Puppet Masters
And next year, a case that could end the right to boycott is headed to that very same Supreme Court.
That's because last week, a federal Appeals Court in Missouri ruled that boycotts-specifically boycotts against Israel-are not a protected form of speech. No, they're commercial decisions that a state can bar. The ACLU intends to appeal, which means arguments will be made sometime in the fall and a decision should be expected next year.
It's beyond debate that this Supreme Court makes decisions based on raw power, not any serious consideration of the law. And the pro-Israel lobby is an integral part of right-wing forces that are joining together to take away our rights. The right to boycott, of course, isn't just about the BDS movement. This is about fossil fuels and LGBTQ rights and freedom of speech.
But the decision, impacting all those issues, is going to come down to the question of Palestine.
And let's not forget: while a Republican court is making these heinous decisions, Democrats have been leading the charge in supporting anti-BDS laws. In state after state, governors have moved to deny state contracts to those who support BDS.
We need your help for two reasons:
The first, of course, is to have the resources we need to report on it. We've poured energy into building out our Palestine bureau this year. But our work covering the U.S. is no less important.
But the second reason is that we are actually a force shaping this story. Sadly, the mainstream media has parroted the talking points of BDS's opponents, claiming that it is somehow antisemitic. That coverage has granted anti-speech proponents the moral and political upper hand, and normalized anti-Palestinian, Islamophobic, and reactionary assumptions about the BDS movement.
But not Mondoweiss. We fiercely support BDS and the right to boycott. We said that before almost anyone had heard of BDS, and we'll keep on saying it.
Reader Comments
Israel is a foreign country which has no standing in the USA courts, particularly against US citizens, so the US Supreme Court cannot LEGALLY prevent Americans from supporting BDS, in either words or deeds.
(Also don't think "legal" or "constitutional" matter much any longer. Isn't there a bunch of stuff about "not without a warrant" and "secure in their persons" etc.? None of which seem applicable in today's U.S.)
Comment: BDS has come under fire in many countries. Nothing any court determines is going to change this dynamic as long as Israel is the driving force, the hand inside the glove.