Tennessee Becomes First State Ever to Condemn Boycott Movement against Israel

Sean Savage : Apr 22, 2015
NS.org – United With Israel

"With the current climate of increasing anti-Semitism, anti-Israel, and anti-Zionist campaigns, Tennesseans and all people of conscience should endorse public statements of support for our Jewish brethren living in Tennessee and pro-Israel students attending colleges and universities in our state." -Laurie Cardoza-Moore

(Nashville, TN)—Senate Joint Resolution 170, initially passed April 9 by the Tennessee Senate in a unanimous 30-0 vote, was approved by the Tennessee House of Representatives in an overwhelming 93-1 vote on Tuesday, with Democratic State Representative G.A. Hardaway the lone dissenter. (Photo via United With Israel)

The resolution, which is expected to be signed next week by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, declares that the BDS movement is "one of the main vehicles for spreading anti-Semitism and advocating the elimination of the Jewish state," adding that BDS activities in Tennessee "undermine the Jewish people's right to self-determination, which they are fulfilling in the State of Israel." (The BDS movement was started by Palestinian 'non-governmental organizations' in support of the Palestinian cause for "boycott, divestment and sanctions" against Israel, according to Wikipedia)

The bill was initiated by Laurie Cardoza-Moore, founder of the Christian Zionist group Proclaiming Justice to the Nations (PJTN). Cardoza-Moore worked local Jewish and Christian organizations to bring the resolution to the state legislature.

"With the current climate of increasing anti-Semitism, anti-Israel, and anti-Zionist campaigns, Tennesseans and all people of conscience should endorse public statements of support for our Jewish brethren living in Tennessee and pro-Israel students attending colleges and universities in our state," Cardoza-Moore said.

Joanne Bregman, a local Jewish activist and attorney who advocated for the resolution's passage, said that the Tennessee General Assembly's action could serve as a template for other US states to recognize the growing threats of the BDS movement and anti-Semitism. She added that the Christian-initiated bill should be a "wake-up call" for the Jewish community to be the ones "who need to fill the public information void" on BDS and anti-Semitism.