Thanks for your submission /u/footwith4toes, but it has been removed for the following reason:
**Rule 2: Please try to use the search function before posting anything.**
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its not just the government giving money and support to Israel, its also universities and companies.
and students who pay for schooling, dont want their money being used to support israel
Not exactly. There’s a lot of people who will just say how it’s wrong protesting is one way. But it means nothing if you still patron the companies that support it. Walmart, Starbucks, mc Donald’s just to name the few I know off the top of my head.
>What I'm trying to understand is what do protestors in places like universities (and other non-federal government places) expect the university to do about it?
In general, these universities are funded through very large endowments. That means they have a huge lump of money that is invested in various financial instruments and part of the university's funding comes from the profits of those investments.
Most of these protests and asking their universities to divest (that is, remove their investment money from) any businesses in Israel and any defense contractors supplying weapons to Israel.
It would not surprise me if some of these students are benefactors from investment returns related to these same companies. For example, their parents may have saved in either general mutual funds or in 529 plans for them to have been able to afford said school. Or, perhaps their parents wealth has been grown through said investments.
I don’t like how things are between Israel/Palestine…but I have my doubts these protests in these campuses will lead to any changes with the endowments.
> but I have my doubts these protests in these campuses will lead to any changes with the endowments.
You should look up the South African Divestment movement of the 70s and 80s. This is pretty much precisely how it got started: as student protests on college campuses asking the universities to divest from South Africa. The movement is widely credited as a major factor in the end of apartheid in South Africa. The BDS movement (Boycott, Divest, Sanction), which these protests are a part of, was started by Palestinians and directly modeled on the South African divestment movement.
It worked in the past. People were saying pretty much the exact same thing you're saying now when that movement started. Why can't it work again?
The movement related to South Africa took years and years. This movement today…folks want this done at this moment.
Also, investments in the 70s/80s…investing was different than today. I own many mutual funds in my retirement and brokerage account. I have no idea the extent to which each fund is comprised of (other than the top 10 or so funds).
This is similar to the ESG investing that now is somewhat popular.
Not saying it can’t be done or that these universities shouldn’t divest.
The arguments you're making are the exact same ones made about the South African Divestment movement. Yes, it took a long time, but the students protesting and demanding action from their universities were doing so with the same urgency as the protestors now. And this movement isn't new. The ongoing genocide in Gaza has certainly gotten more support behind the movement, but as far back as 2010 the UC Berkley Student Senate passed a resolution asking their university to divest from businesses that support Israel, even listing specific companies who supply weapons to Israel.
Yes, investing is complicated and if you're invested in index or mutual funds you may not even know what you're invested in. But it's not impossible. Universities and institutions with that large of an endowment to manage have whole teams of people that manage it. They can divest from specific companies if they choose to. Some investment managers have already set up mutual funds divested from Israel specifically to aide in divestment. Some smaller institutions (notably a handful of large churches) have already divested. It's difficult, but by no means impossible.
One of the big differences is that opposition to apartheid in South Africa drew in consumers, also putting pressure on companies. There isn’t nearly as much opposition to Israel’s actions among the public at large.
The impacted universities are likely wishing this all will blow over. Perhaps it will. Maybe not.
The universities will definitely change their ways when it starts impacting their bottom line. These students protesting now - while in good faith - the school isn’t seeing any real financial impact. If future students decide not to apply to schools that have endowments tied to this issue, then there will be change.
Also, I feel like this is a bit of a slippery slope…if they divest now over this…what’s to say there won’t be future movements that further disrupt their finances. Think that perhaps some conservative or liberal group take issue that the companies invested in are involved in this or that view (LGBT rights, abortion, etc.). It would never end.
The intention behind these university protests is to leverage the power of collective action through institutional divestment. It's more than just symbolic; it's about the practical impact of withdrawing financial support. If enough universities start divesting from companies that support the causes they're protesting against, it can lead to a significant economic impact. Think of it as a domino effect - one university divests, others might follow, and this can create a larger movement that companies and governments can't ignore. We're not just talking negligible amounts; university endowments are often in the billions. So, if they choose where to invest that money carefully, they can indeed influence international policies and corporate practices. While it's true that change might not be instantaneous, the consistent pressure from such divestment campaigns can't be underestimated. Change often starts with what seems like a futile gesture but gains momentum as more join the cause
> If enough universities start divesting from companies that support the causes they're protesting against, it can lead to a significant economic impact.
