Caterkiller

[formerly known as hf]

Ok, I'm gonna get up on my soap-box again...

Don't buy things from 'Cat' - that company that has extended-out from making contruction vehicles to fashion...

They sell bulldozers to Israel, in the full knowledge that these bulldozers are used to destroy the homes of Palestinians...
For me, this is less about the Israel/Palestinian issue (although I do have strong views on that too...) It's that I don't think a company that allows it things to be used to destroy people's lives should be accepted...

Whilst I know that arms manufacturers are by far the greater evil - Cat are in a position where something constructive can be done - boycott them!

(See link in sig. for website...)

[Dee]

In fact, I do care about the Isreal/Palestine issue... And I'll spread the word about CAT... Thanks, Farmer.

[TatteredShoeLace]

GM sells tanks to the US army...Rolls Royce made spitfire engines in WWII....you can't stop that HF, it is simply how the world is. It's like "dont buy SUVs, it funds terrorism". Things happen. Or else don't buy cars or wear Nike or smoke or eat bananas or drink coke or buy construction equipment. Silly.

[formerly known as hf]

don't buy cars

I don't... and never plan to - public transport is ok for me...

or wear Nike

That's another big one - Nike and Gap, and the many other companies that knowingly use child and poorly paid labour - I usually try to buy from shops I know have (adequately enforced) labour guidelines

or smoke

I gave up two years ago...

or eat bananas

I only by fair trade bananas - and coffeee and tea, and anything else I can, fair trade or organic - or I don't buy it...

or drink coke

See my other thread

or buy construction equipment

Nope - no need for that

Silly.

Far from it

[TatteredShoeLace]

Well I'm sorry I don't agree with you on this one HF. Caterpiller puts food on american and european tables, people need jobs. The world is full of hurt, but we need to pick and choose our battles. But I do respect your opinion and I won't try to bring down this thread with naysaying and arguing. Bulldozing houses is wrong, but if they didn't use Cats I'm sure they'd use something else.

[Nick]

Businesses have to act to gain the most profit, for their shareholders. It's not like it's all ran by one person who's morals are what the company runs by.

This is capitalism.

[Yo_Yo]

Whoa boy... time to make some enemies eh? ^^;;

Okay... this is gonna sound mean. And in a way, it is. So here it goes.

I don't care about other countries problems. Honestly, we are too far away for me to stop and think daily "huh, I wonder whats happening thats wrong today over in India"? Honestly, before we send over more help and whatnot, I think countries should take care of thier own first.

And Cat is not directly at fault for this problem. If someone sold salt to a country, then that country went and made its entire population of slugs extinct, would you blame the salt company?

You are trying to label and tag companies to problems. The same thing happened when people tried to blame video games to childrens bad behavoir, when what was to blame is the parents.

Instead of pussy-footing around the problem, stop picking on Cat and pick on Israel. They are the ones driving over homes, not the cat Company.

[TatteredShoeLace]

Well said YoYo.

[Nick]

Well said YoYo.

Oddly enough, I agree.

[formerly known as hf]

I'm well aware how capitalism works - and though I'm not anti-capitalist, I certainly am alter-capitalist...

In a world of increasing global connections and globalisations - what happens in other places does directly affect what happens in your own country...

And yes, I do have a problem with israel, and support the Palestinians, and have worked to increase awareness and organise rallies etc.

Unfortunatly, I know how little change I can make - I do what I can by attending rallies, organising events and spreading knowledge - but I am aware of what I'm up against, therefore, in a capitalist world, my main way of making a statement, is to be conscious about how I spend my money - the little difference I can directly make...

I am doing what I can by spreading information, all I ask is that you listen (read), and I'm well aware of the other arguments, and that most people would disagree - and fair enough...

[Yo_Yo]

Ha! i said something people agree with!

Next thing you know, someone will land on the moon ^^;;

[formerly known as hf]

A thread where people agree with Yo_Yo... not exactly what I had in mind

[TatteredShoeLace]

Well I'm no history buff, but the Jewish people have had their fair share of being picked on...Life would be easier if we just had some more holy land to go around.

[formerly known as hf]

Certainly - I'm not anti-semitic in anyway - and, as believed at the time when it seemed that national commonalities were the best basis for state organisation and creation - it made sense (and still does) to have a Jewish state - I just disagree with how they deal with the 'Palestinian problem' - both parties have valid arguments, both are guilty of horrendous things because of the arguments - but the Israelis have US funding, so are by far the larger and more dangerous off the two...

[Yo_Yo]

I wouldn't go too far and say they have Us funding. They have other Jewish people in the Us, that frequently donate money to thier home state.

We personaly don't give them money. Thier own kind does (not to be racist).