But these despotic states get their support from somewhere and despite supposed sanctions from the UN and international pressure to behave, they continue their belligerent quest for nuclear weapons and spit on any notion of behavior standards by kidnapping sailors, hosting terrorists and the like.
So where does this support come from you ask? Well surprise surprise some of it comes from the pockets of Americans. How? Because the companies we invest in have ties with terror sponsors.
That is why there is a movement to divest in terror sponsoring countries and thus cut off their lifeline, sending a clear signal that we mean business (literally) and they need to get in line.
Michael O'Brien from NRO writes about this new terror divestment phenomenon.
And Candace de Russy also writes on the new push for terror-free funds.
Check out this 'Dirty Dozen' list of top companies embroiled in supporting terror-coddling and genocidal regimes. Recognize any of those names? Hyundai? Siemens? Bad folk.
But how does this apply to the everday American? Or say the college student?
Well, college endowments represent a significant segment of the market, $340 billion to be exact (in 2006, according to that NRO article). And:
The top 20 of these campuses represent close to 50 percent of the total of all reporting institutions.
...
The magnitude of these 20 endowment funds is such that a large percentage of them, like pension funds seeking broad diversification, are almost certainly investing, to some greater or lesser degree, in firms benefiting the Iranian regime (and the other states on the terror watch lists).
It is imperative for these universities to re-evaluate their investment policies and in the light of the threats facing this nation, eliminate all companies that have ties to terror-sponsoring nations. It's not hard: they are the bad guys so we shouldn't be putting money in their back pockets while our troops are giving their lives to fight them.
Doubt the connection between Iran and terrorism? Don't be naive.
While universities may be demonstrating resistance to reforming their investment policies, they cave relatively easily. All it takes is some public outcry. Once they realize the parents, students, alumni, and donors are all calling for terror divestment they will be forced to make adjustments, or risk losing endowment dollars: a terrifying prospect.
So all those student groups out there protesting Darfur and genocide and Faces for Darfur and all that, even those protests about the loss of life caused by the American invasion of Iraq (which pales in comparison to a single action by a single one of these terrorist regimes), should all shift their focus to their own backyard and a university endowment that in many cases directly supports such evil.
2 comments:
I think the only thing simplistic about your first statements is that a country is a very large, disparate group of people. Iran the country isn't evil. Important factions within the country, however, may be.
I think it's a worthwhile distinction. Rather than vilify Iran so much that Iranians, as a whole, seem evil, we should focus on who is actually the evil people. That way, when you meet and Iranian in Philadelphia, you don't automatically hate him, which is obviously desirable.
When one refers to a country, in the sense of geopolitical struggles, they are referencing the political leadership of that country and the resulting actions.
You never implicate an entire populace on the basis of the actions of the leadership.
So: Iran, the government, leadership, what have you, IS evil. They call for the genocidal elimination of Israel, publicly. It doesn't get much worse than that.
To face that threat, you confront Iran, the government, the leadership, whoever is calling the shots, building the nukes, infiltrating Iraq, killing our troops.
No I dont meet an Iranian and slaughter him in the name of freedom, come on.
I've met an Iranian before by the way, and he called for the same things I listed above.
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