10 Days Is All We Have
10 days.
That is all we have to stop Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf from signing away our constitutionally-protected right to boycott.
Yesterday, the Pennsylvania legislature passed an attack on free speech in the form of HB 2107, a bill targeting the time-honored tactic of boycott and divestment. This bill is one of many across the country attempting to slow the growing movement for Palestinian human rights.
The only way to stop this bill is for Governor Wolf to veto it and we have 10 days to make that happen. Even if he does nothing, it will become law. This is why we are working with US Campaign member groups such as Jewish Voice for Peace, American Muslims for Palestine, Philly BDS, and others to make sure that this bill is stopped.
Call today to tell Governor Wolf to veto HB 2107 and support our right to boycott.
This dangerous bill would prevent the state of Pennsylvania from contracting with companies that comply with human rights- focused campaigns to boycott injustice. Any state contractors would be required to certify that they will refuse to honor the Palestinian call for boycotts and divestment, or face the prospect of a $250,000 fine.
Can you take 2 minutes today and call Governor Wolf to demand he veto HB 2107?
It is up to us to make sure Gov. Wolf knows he absolutely must veto. This bill is quite dangerous in its complexity. It is presented as an anti-discrimination bill, but it includes provisions that explicitly mischaracterize boycott and divestment campaigns supporting Palestinian human rights as being discriminatory, and therefore, “punishable” under this law.
Our legal partners, such as the National Lawyers Guild, Palestine Legal, and the Center for Constitutional Rights have sent letters; and the American Civil Liberties Union issued a statement to Pennsylvania’s state representatives decrying the unconstitutionality of this bill. Now, it is time for Pennsylvanians to make their voices heard.
This bill is bad for human rights-based boycott and divestment campaigns, bad for our protected civil liberties, and bad for Pennsylvania. We have already witnessed that the chilling effect of these bills is real in other states. The time to act is now!
Call Gov. Wolf and join Pennsylvanians across the state demanding a veto of HB 2107!
P.S.–Check out this wonderful op-ed in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette against HB2107!
