Please join the Los Angeles Chapter of Movement for a Democratic Society (MDS) in launching a local boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign in support of the Palestinian people.
WHEN ? Saturday, October 14 , 2006 1 PM to 3 PM
WHERE ? United Teachers of Los Angeles Headquarters
3303 Wilshire Blvd ( 2 blocks west of Vermont )
Los Angeles, CA 90010
WHY ? To support the Palestinian people in their decades long struggle against Israeli aggression, dispossession and oppression . The Israeli government has systematically and continuously violated UN resolutions and international law in its treatment of the Palestinian people. When Israel was created in 1948, 75% of the Palestinians were forcibly dispossessed of their lands and forced into exile. Then in 1967, Israel illegally occupied Palestinian territories in the West Bank, Jordan Valley and Gaza. Palestinians within Israel are forced to live as third class citizens without civil rights and face legal, economic and social discrimination. Palestinians in the Occupied Territories fare even worse since Israel illegally subjects them to demolitions, closures, curfews and checkpoints ; extra-judicial detentions, kidnappings and assassinations ; military attacks against towns and camps ; racist , apartheid policies and programs. In addition, Israel continues to illegally seize Palestinian land and annex it to Israel and currently is constructing an immense concrete wall to protect illegal Israeli settlements and to isolate and divide Palestinian towns. Israel's apartheid and racist system of oppression closely resembles that which South Africa once had but which was eventually abolished in large part due to an international grassroots, activist movement to stop financial support of the regime. HOW ? A similar campaign to support the Palestinian people has been endorsed by over 150 organizations world-wide. We in Los Angeles can join this world-wide effort to bring justice to the Palestinian people through : Boycott ( not buying Israeli products/services and boycotting companies that are invested in Israel or Israeli owned companies with a presence in Los Angeles ) Divestment ( stopping capital investment by companies doing business in Israel and by stopping trade unions , local / state governments ,churches and universities from investing their pension / endowment funds in Israeli companies , US companies invested in Israel or companies supplying Israel with military weapons ) Sanctions ( working to end US government foreign and military aid to Israel and impose a trade embargo )
Meeting Sponsored by : Los Angeles Chapter of MDS
Meeting Endorsed by : Los Angeles Palestine Labor Solidarity Committee Cafe Intifada
Meeting Hosted by : UTLA Human Rights Committee
For More Info : Call Larry Lambert , MDS member , at 818-761-3320
UTLA is the United Teachers Los Angeles, the local union.
And this has exactly what to do with the pay, benefits, and working conditions of LA teachers?
Update, 10/6/06: This is interesting. I received the following press release in an email:
October 5, 2006 – United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) has decided to cancel the use of our building for a meeting sponsored by the Los Angeles Chapter of the Movement for a Democratic Society (MDS), scheduled to be held on October 14, 2006 at UTLA Headquarters, calling for a campaign to boycott Israel.
The following statement was made today by UTLA President A.J. Duffy:
“After conferring with the Chair of the Human Rights Committee, a number of its members and others, we have decided to pull the meeting scheduled by the Human Rights Committee.”
“While as educators and union members we encourage a respectful debate on the important issues of the day, this event has provoked very sharp feelings among our members and concerns that this meeting is inappropriate.”
“We believe that to proceed with this meeting will only polarize our union members and members of the community. No one benefits from further hostility on these issues. We would hope that people of good will with differing views on the Middle East and other issues will find the appropriate settings for these discussions.”
“The following actions have been taken by UTLA:
1. We have cancelled the UTLA location for this meeting.
2. We have deleted the link on the UTLA web site to the Human Rights Committee web site and the information on this event.
3. We will be reviewing our procedures for the request of use of our facilities by all UTLA Committees.” (all boldface mine--Darren)
Are you kidding me? They didn't know this was "inappropriate" before they started getting all those cards and letters? Of course they didn't. They were going to play the leftie game--and do it with teachers' money--until people turned up the heat on them a bit.
Disgusting.
Update, 10/13/06: But wait, there's more!
So-how do they think the many people that are Jewish are going to feel about attending Los Angeles public schools after a show of such solidarity with a group who has sworn to kill Jews? This is simply another attempt of the Green Party to use conventional and accepted political forums to advance their causes. I truly think the Greens have taken over most of the Democrat party infrastructure which accounts for the likes of Pelosi and company. Talk about gerrymandering, I bet those districts are drawn to make sure no more than 35% of the registered electorate is Republican, which wold insure Democrat or other parties winning time and again. So where are the protests about that underrepresented population? Maybe you guys could file and organize as a recognized philosophical minority.
ReplyDeleteOh Darren. Poor, poor Darren. You just don't understand. Can't see the forest instead of the trees. Sure, we COULD actually negotiate straight for pay, benefits, working conditions, etc., but that's so mundane, so ordinary. It's simply a Band-Aid. No, see, once we've solved the world's problems, eradicated poverty, ended racism and intolerance of any kind (well, except intolerance of our own, obviously superior ideology), then you'll understand. Once we have created the worker's paradise that we're destined to enjoy and are ruled by benevolent, Platonic Philosopher Kings, then teaching in your classroom will be a joy. The fact that you are so worried about your present pay and benefits proves just how shackled you are to the current archaic, primitive, oppressive, bourgeois, capitalistic plague infesting our planet and holding us all back. If only you could see the light-come out of the cave and focus on the real issues as we do.
ReplyDeleteOkay-sarcasm off.
Seriously though, can you get me a list of the businesses they're boycotting so I can throw a little extra patronage their way?
What exactly is this union? Is it the main union representing LA teachers, or is it one of many? Is it affiliated with the NEA or another national organization?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteI believe EllenK said "a group" of people who want to kill Jews. If you look at the founding documents of the current Palestinian government (Hamas), and the previous one (PLO), her statement is borne out. And you're an idiot for not recognizing it--probably intentionally, given the tenor of your comments lately.
As for the other questions, UTLA is the largest teachers union in LA--it may be the only one, but I'm not sure if the AFT/CFT has any presence in LA. UTLA is affiliated with the CTA and NEA. I don't have a list of the organizations they're fighting, but I'll post it if I find out.
The "UTLA Human Rights Committee" links to a websie with information on the campaign and meeting. Check out the domain name of this website.
ReplyDeleteThis "union" clearly has been taken over by the far left:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.uslaboragainstwar.org/article.php?id=3676
http://www.refuseandresist.org/mumia/2000/011700utla.html
One can only wonder how much of this garbage is making its way into LA classrooms?
Let me guess. You probably thought the PLO was a terrorist group, didn't you?
ReplyDeleteTne PLO was a terrorist group until Arafat croaked.
ReplyDeleteYes this is the main teacher's union for Los Angeles BUT it is not UTLA who had sponsored this meeting but an autonomous committee within UTLA who arranged for this meeting. The problem is that most people pay their union dues and expect the union to run without their input. Then a group of just a few people who want to be involved can step in and do what they want. It only takes a few to start a committee.
ReplyDeleteI prefer not to weigh in on the Israel controversy itself except to say that the union has overstepped its bounds getting involved with things far removed from educating Los Angeles students.