New Brunswick Protests Genocide Supporting and 1st Amendment Trampling Sherrill and Ciattarelli, Oct 8
With banners protesting US war against the nation and people of Venzuela, a huge banner of a Palestinian flag, a large sign threatening to withhold votes from Mikie Sherrill if IHRA passess, about 2 dozen New Brunswick area residents were on the sidewalk at the front of State Theatre while NJ Gubernatorial candidates Sherrill and Ciattarelli debated over the what sort of facade they will maintain as they shift NJ to authoritative rule. The price of admission to the table of the this year debates, per a sign carried by Lily Benavides of the Green Party NJ is $580,000. NJ State Elections Commitssion requires that politicians must have raised at least that much to be able to participate in NJ gubernatorial debates as of 2025 – an amount that hikes 10s of 1000s each election cycle. The government narrative of requiring half a million to participate is stated so that only “serious” candidates are presented. The system coincidentally favors the two main parties that receive tremendous support primarily from PACs, corporaions and the wealthy. When they say “serious” they mean captive representatives of the murderous ruling class.
The protesters were condemning both candidates for their position on IHRA – they both agree with the Trump led effort across the nation to try to outlaw criticism of Israel by defining anti-Semitism to include saying unflattering things about Israel – the so called “IHRA” definition of Anti-Semitism. The narrative has been used illegally across the nation by Trump to cut funding to colleges, illegally arrest and deport visa holding immigrants and to force colleges to impose the repressive IHRA standards toward opponents of genocide into their entrance policies – forced discrimination against those who are considered unsupportive of Israel. In NJ pro-Israel groups are constantly accusing genocide opponents falsely and if these laws are passed those false accusations will result in serious legal, professional and reputational harm to humanitarians of all faith including Jewish humanitarians who occupy a leadership role in the movement against genocide in the US and in NJ.
Protesters were also condemning Ciattarelli and Trump over the violence and threats of violence – the suggestion to the generals that they should practice war games in our cities and target an internal enemy, They condemned the invasions of communities by ICE and other out of control and rampaging federal police. NJ has been rocked by Ciattarelli and Trump inspired death threats that has forced a Rutgers professor and his family to self exile.
Sherrill wsa roundly criticized for her opposition recently to a proposed arms embargo of Israel at the height of the forced starvation and shoot ups at the sites where starving Palestinians were supposed to be provided food and other subsistence aid.
LILY BENAVIDES WRITE-IN CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR
This editor was invited to this event by NJ Green Party Write-In candidate for Governor Lily Benavides. She provides the only way to vote against the attacks on our free speech for governor. She is a write in because she turned in a petition with 2500 signatures but over 500 were stricken and the judge allowed it! Most ot the stricken signatures were by Arab American, Latino American and other immigrant signers. They were arbitrarily challenged by MIkie Sherrill’s attorney with the accusation that the signatures did not match perfectly the signatures on file from the original voter registrations. The judge dutifully accepted every single objection. Please check out this second article with the commentary from a video by Lily Benavides from the protest activity.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO NEW BRUSNWICK VEHICLES AND PEDESTRIANS
The participants had a highly agitational presence toward the New Brunwswick community and the reception was warm and friendly. People of New Brunswick seem to be in a different place now – they are uncertain and nervous about the current political and social climate. New Brunswick has been rocked recently by the police murder of 68 year old Deborah Terrell, whose extended family has played a key role over recent decades in opposition to murders by polce in New Brunswick and surrounding towns. Deborah Terrell, after being shot twice as she lay in a prone position in an apartment hallway was dragged down the hallway bleeding by 4-burly police officers – perhaps a premedited contribution to her death. New Brunswick has also been targeted by ICE patrols attacking local residents and workers.
This editor sang a silly song to the vehicle passengers – roughly to the tune of Get Up Stand Up! “Politicians tell us they are always on our side. But then they call up ICE to take us for a ride – Now we’re in the fight! Stand Up for Our Rights!” The passengers listened faced me, received the message, smiled and threw a fist or thumbs up – almost every one!
The team had two colorful fliers that clearly denoucce candidate Sherrill for attacks on free speech, her support for genocide and her being a sold out member of the AIPAC block that subordinates the interests of the American people to Israel and regularly is pressured by pro-Israel operatives to tow the line for slaughtering politicians. The distribution effort was highly effective, the fliers were well received often with supportive comments- 100s of fliers were distributed.
Dozens of pedestrians stopped by for more information and to show support including a very grateful Palestinian who showed us the necklace he wears for his people and never takes off (a cutltural expression that could be illegal under IHRA laws that both candidates wnat to pass).. Some of our banners were strectched out on the sidelwalk so there was no way to avoid seeing them for pedestrians walking on the sidewalk in front of the New Brunswick PAC.
Fortunately the police had a laid back position only occasionally interacting with us to adjust our positioning. The media was not interested in our protest – they only were there to amplify the positions of the two oppressive parties that aside from the song and dance have been united in support of genocide in Gaza, attacks on our free speech and the ICE terrorization of NJ neighborhoods, residents and citizens.
FLIERS DISTRIBUTED:
LILY BENAVIDES SPEAKS TRUTH TO POWER
