Justice and the Cost of War was an LP event held in UIndy Hall C that raised awareness to the US using drone warfare on Middle Eastern countries.
“I want them [people] to have a heart for these types of issues and think about how they are going to help the people who are affected,” said Chapel Steward of Justice Craig Westberry who chaired this event.
The event started with a short introduction by Westberry, and then an hour long documentary. In the documentary viewers were introduced to a young Middle Eastern teen who was a victim of Drone Warfare. The documentary followed this young teen to a peaceful meeting and back to his house. From there he went with his cousin to go pick up some friends for a soccer game and was hit by a Drone missile. Watching on, the young mans family was devastated and distraught, claiming that there was no possibility of him being a terrorist.
The U.S. government did not confirm that they killed any child and that they had taken out two men who were “terrorist”. The documentary called viewers to ask why the U.S. has the right to determine who are these potential threats and then take them out with no risk to themselves. The documentary stated that at this time the U.S. does not have to revel who is on their infamous “Kill List” or for what reason they are on it.
According to the documentary many Americans feel the same way as the Middle Eastern, and have took to protesting in streets across the country and even right outside the White House. Public outcry is not limited to the United States however; as the documentary showed that almost every major country in the world has cultivated a drone program. From the U.K.to Japan, millions of dollars are being spent on these programs to provide safety to the singular countries. The documentary showed that the terrorist that were being silenced were not alone. Many of the citizens of the Middle Eastern countries that were attacked and killed by these drones were innocent bystanders, including children.
As the documentary pointed family members are not ignoring human life. In the documentary 30-year-old man was shown trying to blow up Time Square to avenge a close family member who was killed by a Drone airstrike.
After the documentary a discussion was held led by Professor of History & Political Science Douglas R. Woodwell. Many viewers seemed outraged that such a thing could be performed by our very own country and that it was being condoned at all.
“I want people to reevaluate how they view people’s lives in the Middle East and actually put a face to the lives that are lost and effected in the Middle East,” he said. “And I want them most of all to care. I want them to care that this stuff is going on. I want them to have a heart for these types of issues and how they are going to help the people who are affected.”
The next Justice event, the Crop Walk, will be mid October and will be focused on hunger.
