Twin Ports DSA Members and Associates:

In 2017 at the national convention DSA passed a pro-BDS resolution. BDS stands for boycott, divest and sanction, and specifically refers to using those tools to pressure the government of Israel to stop its mistreatment of the Palestinians in the occupied territories. You can read the resolution here ([link removed]) . In 2019, DSA also formed a national working group ([link removed]) on BDS and Palestinian solidarity.

Twin Ports DSA member Robert Kosuth has long followed the issue, and he has requested we pass on the following message I have pasted below. Please email Bob if you have questions (contact below).

In solidarity,
John Krumm
TPDSA Secretary

-----------

To: DSA members

Re: Contact Rep. Liz Olson re repeal of MN anti-BDS laws. Please contact her especially if you are in her district but communications from others will also help. (See below for contact information.)

Background: Senator Jen McEwen has committed to co-signing this legislation and Rep. Jen Schultz has committed to supporting it. But we have not heard from Rep. Liz Olson.

Rep. Olson did not vote for the original anti-BDS legislation, so it should not be difficult for her to support repeal. She has been contacted on it before so she's familiar with the issue. Certainly, she is busy with her own legislative agenda and DFL obligations, but we are not asking her to spend time communicating with other legislators, only to commit to co-signing it or supporting it if it comes to a vote.

The bills have been drafted and will drop in each chamber before the end of this week.

The statutes adopted in 2017 are MN Statutes 3.226 and 16C.053, known as the anti-BDS (BDS stands for Boycott, Divest and Sanction of Israel) laws. They muzzle free speech by inhibiting the rights of those who participate in BDS from getting state contracts of a certain amount.

Boycott is an American tradition as a non-violent means to protest injustice. Some of the famous boycotts have been the Montgomery Bus boycott, Nestle boycott, South Africa boycott and many others.

Boycott is constitutionally protected speech. The Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of this type of speech in many cases, as in its unanimous ruling in NAACP v Claiborne Hardware Company, 1982, that states may not prohibit peaceful advocacy of a politically motivated boycott.

BDS is a non-violent, anti-racist, inclusive movement to pressure Israel to follow its obligations under international law agreements, which it signed and ratified. BDS is not anti-Semitic.

National DSA has adopted a position of supporting BDS.

For more information see:
[link removed]

If you receive a response from Rep. Olson or her Legislative Assistant, please pass on the information to Bob Kosuth, Duluth, Minnesota BDS Community, [email protected] 218-221-4008

Thank you

Given that these phone numbers don't usually get answered, an email is probably best, but if you call, calling Legislative Assistant Lyndsey Hanson is probably best. Leave a message if there is no answer.

Rep. Liz Olson (DFL) District: 07B

Deputy Majority Leader and Speaker Pro Tempore

471 State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4246
E-mail: [email protected]

Legislative Assistant: Lyndsey Hanson 651-296-3806

============================================================
** Facebook ([link removed])
** Facebook ([link removed])
** Website (twinportsdsa.org)
** Website (twinportsdsa.org)
** Donate to Twin Ports DSA ([link removed])
** Join DSA ([link removed])

This email was sent to [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
why did I get this? ([link removed]) unsubscribe from this list ([link removed]) update subscription preferences ([link removed])
Twin Ports DSA . PO Box 16663 . Duluth, MN 55816-0663 . USA

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp
[link removed]