@theintercept
59m59 minutes ago
More
A Texas elementary school speech pathologist refused to sign a pro-Israel oath, now mandatory in many states — so she lost her job. Watch our 3-minute video of this story: http://interc.pt/2EoOutW by @ggreenwald
It is scary the lengths some conservatives seem intent to lead this country backwards, it is like there is some kind of unspoken civil war going on right now in our country (on all kinds of issues and people) and at the present moment, conservative republicans are, unfortunately for our whole country, winning.
It is scary the lengths some conservatives seem intent to lead this country backwards,
It is also scary that a lot of progressives have no idea of the harm they are doing with their talk of things that are just plain impossible. Many appear to lack the brains they were born with, plus lack the gratitude that makes someone whole.
0 Replies
coldjoint
-3
Reply
Mon 17 Dec, 2018 12:17 pm
@edgarblythe,
Quote:
A Texas elementary school speech pathologist
A Muslim refusing to support Israel? No kidding? If it is the law, it is the law.
0 Replies
oralloy
-2
Reply
Mon 17 Dec, 2018 02:29 pm
@snood,
snood wrote:
Why in the world would Democrats want to make the US a third world country? You don't think Democrats like clean water, good roads, nice suburban lifestyles with movies, vacations; entertainment; freedom? On what basis do you make such a ridiculous accusation?
The Democratic Party is infested with liberals, and liberals have always hated America and tried to destroy it. That's why liberals always try to cripple our military so that we are unable to defend ourselves.
0 Replies
oralloy
-2
Reply
Mon 17 Dec, 2018 02:30 pm
@edgarblythe,
edgarblythe wrote:
As Schumer and Pelosi Offer Up $1.3 Billion, Progressives Say 'Not One Dime' for a wall.
That's the problem with progressives.
Progressives could get some of what they want if they cooperate with Trump and let him have his wall as part of a deal.
Progressives have no real reason for opposing the wall.
But progressives would still rather fight over a non-issue and achieve nothing at all.
It is scary the lengths some conservatives seem intent to lead this country backwards, it is like there is some kind of unspoken civil war going on right now in our country (on all kinds of issues and people) and at the present moment, conservative republicans are, unfortunately for our whole country, winning.
This is a good thing. Conservative Republicans protect us from liberals and prevent them from violating our civil liberties.
0 Replies
Lash
2
Reply
Mon 17 Dec, 2018 05:20 pm
@edgarblythe,
Holy effing ****! This is deep in fascist territory, imo. What bastard thinks this is part of a teacher’s job. Goddammit.
0 Replies
Lash
3
Reply
Mon 17 Dec, 2018 05:27 pm
@oralloy,
Look here, ************, no teacher should even be ASKED to commit to any allegiance to anything outside of what she’s teaching in the classroom.
This **** is beyond the pale.
I’ve been asked to sign a commitment on a vote and it was a ‘liberal’ commitment—equally as wrong as this.
That is reasonable. We want to prevent the Yemenis from murdering us.
0 Replies
neptuneblue
2
Reply
Tue 18 Dec, 2018 09:58 pm
@oralloy,
oralloy wrote:
Progressives have no real reason for opposing the wall.
Well, let's start with ecology, moving on to lack of fair market price of Condemnation of Eminent Domain, Easements, Tribal Land violations, Federal and State Park system abuses...
Shall I go on? Cuz there's whole list I didn't cover.
Here is the specific language Ms. Amawi was asked to sign (see appendix A):
Pursuant to Section 2270.001 of Texas Government Code, the Contractor affirms that it: 1. Does not currently boycott Israel; and 2. Will not boycott Israel during the term of the contract Pursuant to Section 2270.001 of Texas Government Code:
"Boycott Israel" means refusing to deal with, terminating business activities with, or otherwise taking any action that is intended to penalize, inflict economic harm on, or limit commercial relations specifically with Israel, or with a person or entity doing business in Israel or in an Israeli-controlled territory, but does not include an action made for ordinary business purposes;and
"Company" means a for-profit sole proprietorship, organization, association, corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, or any limited liability company, including a wholly owned subsidiary, majority-owned subsidiary, parent company or affiliate of those entities or business associations that exist to make a profit.
Note that, consistent with the language and obvious intent of the law (see the text here, it's even titled "PROHIBITION ON CONTRACTS WITH COMPANIES BOYCOTTING ISRAEL"), the school district certification applies to the business, "it," not the individual "she." Contrary to what I've been reading all over the internet, Ms. Amawi is not being asked to pledge that she, in her personal capacity, will not privately boycott Israel, much less that, e.g., she will not advocate for boycotting Israel or otherwise refrain from criticizing Israel.
Briefly on the First Amendment issue, it's no different analytically than requiring a contractor to pledge that the business does not refuse to hire Muslims, or Jews, or blacks, veterans, or another state-designated group. The sole proprietor contractor, or the certifying officer for a larger contractor, is still permitted to refuse to invite a Muslim to his house for dinner, or to advocate against Muslims in any way he chooses. The business simply can't engage in action that the state disapproves of. Supreme Court precedent, mostly to my chagrin, seems rather clear that this is constitutional, and that the protected class in question need not be an individual or minority group--in FAIR v. Rumsfeld, the Court held that the law school plaintiffs had no First Amendment right to boycott military recruiters in the face of a federal statute barring recipients of federal funds from discriminating against those recruiters.
