Rutgers Must Divest from War Profiteers

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Monday, December 15, 2008
KARINA WILKINSON
Highland Park

I opposed the Iraq War from the beginning and have spent a good part of the last 5 1/2 years marching, attending and calling vigils, talking to my representatives in Washington and the Statehouse, writing letters to newspapers and going to lectures and films on various aspects of the war.

Now, I am joining a new campaign calling on Rutgers University, my former employer, to divest from military contractors and other companies that profit from war. Having the endowment invested in companies such as Halliburton, Raytheon, DynCorp, etc., is antithetical to the mission of the university, as stated by President Richard L. McCormick himself at his inauguration.

I was surprised to learn that Rutgers was at the forefront of the South African divestment campaign in the 1980s. I was not in New Jersey then. But I learned that former Rutgers president President Edward J. Bloustein was arrested in January of 1985 for civil disobedience in front of the South African consulate. We need that kind of courage and leadership today. I urge members of the community and Rutgers staff, faculty, students and administrators to join with Rutgers Against the War and other campus and community groups to end Rutgers' investment in war profiteering.