Being a twenty-three year old who is extremely fiscally conservative, against government intervention in business, and a firm believer in general Hayekian beliefs that individual strive for gain will benefit society more than collectivist action is extremely difficult. I spend a lot of time defending big business (especially oil companies and banks). I speak to deaf ears about how Barack Obama may be a communist, or Hillary Clinton the devil.

Today, a major blow was struck to my views of the world. I received my proxy solicitation from one of my mutual funds. After the usual mess of giving my shareholder votes to people I’ve never heard of, I was presented with this statement:

The Board of Trustees recommends a vote Against the following:

4. Shareholder proposal for Fidelity Growth Company Fund, Fidelity Magellan Fund, and Fidelity Value Fund concerning Board oversight procedures to screen out investments in companies that substantially contribute to genocide.

For ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Against ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Abstain

…Really? Genocide? It’s not like this statement is concerning companies that may contribute to genocide. It’s people that substantially contribute to it. C’mon, even a cold-hearted, calculating businessman such as myself has to draw the line somewhere. Mine is drawn somewhere after social security, but before genocide.

…Coming soon, “Joey Dews [does] Semple Fest.”

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