[Peace-discuss] N-G editorial on Boycott

Fri May 22 17:45:32 EDT 2015

[Remarkably enough, the following editorial appeared in the News-Gazette on Friday 05/22/1990.]

Boycott issue cuts both ways

Turnabout is fair play.
With all the growling and gnashing of teeth going on between Democrats and Republicans in Springfield, some people may have missed the remarkable unanimity that took place on an issue that has received national and international attention.
Both the Illinois House and Senate recently approved legislation to boycott foreign firms that boycott apartheid in South Africa. Our governor, who enthusiastically approves, said he looks forward to signing the legislation and "making Illinois first in the nation to fight boycotts, divestment, and sanctions against South Africa."
The measure represents significant push-back against the boycott movement against South African racism that has found support overseas and on some American university campuses from those who object to South Africa's policies, particularly in the Bantustans, the Black homelands.
Illinois may be the first in the nation to take the approach of boycotting the boycotters, but it's not likely to be the last.
The executive director of the “South Africa on Campus Coalition," said he expects "to see this strategy replicated in other states."
"This legislation attaches a cost to engaging in behavior that is contrary to America's interest and America's support for peace in southern Africa. This is a strategy we're likely to see more of," he said.
The legislation bars the state's public pension funds from investing in companies that boycott apartheid South Africa, even though it's not clear that any of them are currently investing in companies that boycott South Africa.
It's to be enforced by requiring companies in which pension funds invest to certify that they are not boycotting South Africa. That's an administrative headache to be sure. But the state already requires a similar certification process to ensure that it does not do business with companies that do business with Iran or Sudan.
Frankly, it would be better if disputes of this nature were handled by the appropriate officials at the top of this country's foreign policy establishments. (We can’t have the public getting excited by matters like this.)
But proposed boycotts have become a common tactic, especially on college campuses where interest groups push a variety of causes. The gold standard of the boycott movement involves the apartheid government of South Africa, which may ultimately fall from power, in spite of its support by the US government.
But the boycott-the-boycotters movement is a new twist, one that has anti-apartheid campaigners crying foul.
It's understandable that they would object, but boycott campaigns are and ought to be open to all comers - racists and non-racists alike.
What's significant about the General Assembly's action is the message that it sends, not just to any companies considering bowing to political pressure and boycotting South Africa but to members of the board of trustees of colleges and universities in Illinois.
The apartheid boycott movement is a cause celebre on many campuses, where proponents seek to marginalize South Africa as a rogue state. The controversy over Black homelands aside, that's a strange description to apply to the only democracy among the multitude of despotic regimes in sub-Saharan Africa.
At any rate, the proposed apartheid boycott movement on campuses is the ultimate anti-intellectual exercise. Even if they really aren't in many cases, American college and university campuses are supposed to be open arenas for discussion of even the most incendiary subjects, like anti-Black racism.
The boycott movement is nothing more than a political exercise whose goal is the destruction of South Africa.
Considered in that context, it's no surprise that supporters of the White government of South Africa  have chosen to fight back using a tool boycott supporters understand and respect. Black South Africans and their champions must be put in their place. 

> On May 22, 2015, at 8:54 AM, David Green via Peace-discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
> 
> This noxious editorial, as well as issues related to Scott Bennett's and Carol Ammons' unwillingness to oppose this racist legislation, will be a topic that I will address on News from Neptune, UPTV, 7 p.m. and later on Youtube, as well as on the World Labor Hour, Saturday at 11 on WEFT. -- DG
> Boycott issue cuts both ways
> 
> Fri, 05/22/2015 - 7:00am | The News-Gazette <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.news-2Dgazette.com_author_news-2Dgazette&d=AwMFaQ&c=8hUWFZcy2Z-Za5rBPlktOQ&r=tfHzwZBcTLEveiewRiq0OdhFmfRmlvZjpIBS0AUJ2v0&m=YBQjWC3bpW-sauFb4aInex1kNGUn0NLSftRHsU6OIEM&s=gDGywbelCk6gxapal9GUvwvp0sKjPNDWFtSjlAkepUY&e=>
>  
> Turnabout is fair play.
> With all the growling and gnashing of teeth going on between Democrats and Republicans in Springfield, some people may have missed the remarkable unanimity that took place on an issue that has received national and international attention.
> Both the Illinois House and Senate recently approved legislation to boycott foreign firms that boycott Israel. Gov. Bruce Rauner, who enthusiastically approves, said he looks forward to signing the legislation and "making Illinois first in the nation to fight BDS (boycott, divest, sanction) against Israel."
> The measure represents significant push-back against the BDS movement that has found support overseas and on some American university campuses from those who object to Israel's policies in the Middle East, particularly in the Palestinian territories.
> Illinois may be the first in the nation to take the approach of boycotting the boycotters, but it's not likely to be the last.
> Jacob Baime, executive director of the Israel on Campus Coalition, said he expects "to see this strategy replicated in other states."
> "This legislation attaches a cost to engaging in behavior that is contrary to America's interest and America's support for peace in the Middle East. This is a strategy we're likely to see more of," he said.
> The legislation bars the state's public pension funds from investing in companies that boycott Israel, even though it's not clear that any of them are currently investing in companies that boycott Israel.
> It's to be enforced by requiring companies in which pension funds invest to certify that they are not boycotting Israel. That's an administrative headache to be sure. But the state already requires a similar certification process to ensure that it does not do business with companies that do business with Iran or Sudan.
> Frankly, it would be better if disputes of this nature were handled by the appropriate officials at the top of this country's foreign policy establishments.
> But proposed boycotts have become a common tactic, especially on college campuses where interest groups push a variety of causes. The gold standard of the boycott movement involved the apartheid government of South Africa, which ultimately fell from power.
> But the boycott-the-boycotters movement is a new twist, one that has BDS proponents crying foul.
> It's understandable that they would object, but boycott campaigns are and ought to be open to all comers.
>  
> http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2015-05-22/boycott-issue-cuts-both-ways.html <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.news-2Dgazette.com_opinion_editorials_2015-2D05-2D22_boycott-2Dissue-2Dcuts-2Dboth-2Dways.html&d=AwMFaQ&c=8hUWFZcy2Z-Za5rBPlktOQ&r=tfHzwZBcTLEveiewRiq0OdhFmfRmlvZjpIBS0AUJ2v0&m=YBQjWC3bpW-sauFb4aInex1kNGUn0NLSftRHsU6OIEM&s=50RB5zwBeOI9V57xabt3m1ibPNEGfd8eLRD8gXv_IAU&e=>
> 
> What's significant about the General Assembly's action is the message that it sends, not just to any companies considering bowing to political pressure and boycotting Israel but to members of the board of trustees of colleges and universities in Illinois.
> The BDS movement is a cause celebre on many campuses, where proponents seek to marginalize Israel as a rogue state. The controversy over Palestinian territories aside, that's a strange description to apply to the only democracy among the multitude of despotic regimes in the Middle East.
> At any rate, the proposed BDS movement on campuses is the ultimate anti-intellectual exercise. Even if they really aren't in many cases, American college and university campuses are supposed to be open arenas for discussion of even the most incendiary subjects.
> The BDS movement is nothing more than a political exercise whose goal is the destruction of Israel.
> Considered in that context, it's no surprise that supporters of Israel have chosen to fight back using a tool BDS supporters understand and respect.
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