AR19: Resolution Text

LRB-4212/1

CMH:klm

2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE

2023 Assembly RESOLUTION 19

November 7, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives Murphy, S. Johnson, Armstrong, Bodden, Brandtjen, Dittrich, Donovan, Goeben, Gundrum, Maxey, Michalski, O'Connor, Rettinger and Schraa. Referred to Committee on Rules.

AR19,1,2 Relating to: condemning the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement and condemning the increasing incidents of anti-Semitism.

AR19,1,4 Whereas, the citizens of Wisconsin have a history of standing against bigotry, oppression, discrimination, and injustice; and

AR19,1,6 Whereas, the State of Wisconsin and Israel have a long history of friendship and are great allies in support of each other's interests; and

AR19,1,8 Whereas, the State of Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, is the greatest friend and ally of the United States in the Middle East; and

AR19,1,12 Whereas, Wisconsin is committed to increasing the ties and interactions in business, government, the arts, culture, and education between the State of Wisconsin and the State of Israel, further strengthening the historic ties between our state and that country; and

AR19,1,14 Whereas, ties between Wisconsin's and Israel's academic, research, business, and nonprofit communities are both robust and longstanding; and

AR19,2,4 Whereas, the elected representatives of Wisconsin recognize the importance of expressing their unabridged support for the Jewish people and the State of Israel's right to exist and thrive, and their unabridged support for Israel's right of self-defense; and

AR19,2,7 Whereas, there are increasing incidents of anti-Semitism around the world, including across the United States and in Wisconsin, including the desecration of Jewish religious sites; and

AR19,2,10 Whereas, the international Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement is one of the main vehicles for legitimizing anti-Semitism on campus and advocating for the elimination of the Jewish State; and

AR19,2,16 Whereas, anti-Israel activities and activities promoting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement against Israel are widespread in the State of Wisconsin, including on several university campuses and in other Wisconsin communities, and contribute to anti-Semitic and anti-Zionistic propaganda and threats to both American and Israeli Jewish students, and result in deliberate interference with the learning environment of all students; and

AR19,2,21 Whereas, the dramatic increase in Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions campaign activities on college campuses around the country has resulted in increased animosity and intimidation against Jewish students, negatively impacting student programming of vital importance to all American students related to the State of Israel and politics in the Middle East; and

AR19,3,4 Whereas, leaders of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement say their goal is to eliminate Israel as the home of the Jewish people, and signs and messaging at anti-Israel rallies have adopted the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement's theme slogan, “Palestine forever, Israel Never Ever," meaning that the State of Israel would cease to exist, falsely denying the Jewish people's and Israel's historical connection to its ancient home in the Land of Israel, including the present day State of Israel and Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, which were the heartland of the ancient nations of Israel and Judah; and

AR19,3,10 Whereas, Wisconsin's elected representatives who defend the inalienable right to free speech understand that the goals and activities of Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions campaigns in Wisconsin are harmful to the state's relationships with Wisconsin's Jewish citizens, with Wisconsin's non-Jewish citizens who support the State of Israel and the Jewish people, and with the Jewish homeland, Israel, and have a deleterious impact on the educational environment; and

AR19,3,14 Whereas, the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions campaign's call for academic boycotts has been condemned by many of our nation's largest academic associations, over 250 university presidents, and many other leading scholars as a violation of the bedrock principle of academic freedom; now therefore be it

AR19,3,19 Resolved by the assembly, That the members of the Assembly condemn the international Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement and its activities in Wisconsin for legitimizing anti-Semitism and for seeking to undermine the Jewish people's right to self-determination, which they are fulfilling in the State of Israel; and, be it further

AR19,3,24 Resolved, That the members of the Assembly condemn activities that contribute directly or indirectly to the denial, violation, or delegitimization of any people's academic freedom, including, but not limited to, promotion of academic boycotts by the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement against Israel; and, be it further

AR19,4,5 Resolved, That the members of the Assembly consider the international Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement and its agenda inherently antithetical and deeply damaging to the causes of peace, justice, equality, democracy, and human rights for all peoples in the Middle East and in the United States; and, be it further

AR19,4,10 Resolved, That the members of the Assembly reaffirm our support for the State of Israel, recognize that the Jewish people are indigenous to the land of Israel, condemn all attacks on the people of Israel, support Israel's right to engage in lawful acts of self-defense, and oppose all attempts to deny the legitimacy of Israel as a sovereign state; and, be it further

AR19,4,15 Resolved, That the members of the Assembly reaffirm our position that the trustees, administrators, and educators at all levels in our universities in Wisconsin must take an active stand against all anti-Semitic actions and intimidation taken against Jewish students on their campuses, whereby all students may feel safe, and be safe, from harm due to these pernicious activities; and, be it further

AR19,4,23 Resolved, That the members of the Assembly encourage and support the exercise of free speech and civil debate, particularly on college campuses, and further encourage university and college administrations to curb any impediments to free speech and any abridgment of free speech on campus by any individuals or groups, and urge them to take disciplinary action against all students, faculty, and administrators who engage in actions that abridge free speech on campus in violation of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States; and, be it further

AR19,5,5 Resolved, That the Assembly Chief Clerk transmit authenticated copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, the Speaker and Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, the President and Secretary of the U.S. Senate, the Chancellor of Higher Education and each member of the Wisconsin Board of Regents, the provosts and chairpersons of the boards of trustees of all Wisconsin public and private colleges and universities, and the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., for transmission to the proper authorities in the State of Israel.

AR19,5,6 (End)