Posted on 02/12/2009 1:54:56 PM PST by forkinsocket
NEW YORK (JTA) -- Hampshire College is believed to be the first American college or university to divest from companies deemed to be supporting Israel's occupation of the West Bank.
The board of trustees of the Massachusetts college approved a proposal on Feb. 7 that would divest school funds from 200 companies that violated the college's standards for social responsibility. Violations included unfair labor practices, environmental abuse, military weapons manufacturing and unsafe workplace settings.
The proposal resulted from a review of the college's investments conducted at the urging of a student group, Students for Justice in Palestine.
According to the student group, six companies deemed to be complicit in the Israeli occupation were included in the divestment. They are Caterpillar, United Technologies, General Electric, ITT Corp., Motorola and Terex.
In a clarification issued by the university, the school emphasized that the proposal made no reference to any particular country.
The divestment push at Hampshire drew support from noted Israel critics Noam Chomsky and Norman Finkelstein, as well as the rock musician Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, according to Students for Justice in Palestine.
Divestment efforts and academic boycotts of Israel have largely failed, both in the United States and abroad. A divestment push at Harvard University drew a rebuke from Lawrence Summers, then the university president and current Obama administration official. Summers said efforts to single out Israel for divestment are anti-Semitic "in their effect, if not their intent."
In May, the United Methodist Church rejected five separate petitions calling for divestment from companies that support or profit from the Israeli occupation, a move that drew praise from Jewish organizations.
Leftist scum.
Wish I could get a list of all of those companies. I hope mine is on the list.
Anti-Semitism continues to grow....
I support Israel, so to that Mass college I say “goodbye dammit”...meaning good riddance!
anti-Israel = pro-terrorist
label them as such
I grew up in the town where this college is. The campus is tiny, is by far the most hippie-liberal of the non-gender-segregated institutions in the area (though Smith and Mount Holyoke run a close race), the college allows students to create their own degree programs, and the town itself is a suburb of the Gomorrah to San Francisco’s Sodom (Northampton, MA). Needless to say that I couldn’t stand it once I started getting my political feet under me, so to speak. This is a non-event, given the tiny nature of the college. I do miss the beauty of the New England countryside (and the Pioneer Valley in particular) though.
Maybe after “divesting low” they can “buy high” into some of those up-and-coming “green companies”
That’ll show dem Israelis.
If only Massachusetts and Kalifornia would fall off into their respective oceans, life would be good.
Board of Trustees list.
I'm sure that their literature and history departments will work together, specializing in "Mein Kampf" and "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion," which along with the koran, are top selling books in muslim and arab countries. I'm sure that they could easily replace any banned products with products developed in muslim and arab countries... Does the school have a suicide bombing major? How about a culinary school where students can learn how to properly and slowly cut off the head of a prisoner with a knife.
Mark
I would point out to you, sir, that here in the PDRM (People’s Democratic Republic of Massachusetts) there are thousands of POW’s who agree with your political views, not with your desire to see us in the ocean. We try, we vote, we discuss, and we deeply sigh. I see and listen to “MY” reps and senators and lose my appetite. It’s gotten so bad, I’ve retained my sanity only by “talking” to other FREEPERS by computer. Please, let us stay in the USA. Some day will straighten this mess out. Please
Down goes that college....
The proposal resulted from a review of the college's investments conducted at the urging of a student group, Students for Justice in Palestine. According to the student group, six companies deemed to be complicit in the Israeli occupation were included in the divestment. They are Caterpillar, United Technologies, General Electric, ITT Corp., Motorola and Terex.
Thanks a lot. We have been working behind enemy lines for decades protecting the sorry @$$e$ of everyone else who have fled to states where they don't have to live a life of danger.
Hang in there! We’re with ya in spirit!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.