Last year, when the Burmese junta was killing its own people the community at Daily Kos stood with the Burmese people.
We stood with Aung San Suu Kyi and rallied to her call: "Please use your liberty to promote ours."
On the front page of Daily Kos, the call went out to do our part to cut off companies that fund the Burmese junta. One such company is Chevron. The front page post on Daily Kos urged:
Let me recommend, as others have done, that we start with the giant Chevron, in part because its many retail outlets throughout North America provide a ready-made forum for reaching lots of rank-and-file Americans. Just print and tape your own succinct mini-poster onto pumps urging customers to pick another place to buy their gasoline because Chevron props up the murdering generals of Burma by providing them with millions of dollars in oil revenues natural gas royalties each year. Those posters will no doubt disappear, but it’s easy enough to replace them frequently. If you're up for it, pick a place on the public sidewalk in front of your local Chevron to picket and pass out leaflets and converse with would-be customers. Between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday, October 9, join the call-in to Chevron HQ at 925-842-1000. Ask to speak with CEO David O’Reilly. You can also fax the company at 415-894-6817. If you own shares of Chevron, make your concerns known by calling investor relations at 925-842-5690.
None of this requires facing men with guns. But as Aung Kyi urges, we must do more than talk in using our liberty to promote liberty for the Burmese.
This week we find ourselves in a different era. Barack Obama has picked General Jim Jones as his National Security Advisor. General Jones of course is a member of the Board of Directors of Chevron. On the other hand, General Jones brings with him a strong resume that he will bring to bear on his new job.
I am curious to hear what this community's response is to General Jones's Chevron connection. Is it relevant, does it matter anymore, or do we look beyond the person to the policy? Does Chevron's support for the Burmese junta have any bearing on General Jones as the National Security Advisor?
See also JohnnyRook's DKos diary for more information on Jones/Chevron: Obama NSA Appointee has Ties to Chevron and Denialist/Delayer U.S. Chamber of Commerce.