[Peace-discuss] Action Needed THIS MORNING as Illinois Legislature Reassigns Anti-Boycott Bill to New Committee

Wed Mar 19 14:58:34 UTC 2014

Additional notes:

1. If you live in Champaign-Urbana, you don't have a Senator on the
Judiciary Committee. So your ask is this one:

   - *If your Senator is not on the Judiciary Committee,* then we need you
   to call the chair of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Kwame Raoul (D- Hyde
   Park). *CALL (217) 782-5338 <%28217%29%20782-5338>*. For "talking
   points," see below.

2. If you're willing to do just a little bit more, you can submit a
"witness slip" for the hearing. This has to be done by noon, hard deadline.
It should take no more than five minutes. There is a simple online form
where interested parties can register as witnesses for the hearing in
opposition to the bill. To register your opposition in writing, submit as a
"Record Of Appearance Only," which means that you don't have to attend the
hearing, but your opposition will be officially recorded.

The link is here:

http://my.ilga.gov/WitnessSlip/Create/79303?committeeHearingId=11620&LegislationId=79303&SCommittees3%2F21%2F2014-page=1&committeeid=0&chamber=S&nodays=7&_=1394831006091&GridCurrentCommittees-page=1

Here are some brief instructions for filling out the form:

I.  Identification - Enter your information; fax number is not required but
if you don't include a fax number you must clear this field completely.

II. Representation - Fill in if you are representing an organization

III. Position - Click on the button next to "Opponent"

IV. Testimony - Click on the box next to "Record of Appearance Only" if you
don't plan on testifying in person.

- Type the Captcha Code in the box.

- Click Next to "I Agree to the ILGA Terms of Agreement."
- Click on "Create Slip."

3. If you're willing to actually go and testify at the hearing, especially
if you are current or retired UIUC faculty, drop me a line, or call:
979-2857. The hearing is at 3, and as you probably know, Springfield is 1.5
hours away.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Just Foreign Policy <info at justforeignpolicy.org>
Date: Wed, Mar 19, 2014 at 9:15 AM
Subject: Emergency Action Needed TODAY as Illinois Legislature Reassigns
Anti-Boycott Bill to New Committee
To: naiman at justforeignpolicy.org

 [image: Just Foreign
Policy]<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=55zdlDgXX9y2QysU5cyiqHEW6T71aiWD>

Dear Robert,

After our vigorous call-in campaign March 4th, the Illinois Higher
Education Committee postponed action on the anti-boycott bill. Last Friday,
the bill was reassigned to the Judiciary Committee and the bill may be up
for discussion as early as this Wednesday, March 19 at 3 p.m.
*WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW. *
Illinois State Senate Bill 3017 [1] would deny funding to public
universities that support faculty members' participation in professional
associations that boycott Israeli academic institutions. It would, for
example, prohibit a faculty member from getting funds to travel to an
American Studies Association (ASA) meeting, even if that meeting is
unrelated to the boycott, or the professor herself is opposed to the
boycott. *A college that defies this prohibition would lose all public
funds for that academic year.* This bill, which was previously assigned to
the Higher Education Committee, has been re-assigned to the Judiciary
Committee. A hearing of the Judiciary Committee at which the bill may be
considered is scheduled for *Wednesday, March 19, at 3pm. *

*IMMEDIATE ACTION IS NEEDED: CALL SENATORS ON THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE NOW
AND STATE YOUR OPPOSITION TO THE BILL.*

   - *MAKE A CALL NOW* to state your opposition to SB 3017 (talking points
   below)!
      - *If your State Senator is on the Judiciary Committee, then we need
      you to call your Senator.* You can check to see if your Senator is on
      the Judiciary Committee, and find the phone number for their Springfield
      office, here:
      *http://www.ilga.gov/senate/committees/members.asp?CommitteeID=1248
      <http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=MSGlxHQ5WNC0vd5inJlgjXEW6T71aiWD>*

      Click on the legislator's name to find the phone number for their
      Springfield office. For "talking points," see below.

