Citation:

Know all ye by these presents that Anthony Aguilar is hereby honored with the traditional Sam Adams Corner-Brightener Candlestick Holder, in symbolic recognition of his courage in shining light into dark places.

After 25 years in Army Special Forces, LTC Anthony Aguilar signed up with the “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation” to help feed the hungry in Gaza – only to learn the word “humanitarian” was a cynical misnomer. The Israeli military had designed the food distribution sites to serve also as shooting galleries. Hundreds of Palestinians seeking food were killed; thousands wounded.

Tony had never before witnessed such brutality. Yes, Bishop Desmond Tutu wrote decades ago that life in Palestine was far more brutal than in apartheid South Africa. But for Tony, as for Rachel Corrie, seeing was believing. Sensitive, courageous hearts are deeply moved by innocent suffering.

Tony videoed the killing and tried to stop it. He quit the “humanitarian” outfit and then used his skills to exfiltrate himself from Gaza with the documentary evidence.

He blew the whistle loudly. Together with Josephine Guilbeau, an Army intelligence officer of similar grit and conscience, he pierced the inner sanctum of Congress to expose its complicity in mass starvation and genocide. The video went viral.

In early 1933 a few years before the genocide in Europe, a university student in Berlin lamented that most Germans lacked courage; that they were acting with “sheepish submissiveness” in ceding power to the Nazis. He wrote:

What was missing was a solid inner kernel that cannot be shaken by external pressure; something noble and steely, a reserve of pride, principle, and dignity to be drawn on in the hour of trial.

That solid inner kernel is not missing in Anthony Aguilar. We Sam Adams Associates for Integrity are honored to have him take his place among the 23 earlier recipients of our annual award.

Presented this 7th day of January 2026 by admirers of the example set by CIA analyst, Sam Adams with his prescient analysis on Vietnam.

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