Supreme Court moves from health care to human rights

First to hit the docket was a 10-year-old lawsuit that could determine the liability of corporations for human rights violations committed overseas under the Alien Tort Statute of 1789. While it involves claims of 12 Nigerian nationals against Royal Dutch Petroleum for atrocities committed in Nigeria by that country's military, it could have broad implications for American companies, U.S. foreign policy and citizens living abroad.

Click to expand...

The Supreme Court is opening up a real can of worms here. In Citizens United, the Supremes determined that corporations were indeed entitled to First Amendment rights. This decision was a contribution to the idea that corporations are people. But if they rule with Royal Dutch in this case, then they will be elevating corporations above personhood, in that, while having the rights of individuals, they will not be held to any standard of responsibility, as people are. While people are not allowed to get away with murder overseas, corporations will have a free hand to do exactly that.

Hopefully, the idea of corporate personhood will eventually die out, as the Supremes may revisit Citizens United in the near future, and this silliness can be put to rest, once and for all. But if corporations are responsible for atrocities, then they must be held accountable in either case, personhood or not, and made to pay the price for their actions.

Article is here.

I think it is a bad case to establish any kind of precedent with and probably the court shouldn't have agreed to hear it. It is so tenuously connected to the United States to begin with(no, I'm not buying the pirate analogy) that I don't believe this is the appropriate venue. Just as we can't be the world's policeman, we also can't be the world's courtroom of last resort.

It shouldnt surprise anyone.

Both the Supreme court and the US congress have been corporatised for some time now

The USA is a Corpocracy - the highest form of fascist tyranny devised by humans

Enjoy the slavery

Loki97 said:

I think it is a bad case to establish any kind of precedent with and probably the court shouldn't have agreed to hear it. It is so tenuously connected to the United States to begin with(no, I'm not buying the pirate analogy) that I don't believe this is the appropriate venue. Just as we can't be the world's policeman, we also can't be the world's courtroom of last resort.

Click to expand...

What makes you think that the US has been burdened with the global role as Policeman?

Since when has the US upheld any international laws or treaties?

Invade, control and thieve resource on behalf its corporate masters

Plenty of profits to be made


So its more that the US has been acting as a corporate thug mafia - totally outside any moral or legal norms

Klown said:

It shouldnt surprise anyone.

Both the Supreme court and the US congress have been corporatised for some time now

The USA is a Corpocracy - the highest form of fascist tyranny devised by humans

Enjoy the slavery

Click to expand...

That's kind of what worries me, that the court will issue a ruling on this case(which barely involves the U.S.) that gives American corporations carte blanche in future cases.

Klown said:

What makes you think that the US has been burdened with the global role as Policeman?

Since when has the US upheld any international laws or treaties?

Invade, control and thieve resource on behalf its corporate masters

Plenty of profits to be made


So its more that the US has been acting as a corporate thug mafia - totally outside any moral or legal norms

Click to expand...

Not sure your description can be applied to all U.S. foreign involvement but there usually is a vested interest and it will take a long time to erase the fiasco that was Iraq. Just off hand, I can't think of what we or corporate America really gained from our role in Kosovo though I don't claim to be an expert on the situation.

Loki97 said:

Not sure your description can be applied to all U.S. foreign involvement but there usually is a vested interest and it will take a long time to erase the fiasco that was Iraq. Just off hand, I can't think of what we or corporate America really gained from our role in Kosovo though I don't claim to be an expert on the situation.

Click to expand...

Kosovo was a NATO operation - very much a US driven military alliance

As far as Iraq, I doubt it was one of those Military or Intelligent blunders.

Remember, an Invasion of Iraq was planned well before 9/11 occurred. It was very much a window opening post 9/11 for the fascist US Corpocract to spread its wings - again.

The USA has 1000+ military installations in abotu 140 countries all over the planet

One must ask, what this global military presence is for

It certainly isnt to protect the USA from external attack of its borders - these bases are almost all offensive structures.

That is what Empires do