It isn't here yet, but they are trying to figure out a way. In several states, government employees cannot vote to divest their pension funds from companies that do business with Israel. That is illegal. After Hurricane Harvey, one town in Texas added a clause to the agreement you had to sign to get disaster relief which required you to promise NOT to boycott Israeli companies in order to get the relief money. What the hell does that have to do hurricane relief? Already the BDS movement is equated with anti-semitism in this country, so the aim is to get support for BDS equated to hate speech. And sure, you can take it to the Supreme court if you get charged, but 1/3 of the Supreme Court is Jewish and it would be interesting to learn how many of them identify as Zionist (Jewish or Christian). I wouldn't be so sure that the Constitution offers protection for 1st Amendment since so many college campuses have been able to do an end run around the Constitution to ban "controversial" speakers -- especially those who represent even a mildly anti-Israel view -- to speak on campuses. If you want to speak about anti-American things, sure, but no one is allowed to criticize Israel.
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Pedersoli ago
The article leaves a lot out. If the New Zealanders were not in the US the lawsuit is meaningless.
70times7 ago
Its meaningless in the US also.
Until they remove that pesky 1st amendment, any competent lawyer will have it ruled unconstitutional first shot.
scarlettm512 ago
It isn't here yet, but they are trying to figure out a way. In several states, government employees cannot vote to divest their pension funds from companies that do business with Israel. That is illegal. After Hurricane Harvey, one town in Texas added a clause to the agreement you had to sign to get disaster relief which required you to promise NOT to boycott Israeli companies in order to get the relief money. What the hell does that have to do hurricane relief? Already the BDS movement is equated with anti-semitism in this country, so the aim is to get support for BDS equated to hate speech. And sure, you can take it to the Supreme court if you get charged, but 1/3 of the Supreme Court is Jewish and it would be interesting to learn how many of them identify as Zionist (Jewish or Christian). I wouldn't be so sure that the Constitution offers protection for 1st Amendment since so many college campuses have been able to do an end run around the Constitution to ban "controversial" speakers -- especially those who represent even a mildly anti-Israel view -- to speak on campuses. If you want to speak about anti-American things, sure, but no one is allowed to criticize Israel.