#1249 Understanding Boycott, Divest, Sanctions (BDS)
Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy
Jay Tomlinson
4.5 • 3.4K Ratings
🗓️ 12 February 2019
⏱️ 88 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Air Date: 2/12/2019
Today we take a look at both the BDS movement and the backlash response to it resulting in firings and legislation in many states (and pending federally) to restrict employment and business opportunities from those who fail to pledge in writing to not support of the boycott of Israel
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SHOW NOTES
Ch. 1: Explaining BDS - The Katie Halper Show - Air Date 10-11-17
We speak to art critic and writer Kareem Estefan, co-editor of “Assuming Boycott: Resistance, Agency, and Cultural Production,” about Boycott, Divest, Sanction (BDS)
Legendary activist and scholar Angela Davis speaks out after the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute rescinded a human rights award for her, reportedly due to her activism for Palestinian rights.
Ali Abunimah discusses a leaked report from Creative Community for Peace (CCFP), a front for Israel government-backed lobby group StandWithUs, which admits the cultural boycott is "constantly growing" and "innovative."
Ch. 4: Josh Ruebner on BDS Bans - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 1-31-19
We’ll hear about so-called “anti-BDS” laws, and their context, from Josh Ruebner, policy director at the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights.
Twenty-six states have laws preventing state agencies from contracting with companies or individuals aligned with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. We speak with Glenn Greenwald, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist.
Ch. 6: Senators Sneak Amendment to Make Israel Boycott Illegal - @TheRealNews - Air Date 12-19-18
While Senators Cardin and Portman are trying to sneak a last-minute amendment into the budget bill to make BDS illegal - violating free speech - 26 states are also moving to make boycotts of Israel illegal. We speak to IPS’s Phyllis Bennis.
Tim discusses CNN’s firing of contributor Marc Lamont Hill (a former guest on the show), for comments he made in favor of full equality and justice for the Palestinian people.
Dr. Marc Lamont Hill joins Mehdi Hasan along with Lara Friedman, president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace who is a liberal supporter of Israel but also opposed to the criminalization of BDS.
Ch. 9: Does Israel Have A Right To Exist? - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date 05-18-18
In this Majority Report clip, we discuss the current state of Israel.
Tim discusses CNN’s firing of contributor Marc Lamont Hill (a former guest on the show), for comments he made in favor of full equality and justice for the Palestinian people.
FINAL COMMENTS
Ch. 11: Final comments introducing two bonus clips with critiques of the BDS movement
Bonus Clips:
Finkelstein says the goal of the Boycott, Divest and Sanctions campaign and the broader movement for Middle East peace should be to mobilize public opinion on what most already support: a two-state solution rooted in international law.
Finkelstein says the goal of the Boycott, Divest and Sanctions campaign and the broader movement for Middle East peace should be to mobilize public opinion on what most already support: a two-state solution rooted in international law.
MUSIC(Blue Dot Sessions):
- Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr
- O Holy Still - Vacant Distillery
- A Path Unwinding - K4
- Beast on the Soil - Desert Orchard
- Derailed - The Depot
- Cat's Eye - Marble Run
- PolyCoat - The Cabinetmaker
- Ferry Landing - Castro
- Sunday Lights - Onesuch Village
- Over the Fence - Delray
- Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent
- Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Today's episode is sponsored by Privacy.com, the totally free service that lets you buy |
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| 0:42.3 | And you can find that link in the show notes. |
| 0:44.6 | And now, welcome to this episode of the award-winning best of life podcast in which we shall learn |
| 0:49.1 | about both the Boycott Dive Sensions movement in support of Palestinian liberation, or BDS |
| 0:54.8 | for short, and the backlash response to it. |
| 0:58.3 | Clips today come from the Katie Helper Show, Democracy Now, The Real News, Counter-Spin, Speak |
| 1:04.5 | Out with Tim Wise, Deconstructed, and The Majority Report. |
| 1:10.2 | Can you talk a little bit about the book? |
| 1:18.5 | So our book is an anthology of essays by artist activists and scholars, and it started with |
| 1:23.6 | a series of seminars organized at the Vera List Center for Art and Politics at the |
| 1:27.1 | New School. |
| 1:28.8 | And that was with my co-editors, Laura Reichovich, who's the president of the Queens Museum, |
| 1:33.1 | and Karen Twoney, who directs the Vera List Center. |
... |
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