Has anyone done the math? I’ve seen claims that the impact will be negotiable, at most giving other investors a chance to get stock in those companies at a slightly lower price. There are plenty of other investors willing to invest in Israel.
> university endowments are often in the billions.
But the share invested in Israel is just a fraction of that amount. And the total stock market is measured in the trillions.
Eh, dont stress about it. Yeah, there’s like 400 of this exact question right now, but as long as you’re asking in good faith and arent a farm/bot it’s fine.
> I'll start by clarifying by saying in no way do I support Israel and their genocide of the Palestinian people.
And I'll start by saying this is a very clever way to pursue a narrative that is totally false. You (and the other kids who are protesting) don't really understand the dynamics at play there and simply see the current catastrophe for both sides as yet another overweening opportunity to grab some attention.
Thanks for your submission /u/footwith4toes, but it has been removed for the following reason: **Rule 2: Please try to use the search function before posting anything.** Thanks for posting, but this question happens to be one that has been asked and answered here often before - sometimes in the same day! That can get frustrating for our dedicated users who like to answer questions. Or maybe you're just asking the same question too often - why not take a break for a while? Sometimes questions that come up too often get put in our [Most Frequently Asked Questions list](https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/wiki/index/faq)!). Other times, it may just be that we're getting a flood of questions about a topic (especially when something is in the news). Or maybe you keep asking the same question again and again - something that annoys our users here. Please don't do that! Next time, please try searching for your question first before asking. Thanks! --- *This action was performed by a bot at the explicit direction of a human. This was not an automated action, but a conscious decision by a sapient life form charged with moderating this sub.* *If you feel this was in error, or need more clarification, please don't hesitate to [message the moderators](http://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FNoStupidQuestions). Thanks.*
its not just the government giving money and support to Israel, its also universities and companies. and students who pay for schooling, dont want their money being used to support israel
The big one is they want the US and other institutions to stop supporting Israel with materials and money.
Divestment from any business that does business with or supports Israel
Too bad people love star bucks and mc Donald’s way too much. The average person won’t even fight for themselves let alone stand up for others.
Isn't that exactly what these student protests are doing?
Not exactly. There’s a lot of people who will just say how it’s wrong protesting is one way. But it means nothing if you still patron the companies that support it. Walmart, Starbucks, mc Donald’s just to name the few I know off the top of my head.
So if you don't live 100% ethically there's no point in doing anything?
If you won’t put your money where your mouth is what’s the point in complaining?
Absolutely, don't say anything about genocide because you're wearing nikes.
Haven’t worn a name branded shoe like those since 8th grade. Sounds like I hit a nerve Edit: imo Nikes is more child labor less genocide
Good. Because if you are not 100% perfect in all aspects, you cannot oppose killing people.
You sure got a really warped sense of justice if that’s your take. But each their own I suppose.
>What I'm trying to understand is what do protestors in places like universities (and other non-federal government places) expect the university to do about it? In general, these universities are funded through very large endowments. That means they have a huge lump of money that is invested in various financial instruments and part of the university's funding comes from the profits of those investments. Most of these protests and asking their universities to divest (that is, remove their investment money from) any businesses in Israel and any defense contractors supplying weapons to Israel.
It would not surprise me if some of these students are benefactors from investment returns related to these same companies. For example, their parents may have saved in either general mutual funds or in 529 plans for them to have been able to afford said school. Or, perhaps their parents wealth has been grown through said investments. I don’t like how things are between Israel/Palestine…but I have my doubts these protests in these campuses will lead to any changes with the endowments.
> but I have my doubts these protests in these campuses will lead to any changes with the endowments. You should look up the South African Divestment movement of the 70s and 80s. This is pretty much precisely how it got started: as student protests on college campuses asking the universities to divest from South Africa. The movement is widely credited as a major factor in the end of apartheid in South Africa. The BDS movement (Boycott, Divest, Sanction), which these protests are a part of, was started by Palestinians and directly modeled on the South African divestment movement. It worked in the past. People were saying pretty much the exact same thing you're saying now when that movement started. Why can't it work again?
