<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote"><br></div><div class="gmail_quote">
Dear friends,</div><div class="gmail_quote">
<br></div><div class="gmail_quote">
As you may be aware, a backlash has begun in state legislatures against BDS in the wake of the ASA resolution, with legislators seeking to punish state universities that participate in professional associations like the ASA that have adopted BDS resolutions. This backlash started in New York (shocked!) but thanks to the engagement of our New York compadres the adversary's push there, while still live, is now on a slower boat than it was. It's now in Maryland that the process is most advanced, with hearings scheduled on the "punish BDS" bill in the Maryland Senate and House <b>this week</b>.</div>
<div class="gmail_quote"><br></div><div class="gmail_quote">We've set up a Maryland-focused petition against the bill at MoveOn. When people in Maryland sign the petition, it's automatically delivered to their state legislators and Governor O'Malley. </div>
<div class="gmail_quote"><br></div><div class="gmail_quote">Our ask for people who don't live in Maryland is not to sign the petition - although it's no harm if you do - but to send it to people you know in Maryland who might sign; so far our signers are overwhelmingly from Maryland. Note that the main pitch isn't pro-BDS, it's pro-free speech. So, if you know people in Maryland who aren't sure where they stand on BDS but are sure where they stand on free speech, please consider sending it to them; the Maryland bill is opposed by the AAUP and the ACLU.</div>
<div class="gmail_quote"><br></div><div class="gmail_quote">Here is the petition.</div><div class="gmail_quote"><br></div><div class="gmail_quote"><strong style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px"><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=4&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.justforeignpolicy.org%2Fact%2Fmaryland-free-speech" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px" target="_blank">http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/maryland-free-speech</a></strong><br>
</div><div class="gmail_quote"><br></div><div class="gmail_quote">Below is the alert we have queued up to people in Maryland at MoveOn. Thanks for your help! - Robert Naiman</div><div class="gmail_quote"><br></div><div class="gmail_quote">
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<span style="font-size:12pt">Dear Robert,</span></p><p><span><br><span style="font-size:12pt">We ought to be able to stop the Maryland legislature from using the threat of withdrawing funding from public universities to stifle free speech. This week, there will be hearings in the Maryland House and Senate on bills that would cut funding for universities to punish them for participating in professional associations that some Maryland legislators are mad at for adopting controversial resolutions. <strong>These bills are opposed by the AAUP and the ACLU as attacks on free speech and academic freedom. </strong></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:12pt">So far, almost 200 people in Maryland have signed our MoveOn petition to Maryland legislators and Governor O'Malley, urging them to stop these anti-democratic bills. Can you help us get to 500 signers in Maryland before the hearings, by <strong>signing our petition and sharing it with others in Maryland</strong>? You can find our petition here:</span><br>
<br><strong><span style="font-size:15.555556297302246px"><a href="http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/maryland-free-speech" target="_blank">http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/maryland-free-speech<br><br></a></span></strong><span style="font-size:15.555556297302246px">For more information, the alert we sent out yesterday is included below.</span><span style="font-size:15.555556297302246px"> </span><span style="font-size:15.555556297302246px">Thanks for all you do for democracy! - Robert Naiman<br>
<br></span><span style="font-size:15.555556297302246px">================== <br><br></span></span></p>
<p>Dear Robert,</p>
<p>Maryland State Senator Joan Carter Conway and Delegate Benjamin Kramer have introduced companion bills that <strong>threaten freedom of speech and academic freedom in Maryland</strong>. These bills are <strong>opposed</strong> by the <strong>American Association of University Professors</strong> (1) and the <strong>ACLU of Maryland</strong>. (2)</p>
<p><strong>Urge your representatives</strong> in the legislature and Governor O'Malley to oppose Senate Bill 647 and House Bill 998, which threaten free speech and academic freedom in Maryland, by <strong>signing and sharing our petition</strong>:</p>
<p><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=3&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.justforeignpolicy.org%2Fact%2Fmaryland-free-speech" target="_blank"><strong>http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/maryland-free-speech</strong></a></p>
<p>These bills would, by threat of a reduction in funding, prohibit public universities from reimbursing faculty participation in professional organizations that adopt resolutions that support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign against Israel for its policies toward the Palestinians. Some Maryland legislators disagree with BDS and want to punish academic associations that have declared support for it.</p>
<p><strong>Regardless of how one feels about BDS, it’s the First Amendment right of academics to support or oppose such resolutions, and it’s their First Amendment right to participate in professional associations that support such resolutions. </strong>(3)<strong></strong></p>
<p>Hearings on the bill have been scheduled for March 5th in the Senate and March 6th in the House. (4)</p>
<p><strong>Urge your legislators</strong> and Governor O'Malley to oppose Senate Bill 647 and House Bill 998 by <strong>signing our petition</strong>:</p>
<p><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=4&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.justforeignpolicy.org%2Fact%2Fmaryland-free-speech" target="_blank"><strong>http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/maryland-free-speech</strong></a></p>
<p>Thanks for all you do to help preserve and extend opportunities for people in Maryland to advocate for a just foreign policy,</p>
<p>Robert Naiman, Chelsea Mozen, and Megan Iorio<br>Just Foreign Policy<br><br>References:<br>1. “AAUP Opposes Anti-Boycott Legislation,” <a href="http://www.aaup.org/news/aaup-opposes-anti-boycott-legislation" target="_blank">http://www.aaup.org/news/aaup-opposes-anti-boycott-legislation</a><br>
2. “Who We Are,” Keep Free Speech in the Free State, <a href="http://www.freespeechfreestate.org/who_we_are" target="_blank">http://www.freespeechfreestate.org/who_we_are</a> <br>3. “Maryland bills would stifle academic freedom,” Melani McAlister, Baltimore Sun, February 12, 2014, <a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-academic-freedom-20140212,0,7489561.story" target="_blank">http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-academic-freedom-20140212,0,7489561.story<br>
</a><span style="font-size:13.63636302947998px">4. “Hearings,” Keep Free Speech in the Free State,</span><span style="font-size:13.63636302947998px"> </span><a href="http://www.freespeechfreestate.org/hearings" target="_blank">http://www.freespeechfreestate.org/hearings</a><span style="font-size:13.63636302947998px"> </span><span style="font-size:15.555556297302246px;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> </span></p>
</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>-- <br><div dir="ltr">Robert Naiman<br>Policy Director<br>Just Foreign Policy<br><a href="http://www.justforeignpolicy.org" target="_blank">www.justforeignpolicy.org</a><br>
<a href="mailto:naiman@justforeignpolicy.org" target="_blank">naiman@justforeignpolicy.org</a><br><div><span style="text-align:left">(202) 448-2898, extension 1</span><br></div><div><span style="text-align:left"><br></span></div>
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