Wednesday, 21 April 2021
10am PT, 1pm ET (US, Canada) / 5pm UTC / 8pm Palestine
Our right to protest injustice is under attack.
According to the U.S. Supreme Court, boycotts are protected by the right to free speech in the First Amendment to the U.S. constitution. But in recent years, the Israel Lobby in the United States, which includes Christian Zionist groups, has succeeded in passing so-called "anti-BDS" laws in 30 states that would limit our right to protest injustice against Palestinians through economic means. These laws punish, penalize or stigmatize Americans who boycott or divest to express their opposition to Israel's violations of Palestinian human rights. A number of these states' laws have already been overturned following court challenges - after all, these laws clearly violate the U.S. constitution. Boycotts have been used for decades by our denomination and other faith-based and civil society groups. In fact, our church has called for a global boycott of products from the illegal Israeli settlements. On April 21st, our special guest Meera Shah, Senior Staff Attorney for Palestine Legal, will update us about their work to defend our right to boycott. She will be joined by a panel of UMKR activists from across the US who have worked to oppose these laws within their states.  Above: See Palestine Legal's interactive website to learn more about legislation targeting advocacy for Palestinian rights, what is happening in each state: https://legislation.palestinelegal.org/  Meera Shah oversees Palestine Legal’s advocacy work on free speech, academic freedom, and the right to boycott. An attorney in New York City, she has devoted her career to advancing human rights and social justice for marginalized communities. Before law school, she spent two years living in Palestine, studying Arabic and working as a journalist during the Second Intifada.
Join us to get the latest developments in this ongoing struggle for free speech, and learn how we can oppose and reverse these laws. | 
