SYRACUSE – This past Sunday, April 27 Cornel West, a Professor of Philosophy and Christian Practice at Union Theological Seminary and Professor Emeritus at Princeton University, spoke at Tucker Baptist Missionary Church in Syracuse. His talk “Connecting the Dots: Poverty, Racism and Drones” served as a prelude to a rally and march to Hancock Air Base.
During the march protestors brought signs and pictures to broadcast their vehement disapproval of US drone attacks, which unintentional have maimed and killed innocents in places like Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia, among other places.
According to Syracuse.com, “The New York Air National Guard's 174th Attack Wing operates unmanned Reaper drones from Hancock Air Base Reaper in DeWitt.”
A Syracuse Peace Council pamphlet states, “Between 2004 and 2012, the CIA conducted over 330 drone attacks in Pakistan along, killing about 3,000 people, including 175 children.”
Both the talk and march were well attended, with hundreds of people from across the state and many from various parts of the country participating.
There were also numerous volunteers that helped organize and run the event. LeeAnne Pedrick, a college student from LeMoyne College, was excited to be there.
“We advocate for human rights,” said Pedrick. She explained that she wants to support the anti-drone movement because innocent bystanders have died when certain places and people have been targeted. “It dehumanizes war,” she finished.
The talk began with a slide show of various families and individuals that had been effected by drone attacks. Raz Mohammed's story was referenced to help emphasize the dangers of drones. In 2008, his brother-in-law was killed along with four of his friends in Afghanistan. In a letter he asks for accountability and wrote, “I am worried for my family and for the people of MaidanShahr. I request that the United States courts protect my family and my village.”
Cornel West came on stage after an opening by Quadir Lateef, a spoken word artist and community activist. During his talk West explored the connections between imperialism, racism, violence and, ultimately, the importance of coming together to right wrongs on humanity.
