Tear Gas Profiteers
The non-profit, Little Sis, which aims to be the opposite of Big Brother, is a free database that reveals the connections between some of the world’s most powerful people and corporations. Their hope is for people to use the database as a “unique resource for investigating cronyism, conflicts of interest, and systemic corruption” by exposing where the wealthiest donate their money, their previously held positions, and their social circles. Website users are able to view previously created networks of influence or they are able to create new maps. The result is a treasure trove of insight regarding how our present society has been shaped, as well as the direction it may be heading.
A network I looked at in particular had to do with tear gas. Who supplies tear gas and who supports these companies? Where has tear gas been used? What other causes do supporters of tear gas companies give their money to? Here are just a few things I learned:
- David Rubenstein is the co-founder of Carlyle Group, an asset management firm, which happens to own Combined Systems
- Combined Systems engineers, manufactures, and supplies tactical munitions–including tear gas
- Combined Systems has supplied the tear gas used in Ferguson, MO and Palestine, among other places.
- Interestingly, Rubenstein serves as a trustee and board member for prominent organizations focused on education and music, including the Smithsonian Institution and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
With that being said, the visualization begs the question: what connection do we personally have to tear gas? If we were to visit the Smithsonian, are we technically supporting tear gas manufacturers and therefore the use of it on protesters? At what distance from the Combined Systems node can one be dismissed from ethical and moral responsibility, despite being on the same path?
The structure of this network is an undirected graph where the edges have a direction. The direction signifies a specific association between the two nodes. For example, Rubenstein points at certain organizations if he is a member or donates to them. In other words, there is an edge between u and v if u contributes to v.
https://littlesis.org/oligrapher/3638-tear-gas-profiteers