[sustran] Dear EMBARQ, regarding Caterpillar... please file for divorce

[Todd Edelman]

re: http://www.embarq.org/en/about/global-strategic-partners

Dear EMBARQ,

The immoral behavior of the Israeli government has made it clear (once 
again) that you need to break up with your partner Caterpillar, which is 
directly responsible for destruction of Palestinian homes and deaths and 
injuries to Palestinians and international citizens due to its supply of 
D-9 bulldozers to the IDF.

I am not sending this to your current director even in cc because I know 
that your organisation is caught up in this dysfunctional relationship 
and that a break is not simply the choice of one person or your board. I 
also that you have some fine people on board -- even though a few seem 
to think that they are above responding to complaints such as this 
(earlier, and repeatedly) both in this forum and privately. Also in 
relation to your staff I know that interesting positions in sustainable 
transport are hard to come by... and so if you separate from EMBARQ and 
communicate a clear plan - even a slowly moving one -  for filing for 
divorce myself and perhaps others may consider forgiving your current 
transgressions.... indeed, because you do some good work. Sure, this 
sounds a little self-important but I am not the one who is greenwashing 
what some consider to be genocide!

This is a kind of sarcastic but neutral article about the Caterpillar 
D-9 bulldozer which hopefully makes clear why you need to divorce: 
http://diesel-power.blogspot.com/2006/05/d9-and-why-some-people-hate_22.html. 
There are of course lots of sources on the web but I am sure you know 
them all well enough.

All transport is political, and to separate discussion in a list like 
this from issues which are very much interconnected, to say that the 
macro is unmentionable herein (e.g. the reality of countries deciding 
whether they should buy buses or bombers) is, frankly, cowardly. Accuse 
me of having a big mouth if you want, but I don't care because people 
are dying.

Sigh. Then there is Shell. You could even propose a plan to split up 
first with them. I assume that.... a double-divorce would be too 
difficult, so the choice is yours on where to start. Really, it is.

With full respect,
T

-- 

Todd Edelman
Green Idea Factory

Mobile: ++49(0)162 814 4081
Immobile: ++49(0)30 7554 0001

edelman at greenidea.eu
www.greenidea.eu
todd at openbike.se

Skype: toddedelman

Urbanstr. 45
10967 Berlin
Germany