DAVID MARCUS: They fell for the pro-Bin Laden 9/11 propaganda... now they glorify the deranged airman Aaron Bushnell who burned himself to death. Is there no end to the gullibility of the purple-haired leftist Gen-Zers who will inherit America?

What flaming insanity!

US airman Aaron Bushnell, a man so clearly deranged and mentally unwell, burnt himself to death this weekend outside the Israeli embassy in DC in an apparent 'protest' against the war in Gaza.

Terrifying footage – that Bushnell livestreamed – shows him dousing his Air Force uniform in lighter fluid before igniting himself and screaming 'Free Palestine' as his flesh literally melts away.

It was violent, perhaps rather selfish, and deeply shocking, not least for the brave embassy guards who had to respond to the incident. Imagine having to see, hear – smell – such horror.

And yet the social media pile on from the terminally online Left saw Bushnell instantly feted as a martyr of the Palestinian cause.

US airman Aaron Bushnell, a man so clearly deranged and mentally unwell, burnt himself to death this weekend outside the Israeli embassy in DC in an apparent 'protest'. 

It was violent, perhaps rather selfish, and deeply shocking, not least for the brave embassy guards who had to respond to the incident. And yet the social media pile on saw Bushnell instantly feted as a martyr of the Palestinian cause. (Pictured: Bushnell).

Cue a slew of repellent posts praising Bushnell's suicide as 'brave', and that he may 'rest in power'. There were even cartoons of him aflame, memorializing his violent act.

Some users mocked one security guard who pulled his gun on Bushnell. How ridiculous; this happened outside a highly-sensitive diplomatic property – Israel's embassy – and no one knew what might happen next. Preparing to respond with lethal force seems eminently sensible.

It is also obvious to any sensible thinking person what this tragedy was: dangerous extremism committed by a reported anarchist and former cult member. A suicide masquerading as protest that no sane or caring person could possibly countenance celebrating.

Yet, for all their #BeKind claims of mental health awareness, the desperate Left can't help themselves.

As perverse vigils and icons popped outside the DC embassy in the hours following the incident, here was independent presidential candidate and professional fanatic Cornell West, shamelessly co-opting Bushnell's death to bolster his own sunken reputation in a post on X:

'Let us never forget the extraordinary courage and commitment of brother Aaron Bushnell who died for truth and justice!... Let us rededicate ourselves to genuine solidarity with Palestinians undergoing genocidal attacks in real time!'

Jill Stein, Green Party presidential candidate – who are they kidding?! – followed suit: 'May his sacrifice deepen our commitment to stop genocide now.'

To my mind, these hysterical calls to action come painfully and dangerously close to actively encouraging others to do the same. To literally take their own lives for a war that America isn't even fighting.

But let's be clear: Bushnell didn't die 'for truth and justice'. Self-immolation isn't 'genuine solidarity' with the Palestinian cause. There was no 'sacrifice' on display outside Israel's embassy.

No, he died by violent and needless suicide, no doubt tormented by cult-induced demons. To insist otherwise makes you no better than the butchers of Hamas who penned this ISIS-style obituary for Bushnell:

He will 'remain immortal… he gave his life in order to shed light on Zionist massacres and ethnic cleansing against our people in the Gaza Strip.'

This is death-squad level stuff.

It is also obvious to any sensible thinking person what this tragedy was: dangerous extremism committed by a reported anarchist and former cult member. A suicide masquerading as protest that no sane or caring person could possibly countenance celebrating. (Pictured: Vigil for Bushnell in New York City's Times Square).

But it's not the first time that America's purple-haired set – driven mad in the wake of the October 7 attacks – has fallen for the lies and allure of our enemies.

Remember when TikTokers lined up to express their admiration for Osama bin Laden's post-9/11 'Letter to America'.

'Just read it… my eyes have been opened,' one user wrote.

And it's not just Gen-Zers. Harvard and UPenn have both lost a president over on-campus anti-Semitism.

Meanwhile, the ranks of our Democratic Party are stuffed with pro-Hamas radicals like Rashida Tlaib and her fellow Squad members.

We are now a nation enthralled by radical Islam. And it's making us sick.

All good and decent Americans should mourn Bushnell's needless death – but we must do so with a clear truth in mind:

Hamas has taken yet another life, this time with vile lies and manipulation rather than bullets or bombs.

We are all in the crosshairs of these terrorists, who will gladly kill us, or better still, goad us into ensuring our own extinction.