Tainted Mutual Funds

Following up my earlier post about the Save Darfur campaign, I wanted to report on what I found out about my investments. I was able to use a website run by the Sudan Divestment Taskforce to see whether my mutual funds invest in the companies targeted for divestment.

Irritatingly, about 70% of my retirement money is in "tainted" funds. (I know, it's not as irritating as actually being killed for belonging to the wrong people group, but still.) As a public service announcement, allow me to tell all three of you that the following American Funds mutual funds are invested in corporations that are financing genocide:

• EuroPacific Growth Fund
• New World Fund
• Capital World Growth and Income Fund
• Fundamental Investors

I’ve decided to put my retirement withholdings in some funds that aren’t linked to these “tainted” companies, such as:

• SMALLCAP World Fund
• The Growth Fund of America
• Washington Mutual Investors Fund
• The Income Fund of America
• American Balanced Fund

Unfortunately, by shifting to those funds, my portfolio is becoming less diverse--more tied to American companies at the expense of international companies. (Still, by way of comparison, this is less unfortunate than being raped by mujahedeen.)

So, if you have mutual funds, I hope you can put this info to use. Even if you don't have any, you can still sign a petition.