Protected Speech Slate-of-80 Moves Forward – Two Dozen on Board Already – As NJ Senate Loads Ammunition into Weapons of War on NJ Citizens and Residents Via Repressive Legislation Mandating Loyalty to Israel’s Genocide

June 25, 2024June 26, 2024 bwitanek 4246 Views

Editor’s Update – Two dozen respondents have already expressed interest in joining the slate. This effort is entirely do-able!

paccusa/ On Thursday June 20, NJ Senate committee voted in favor of the problematic IHRA Bills S1292 & S2937 despite a resounding opposition. Although these bills have passed this committee, they are not in effect yet. Today was just one defeat in our ongoing struggle. Palestine has been fighting for decades now- we will continue to fight and advocate until Palestine is free!

In 2025 the full NJ Assembly, all 80 seats (but no NJ Senators) will be up for elections in NJ. A committee in NJ Senate has voted to move forward two bills to make it illegal for NJ citizens and residents to question the decisions of elected Democrats and Republicans to arm, finance, support and play a direct role in the US-Israel genocide against the Palestinian people of Gaza. The legislation they have advanced (but yet to be passed in both legislative bodies and signed) equates criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism – a fraudulent conflation which Israel and many powerful pro-Israel organizations in the USA and NJ are demanding. The Senate version of the bills are NJS 1292 and 2937. John McKeon Essex County Democrat and the bill’s two sponsors, Democrat James Beach and Republican Robert Singer, as well as state Sen. Vincent Polistina, R-Egg Harbor, voted for it and NJ Senator Shirley Turner D-15 was the vote to protect our free speech.

The lone no vote came from Democrat Shirley Turner,

John McKeon Essex County Dem, 27th Legislative District, representing The district includes the Essex municipalities of Livingston, Millburn, Roseland, Montclair, and West Orange; and the Passaic County municipality of Clifton. Clifton in particular is a town with a very strong presence of Muslim American, Arab American and Palestinian American residents who McKeon has just voted to criminalize their lives and ideas, their culture and beliefs.

We need 2 Assembly candidates to join the Protected Speech slate – it is a platform affiliation not a party – fill out the form below.

Democrat James Beach Senator representing District 6 including covering the Burlington County municipality of Maple Shade Township and the Camden County municipalities of Audubon Park Borough, Berlin Borough, Berlin Township, Clementon, Cherry Hill Township, Gibbsboro, Haddon Township, Haddonfield, Hi-Nella Laurel Springs, Lawnside, Lindenwold, Magnolia, Oaklyn, Pine Hill, Somerdale, Stratford , Tavistock and Voorhees Township. We need 2 Assembly candidates to join the Protected Speech slate – it is a platform affiliation not a party – fill out the form below.

Quoting a current Rutgers AAUP – AFT statement:

“The Rutgers faculty unions strongly oppose New Jersey Senate Bills 1292 and 2937. These bills would embed in state law the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) “Working Definition of Antisemitism” document, which falsely conflates criticism of or opposition to Israel and Zionism with anti-Jewish racism. If adopted, the distorted IHRA definition, in the words of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), “would likely silence a range of protected speech including criticism of the Israeli government’s treatment of Palestinians” and would also disallow the “sharing (of) differing beliefs about the right to a Jewish state.” This would violate both the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and Article 1, Section 6, of the New Jersey State Constitution.”

There is a strong highly organized effort right now of NJ’s humane citizens and residents that are united to end the genocide lobbying and telling the politicians why these attacks on our freedom are wrong. There is also a highly FUNDED effort organized by pro-Israel lobby groups working together with the IDF to try to push toward the criminalization of opposition to slaughtering people. It seems that the Democrats are in the pocket of that sector or else these bills would not be even introduced – let alone gaining momentum as they now are doing.

So what do we do about it? Everything that is being done to appeal to the NJ legislature that it is wrong to mandate support for Israel and genocide needs to continue. But what should we do politically? What communicates the clearest message?

We will run a full Protected Free Speech Slate-of-80 for 2025 NJ Assembly Election. We must start recruiting now. We must make a sincere plan to make sure we make it happen. We cannot fathom supporting NJ’s Democratic Party as it prepares for an all out war against NJ’s pro-Palestinian forces – this war will lead to state police and military violence against NJ residents and citizens – these laws the NJ Democrats are pushing are an open declaration of war against its own people – in defense of genocide and war crimes against Palestine. In effect, the Democrats are paving the way to bring the US-Israel genocide in Gaza to the streets of NJ.

So let’s make it clear: there will be many political consequences. Let’s start now in making a list of at least 80 NJ supporters of humanity, supporters of protection of free speech, including criticism of Israel and opposition to wanton slaughter and let’s make the plan to get them 100 signatures each to get on the ballots.

Democratic Party elected officials and their candidates (like their Republican counterparts) reap millions in donations from AIPAC and other pro-Israel lobby groups that push the agenda of arming Israel, financing Israel’s infrastructure, and conducting counter-insurgent operations against those who exercise protected free speech to oppose the slaughter being led by the Democratic Party (with Republicans in a support role).

In NJ this same party – its NJ leadership – is trying to make it illegal to oppose THEIR POLICY of voting to send OUR TAX DOLLARS to buy weapons to provide Israel to slaughter a largely unarmed people – 100’s slaughtered daily!

There is no ethical or moral way to support the Democratic Party coordinating a genocide or the Republican Party complicit in that very same genocide. This is especially true now that they are attempting to pass laws to escalate a vicious fascist crackdown against the nascent uprising – widely supported by diverse organizations uniting the movement organizations across NJ against US – Israeli genocide.

Let’s start this effort now – let’s start to identify those who might want to field a candidacy for the NJ Assembly position in 2025. It is not a commitment now – we aim to recruit more than are needed to think about it and then to whittle down who will participate in the Protected Free Speech Slate. Commitment to a political party would not be necessary but the slate will be independent from the Democratic Party. So Green Party, Socialist Party and other independents will be welcome to join the slate.

If you MIGHT be interested- -please complete the form below.

YES I MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN RUNNING FOR NJ ASSEMBLY IN 2025 TO PROTECT FREE SPEECH IN NJ FROM THE LEGISLATION SPONSORED BY NJ DEMOCRATS!

IT WOULD CERTAINLY DEPEND UPON AVAILABILITY, CAPACITY AND WHETHER THERE WAS ADEQUATE SUPPORT BUT I RECOGNIZE THAT THERE CAN BE NO SUPPORT FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY ASSEMBLY SLATE AFTER THEY DECLARE WAR ON PRO-PALESTINE AND PRO-HUMANITARIANS IN NJ!