Several months ago when Neo Nazi’s showed up in downtown Berkeley, I snapped this photo… I watched folks march around downtown holding up hail Hitler signs and chanting racial epithets…When I first posted this and other photos, sadly I heard back from a lot of folks who are supposed to be progressive tell me we are supposed to be ‘tolerant’ and ‘open minded’ and hear what these racist folks have to say.. Dialogue is good.. Dialogue is essential..I was emphatically told
When this picture was taken we saw the normalization of racist rhetoric and hostile actions. Neo Nazi type folks were euphemistically called the Alt-Right..and anyone opposing them was demonized in the media and criminalized by elected officials..
We saw and heard similar sentiments echoed on network TV and throughout the political Halls of Power and the White House..
We saw white nationalists like Steve Bannons and Steve Millers be given mainstream platforms and cabinet positions with a President who referred to Haiti and African Nations as ‘Sh–hole countries..
We were told such hateful rhetoric wasn’t hateful and even if it was it was protected speech..
So here we are today and watching Democrats line up front and center to join Republican law makers to push through a bill that would make it a crime to criticize the anti apartheid style policies of Israel.. There is another bill that would make it a crime to support any sort of boycott of Israel…
That means if someone who disagrees with the way Israel mistreats Palestinians or African migrants and protest entertainers like Alicia Keys, Herbie Hancock, Asap Ferg or Kamal Washington who all came under fire for performing in Israel, then it would be in violation of US Law…
If any of those artists are asked by Israel to perform in Tel Aviv and they say; ‘Naw I don’t like the way you’re racist policies’, it would be in violation of the law..
Prominent figures like writer Alice Walker and singer Roger Waters, co-founder of the rock group Pink Flyod would be in violation of US Law for their advocacy work and public support of a boycott of Israel…
And keep in mind, these violations would be a FELONY… That’s right if you oppose Israeli policies it would be a felony with a 20 year prison sentence..Yes you read that right.. 20 year prison sentence..
Some of the key people leading the charge behind this are Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer, Senator Corey Booker and Sen. Benjamin Cardin who introduced the bill..They are trying to slip this law as an attachment into an end of year spending bill, so there will be no public debate…
So speaking against Israel policies would be a Felony, one might wonder if we as Black folks can get a law passed to make it a Felony if you speak ill of us or will we be told ‘Hate Speech is Free Speech and to be open minded…
Keep in mind NY’s police union tried to make a felony to speak bad about the police… Luckliy that was nixed, but if this Israeli bill passes, then that door may be wide open on a Federal level..
I would highly encourage folks to call every law maker you know and express your concern and opposition..