Posted on 07/21/2017 5:16:21 AM PDT by logi_cal869
THE CRIMINALIZATION OF political speech and activism against Israel has become one of the gravest threats to free speech in the West. In France, activists have been arrested and prosecuted for wearing T-shirts advocating a boycott of Israel. The U.K. has enacted a series of measures designed to outlaw such activism. In the U.S., governors compete with one another over who can implement the most extreme regulations to bar businesses from participating in any boycotts aimed even at Israeli settlements, which the world regards as illegal. On U.S. campuses, punishment of pro-Palestinian students for expressing criticisms of Israel is so commonplace that the Center for Constitutional Rights refers to it as “the Palestine Exception” to free speech.
But now, a group of 43 senators — 29 Republicans and 14 Democrats — wants to implement a law that would make it a felony for Americans to support the international boycott against Israel, which was launched in protest of that country’s decades-old occupation of Palestine. The two primary sponsors of the bill are Democrat Ben Cardin of Maryland and Republican Rob Portman of Ohio. Perhaps the most shocking aspect is the punishment: Anyone guilty of violating the prohibitions will face a minimum civil penalty of $250,000 and a maximum criminal penalty of $1 million and 20 years in prison.
The proposed measure, called the Israel Anti-Boycott Act (S. 720), was introduced by Cardin on March 23. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports that the bill “was drafted with the assistance of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.” Indeed, AIPAC, in its 2017 lobbying agenda, identified passage of this bill as one of its top lobbying priorities for the year:
(Excerpt) Read more at theintercept.com ...
I understand the desire to help protect Israel, but if this passes, what other boycotts might be outlawed to protect some other interest? And who might that outlaw target?
Well, we could look at the text of the bill instead of relying on inflammatory Jew-hate rhetoric, couldn’t we?
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/720/text
After reading the text, do you think it does what The Intercept claims it does?
While I certainly oppose any boycott of Israel, this law (if it really does what this story says it does) wouldn’t last five seconds before it would struck down by the Federal Courts on 1st amendment grounds.
BS.
After reading that I concluded that the entire article is BS.
Oh. The world. You know what the world can do?
Who are these Greenwald & Grim characters? islamist fronts?
As much as this sounds nice, it would never stand review before the Supreme Court.
Violates First Amendment for one.
DC Kabuki Theater...
I agree. We cannot permit outlawing free speech. Hypothetically what happens if the paliswine achieve political power in Israel and decide the Jewish people don’t belong there. Can we not protest then? This is a bad idea.
Deal with it, ISLAMIC a$$holes......you started it, after all.
Good.
This is same blog used by that Jihad TX Female Hick that send classified NSA information to embarrass Trump. She was Jew hating / Pro Muslim terrorist far left wing groupie.
Why post crap from this left wing front group here again ..?
The point is again ?
This is a Far far left wing blog that the NSA contract that wanted to join the jihad against Trump sent the classified info to .
Birds of a feather .
Why is this left wing blog being posted here ???
No to this.
Boycott = speech.
Unless we want to find our boycott of Target to be found criminal one day.
You’re calling for a consistency of thought beyond the capabilities of human beings.
[snarky comment]Yep. Those awful Israelis sure do rule American college campuses.[/snarky comment]
My take: The country needs to SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE regarding foreign affairs. If locals, states, counties, and other government entities are undercutting the federal government, they are undercutting this country.
Pass the bill!!!
Read the act. It is against the UN and foreign governments.
No, it does not. The Intercept article is a complete lie and full of anti-Israel propaganda. Especially the following:
On U.S. campuses, punishment of pro-Palestinian students for expressing criticisms of Israel is so commonplace that the Center for Constitutional Rights refers to it as “the Palestine Exception” to free speech.
1st amendment freedom to peaceful assembly. This right is applied to the reason of commerce. Thus we have the right to join together for the exchange of goods and services. Further, just as we have both positive 1st amendment freedom of speech protections (you can say or support any cause) we also have negative (you can’t be forced to say or support a cause against your will) protections; the same applies to the freedom of peaceful assembly.
You have the right to assemble for commerce and you can not be forced to assemble for commerce. Now I will grant you that this right has been attacked of late by forcing private citizens to engage in unwanted commerce (christian bakery case and Obamacare) but that does not change the fact that it is a fundamental right under the Bill of Rights.
“...punishment of pro-Palestinian students for expressing criticisms of Israel”
They must mean “expressions of criticism” using fists, knives and blunt metal objects.
Thank you for posting the actual bill. As you said, the “intercept.com” article is a total lie and deliberate misinformation.
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