I ain't no presbyterian but

[pythagoras]

I applaud their principled stance in the good ol' US of A

The Presbyterian Church (USA) divestment decision is inspiring and morally courageous. It is a victory for all peace with justice loving people around the world. It shows that commitment to justice comes with a moral obligation to act: the time has come for other church denominations to follow suit. - See more at: http://www.bdsmovement.net/2014/palesti ... Cmd8S.dpuf

[big mervyn]

An interesting one. How far down this ethical road to you go? There must be 100s of multinationals with some connection with the Israeli military.

[pythagoras]

An interesting one. How far down this ethical road to you go? There must be 100s of multinationals with some connection with the Israeli military.

So you go right down the rabbit hole

[solidarity]

Well done PCUSA.

[Shan]

An interesting one. How far down this ethical road to you go? There must be 100s of multinationals with some connection with the Israeli military.

The US Govt is directly funding the Israeli activities in Gaza. They are directly funded by many US Companies so on that basis they all have a responsibility for what is going on.

While I wouldn't say this exercise is wrong, it is highly selective and a pretty easy show to put on. Once that organisation calls for its own country to stop funding the activities in Gaza they will be entitled to the high moral ground.

[Neil F]

Shan, although I understand your argument in a theoretical sense, I think there is a fundamental difference between the US government and the firms noted here. There is, surely, a big problem comparing firms that choose to actively engage in business in, for example, the occupied territories and firms that are legally obliged to pay taxes to the US government. Should an organisation take such a step, the argument moves one step down the line; is that same organisation morally obliged to divest from firms registered in any other country that (tacitly or explicitly) supports Israel?

Perhaps more pertinently, it's just as easy to argue that citizens of the USA directly fund the US government which directly... In keeping in line with the ethics of not investing in firms for such reasons, doesn't that also logically extend to a refusal to accept donations from citizens who pay income and consumption taxes to the US? It's almost plausible to believe that truly ethical firms could relocate to nations that do not support Israel but not to expect the same of individual citizens. In terms of ethics, is there any difference between making money of firms who (I guess you propose, tacitly) support Israel and civilians who do the same, through no virtue other than the taxes they pay?

I'd argue no; and no one would ever expect a body like the American Presbyterian Church to stop accepting donations from its congregations. I think the measures put in place here, in that context, go suitably far; certainly, it effectively makes the point. To go further, I think, is infeasible if the ethics at play should be applied across the board.

[Snipe Watson]

Common sense needs to be applied. Divestment is a clear statement of disapproval and should be acknowledged as such. Buying an inkjet cartridge from HP can hardly be viewed as an act of support for Israel.

[Russ]

Common sense needs to be applied. Divestment is a clear statement of disapproval and should be acknowledged as such. Buying an inkjet cartridge from HP can hardly be viewed as an act of support for Israel.

Mass protests in Sainsburys in London yesterday

Harrassment of people buying goods from shelves

Easterby Out

[Snipe Watson]

Common sense needs to be applied. Divestment is a clear statement of disapproval and should be acknowledged as such. Buying an inkjet cartridge from HP can hardly be viewed as an act of support for Israel.

Mass protests in Sainsburys in London yesterday

Harrassment of people buying goods from shelves

Easterby Out

Ye see that is the kind of stupid action that gets protest a bad name. You stage your protest, make your point, but don't harass people.

[Cockatrice]

Why have SuperValue stopped supplying Isreali carrots...

[Dave]

Why have SuperValue stopped supplying Isreali carrots...

Don't know, why have supervalu stopped supplying Israeli carrots?

[Shan]

Shan, although I understand your argument in a theoretical sense, I think there is a fundamental difference between the US government and the firms noted here. There is, surely, a big problem comparing firms that choose to actively engage in business in, for example, the occupied territories and firms that are legally obliged to pay taxes to the US government.

Neil- I am not talking about taxes as that would be a ridiculous area get into as you more or less say. I am talking about voluntary political donations. I know that many large businesses in the US provide millions of dollars in campaign money to Presidential candidates and also provide millions in sustaining donations to sitting Presidents or administrations, if you like, of their choice.

[Setanta]

Makes you proud to be a Presbyterian; well done, in the USA that took moral courage.

[Rooster]

Why have SuperValue stopped supplying Isreali carrots...

Don't know, why have supervalu stopped supplying Israeli carrots?

Possibly because cheaper local ones are now available ?

[Shan]

Why have SuperValue stopped supplying Isreali carrots...

Because the public have advised them that murder is too high a price to pay for any commodity except oil?