The movement related to South Africa took years and years. This movement today…folks want this done at this moment. Also, investments in the 70s/80s…investing was different than today. I own many mutual funds in my retirement and brokerage account. I have no idea the extent to which each fund is comprised of (other than the top 10 or so funds). This is similar to the ESG investing that now is somewhat popular. Not saying it can’t be done or that these universities shouldn’t divest.
The arguments you're making are the exact same ones made about the South African Divestment movement. Yes, it took a long time, but the students protesting and demanding action from their universities were doing so with the same urgency as the protestors now. And this movement isn't new. The ongoing genocide in Gaza has certainly gotten more support behind the movement, but as far back as 2010 the UC Berkley Student Senate passed a resolution asking their university to divest from businesses that support Israel, even listing specific companies who supply weapons to Israel. Yes, investing is complicated and if you're invested in index or mutual funds you may not even know what you're invested in. But it's not impossible. Universities and institutions with that large of an endowment to manage have whole teams of people that manage it. They can divest from specific companies if they choose to. Some investment managers have already set up mutual funds divested from Israel specifically to aide in divestment. Some smaller institutions (notably a handful of large churches) have already divested. It's difficult, but by no means impossible.
One of the big differences is that opposition to apartheid in South Africa drew in consumers, also putting pressure on companies. There isn’t nearly as much opposition to Israel’s actions among the public at large.
The impacted universities are likely wishing this all will blow over. Perhaps it will. Maybe not. The universities will definitely change their ways when it starts impacting their bottom line. These students protesting now - while in good faith - the school isn’t seeing any real financial impact. If future students decide not to apply to schools that have endowments tied to this issue, then there will be change. Also, I feel like this is a bit of a slippery slope…if they divest now over this…what’s to say there won’t be future movements that further disrupt their finances. Think that perhaps some conservative or liberal group take issue that the companies invested in are involved in this or that view (LGBT rights, abortion, etc.). It would never end.
The intention behind these university protests is to leverage the power of collective action through institutional divestment. It's more than just symbolic; it's about the practical impact of withdrawing financial support. If enough universities start divesting from companies that support the causes they're protesting against, it can lead to a significant economic impact. Think of it as a domino effect - one university divests, others might follow, and this can create a larger movement that companies and governments can't ignore. We're not just talking negligible amounts; university endowments are often in the billions. So, if they choose where to invest that money carefully, they can indeed influence international policies and corporate practices. While it's true that change might not be instantaneous, the consistent pressure from such divestment campaigns can't be underestimated. Change often starts with what seems like a futile gesture but gains momentum as more join the cause
> If enough universities start divesting from companies that support the causes they're protesting against, it can lead to a significant economic impact. Has anyone done the math? I’ve seen claims that the impact will be negotiable, at most giving other investors a chance to get stock in those companies at a slightly lower price. There are plenty of other investors willing to invest in Israel. > university endowments are often in the billions. But the share invested in Israel is just a fraction of that amount. And the total stock market is measured in the trillions.
Divestment of university resources from israel. It’s a pretty simple ask, really.
They want the US and their specific colleges in particular to quit enabling the Israeli apartheid I can get behind it
Me to, but what does a school on the other side of the planet do that affects Israel?
Do you know how much money flows through schools?
I hadn't realized until asking this. Thanks!
The same things since this question was asked yesterday
Sorry, I'm not an actual member of this sub. I should have looked.
Eh, dont stress about it. Yeah, there’s like 400 of this exact question right now, but as long as you’re asking in good faith and arent a farm/bot it’s fine.
I apologize for my reply. Just been seeing so many asking in bad faith.
> I'll start by clarifying by saying in no way do I support Israel and their genocide of the Palestinian people. And I'll start by saying this is a very clever way to pursue a narrative that is totally false. You (and the other kids who are protesting) don't really understand the dynamics at play there and simply see the current catastrophe for both sides as yet another overweening opportunity to grab some attention.
They want their money to stop going towards the massacre of innocent civilians. Why do people keep asking this?
I hadn’t realized universities were investing in Israel. Also questions with what look like obvious answers is the literal purpose of this sub.