Bills in the state Senate and House of Representatives that would amend the Illinois Pension Code to remove the requirement to include businesses that boycott Israel on its list of restricted companies for investment has become a topic of fierce discussion in Oak Park.
For Caren Van Slyke, one of the leaders of Oak Parkers for Free Speech, which supports the bills and is attempting to place an advisory referendum question about the matter on the village’s November election ballot, a change makes financial sense for Oak Park state pensioners.
She said those pensioners have lost millions due to the advent of the 2015 law under former Gov. Bruce Rauner that instituted the requirement to bar pension fund investment in companies that boycott or divest from Israel for any reason, including human rights concerns.
“If this law is repealed, our pension fund will be able to do what’s fiduciarily responsible,” Van Slyke said, adding her organization views the issue as a matter of free speech as outlined by a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision.
Not so fast, countered the Oak Park-based Jewish Community and Friends for Democracy.
In a series of prepared statements to Wednesday Journal, the organization said this debate should take place in Springfield, “where elected officials are accountable to their constituents.
“If supporters of this bill want to change state law, the appropriate path is to engage their members of the General Assembly,” it said, “not to collect signatures on Oak Park street corners.”
Township referendum voted down in April
On April 28, at Oak Park township’s annual town meeting, residents voted down 352 to 134 a non-binding referendum that asked if they supported the right of individuals and organizations, including state contractors, to boycott, divest and sanction Israel.
That should have been the end of the debate, said Rabbi Adir Glick from Temple Har Zion in River Forest, because there is a larger issue.
“There was a vote at the township which was clear,” Glick said. “Our community feels threatened by all of this.”
Van Slyke suggested there is more nuance to the issue. For one, the question for the village ballot would be different, focusing on whether the state of Illinois should repeal laws that ban state investment in businesses that boycott Israel.
“We want all of Oak Park to decide on a very specific issue, which is repealing this law and we’re using the village process,” she said.
To that end, Oak Parkers for Free Speech members are currently canvassing for signatures to file a petition for a referendum question by the required date of Aug. 3 for November’s mid-term election. Objections to the petition are due a week later, with village board approval, or not, to follow Aug. 17.
“The rule is that you have to get 8% of the voters who cast a vote in the last gubernatorial election,” Van Slyke said, noting in this case, that’s about 2,000 verified signatures that must be notarized.
Thus, the village board could face both a robust discussion and decision on a hot-button issue come late summer.
Village President Vicki Scaman said Monday that, “I don’t want to get ahead of the board discussion on it.
“It is strange to me that it exists … why there would be restrictions in the state law from 2015,” she said. “I am extremely supportive of democracy and listening to our voters. I always want to hear from our voters where their concerns are.”
“That is divisive”
The Jewish Community and Friends for Democracy noted in its remarks to the Journal that “the decision to rebrand and pursue a different procedural path may be legal, but it is difficult to characterize it as anything other than a do-over after losing a fair vote.
“That is divisive,” it said. “It disregards the wishes of the community that showed up, and it uses Oak Park as a vehicle for a pressure campaign that has nothing to do with local issues our township and village actually need to focus on.”
The organization also pointed to the fact that according to the Illinois Investment Policy Board, there are 27 firms that boycott Israel. That list includes familiar names like Adidas and Air Canada, along with multiple banks and investment firms.
“The free speech framing, in our view, conflates the First Amendment with institutional investment policy – and it obscures what this campaign is actually about, which is singling out one country and its citizens for economic pressure based on national origin.”
Dan Goldwin is chief public affairs officer for the Jewish United Fund in Chicago and worked with residents in Oak Park township to defeat its April 28 referendum question.
“We feel this is a fool’s errand and does not belong on the November (village) ballot,” Goldwin said, noting a supportive vote that would have no impact on state law. He also said that similar tactics are being deployed in 11 other municipalities around the state.
He echoed Glick’s concerns about local ramifications, especially in light of recent vandalism that included antisemitic language and imagery that occurred at the 327-329 Home Ave. property, currently being developed by 327 Home Ave., LLC.
“The incident at the private home last week is frightening,” Goldwin said. “This initiative does not bring people together. We all know the polarization in our country. As people get more riled up (with) the rhetoric, you’re splitting everyone into two camps.
“This initiative is a misplaced effort.”
Many faith traditions involved in effort
Van Slyke, who is Jewish, disagreed.
She said Oak Parkers for Free Speech includes those from many faith traditions, like Christians, Muslims and Jews.
“The one thing that is very important is, we see this as a unifying issue in our community, because all kinds of backgrounds are involved in this campaign.
“This is about our American right to free speech.”
The Jewish Community and Friends for Democracy contended that the petition drive for the referendum on the November village ballot is the local face of the national Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.
“BDS rejects the two-state solution and even opposes joint Palestinian-Israeli organizations working toward reconciliation,” it said. “Oak Parkers should know that this movement singles out Israeli citizens and institutions for boycott based on national origin, regardless of their politics or beliefs.”
Van Slyke said there is no such local affiliation with a national movement.
“What we’re linked to (is) historic boycott pressure that was successful in the move against apartheid,” she offered as an example. “Economic boycotts are part of the nation’s history. That’s what we’re connected to.”
As for where this issue is headed as summer bleeds into the fall, Oak Parkers for Free Speech member Jesse Bauer said he sees the issue being on the ballot and estimates that more than 90% of the people he’s talked to are supportive.
“I think some people are surprised or in disbelief that this law is on the books,” he said. “That is a very common response. “
What of the concerns of potential community division?
“I would say that claims of division are often weaponized to shut down change,” he said. “Those claims always happen in response to calls for justice and rights and progress. I’m obviously concerned about acrimony in the community, but I also feel this is a little bit of a trope. People always say that.
“This is what democracy looks like – engagement. We’re not looking to be divisive.”
Glick has a different point of view.
“My message to everyone is to check their biases,” he said. “People want to ride the vilification of Israel and broadcast it at village events and pass resolutions to vilify Israel, but there are consequences.
“Hate provokes hate. That will only lead to more attention and more hate between neighbors and friends of our beautiful village.”