Calls & emails needed now to stop anti-BDS bill AB 2844 to be heard this Tues. 4/19/16

Sun Apr 17 14:40:54 PDT 2016

Calls and emails
<https://sac4palestine.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/protect-free-speech-econo
mic-activism-please-help-stop-ab-2844-judiciary-4-171.pdf>  are needed to
the CA Assembly Judiciary Committee that will hear anti-BDS AB 2844 this
Tuesday, 4/19/16, 8:30am in Room 437, California State Capitol.  

AB 2844 would restrict activism to end Israel's occupation and violations of
human rights by penalizing companies that choose not to do business with
Israel.  Over 100 groups have signed on in opposition to this bill, but it
still passed the Administrative and Accountability Review committee last
week.  Despite the claims of AB 2844 author Assemblymember Richard Bloom,
this bill has nothing to do with protecting Jewish students - it has
everything to do with muzzling those who challenge Israel's violations of
human rights and international law. Our legislators need to hear that
Californians don't want their tax payer dollars wasted on bills like this
that seek to defend Israel's abuses and silence human rights activists.

Please take action: 

1)  Please send an email now telling the committee members to vote against
AB 2844 (sample message below). Ask them to enter your opposition as part of
the public record.  You can copy and paste emails below and/or click to send
a message
<http://org.salsalabs.com/o/301/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=1957
8> .  

 <http://ajud.assembly.ca.gov/membersstaff> Judiciary Committee

Assemblymember.Stone at assembly.ca.gov; Assemblymember.Wagner at assembly.ca.gov;

Assemblymember.Alejo at assembly.ca.gov; Assemblymember.Chau at assembly.ca.gov;
Assemblymember.Chiu at assembly.ca.gov;
Assemblymember.Gallagher at assembly.ca.gov;
Assemblymember.Garcia at assembly.ca.gov;
Assemblymember.Holden at assembly.ca.gov;
Assemblymember.Maienschein at assembly.ca.gov;
Assemblymember.Ting at assembly.ca.gov

Cc Judiciary Committee Legislative directors and committee secretary:
arianna.smith at asm.ca.gov; david.scheidt at asm.ca.gov; paco.torres at asm.ca.gov;
garret.bazurto at asm.ca.gov; ashley.medina at asm.ca.gov;
erin.donnette at asm.ca.gov; katja.townsend at asm.ca.gov; eric.guerra at asm.ca.gov;
Irene.ho at asm.ca.gov; nicholas.liedtke at asm.ca.gov; cindy.morante at asm.ca.gov;

cc Your Assembly member. <http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/>  

Please bcc:  SacReg4PalestinianRights at gmail.com

2) On Monday, 4/18, please call the committee members:

Judiciary committee members <http://ajud.assembly.ca.gov/membersstaff>  

 <http://asmdc.org/members/a29> Mark Stone (Chair) Dem (916) 319-2029

 <http://assembly.ca.gov/a68> Donald P. Wagner (Vice Chair) Rep  (916)
319-2068
 <http://asmdc.org/members/a30> Luis A. Alejo Dem (916) 319-2030

 <http://asmdc.org/members/a49> Ed Chau Dem  (916) 319-2049

 <http://asmdc.org/members/a17> David Chiu Dem -  (916) 319-2017

 <http://assembly.ca.gov/a03> James Gallagher Rep - 03 (916) 319-2003

 <http://asmdc.org/members/a58> Cristina Garcia Dem - (916) 319-2058

 <http://asmdc.org/members/a41> Chris R. Holden Dem - (916) 319-2041

 <http://assembly.ca.gov/a77> Brian Maienschein Rep (916) 319-2077

 <http://asmdc.org/members/a19> Philip Y. Ting Dem; (916) 319-2019

3) This coming Tuesday, April 19, 2016, 8:30am please attend the Assembly
Judiciary Committee hearing on the bill, Room 437, California State Capitol,
1315 10th St, Sacramento to show your opposition to the bill.

Sample message:  

Dear Committee members:
     I call on you to oppose AB 2844, an unconstitutional attempt to silence
opponents of Israel's occupation of Palestine and its well-documented human
rights violations by penalizing companies for not doing business with
Israel. 
     The author of AB 2844 states that this bill is about protecting the
state of Israel from the "BDS movement," which he claims is trying to
destroy Israel and protecting Jewish students at California colleges who are
allegedly under assault "because of BDS." Neither of these claims is fact
based.  Boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) are non-violent tools being
used by human rights activists around the world to change the policies of
the Israeli government, in the same way these tools were used to end the
apartheid regime in South Africa.  
      UC and Anti-Defamation League surveys have documented a long downward
trend in incidents of anti-Semitism and found that Jewish students as a
whole feel safe and secure in their religious and/or ethnic identities. Of
course any anti-Semitic manifestations need to be confronted, but the
deliberate conflation of criticism of Israeli policy with anti-Semitism is
just plain wrong. Campaigns for divestment resolutions by student
governments have made clear that their demand is for policy change, not
directed against Jews, whether in Israel or on campus. Many of the most
active supporters are themselves Jewish students and faculty. If anything,
they, along with other Palestine rights activists, have been subjected to
physical and academic threats, unsubstantiated accusations in the media and
excessive scrutiny by administrations.
    AB 2844 would deny businesses the ability to make even economic
decisions. In fact, the state of Illinois is now facing possible lawsuits
from businesses due to similar legislation it has passed.
    Whether or not one agrees with any particular boycott or divestment
campaign aimed at pressing Israel to end its occupation, obey international
law and respect Palestinian human rights, participation in such activities,
in response to a call from Palestinians using nonviolent methods to secure
their freedom, is a legitimate form of expression, protected by the U.S. and
state constitutions. The state has no right to deny financial relationships
to people or organizations on account of their political views.
   Vote no on AB 2844.
Sincerely,

Support Palestinian rights: Sign petitions & take actions
www.sacbds.org/petitions

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