In short, this story is being widely misreported, the hysterical claims that Amawi is being forced to sign a pro-Israel pledge or personally do or not do anything in particular regarding Israel outside the context of her business are false, and the First Amendment lawsuit will almost certainly lose. Moreover, it's nearly impossible to think of a way in which Ms. Amawi's speech pathology business would ever have an opportunity to in any way boycott or otherwise economically harm Israel, rendering this pure political theater.
ACLU sues Texas schools, AG over Israel boycott law
By Shelby Webb Updated 7:47 pm CST, Tuesday, December 18, 2018
The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas filed a lawsuit against Attorney General Ken Paxton, two universities and two school districts Tuesday, claiming a 2017 state law that requires contractors to sign a pledge against boycotting Israel violates the Constitution by forcing workers to choose between their livelihoods and beliefs.
The ACLU suit comes one day after Bahia Amawi, a contracted speech pathologist for Pflugerville ISD, sued that school district for terminating her contract after she refused to certify that she would not boycott Israel. Amawi's case drew national attention and reignited conversations about whether boycotts are protected under the First Amendment.
In its complaint, the ACLU said Texas’ law goes far beyond unfairly punishing those involved with official boycott groups, affecting those who boycott Israel for personal reasons. It asks the court to declare the Texas law a violation of the First and 14th amendments and to bar the defendants from requiring contractors to certify that they will not boycott Israel.
John Pluecker, a freelance writer and translator who is one of the plaintiffs in the case, said he first learned of Texas’ anti-boycott law when he reviewed a contract sent by the University of Houston this spring. Pluecker has refused to buy products from the Sabra Dipping Co. to protest the company’s support of the Israel Defense Forces. He said he believed that action violated the anti-boycott clause, and he did not want to sign a document that he said endorsed denying people the right to boycott Israel. As a result, he refused a $1,500 contract and another $250 contract from UH.
“I’m a seventh-generation Texan, and I feel like it’s important to guarantee Texans have a right to make their own political or ethical decisions,” Pluecker said Tuesday. “The state doesn’t have business deciding what its residents can believe.”
ACLU of Texas Senior Staff Attorney Edgar Saldivar said the lawsuit is aimed more at the state than the two universities and two school districts it lists as defendants.
“It’s the state that passed this law that now requires all state agencies participate in a political litmus test,” Saldivar said. “Had this law not passed, you wouldn’t see UH as a party in this lawsuit.”
Texas is among more than a dozen states to pass laws limiting its business with companies that boycott or divest from Israeli companies, or companies housed in Israeli-controlled territories. Many of those laws were passed in reaction to a growing number of business leaders and individuals who said they no longer would financially support those within the Middle Eastern country over its government’s treatment of Palestinians and continued expansion into Palestinian-held territories.
Gov. Greg Abbott and other lawmakers trumpeted the 2017 statute, or House Bill 89, as a stand against official Boycott, Divestments and Sanctions, or BDS groups, that have targeted Israel.
“As Israel's No. 1 trading partner in the United States, Texas is proud to reaffirm its support for the people of Israel and we will continue to build on our historic partnership,” Abbott said after signing HB 89 into law. “Anti-Israel policies are anti-Texas policies, and we will not tolerate such actions against an important ally.”
Mike Rosen, executive director of media relations for the University of Houston system, said the clause remains in the school’s contracts for for-profit vendors due to the state law. However, after Paxton’s office provided additional guidance saying individual speakers were not required to sign the certification, the university changed that requirement.
Other examples included in the complaint: A Rice University PhD candidate had to forfeit payment after judging a Klein ISD debate tournament because he is involved with a divestment campaign against Israel; a reporter for Texas A&M Commerce's NPR affiliate signed a No Boycott of Israel certification against his conscious so he could keep his job; and a Palestinian-American student at Texas Tech could not judge high school debates in Lewisville ISD because he boycotts Israel.
In a statement, attorney general spokesman Marc Rylander said private citizens and companies have every right to express their views and to participate in boycotts.
“They do not, however, have a right to use their business activity with the state to make that statement,” Rylander wrote. “The taxpayers of Texas do not want their money used to marginalize and attack a key ally and trading partner of Texas, and they have said so at the ballot box. They, too, have the right to express their views."
Klein ISD officials said they have not yet been served with the suit and could not comment.
Amanda Brim, chief communications officer for Lewisville ISD, said the ACLU indicated the district is not the target of the lawsuit and that “the ACLU’s concern seems to be the law itself.”
Texas A&M University at Commerce did not respond to a request for comment.
Earlier this year, federal judges barred Arizona and Kansas from enforcing their versions of anti-boycott laws, according to the Arizona Republic and Wichita Eagle newspapers.
