In 1968, NASA’s Apollo 8 mission photographed the famous Earthrise image during the same year that American troops carried out the My Lai massacre in Vietnam. Likewise, on April 6, the Artemis II crew, while orbiting the moon, captured an image of Earth setting beyond the lunar edge. This occurred just months following an incident where a joint U.S.-Israel operation against Iran struck a primary school for girls, resulting in what the president of Refugees International described as possibly the highest number of child deaths from a single U.S. military action since My Lai.
At the same time in Washington, the government was rolling back safeguards for immigrants, applying tariffs that contravene international trade regulations, and supporting Israel’s military efforts in Gaza. These actions have faced examination by the International Court of Justice for potential genocide since January 2024. Consequently, the nation promoting humanity’s renewed lunar exploration has also exhibited disregard for human rights and global legal standards.
