[Peace-discuss] you know people in Maryland? urge them to stand up for free speech & academic freedom

[Robert Naiman]

Dear friends,

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 *this
week*.

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.

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.

Here is the petition.

*http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/maryland-free-speech
<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=4&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.justforeignpolicy.org%2Fact%2Fmaryland-free-speech>*

Below is the alert we have queued up to people in Maryland at MoveOn.
Thanks for your help! - Robert Naiman

======

Dear Robert,


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. *These bills are opposed by the AAUP
and the ACLU as attacks on free speech and academic freedom. *

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 *signing our petition and sharing it with others in
Maryland*? You can find our petition here:



*http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/maryland-free-speech
<http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/maryland-free-speech>*For more
information, the alert we sent out yesterday is included below. Thanks for
all you do for democracy! - Robert Naiman

==================

Dear Robert,

Maryland State Senator Joan Carter Conway and Delegate Benjamin Kramer have
introduced companion bills that *threaten freedom of speech and academic
freedom in Maryland*. These bills are *opposed* by the *American
Association of University Professors* (1) and the *ACLU of Maryland*. (2)

*Urge your representatives* 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 *signing and sharing our petition*:

*http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/maryland-free-speech*<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=3&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.justforeignpolicy.org%2Fact%2Fmaryland-free-speech>

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.

*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. *(3)

Hearings on the bill have been scheduled for March 5th in the Senate and
March 6th in the House. (4)

*Urge your legislators* and Governor O'Malley to oppose Senate Bill 647 and
House Bill 998 by *signing our petition*:

*http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/maryland-free-speech*<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=4&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.justforeignpolicy.org%2Fact%2Fmaryland-free-speech>

Thanks for all you do to help preserve and extend opportunities for people
in Maryland to advocate for a just foreign policy,

Robert Naiman, Chelsea Mozen, and Megan Iorio
Just Foreign Policy

References:
1. "AAUP Opposes Anti-Boycott Legislation,"
http://www.aaup.org/news/aaup-opposes-anti-boycott-legislation
2. "Who We Are," Keep Free Speech in the Free State,
http://www.freespeechfreestate.org/who_we_are
3. "Maryland bills would stifle academic freedom," Melani McAlister,
Baltimore Sun, February 12, 2014,
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-academic-freedom-20140212,0,7489561.story
4. "Hearings," Keep Free Speech in the Free State,
http://www.freespeechfreestate.org/hearings
-- 
Robert Naiman
Policy Director
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
(202) 448-2898, extension 1
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