Like many Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaigns around the world, MN BBC is now under attack for taking a stand against Israeli injustices. However, these empty accusations and hostilities only demonstrate how effective our work is. People are certainly talking! Please keep reading to find out more and what you can do.

Since 2009, the MN Break the Bonds Campaign (MN BBC) has collected nearly 2,000 postcards filled out by constituents from all over the state of Minnesota, with the intention of passing on the postcards to those supporters’ correct legislators.

These cards state:

“We the people of Minnesota have the moral obligation to make sound investments that do not oppress others. Minnesota’s investment in Israel supports Israel’s apartheid system which has caused thousands of civilian deaths, including children and widespread human rights violations. This system defies rulings by the International Court of Justice, more than 65 UN Resolutions and the Fourth Geneva Convention. As our representative, please help us break economic ties with Israel’s apartheid system.”

During this 2011 legislative session, MN BBC has been delivering these postcards to the appropriate legislators.

The postcards were designed to send to both state senators and state representatives.  If a MN Break the Bonds member submitted contact information on only one card, another card was prepared for them by MN BBC volunteers so that both of their state office holders would be able to be contacted equally.

Now, some state legislators are using these hand-duplicated postcards to call into question the integrity of MN Break the Bonds and to try to discredit our organization. In addition, MN Break the Bonds has been accused of fabricating names and addresses on the postcards that legislators are receiving. MN Break the Bonds categorically denies these outrageous allegations and stands behind each and every postcard. These attacks are designed to distract from the real concern that MN BBC has raised, which is the fact that Minnesota’s investments in Israel perpetuate human rights abuses.

We call on all our members, as well as current and future postcard senders, to join us in letting our legislators know we are serious, to not allow these false allegations to continue, that we must concentrate on the real issues at hand and that we will continue to not stand by while our money is used to perpetuate apartheid.

Actions you can take:

• Please take a moment to send this very important email to both your state representative and senator: http://bit.ly/hQMwGm. Share this link and ask your friends to send a message too!
  
• If you do not live in Minnesota, please sign our online petition: http://bit.ly/h2feCa

• Join MN BBC’s Day on the Hill! For more information: http://bit.ly/hxgELv

Lastly, Check out the update here about MN BBC’s meeting with the MN State Board of Investments (SBI): http://mn.breakthebonds.org/?p=1325

Stay in Touch and Help Spread the Word. MN BBC is under attack and things are heating up. The time is now to continue building together to challenge our state’s support (via our money) of Israel’s Apartheid.

Thank you!

Photo: elev8.com