“As much as the mainstream liberal parties might be far less deranged and cruel than their right-wing opponents,” writes Omar El-Akkad, “it is the case of Palestinian suffering—or more precisely, utter indifference to it—where the two sides seem to be most in agreement.” Akkad’s One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This is, among other things, a work of witness. It bears witness not only to the genocide in Gaza, but to the fracturing of U.S. liberal politics over the issue.
Akkad’s own experiences as a migrant and refugee from the Egypt of his birth, growing up in Qatar and working as a journalist in Canada before becoming an American citizen, make for a compelling point of view. While generations born in the U.S. may overlook the dissonance between this country’s high-minded values and its unwavering support of genocidal violence, Akkad brings the insight of the first-generation immigrant. I suspect many Democratic voters share his reservations. I know I do.
Though One Day has received some criticism for pointing out the problem of disaffected leftwing voters without suggesting solutions, Akkad is a novelist and former journalist, not a politician or technocrat. His book addresses the elephant of current liberal insufficiency eloquently and insightfully for readers. After the clarion call, it’s up to the masses to respond.
One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad. Knopf, February, 2025
Aiden Hunt is a writer, editor, and literary critic based in the Philadelphia, PA suburbs. He is the creator and editor of the Philly Chapbook Review, and his critical work has appeared in Fugue, The Rumpus, Jacket2, and The Adroit Journal, among other venues. More at PAidenHunt.com.
P. Aiden Hunt 