Podcast Summary: Let's Give A Damn

Episode: Mohsen Mahdawi: Nonviolent Resistance, Buddhism, and the Battle Between Fear and Love
Host: Nick Laparra
Guest: Mohsen Mahdawi
Date: December 11, 2025

Overview

This episode features Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian activist, organizer, and Buddhist who played a pivotal role in the Columbia University pro-Palestine encampments. Born in a West Bank refugee camp, Mahdawi has woven the trauma of his upbringing under occupation with a lived philosophy of nonviolence, coalition-building, and Buddhist practice. The wide-ranging conversation explores the roots of nonviolent resistance, the relationship between fear and love in activism, the ongoing struggle in Palestine, and Mahdawi’s recent detention and targeting by U.S. authorities. The dialogue is powerful, vulnerable, and deeply grounded in hope and pragmatism.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

Meditation, Mindfulness, and Emotional Regulation

[09:06 – 16:21]

• The episode begins with a short meditation session, initiated by Mohsen, which Nick credits with centering the discussion and highlighting the value of mindfulness.
• Mohsen describes meditation as an essential daily practice, with the first benefit being “awareness”—of emotions and state of mind.
  • Quote: "If we're not aware of our state of mind or our emotions, we're technically being driven subconsciously into areas that we may not want to be in." (Mohsen, 11:30)
• He talks about overcoming escapist tendencies, and how facing difficult emotions through meditation is necessary but can require support (e.g., therapy, journaling).

Trauma and Growing Up in Occupied Palestine

[22:48 – 37:21]

• Mohsen recalls in detail his childhood in a West Bank refugee camp, describing violence, raids, and personal loss:
  • His uncle’s death at the hands of Israeli soldiers on Mohsen’s 11th birthday (September 12, 2001), a traumatizing event that disrupted his ability to celebrate for years.
    • Quote: “Instead of celebrating my birthday, I literally had to walk in my uncle's funeral... So the memory triggers part of me or part of my memory. And that specific memory was such a painful one.” (Mohsen, 24:14)
  • Current violence: The episode was recorded right after a raid on his home camp, with his sister’s house being stormed and his nieces/nephews terrified.
  • The density and deprivation in the camps: "It's higher density than Manhattan. But you don't have the amenities—no consistent water, no safe housing, no place for children to play except the street." (Mohsen, 53:02)

Palestine, Empire, and Historical Context

[38:00 – 52:13]

• Discussion addresses widespread misconceptions and historical amnesia about Palestine. The hosts emphasize the British role (via the Balfour Declaration and colonial practices) in setting up conditions for ongoing injustice.
• Mohsen critiques the Israeli narrative and notes global shifts in public perception:
  • Quote: “The genocide has actually wakened up humanity in a way that it has not been awakened before... the first livestreamed genocide in the history of humanity.” (Mohsen, 43:52)
• The conversation includes references to new films (e.g., “Palestine 36”) that expand understanding beyond recent events.

Activism, Organizing, and Targeting

[62:26 – 76:06]

• Mohsen was a central organizer for the pro-Palestine movement at Columbia, building broad coalitions and emphasizing peaceful protest.
• He describes months of deliberate, disciplined groundwork leading up to the encampments, and how activism at Columbia went on to inspire campuses nationwide.
• Mohsen was targeted by pro-Israel groups and doxxed, leading to his detention after a citizenship interview turned into a trap.
  • His legal battle became a national precedent regarding free speech and the rights of non-citizen activists.
  • Quote: “I am saying clear and loud to President Trump and his cabinet, I am not afraid of you.” (Mohsen, 74:04)
  • Despite the risks, Mohsen credits his training and Buddhist practice for keeping him "centered and not afraid" as he faced incarceration and threat of deportation.

The Battle Between Fear and Love

[76:17 – 109:57]

• Mohsen and Nick discuss the mechanics of fear as a tool of empire and how nonviolent resistance confronts this.
• Quote: "The two energies are coming into a clash where love is going to dominate. Supremacists motivated by fear, authoritarians motivated by fear..." (Mohsen, 99:52)
• Mohsen unpacks how his Buddhist and Islamic traditions shape his commitment to nonviolence, even as he recognizes the complexity of struggle under extreme oppression.
• Coalition work, he argues, can only be successful and sustainable when rooted in love, tolerance, and collective healing.
• He addresses the need for trauma healing among both Palestinians and Israelis, and pushes against leftist “cancel culture” as ultimately counterproductive.
  • “If we are treating them with the same way that they are treating us, we will not be able to transform the conflict.” (Mohsen, 100:17)

Spirituality, Healing, and Leadership

[87:10 – 106:59]

• Raised Muslim, Mohsen honors both his Islamic and Buddhist roots: “I never renounce Islam because it has taught me a lot of beautiful things... Buddhism brought my spiritual practice home, where I feel it in my body, it's practical.”
• He traces his discovery of Buddhism to community engagement in Vermont and university, focusing on meditation and compassion.
• Both hosts share how spirituality provides grounding in activism and daily life—“I want to see peace in the world, but I can't see peace in the world if I am not actually feeling it in my body 100%.” (Mohsen, 106:59)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the mechanics of oppression:
  “The mentality is they know that they have caused a huge level of injustice, and they know that justice must be served. And what they try to do... is to keep us under control and to condition us mentally that you will never be able to get your liberation or to get your homeland, give up on it and move on.”
  (Mohsen, 39:29)

• On fear as the foundation of modern empire:
  “Empire only thrives if people are afraid of them... when you say, 'I'm not afraid of you'—that's the worst thing they could ever hear.”
  (Nick, 77:39)

• On love as revolutionary:
  “You can treat somebody with compassion and still put them in prison... In order to bring the shift, we have to really come from an open and big heart. Our priority is not only stopping the harm, but also after that, [helping] treat it from the root causes.”
  (Mohsen, 104:09)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Meditation, Emotional Check-In: 09:06 – 16:21
• Childhood in Occupied West Bank: 22:48 – 37:21
• Historic Context for Palestine: 38:00 – 52:13
• Columbia Organizing / Activist Detention: 62:26 – 76:06
• Nonviolence, Buddhism, Fear vs. Love: 87:10 – 109:57
• Organizing, Coalition-Building, Healing: 103:06 – 106:59

Takeaways

• Activism and organizing must be rooted in self-awareness, emotional regulation, and love, not merely anger or fear.
• The Palestinian struggle is emblematic of broader global battles for justice and the future of empire.
• Nonviolent resistance is not passive—it is a practice that requires daily reassurance, coalition, and spiritual grounding.
• Change must be holistic: Both sides of a conflict need healing and liberation from cycles of trauma and oppression.
• Spiritual traditions (Buddhism, Islam, Christianity) can inform a practical and compassionate approach to justice work.

"If my cup is full, I can fill other cups. But if my cup is empty, I can't fill other cups."
— Mohsen Mahdawi [14:01]

"Tell people that I am here in prison, but not imprisoned, because my spirit is free."
— Mohsen Mahdawi [97:32]

Closing

Nick and Mohsen end with gratitude, a commitment to continue the dialogue, and the recognition that how the world treats the Palestinian cause will determine the course of justice and freedom for all people. Both call for listeners to practice personal presence, community care, and relentless pursuit of liberation based in love.

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