      *If you don't know who your State Senator is*, go to this link and
      type your address to find out:
      *http://www.elections.il.gov/districtlocator/addressfinder.aspx
      <http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=A2xQKuR9eapnhLvaj6wQ3HEW6T71aiWD>*
      - *If your Senator is not on the Judiciary Committee,* then we need
      you to call the chair of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Kwame Raoul (D-
      Hyde Park). *CALL (217) 782-5338 <%28217%29%20782-5338>*. For
      "talking points," see below.

   - *HELP SPREAD THE WORD: *
    - Share this message as widely and as quickly as you can! *Especially
      if your Senator is on the Judiciary Committee*, we need you to help
      spread the word in your Senate district.
      - Try to get this information to people throughout the state - it
      important that this be a state-wide effort.

*TALKING POINTS - TELL STATE SENATORS: *

I am calling to oppose the Judiciary Committee Amendment to Senate Bill
3017 that seeks to punish certain constitutionally protected political
speech in Illinois.

This amendment proposes that the legislature defund an Illinois state
university which provides funds for membership, travel or lodging for any
employee to attend activities of an academic entity which has issued a
public resolution or statement supporting boycotting a country which is a
member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
or higher education institutions in that country.

   - This bill is unconstitutional because the Supreme Court has ruled that
   boycotts are protected First Amendment activities.
   - The State cannot deny funding to universities because certain
   legislators don't like the views that faculty and staff are expressing
   through protected First Amendment activities like boycotts.
   - Legislative intrusion in academic decision-making undermines
   academics' abilities to associate and exchange views with their colleagues.
   - It is fiscally irresponsible and unconstitutional to condition funding
   for the Illinois university system on the university's censorship of
   academic associations' political viewpoints.

*Thank you for taking action! Our organized response can help prevent this
legislation from moving forward. Let's keep up the pressure!*

Thanks for all you do to help protect freedom of speech,

Robert Naiman and Megan Iorio
Just Foreign Policy

*The Illinois Coalition to Protect Academic Freedom and Free Speech was
formed in response to anti-boycott legislation introduced in the Illinois
State Senate. The Coalition includes the Center for Constitutional Rights,
CAIR-Chicago, Jewish Voice for Peace-Chicago, Palestine Solidarity Legal
Support, American Studies Association, Committee for a Just Peace in Israel
and Palestine, Palestine Solidarity Group-Chicago, Arab-Jewish Partnership
for Peace and Justice in the Middle East, Committee Against Political
Repression, Friends of Sabeel: North America, United States Palestinian
Community Network, American Friends Service Committee- Chicago, Just
Foreign Policy, Defending Dissent Foundation, and other individuals.*

*Help us reach our March fundraising goal--make a $10 tax-deductible
contribution today!*
We need to raise $5,000 this month, so help out by pitching in what you
can. Your financial support helps us create opportunities for Americans to
agitate for a more just foreign policy.
*http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/donate
<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=2Ed3uUza0yiOMn4B9F0fjnEW6T71aiWD>*

References:

1. For the full text of the bill, see
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/98/SB/09800SB3017sam001.htm<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=1frqarNyPKVcdZimFt5mInEW6T71aiWD>

  <http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=vVx0XMT1J7v%2FPhXblMn0y3EW6T71aiWD>[image:
Please support our work. Donate for a Just Foreign
Policy]<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=xtYr82E5xkeEMwL5O8HAF3EW6T71aiWD>

 (c) 2014 Just Foreign Policy

Click here to unsubscribe<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=uwKTm%2BF%2BSSD%2BTu%2FuTezFrnEW6T71aiWD>
 [image: empowered by Salsa] <http://www.salsalabs.com/?email>

-- 
Robert Naiman
Policy Director
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
(202) 448-2898, extension 1
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace-discuss/attachments/20140319/3effb4bc/attachment-0001.html>