Boycott Israel, lose your job

[shanners]

Boycotts are part of the American tradition - Boston Tea Party anyone? This is an attack on basic free speech rights, one which would punish citizens for no reason other than their political views.

'Put simply, it is impossible to be a credible, effective, genuine advocate of free speech and free discourse without objecting to the organized, orchestrated, sustained onslaught of attacks on the free speech and free association rights undertaken specifically to protect the Israeli government from criticism and activism.'

https://theintercept.com/2018/12/17/israel-texas-anti-bds-law/

 

[Felis Leo]

Boycotts are part of the American tradition - Boston Tea Party anyone? This is an attack on basic free speech rights, one which would punish citizens for no reason other than their political views.

'Put simply, it is impossible to be a credible, effective, genuine advocate of free speech and free discourse without objecting to the organized, orchestrated, sustained onslaught of attacks on the free speech and free association rights undertaken specifically to protect the Israeli government from criticism and activism.'

https://theintercept.com/2018/12/17/israel-texas-anti-bds-law/

A few things, shanners. It appears that she was an independent contractor, not a full-time employee, and that is salient to the discussion. First, it is not the Israeli government that the BDS movement targets, but the Israeli people as a whole because the BDS movement is, at heart, an antisemitic movement even if not all the members/supporters are dyed-in-the-wool antisemites, but simply fellow travelers with those leading the movement who are. Second, I am not aware of why any Federal or State government needs to give contracts to antisemites or movements targeting allies of the United States. In my opinion, simply withholding contracts is not a punishment, anymore than the government not awarding contracts to people or companies who are open affiliates or members of Neo-Nazi groups. From my own personal perspective, if any employee of mine engaged in openly antisemitic or racist activity in their off-hours and I found out about it, I would fire them without hesitation. Just as I believe that you as an employer should be allowed to fire any employee of yours if they engaged in any pro-Israel or pro-Jewish activity.

 

[NotreDame]

Boycotts are part of the American tradition - Boston Tea Party anyone? This is an attack on basic free speech rights, one which would punish citizens for no reason other than their political views.

'Put simply, it is impossible to be a credible, effective, genuine advocate of free speech and free discourse without objecting to the organized, orchestrated, sustained onslaught of attacks on the free speech and free association rights undertaken specifically to protect the Israeli government from criticism and activism.'

https://theintercept.com/2018/12/17/israel-texas-anti-bds-law/

The relevant provisions of the contract are in relation to the company and not her personally. She, in her private, capacity, can boycott Israel. However, her business, her company, cannot if “it” wants to do business with the state of Texas.


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