The June 23, 2026 Wednesday Journal printed my letter taking local leadership to task for not condemning an anti-Jewish act on Home Avenue. They have another opportunity. (“Stories, poetry and calls for boycott law repeal” Wednesday Journal July 7, 2026).
The WJ story reports on a fundraiser for Oak Parkers for Free Speech (OPFS), a sister organization of CJPIP, after the recent township vote about BDS was resoundingly defeated.
An organizer said, “There is a very small, very active, very organized group in our community” that worked to deny the Oak Park electorate a vote. He never said “Jews.” He didn’t have to, sounding like something from Nazi Germany, Communist USSR, or groups built on anti-Jewish hate.
The problem is OPFS and CJPIP. After 25 years of organizing, they only received 134 votes. Rather than taking responsibility, they resorted to blaming Jews, using coded language.
Their basic cause rests on shaky ground. OPFS claims “free speech,” yet you and I have the right to boycott, divest or sanction anything we want. Don’t want ketchup on your hot dog? No one can force you. What OPFS is doing is using the voters of Oak Park to try to force the State of Illinois to invest in 27 large foreign corporations with armies of lawyers and lobbyists. They don’t want to free all corporations on a “prohibited list,” just those allied with the Boycott, Divestment, Sanction” (BDS) campaign against Israel. Free speech for me but not for thee?
Ending the investment prohibition will not help Palestinians. No jobs will be created by these companies in the West Bank or Gaza. In fact, the BDS movement destroys jobs. In 2015, Sodastream, an Israeli company, closed its West Bank plant under BDS pressure. Some 400-500 Palestinians lost well paying jobs. The BDS community cheered, even though Palestinians lost dearly. They cheered because they thought they hurt Israelis.
I ask that you carefully consider, and reject what OPFS is asking, even if you signed their petition. And condemn bigoted speech, when you hear it, whether clear or coded.
Alan Peres
Oak Park