[Peace-discuss] "Telling people what the state believes"

Tue May 19 18:00:51 EDT 2015

At least she didn’t vote in favor !

And back to my question ; “ Did anyone in C-U contact her ?

I assume the answer is NO.

David J.

From: C. G. Estabrook [mailto:carl at newsfromneptune.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2015 3:55 PM
To: David Johnson
Cc: Brussel, Morton K; peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net; occupycu; sf-core
Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] "Telling people what the state believes"

If this were a generation ago, and our state representative refused to vote against a measure that required pension funds to stop investing money in foreign companies that boycotted apartheid South Africa, would we be asking if anyone from Champaign-Urbana contacted her/him BEFORE the vote to urge him/her to vote NO and why? 

Carol voted badly wrong on this, for whatever reason. I assume she will apologize.

On May 19, 2015, at 6:50 AM, David Johnson via Peace-discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> wrote:

Not to make excuses, but at least Carol didn’t vote FOR the bill.

More importantly, did anyone from Champaign-Urbana contact her BEFORE the vote to urge her to vote NO and why ?

If even a few dozen of us had called her before the vote, she probably would have voted against it.

I was aware of the bill when it was sponsored, like most people on this list, but I had no idea that the bill had moved so quickly to a vote and was unaware until it was voted in that it had passed.

David J.

From: Peace-discuss [ <mailto:peace-discuss-bounces at lists.chambana.net> mailto:peace-discuss-bounces at lists.chambana.net] On Behalf Of Brussel, Morton K via Peace-discuss
Sent: Monday, May 18, 2015 10:29 PM
To: Estabrook, Carl G
Cc: Peace-discuss List
Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] "Telling people what the state believes"

We, some of us at least, from Urbana-Champaign, should inform Carol Ammons of our disappointment, disillusion and anger at her cowardly no-vote. As to Scott Bennett, I never knew much about him, so how could I be disappointed? We should demand explanations, although my guess is that there are money issues involved from donors. 

—mkb

On May 18, 2015, at 9:07 PM, Carl G. Estabrook via Peace-discuss < <mailto:peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> wrote:

Both Rep. Carol Ammons (103) and Sen. Scott Bennett (52) were recorded as “not voting” as this measure passed in both houses! 

On May 18, 2015, at 8:52 PM, David Green via Peace-discuss < <mailto:peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> wrote:

I guess some "viewpoints" are not to be respected after all.

 <http://mondoweiss.net/2015/05/congress-legislatures-against> http://mondoweiss.net/2015/05/congress-legislatures-against

The Illinois measure on state pensions, which has passed the state Senate, is now being debated in the House. This measure, like the Congressional one, is a law with some teeth. The legislation requires pension funds to stop investing money in foreign companies that have boycotted Israel.

In a statement,  <http://palestinelegalsupport.org/2015/05/14/final-action-alert-stop-anti-bds-legislation-in-illinois-house/> Palestine Solidarity Legal Support said that the bill forces “pension fund administrators to blacklist companies that boycott Israel or businesses that operate in ‘territories under the control of Israel.’ Illinois should not be shielding Israel from boycotts protesting human rights abuses and settlements, which are illegal under international law in what is considered occupied territory by the U.S. government.”

Dima Khalidi, the director of  <http://palestinelegalsupport.org/2015/05/14/final-action-alert-stop-anti-bds-legislation-in-illinois-house/> Palestine Solidarity Legal Support, told me in an e-mail that one of the dangers of the Illinois bill is that it would have a “chilling” effect “not only on companies that would consider making ethical business decisions, but also on people who advocate for such decisions. When the state takes a policy position such as this, it is telling people what the state believes is acceptable discourse and political activity, thereby dissuading viewpoints that are contrary to that.”

These efforts are looking to be more successful than the previous wave of anti-boycott bills that were debated after the American Studies Association  <http://www.theasa.net/american_studies_association_resolution_on_academic_boycott_of_israel> voted to boycott Israel in late 2013. Many of those bills did not get support from pro-Israel lobby groups because of concerns over academic freedom and free speech, though. This crop of legislation has garnered more support from traditional bastions of pro-Israel advocacy.

After an Illinois committee passed the anti-BDS bill, the Jewish  <http://www.bnaibrith.org/press-releases/bnai-brith-commends-anti-bds-bills-passage-by-illinois-house-executive-committee-calls-for-full-passage-by-state-house-of-representatives> group B’nai Brith International applauded the state representatives in a statement for “taking such a strong stance against a movement rooted in anti-Semitism that ultimately impedes the peace process by opposing constructive dialogue between Israel and Palestinians.”

- See more at:  <http://mondoweiss.net/2015/05/congress-legislatures-against#sthash.BehzwZAt.dpuf> Congress and state legislatures are on the warpath against BDS

 <http://mondoweiss.net/2015/05/congress-legislatures-against#sthash.BehzwZAt.dpuf> <image002.jpg>

 <http://mondoweiss.net/2015/05/congress-legislatures-against#sthash.BehzwZAt.dpuf> Congress and state legislatures are on the warpath again...

A crop of bills and resolutions in Congress and state legislatures are targeting the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement. Some are mere resolutions exp...

 <http://mondoweiss.net/2015/05/congress-legislatures-against#sthash.BehzwZAt.dpuf> View on mondoweiss.net

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