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You seem to think yourself so academically superior that you can talk down to people. It’s not pleasant for anyone to read and it’s certainly not smart.

I would also suggest you invest a little time reading up about the arms trade, in particular Rolls-Roycle plc and BAE Systems. Especially in the case of BAE, you’ll find they do sell to areas of conflict and to customers considered by the Foreign Office’s Human Rights report to be ‘major countries of concern.’ If you’d like to visit the Campaign Against Arms Trade website you’ll be able to find some great stats and information.

Warmest Regards

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A.

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“Why I never hear any protests against Y”. Y was not mentioned in
relation to the above story because X was involved and Y wasn’t.

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In my opinion however, RR are not evil: they are a company that produces engines, period. No weaponry, no targeting software, none of that. The fact that some military corporations also purchase their products does not make them evil. Besides, I don’t even know which companies do use their engines – it may well be that it is companies that only provide weaponry to developed, stable countries and not to oppressive regimes. One of their main clients is the Ministry of Defence, not some country using weaponry to oppress their people.

Now, how about you grow up a bit, and stop complaining about the ‘big evil corporations’, which, after all, contribute far more than you do to society? [including providing jobs, income through taxes etc, and let's also remember that RR was one of the UK's main suppliers during the World Wars].

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RR got mentioned because that happens to be the particular arms-
related company which our Vice-Chancellor works for.

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“Companies which make large-cost components of jets have a lot
to be blamed for”

You are so naive… The world is so interconnected, that if we follow your logic, we are all to blame for something at some point. Speaking of which, I recall having a debate in front of a 100 person audience at the Union, at which I reminded people that the banks they use (HSBC and Barclays most notably) invest hundreds of millions in the arms trades. Your very deposits are invested in BAE stocks. Yet, out of all these people, only one changed their bank to the more ethical Co-op. It is easy demonstrating against the arms trade and posting anonymous comments online, but no-one bothered putting themselves through the trouble of changing their accounts. Is this not hypocrisy?

M: exactly, that’s what I said. Well done.
My point was that how come that no other companies get the blame? My point was that students need something to shout about, so they just pick one company arbitrarily and demonstrate against it. My point was that this is all very hypocritical. It’s high time people grew up.

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1) Cantor supports a company which is heavily involved with the arms
trade. But 2) other components and companies are involved with the
arms trade as well. So 3) Cantor isn’t doing anything wrong.

Great logic there.

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Companies which make large-cost components of jets have a lot
to be blamed for. Companies which make the smaller, cheaper
components should likewise take responsibility, but to a lesser
extent than the ones who make major, ultra-costly things like
the engine and the body. There’s nothing wrong with calling
companies baby-killers if that’s what they help to do.

I hate messageboards. You say one thing, and then have to spend
20 minutes a day for the next week explaining the obvious to people
who for some reason can’t think of counter-arguments to their own
points. People should think for a minute before posting stuff …
and then preferably not post at all.

The national tables tend to agree with each other, more or less.
The world league is suspiciously erratic. I haven’t researched
the criteria for the world list, and don’t intend to. I have
more pressing things to do. But I already have enough basic
information about it to be able to see that there is something
dodgy about it all.

Can’t be bothered to argue after today. Right now I’d rather
spend non-work time on sitting outside in the shade somewhere
and listening to music or something.

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