[Peace] Fwd: Urgent: New Massachusetts bill to silence Palestinian voices and free speech

[Tony Palomba]

I would like us to endorse this effort.

Tony

Tony Palomba
781-664-3525


---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: JVP Boston <jvpboston at gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jun 8, 2023 at 12:06 PM
Subject: Urgent: New Massachusetts bill to silence Palestinian voices and
free speech
To: JVP Boston <jvpboston at gmail.com>



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*


                                             UUJME NE*
June 8, 2023

Dear friends,



We are writing to alert your organization to a dangerous new attempt to
silence Palestinian voices and free speech in Massachusetts.


It comes in the form of deceptive new bill at the Massachusetts state house,
H.1558 <https://legiscan.com/MA/text/H1558/2023>, which aims to codify the
International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of
antisemitism into law.


Of course, antisemitism is a rising threat that must be dismantled as part
of a broader struggle against white supremacy wherever it rears its ugly
head.  But the IHRA definition of antisemitism is a wolf in sheeps’
clothing.  Even though it’s dressed up as a tool to fight hate speech, its
actual purpose is to undermine the movement for justice in Palestine, free
speech, and antiracist struggles by labeling critiques of Israel as
antisemitic.  We are attaching a document that explains why H. 1558 is
deceptive, dangerous, and widely disputed.


We are writing to ask your organization to endorse this campaign to stop
codification of the IHRA definition in Massachusetts.

Please fill out this form
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1KlC0T9dAcpxUDQjIMGG8hXbe9xbQd0eqwBknVoVOwsE/edit?pli=1>
as soon as possible if your organization would like to add its name to the
call to stop codification of the IHRA definition in Massachusetts.

The bill is now in the Judiciary Committee.  We will be lobbying committee
members in the summer.  According to state house sources, the hearing on
this legislation will take place in the fall.  We’ll reach out to you later
in the summer to see if you would like to testify at the hearing.


*For now, we ask your organization to endorse the campaign by filling out
this form. *
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1KlC0T9dAcpxUDQjIMGG8hXbe9xbQd0eqwBknVoVOwsE/edit>



Please contact us at jvpboston at gmail.com with any questions.


Thank you,



The Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine, Boston Workers’ Circle,
Jewish Voice for Peace Boston, Massachusetts Peace Action, and Unitarian
Universalists for Justice in the Middle East (New England Chapter)
-- 

Like us on Facebook
<http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jewish-Voice-for-Peace-Boston/204776866206992>
Follow us on Twitter <https://twitter.com/JVPBoston>

Jewish Voice for Peace Boston
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