PROTECT FREEDOM OF SPEECH & YOUR RIGHT TO FREE EXPRESSION OF ECONOMIC ACTIVISM:: STOP California's AB 2844!

Protect free speech & economic activism: Help stop AB 2844! (Updated 5-3-16) CA Assembly bill AB 2844 attacks non-violent efforts to end Israel’s violations of international law and human rights including its occupation, illegal settlements, home demolitions, apartheid laws, and extrajudicial killings. The bill will be heard by the Assembly Appropriations Committee possibly as early as May 11th . TAKE ACTION NOW: Email and/or call your Assembly member & the Appropriations committee members and ask that they oppose AB 2844 and any other attempts to suppress economic or other non-violent activism that challenges the abuses of apartheid Israel. Contact information is below. Sample talking points: ● AB 2844 violates the First Amendment of the Constitution. ● AB 2844 seeks to penalize companies who choose not to do business with Israel as a means of suppressing those who oppose the Israeli government’s well-documented abuses. It would deny businesses the ability to make even economic decisions. In fact, the state of Illinois is now facing possible lawsuits from businesses due to similar legislation it has passed. ● Your state tax dollars should not be used to promote the Israeli government while it is engaged in egregious well-documented violations of human rights and international law. ● California legislators need to be on the right side of history and not be bullied by the Israel lobby to defend Israel’s abuses. ● Boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) are time-honored non-violent tactics that have been used by human rights advocates around the world to help bring about justice, including ending apartheid in South Africa and supporting the civil rights movement in this country. ● Contrary to the claims of AB 2844’s author, Assemblymember Richard Bloom, the tactics of BDS are NOT being used to “attack Jews” or “destroy the state of Israel” – they are being employed by those supporting Palestinian human rights to end Israel’s abuses. ● AB 2844 is an attempt to silence those many Jews, including Jewish Voice for Peace, and many others who support using BDS as a tool to end Israel’s occupation and other violations of Palestinian rights. Contact information: You can find your Assembly member here: http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov Here are emails for the Sacramento Area Assembly members: Kevin McCarty [email protected] Jim Cooper [email protected] Ken Cooley [email protected] Bill Dodd [email protected] Beth Gaines [email protected] Members of the Appropriations Committee – Click for phone numbers. Copy and paste these emails into your message Chair Lorena Gonzales [email protected] [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Copy and paste these staff emails into the cc: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Phone numbers for Appropriations Committee members Lorena S. Gonzalez (Chair) 916-319-2080 Frank Bigelow (Vice Chair) 916-319-2005 Richard Bloom (author AB 2844) 916-319-2050 Susan A. Bonilla 916-319-2014 Rob Bonta 916-319-2018 Ian C. Calderon 916-319-2057 Ling Ling Chang 916-319-2055 Tom Daly 916-319-2069 Susan Talamantes Eggman 916-319-2013 James Gallagher 916-319-2003 Eduardo Garcia 916-319-2056 Roger Hernández 916-319-2048 Chris R. Holden 916-319-2041 Brian W. Jones 916-319-2071 Jay Obernolte 916-319-2033 Bill Quirk 916-319-2020 Miguel Santiago 916-319-2053 Donald P. Wagner 916-319-2068 Shirley N. Weber 916-319-2079 Jim Wood 916-319-2002