Why do you say that this is a free speech issue? The Supreme Court has ruled that economic boycotts are free speech. That's why the ACLU and other groups want to repeal the anti-boycott law.

Why does this referendum mention Israel? Because by Illinois law, the only country that businesses can't boycott is Israel. In fact, some countries have to be boycotted by Illinois law for human rights abuses including Russia, Sudan, Iran, and Belarus. Illinois should not ban investment in companies that boycott Israel for ethical and human rights violations - while it insists that companies do boycott other countries.

Why are you saying that this is about human rights? There are companies, such as Ben and Jerry’s, that refuse to do business in Israel or illegal Israeli settlements for either business reasons or because of human rights violations against Palestinians - in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. The Illinois anti-boycott law requires that Illinois does not invest in these companies or divest from them if already invested.

How will changing the law help Oak Parkers? Community members have a stake in overturning the anti-boycott law, and our state senators and representatives need to fulfill their obligation to state pensioners and future retirees. A fiscal analysis of the anti-boycott bill shows that companies that were excluded from investment in the Illinois pension fund have outperformed international benchmarks by 59 percentage points, costing Illinois pensioners, including Oak Parkers, approximately $149 million in foregone returns.

Does this referendum discriminate against anyone in Oak Park? This referendum is supported by a diverse range of Oak Park community members from all backgrounds, including Oak Park Jewish community members. As one local resident said, “American Jews know that we are safest when democracy is strengthened. At this horrific time in our country, Illinois can get on the right side of history by protecting all of our rights, consistently, without fear or favor.”

Referendum opponents say that this referendum discriminates against Jewish Oak Parkers. This charge misuses our community’s long-standing opposition to antisemitism and all forms of hatred to misrepresent the ballot initiative.  No one is served by conflating support for Israel with Jewish Oak Parkers. As the ACLU says, anti-boycott laws violate civil liberties; they do not prevent discrimination.

Prominent Chicago-area Jewish leaders like Daniel Biss, mayor of Evanston, and Marty Levine, former head of the Jewish Community Centers of Chicago for several decades, have written and spoken in favor of repealing the anti-boycott bill - whether or not they support boycotting Israel. In fact Biss originally voted for the bill, but now seeing its impact, said that he supports repealing it.