AFSC's Attack On Holy Land Principles

WASHINGTON, March 24, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Whence the extraordinary and vicious attack by AFSC on the Holy Land Principles? That is what fair-minded people want to know. Why such a disgraceful hatchet job: The Holy Land Principle: Lowering the Bar on Human Rights?

Even more so, why would AFSC go to the outrageous length of actually conspiring with Intel, GE and Corning to trick investors into voting against the upcoming Holy Land Principles shareholders Resolution? Forfeiting all pretense to objectivity, the critique—cringingly,  cravenly and complicitly— toes the company line , "… we recommend that shareholders do not vote in favor of the shareholder resolutions advocating the Holy Land Principles."

Why such a sell-out? Why such a betrayal? Why oppose the Holy Land Principles that only claim to be filling a vacuum that was crying out to be filled? (Before the Holy Land Principles, the 545 American companies in Palestine-Israel were never challenged to sign a corporate code of conduct like the Holy Land Principles. They —apart from a few companies involved in supplying military-type equipment used to oppress Palestinians— were given a free ride). Who could possibly be opposed to American investors demanding that the companies do the right thing and sign the Holy Land Principles? Who could oppose the Holy Land Principles that are doing what no other group had the vision or experience to do?

Excellent and Valid Questions
"Those are all excellent and very valid questions," said Fr. Sean Mc Manus, President of the Capitol Hill-based Holy Land Principles, Inc. and Irish National Caucus. " I wish I knew the answers. But I am not interested in judging motives, only actions. To me this was a deceitful and treacherous act— not the act of a friend trying to " improve" the Holy Land Principles but trying to sabotage them. However, I must also say I am not totally surprised as I've been through it all before with the Mac Bride Principles campaign. The British Governments and the American companies doing business in Northern Ireland recruited all sorts of people to stop our campaign for fair employment: Catholic Bishops, religious groups, trade unions, and so forth — that is always the first thing companies and governments do. If people do not realize this, then they do not know the first thing about campaigning for companies to sign Fair Employment Principles. However, although I was expecting attacks on the Holy Land Principles, I never thought it would come from a Quaker organization, which AFSC is. This, granting the noble tradition of the Quakers, would be like the AFL-CIO trying to sabotage a workers' strike for a just wage; like the Women's Movement opposing equality for women; like Martin Luther King, Jr. supporting discrimination. It makes no sense. It's a huge mistake. It makes them complicit in discrimination by American companies doing business in Palestine-Israel. I feel  —without making excuses for them or covering up their actions— AFSC has been manipulated into this appalling attack, which will haunt them for years to come." (For further information on AFSC's appalling attack please go to:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news/holylandprinciples

Mac Bride was also attacked— Plus ca change?
Fr. Mc Manus explained: " The Mac Bride Principles—which I launched on November on November 5, 1984, and upon which the Holy Land Principles are based—were attacked by some of the most powerful forces in Ireland and the United States and were opposed by huge Irish-American names, like Tip O'Neil and Teddy Kennedy. Yet we prevailed because of the inherent fairness and reasonableness of our cause. And now the Mac Bride Principles are universally accepted as having made an essential contribution to equality and fairness in Northern Ireland. I have no doubt the Holy Land Principles will prevail. This appalling attack — so profoundly unworthy of a faith-based group like AFSC— will not deter us but only strengthen us. I am confident that fair-minded Americans will see it as an unfair and unjust attack —indeed, tactically stupid."

Fr. Mc Manus concluded: " I urge all supporters of fair employment  to rally to the cause and not be distracted by divisive and treacherous tactics. What matters is making sure the Holy Land Principles get a good vote (at least 3%)  at the upcoming Annual Shareholders Meeting: GE—Annual Meeting, April 22; Corning—Annual Meeting, April 30; and Intel—Annual Meeting, May 21, 2015.

Please email the Investor Relations Contact (IRC), the person who deals with the issue for the companies: GE ([email protected]); Corning ([email protected]); and Intel ([email protected]) urging the company to sign Holy Land Principles. Just address them as 'Dear IRC' and tell them to support the Holy Land Principles. ''

Media contact: Sean Mc Manus, 202-488-0107, Sean@HolyLandPrinciples, Inc.

SOURCE Holy Land Principles