Don't call it Divestment - call it the Nuremberg Trials

Haaretz ^ | June 12, 2006 | Shmuel Rosner

[Presbyterian Reporter]

A coalition of Jewish and Christian institutional investors - Jewish Voice for Peace, Sisters of Loretto, Mercy Investment Program, Sisters of Mercy, Maryknoll Sisters and Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers - joined in a resolution calling for the separation of the roles of CEO and Chairperson at Caterpillar, Inc. They say that they hope to encourage "corporate accountability." But what they really want is to scare the hell out of the corporation's management, from which they want action - against Israel.

This coming Wednesday thousands of delegates to the Presbyterian General Assembly in Alabama will discuss the "violation of human rights by its sale of weaponized bulldozers to the Israeli military." At the same time, in Chicago, Caterpillar shareholders will be meeting - and the parents of Rachel Corrie, Cindy and Craig will be in Chicago, as proxy voters on behalf of Jewish and Christian institutional investors. A scene no executive would want in his shareholder meeting.

And what does Caterpillar has to do with the Corries? Blaming the company that manufactured the bulldozer is like blaming the manufacturer of an airplane for the tragedy of 9/11. It's not a serious, well thought conclusion, but rather a propaganda tool with only one goal in mind: Scare other companies from investing, selling and working with Israel.

It's like a youth movement with all the idealism and energy and righteousness gone wild.

So here you have it. Olmert (or Sharon) as Hitler, Peretz (and earlier Mofaz) as Eichman, the Israeli military is the Nazi SS, Caterpillar is IG Farben.

Oh - and the divestment movement people? They are the self-appointed Nuremburg court. Only this time it is issuing a verdict, without dealing with the actual facts or understanding the possible consequences.

[Presbyterian Reporter]

The Presbyterian Church USA reconvenes its General Assembly on Friday. Divestment will be a hotly debated topic. Thus far, the PCUSA leadership is convinced they did the right thing to begin a divestment from corporations doing business in Israel.

Most of the Presbyterians in the Pews are unaware their leadership is in bed with such radical leftist organizations.

[Presbyterian Reporter]

A group of concerned members in the PCUSA have a website and have sent out thousands of emails to presbyterians regarding the foolhardiness of the divestment program. The website is:

http://concernedpresbyterians.net/

[Deut28]

"Most of the Presbyterians in the Pews are unaware their leadership is in bed with such radical leftist organizations."

You could say that about any number of large denominations. Most folks are not aware of the amazingly left leaning nature of their denominations national/international management. From promoting government health care to massive minimum wage hikes (not to mention the divestment issue) large Christian denominations are pushing the left agenda.

The hypocrisy of the divestment issue is what really gets me. It's not like these denominations are pushing for the US to quit funding the UN, who employs Hamas members, or to quit investing in various Euro companies that have been shown to do business with terrorist states.

[KarlInOhio]

Blaming the company that manufactured the bulldozer is like blaming the manufacturer of an airplane for the tragedy of 9/11.

If the US government hadn't passed out billions of dollars in compensation, does anyone think that Boeing wouldn't have been on the list of defendents for the lawsuit?

[cinives]

My parents know it (because I've told them more than once) but they still go to church and contribute because they've done the same for over 55 years and they don't think the leftists can be supporting "really bad things" - after all, "they're Christians".

If I ever get that way when I'm old please someone just shoot me and put me out of my misery.

[Deut28]

My local church doesn't reflect the views of the national office (UMC).

The pastor, lay leaders, ministries and missions are all in line with my beliefs, even if the national church is promoting things I don't agree with.

When the day comes that my local church is financially able to pay it's apportionments to the national church, I'll truly have a conflict of interests.

[Presbyterian Reporter]

Good to hear that your UMC church is not sending any apportionments to the national and conference UMC. More mainline protestant churches need to cut off the money to the denomination. Without money the leftist antics will come to an abrupt end.

[RoadTest]

Persons of the cloth getting pushy in politics are like the birds in Alfred Hitchcock's movie of the same name.

[Deut28]

We're not paying the apportionments for financial reasons, not due to the leftist antics.

I've been wanting to talk to my pastor about it for the past couple of months, in the hopes that there's something I can do at the region level maybe. I keep making excuses not to, but she's coming to my small group Bible study later this month, so hopefully I have the guts by then.

When Jesus encountered false teachings he didn't abandon the temple, he walked right in and presented the truth.

I keep reminding myself that after I come up with a new excuse. Leaving my denomination would be the easiest, and most self-serving answer, but I'm far from convinced that it would be the best answer.

[Salem]

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[nw_arizona_granny]

Bump

[dennisw]

This coming Wednesday thousands of delegates to the Presbyterian General Assembly in Alabama will discuss the "violation of human rights by its sale of weaponized bulldozers to the Israeli military

As far as I know this is a lie. CAT does nothing unique to the equipment it sells Israel. Israel "weaponizes" them to use the lefty new speak word. Israel buys plain old CAT bulldozers and then installs bullet and bomb shields. Mostly welded metal plate

[prairiebreeze]

Most of the Presbyterians in the Pews are unaware their leadership is in bed with such radical leftist organizations.

Exactly so. And many don't want to know about it either. As soon as I became aware of my church denomination's shenanigans I left post-haste. It broke my heart, but had to be done. I loved the local church...but certainly not the larger denomination antics. It was a huge lesson.

PCUSA was successful with something like this in Canada where they intimidated a corporation to pull out of Sudan, IIRC. Of course many Sudanese jobs were lost and it assisted the radicals elements in taking over the country, but the church couldn't be concerned with all that messy collateral damage.

[unionblue83]

...and in other news, the local IHOP will running their Rachel Corrie special -- Flatjacks with keffiya syrup.

[Piranha]

If I were a Presbyterian pensioner I would sue the church for allowing politics to interfere with my pension fund's performance.

In the last few months alone Warren Buffet made a $4 billion investement -- his first overseas -- in an Israeli company, Iscar; Bill Gates bought a smaller Israeli company for $250 million, Intel announced that it is expanding its facilities, and hundreds of millions of dollars have been raised in private equity (even today, the website of Globes, the Israeli business newspaper at http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/ reports a $15 million raise for Flash Networks and $11 million for Mobile Access, a wireless solutions company.

Let the Presbyterians lose from their hatred. Smarter investors and Israeli businesspeople will profit together.

By the way, Caterpillar is at $66.33. Twelve months ago it was at $48 (after adjusting for a 2:1 split.

[Piranha]

I've got to remember those close parentheses)).

[Ciexyz]

Most distressing news.

[Ciexyz]

Holding my breath as to what my denomination will do in the upcoming General Assembly.

[rightwingintelligentsia]

I just shake my head in disbelief . . .