If we don’t keep our beloved protected free speech rights . . . you are not going to get our votes!
This editor with Green Party member and veteran immigrant rights and social justice fighter Lily Benavides unveiled this banner in front of Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin’s office Tuesday, July 22 as we joined a press conference led by CAIR Action NJ calling for the protection of our free speech rights fron NJ Democratic Party led efforts, with full unity with their Trump-ian legislative counterparts – to falsely define support for Palestinian liberation and opposition to US – Israel support for genocide as “anti-Semitic”.
We are making it clear that if your party is terminating our protected free speech rights to advocate against forced starvation, genocide, shooting starving children like fish in a bucket as they line up for not enough food to feed even a small fraction of those aligned – and squid game like rules where shooting of starving queued barely alive human beings continues after the lights change – the relentless bombing that likely killed a half million Palestinians since October 2023 – if your party wants to take our rights away – if your gubernatorial candidate, Mikie Sherrill – announces support for the ending of our protected free speech rights in NJ as she has – do not expect the people you are bringing legal harm to – to vote for you!
The Assembly is being called back from summer recess for an emergency committee session Thursday July 24 to attempt to ram through IHRA legislation that would falsely define opposition to US support for Israel as “anti-Semitic”. There is a companion bill already introduced and passed out of committee in the NJ Senate that provides the enforcement teeth – it calls for the removal of funds from public schools, libraries, state funded colleges, municipalities, non-profits – any entity receiving NJ funds that does not comply with the IHRA false definition of “anti-Semitism” to include criticism of Israel. Opponents recognize that the IHRA laws if passed will be fully exploited by Republican legislators who are partnered with the Democrats on this IHRA push but have also announced their intention to bring Trump – Musk DOGE style chain saw massacre cuts to NJ and the Democrats are handing their Trump-ian legislative partners the power to bring it on and destroy NJ funding for schools, municipalities, libraries, colleges, non-profits and other human needs based projects upon false anti-semitism fraudulent lawfare. These measures will pressure the entities receiving the funding to use punitive approach – to call the police and sanction, expel students and terminate employment – etc. of individuals who are smeared with the false accusations. At a time when Trump is launching a reign of terror across the USA unleashing ICE against working class communities including raids in NJ on workplace sites – the Democrats should not be handing off more repressive state power to Trump fascists for use against NJ’s leading community organizers that also see ending genocide of Palestinians in Gaza as an important objective.
The IHRA push is motivated primarily by pro-Israel lobby and advocacy groups that want to protect Israel and its funding and arming by the United States from effective opposition. It is opposed by a wide range of groups from Muslim and Arab advocacy groups, to humanitarian and faith motivated justice fighters, to immigrant rights groups and free speech advocates.
Lily Benavides, speaking out in an Instagram posting offers this commentary: “The IHRA bill is dangerous because it will not only supress us from speaking against foreign governments committing crimes against humanity but it will also open the door for New Jersey residents to lose our freedom of speech in our fight against injustices. Right now this is crucial and Democrats say that they are coming to “save us” from the current fascist, white supremacist administration but they seem to be on the same side as the oppressors. At the end, if this bill is approved Democrats are going to lose the general elections as well. No one in their right senses will vote for any of your candidates- wanna-be heroes.”
A massive mobilization followed by testimony to the Assembly committee scheduled to hear this legislation at the Statehouse from 10 am to 11 am this Thursday July 24 – and that will be followed by our participation in the hearing – get there before 11 am to sign up to make 2 – 3 minute statements at the hearing that starts inside the Statehouse Annex at 11 am.
After explaining to this interested area resident what was going on with attacks on free speech and genocide – he left – then he came back and insisted that we take a picture and put him in the news! We walk among the people!
