3-6-2018 ACLU Opposes Federal Bill Aimed at Boycotts of Israel as Free Speech Violation - ACLU


https://www.aclu.org/news/aclu-opposes-federal-bill-aimed-boycotts-israel-free-speech-violation

 

The American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter to the Senate today opposing a revised version of a bill that would criminalize supporting certain boycotts of companies doing business in Israel and its settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. The ACLU had voiced objections to the original bill last July on First Amendment grounds. Last weekend, Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) released a revised version. "This bill is unconstitutional because it seeks to impose the government's political views on Americans who choose to express themselves through boycotts," said Ben Wizner, director of the ACLU Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project. "The proposed changes are improvements, but the revised bill continues to penalize participants in political boycotts in violation of the First Amendment. ..

Posted by Judith Ferster, AIME member

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