One of these is not like the others: alcohol, tobacco, genocide, pornography, nuclear proliferation and environmental concerns. If you chose genocide, you are smarter than a CEO - in particular, UTIMCO CEO Bruce Zimmerman.
Last year, in a letter to the UT Board of Regents, Zimmerman warned against letting social and political situations factor into investment decisions. "We think that is a very dangerous precedent, a slippery slope," Zimmerman said.
Zimmerman listed alcohol, tobacco, pornography, nuclear proliferation and environmental concerns as examples of issues that may come under fire should we engage in investment decisions motivated by social pressures. This Monday, Republican Sen. John Cornyn spoke on UT campus against UTIMCO's Sudanese investments, but even with pressure from Republicans, the CEO is sticking to his guns.
So, in this week's installment of "UTIMCO should not invest in Sudan," we will first examine congressional pressure to divest. Then, we'll differentiate genocide from porn.
Cornyn has not only spoken out against UTIMCO's investment, but he also helped author The Sudan Divestment Authorization Act. The act's bipartisan support shows that both major parties in the U.S. are making a stand against those who would force you to invest in genocidal regimes.
Great. Republicans and Democrats agree that genocide is bad. So, while this progressive bill prevents federal contracts from going to companies invested in Sudan, UTIMCO continues to drag its feet on divestment. The investment management company's CEO still sticks to the argument he gave last year: Social investing is a slippery slope. Zimmerman's slippery slope seems to be morally equating pornography and genocide.
My experience with genocide starts with "The Diary of Anne Frank" and ends with "Hotel Rwanda." I am about as disconnected from genocide as most sheltered, liberal, privileged baby-boomer progeny. But from "Anne Frank" and "Hotel Rwanda," I have decided that systematic murder is worse than www.redtube.com (not safe for work). Radical, I know.
Zimmerman cannot really believe there is a slippery slope here. The CEO of UTIMCO is not really that much of an idiot. Instead, he may be a moral degenerate who is slow-playing his way out of making a tough investment call that will piss off his golfing buddies. The "slippery slope" is an attempt to divest UTIMCO from any social responsibility.
UTIMCO affiliates should have to answer to a lot of screaming, belly-aching, meeting interruptions, incessant op-eds and harassment. With Cornyn weighing in, the time is ripe for another attack. I suggest inconveniencing anyone who is busy hemming and hawing about the slippery slope.
Call Zimmerman and tell him that genocide is worse than porn. Mail Yudof copies of last Friday's Viewpoint, "When causes collide." Go visit UTIMCO at 401 Congress Ave., Suite 2800, and get arrested. Write articles. When the irritant gets large enough, they will pull the plug - we just have to make the costs outweigh the benefits.
Miracle is a Life & Arts columnist for The Daily Texan and a physics graduate student.
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