Dear Soldier(s): An Open Letter to the Israeli Armed Forces

To those it May Concern:

My name is GOODW.Y.N. (my legal name is Nicole Sherisse Goodwin). I am a United States veteran, who served 1 term (3 years) in the United States Army, under 1st Armored Division (Old Ironsides), 1st Brigade, Bravo Co. 501st Forward Support Battalion. This letter, the letter I am writing to you now soldier(s) addresses the current, bloodthirsty situation you are entangled in with the people of Palestine. I will not use the terminology of war, conflict and the like. I sincerely want you to know that what you are enlisted to carry out is indeed a vile bloodbath.

First off, know that I am not writing this letter to shame ANY of you. I understand that as soldiers, you took an oath to protect your countrymen, their families — some of them being of Jewish descent from far off regions, places you have yet to go; lived lives that you have yet to live, because you are in the service. But, I want you, ALL of you, you who are brothers and sisters-in-arms to realize somethings about what is happening in your lives right now, from the outside in, from top to the bottom. I want you to take a deep long look at your Chain-of-Command. And I want you to realize how little they care about what is left of your souls.

I say these things because, before you put on that uniform you are first and for most a human being. And I believe that your government — and mines being that I am still, for now an American citizen want you to forget that fact in order to carry out to me the greatest act of intentional atrocity I have ever seen in my lifetime. I say this after having served in Baghdad, Iraq 20 years ago, and this year being the anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom. I say that after having to live with bearing witness to heinous crimes while there, still battling with the choices that led me there; those choices still haunt my fortitude to live and test my sanity daily.

I wish I could say that your endeavors will be righteous ones. I wish I could say that the blood that you will spill, if you haven’t personally done so already, will wash off clean with accolades, accommodations, parades, salutes, pats on the back of a job well done! I wish that peace of mind is something that isn’t far off, and the hostages would return home safe and sound. But more importantly dear soldier(s) I wish that you would be able to enjoy life again, after witnessing all that is befalling the people of Palestine — the rubbles that are left of Gaza, the screams and cries into the night that fill the West Bank, and so on. After all of the evils that you are being ordered, coerced, forced into completing by men who wouldn’t their pristine feet in your worn-down, black, boots not even for a day.

Your superiors, just as mine were are rich men, who will never set foot into the hell that you are forced to fight your way out of. So none of my wishes for you will be granted. Do you see them? The desolate bodies of men, women, and children, just empty shells now? Did it occur to you that these massacred people, your enemy looks just like who your people are, who you used to be? Innocent. If you haven’t yet you will begin to remember them. The dead will fill your body up every waking moment. It’s like trying to breathe through mud. Trust me.

I wonder at night do you have a concept like we had in the Army called an “conscientious objector?” I am asking you to consider becoming one. To truly look within the depths of your own identity as a human being — not as a Zionist, nor a nationalist Israeli, but as a person and truly awaken to the path that you are walking in is nothing but an ocean of blood. To say no more, I will not be of what Audre Lorde said: “master’s tool of destruction!”

You can do this. You can stand with your brethren and put down your arms! You can’t erase what damage is already done, but by God you can turn back! Of this I am begging you. The world is pleading with YOU TO FIND YOUR HUMANITY again!

Don’t let the lies of politicians who care NOTHING FOR YOUR LIVES, destroy what little life you have left. Because, I promise you ever second you continue to plow down upon the Palestinians, is a strike against your very soul. If the actions of the Israeli high command are met, YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO LIVE WITH YOURSELVES AGAIN.

In the name of justice,

GOODW.Y.N. (Nicole S. Goodwin)