Duke professor David Schanzer joined Hearsay Culture on August 21, 2025, to unpack his searing essay from his Perilous Times Substack, “Israel’s Gaza War Has Made Me a Shame to Be a Jewish Zionist.” Drawing on his national security expertise, Schanzer argues Israel’s response has crossed the line from self-defense to an unjust, immoral war. We dig into the polarizing narratives, the collapse of nuance in public debate, the role of the university in today’s information ecosystem, and the way social media amplifies extremes while drowning out facts. This candid conversation blends personal reflection with rigorous and unusual analysis—exactly the kind of dialogue missing from mainstream coverage and where Hearsay Culture thrives.
“There is no system or morality that says that anything goes to save 20 lives. And so that’s why I think you have no choice but to try to do your best, to try to take what information is available and describe to the rest of the world the level of human suffering that’s being caused by the continuation of this war on the other side, and then make some sort of relative judgment.” — David Schanzer
“The most violent element in society is ignorance.” – Emma Goldman
Lead Photo by Mostafa Saeed on Unsplash
