I don’t know Candace Owens. But I know when a sister in Christ is in trouble. She lives a very public life and has scarcely had an unpublished thought in many years. And this is part of the trouble.

But it began earlier. She has always been a very articulate and ambitious young woman. And I think she likely jumped into the most turbulent waters on earth (political fame) too soon. In some degree all podcasters seek attention. Some seek it to promote a cause, others seek it to promote themselves. I suspect it was the former in Candace’s case. She has had a plethora of causes and opinions racing around in her pretty young head for a long time. She has worked for many contradictory causes, and on contradictory platforms.

Looking at her career a pattern emerges: of signing on to a cause, then getting tired either of the cause itself or of her co-workers, and, often enough, getting into high profile public fights with one former friend or another. But be that as it may, when Candace Owens left The Daily Wire in 2024 I believe she was already in emotional and intellectual trouble. Some 20-25 years ago I used to work in a homeless shelter in Lowell, Massachusetts and I learned to recognize signs of bipolar disorder. And while only medical professionals can diagnose psychic disorders, I thought I could see some of those same symptoms in Candace. At one pole there was her extremely fast talking, likely reflecting racing thoughts, and at the other pole constant anger directed at bosses or famous persons she was aware of because of her work.

Then there were even more troubling developments, including failed business endeavors, highly dubious allegations against very famous people (First Lady Brigitte Macron of France who began legal proceedings against her, for example), a clash with her Daily Wire former editor Ben Shapiro involving antisemitic rants which Shapiro, understandably, found offensive. Hanging out with the likes of “men” like Andrew Tate. Etc.

[Note: I also smelled near Candace and Tucker Carlson the influence of a supposed “brilliant” but self-centered failed scholar who writes books faster than the speed of thought, and who, as an afterthought, also put the blame for his academic failures on (who else?). He gave up teaching. Everywhere. But this book assembler and seller of his own books needed to make a living somehow. So antisemitic literature is always a good bet, even if he must do grave damage to the reputation of the Church and her theology in the process, neither of which bothered him. But if you fail the theology of the Magisterium and Catechism you have, per force, failed theology entirely. I won’t name the guy lest I be guilty of helping to sell his part fictions. Another famous half-crazed Antisemite who assembled his own books too accused this rascal of plagiarism. What do I know? But please don’t forget that Luther, Hitler and Lenin were “brilliant” too. Intelligence is no index to integrity, wisdom or good judgement.]

Then came October 7 which brings me to my most important and final point here. Prior to October 7 Israel had been unilaterally attacked many times over decades

(1) Q: how often has Israel been unilaterally attacked since 1949?

“Israel has been unilaterally attacked multiple times since 1949, notably in major wars and numerous smaller-scale incidents, including surprise offensives by neighboring states and non-state actors.

Here’s a breakdown of the most significant unilateral attacks against Israel since its founding:

Major Wars and Conflicts

• 1948–1949 Arab-Israeli War: Initiated by neighboring Arab states following Israel’s declaration of independence.
• 1956 Suez Crisis: Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal; Israel, Britain, and France launched a coordinated attack, though not a unilateral attack on Israel.
• 1967 Six-Day War: Israel, acting on intelligence, launched a preemptive strike, but tensions and mobilizations by Egypt, Syria, and Jordan were seen as imminent threats.
• 1973 Yom Kippur War: Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel during the Jewish holy day of Yom KippurBritannica.
• 1982 Lebanon War: Israel invaded Lebanon to combat PLO forces after repeated attacks from southern Lebanon.
• 2006 Lebanon War: Hezbollah launched a cross-border raid, killing and capturing Israeli soldiers, prompting Israeli retaliation.

Notable Unilateral Attacks by Non-State Actors

• Hamas and Islamic Jihad rocket attacks: These have occurred frequently since the early 2000s, with major escalations in 2008, 2012, 2014, 2021, and 2023CFR Education+1.
• Intifadas: The First (1987–1993) and Second (2000–2005) Intifadas involved widespread Palestinian uprisings and attacks against Israeli civilians and military targets.
• October 7, 2023 Hamas attack: A large-scale surprise assault involving infiltration and rocket fire, resulting in over 1,200 Israeli deaths and hundreds of hostagesUS News. —BBC and Co-Pilot A.I.

Summary

While exact counts vary depending on definitions, Israel has faced dozens of unilateral attacks, ranging from full-scale wars initiated by states to frequent rocket barrages and terror attacks by non-state groups. These incidents have shaped Israel’s security posture and regional relations. Israel, being a very small nation, cannot win a war of attrition. So Israel if attacked must hit back hard as a defense and deterrent.

War is hell. All wars will almost inevitably involve many civilian casualties.

Comparing Casualties in Iraq and Gaza 2025

This is why we Christians must be peace activists. Because once war begins there is no telling how it will end. Almost all wars end in horror. Hamas deliberately began this latest major war, breaking a two year negotiated ceasefire. Israel in response went after Hamas and other war provocateurs. It warned Hamas that they had a high moral obligation to clear and protect civilians, and especially children. But Hamas shut its ears, opting instead to strategically use civilians as human shields. This was another great abomination. Candace should know this instead of slandering Israel before the whole world.

I hope Candace Owens gets the kind of help she needs. It is heartbreaking to see a woman with so many gifts and so much potential involved in a horrific self-immolation.

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