conclusion and Title Significance
The book's title—"One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This"—encapsulates one of its central arguments: how societies distance themselves from atrocities after they've occurred, claiming they always opposed them even when they were silent or complicit at the time. El Akkad suggests that the same pattern will emerge with Gaza, where eventually "everyone will be properly aghast that any of this was allowed to happen. But for now, it's just so much safer to look away"
References
- The New York Times Review
- Homeland Elligies by Ayad Akhar
- The 2025 Oscar for Best Documentary Feature was awarded to "No Other Land," a film about Palestinian activists in the occupied West Bank and their struggle to prevent the Israeli military from demolishing their homes
- " The world after Gaza " A history by Pankaj Mishra
My comments
- 50 years ago, just next door to Vietnam, the Khmer Rouge killed 3 million people in Cambodia’s genocide as the world looked on indifferently; the United States excused itself as being too preoccupied leaving Vietnam to care.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-american-war/id1281543429 - Authors missed to mentions the killings, injustices, human right violations o Palestinians by Israeli before Oct 7 2023/
Footnotes
Omar El Akkad, the acclaimed author of novels "American War" and "What Strange Paradise." His debut novel, American War, was named by the BBC as one of one hundred novels that shaped our world
Israeli attacks, killings, injustice to Palestinians before Oct 7 2023
Before October 7, 2023, Israel’s military operations, blockade, settlement policies, and systemic restrictions led to numerous Palestinian deaths, widespread destruction, and what many international observers and human rights organizations described as ongoing injustice and violations of international law5. These actions set the stage for the escalation of violence and humanitarian crisis that followed.
From 1948 up to October 7, 2023, more than 134,000 Palestinians and Arabs were killed as a result of Israeli military actions, wars, and occupation-related violence, both inside and outside of Palestine
Major Events Included:
The 1948 Nakba and subsequent wars
Fedayeen insurgency
Massacres and military operations
The First and Second Intifadas
Repeated Gaza wars and West Bank violence
- The death toll sharply increased during periods of intense conflict, such as the Gaza wars (2008–09, 2012, 2014, 2021) and frequent escalations in the West Bank and Gaza.
- As of October 2024, 1.9 million people (out of a population of 2.2 million) were displaced in Gaza due to Israeli military actions and evacuation orders.
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