On Tuesday, April 13, the coalition presented its argument to the Georgetown community for selective divestment from eight companies that profit from human rights violations in Israel and Palestine. After coalition member Jackson Perry delivered a forty-minute presentation, laying out our case, Professor Mark Lance of the Program on Justice and Peace gave a short speech about the apartheid nature of the Israeli rule in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and emphasized that “every person who pays taxes in this country supports this whether you like it or not.” Father Raymond Kemp cited the history of Catholic social justice, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s in relation to South Africa. Shelley Fudge of Jewish Voices for Peace concluded by describing her campaign”s efforts to address the flagrant human rights violations in Israel and Palestine. The speakers also addressed the discouraging lack of concern for social responsibility when it comes to investment policies at Georgetown.

More information about the event has been published on the blog of the Georgetown Voice, linked here: http://blog.georgetownvoice.com/2010/04/14/the-georgetown-divest-forum-on-university-investment-in-palestine-and-israel/. More information about the event and our argument can be found under the Argument link on the Home Page of this blog or by contacting the coalition at GeorgetownDivest[at]Gmail.com.