This is an interesting story about a brave and principled woman Abby Martin, in defense of free speech. Georgia and 28 other states have penalized/criminalized/censored First Amendment rights at the request of the Israeli Lobby. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/55877.htm To know who controls your life, find out who you may not criticize.
I agree with her. This scary Israel loyalty pledge is something that a lot of red states passed. I didn't even know about them until you posted this. Thanks. I can't imagine that even our ultra biased SCOTUS will let them stand.
This BDS thing has been going on for quite a few years. Most people don't know about it because the mainstream media never talks about it. As Arthur Bloom noted years ago, the most effective kind of propaganda is by omission.
I think it isn't talked about because the primary media markets aren't affected. These hillbilly states come up with the most anti-American laws regularly and the anti-abortion laws get most of the attention. The irony is that these BDS laws are supported by a lot of anti Semitic people because it is a party thing.
I suspect a different reason in this case: the most obvious reason, the undue influence of the Israeli government in US affairs and policy.
West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Virginia_State_Board_of_Education_v._Barnette During World War 2 the US Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional to require students to pledge allegiance to our Republic, flag, etc. I'd have to read the law in question, but this Abby Martin business feels similar. Prior restraint of free speech, an oath of at least friendliness to a foreign nation, doesn't sound all that kosher to me. And I am mostly pro-Israel. Not a fan of all they do, but I do favor the country's right to exist.
Thank you for citing that Barnette case. I became familiar with it a few years ago during the Colin Kapernick controversy. I see it as a good and solid case, an exposition of how things were meant to be in the US of A, made clear by the US Constitution. And I agree with everything else you said in your post. I strongly support the right of Israel and the Jewish people to exist. But my eyes were opened by the attack on the USS Liberty in 1967. That entire event casts huge doubts on considering that government, not its people, as being an ally in any sense of the word.
I support Israel's right to exist, but this is just over the top. I've also been puzzled when Israeli spies are caught, it's like why the hell you payin' for spies? The way the U.S. government has been stuck up your ass since day one all you have to do is ask, AND get a boatload of money to boot.
No really sure why you posted this in CURRENT Events. The YouTube Press Conference is OVER 9 Months Old (Feb. 10, 2020). The only other link provided in your thread is THIS: https://www.patreon.com/empirefiles ^Which is behind a Pay wall. This issue has been around for quite some time: https://palestinelegal.org/news/2016/6/3/what-to-know-about-anti-bds-legislation I guess we will just have to see what happens.
AJ Yes, it's been going on for a long time. Because MSM never discusses it, many people are not aware of it. Praise to Abby Martin for being brave.
The Georgia 2015-2016 Senate Bill in question is here: http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20152016/162360.pdf As I said earlier, Israel has a right to exist. I'll add to that, were all Israel's enemies to attack at once I would expect and demand the USA respond with all our military might to aid Israel. Don't think it at all likely to happen, but that's my view on the matter. In the unlikely event of Israel needing out help, it is given. And yet, Abby Martin is a conspiracy nut. She was a "9/11 Truther" and worked for "Russia Today" until the Russians upset her by invading Ukraine and Crimea. She stayed there another year before leaving, so it didn't bother her all that much. Worse than that she has spoken in support of Socialist/Marxist governments, told massive bald faced lies about how wonderful life is in Venezuela and other crackpottery I find it difficult to admire or be all that supportive of someone who embraced idiotic nonsense such as 9/11 Truthers or the inevitable bloody ruin wrought by the utopian nightmares of Karl Marx. Still, a person has the most natural right to think their thoughts and choose their friends. If someone does not want to spend money on Israel, their own money that is, that's their business. If they wish to speak for or against Israel or any portion or action thereof, this too is their natural right. Georgia's law is wrong headed. The fact that Abby Martin is also wrong headed (yup, that's a fact alright) is beside the point. The State of Georgia no more has the right to force a person to state a pledge to Georgia, to the USA or to a foreign nation than it does to require you to whistle Dixie to do business there.. And a pledge not to boycott another country is a statement of support for that country, a sneaky one, but it is there.
Enuf Yes Israel and all other countries and people have a right to exist, and they have a right to conduct their affairs in accordance with their laws and customs. That includes the US. We have a right to conduct our affairs in accordance with our laws and customs, free from interference from foreign actors. Do you agree? Why then must we suffer Israel controlling our governments? Why must we suffer Israel passing its laws in our country?
I don't know if they are but I do know that is the propaganda. According to Israel and any country/state which follows what she demands, to support BDS means you are antisemetic. Many Jews support BDS.
People may be aware of the situation in France where people were arrested for being involved in BDS due to the very political position of agreeing to BDS being itself called antisemitism. It appears the protestors took this to the European Court who ruled in their favour that they had the right to be involved in BDS towards Israel. English courts also ruled this way stating that as we are a democracy people have the right to come to their own political opinions and act according to their conscience. Macron however appears not to want to go by European Law cont'd https://electronicintifada.net/blog...n-court-ruling-upholding-right-boycott-israel If the West goes along with this, it is giving up on its Democratic Rights and will bare responsibility for the repercussions of that.
