While a state appellate court considers an appeal of an overruled objection of an advisory referendum question for the Nov. 3 village ballot, a new group has sprung up to provide arguments why Oak Park village community members should vote no.
According to spokesman Mark Segal, Oak Park Neighbors United was recently formed when it became clear that the referendum question, “Should the state of Illinois repeal laws that ban state investment in businesses that boycott the state of Israel?” would appear on the ballot.
The grassroots organization’s website, oakparkneighborsunited.org, is unambiguous in its objective and its perceptions of the referendum question.
“Everyone in Oak Park deserves to feel like they belong,” it says. “Vote no!”
Segal, who has lived in the village for over 30 years, said the seed for the new organization was largely sown in April at Oak Park township’s annual town meeting, when residents voted down 352-134 a non-binding referendum that asked if they supported the right of individuals and organizations, including state contractors, to boycott, divest and sanction Israel.
“The genesis of Oak Park Neighbors United was when we had over 350 neighbors show up at the Oak Park Township to successfully oppose a very similar referendum being placed on the ballot,” he said. “This outpouring of passionate community engagement was the genesis of our group, which we formalized very quickly once the referendum question was certified for the November ballot.”
Segal said there are three reasons that the organization is against the referendum question, which was brought forth by the group Oak Parkers for Free Speech.
“We really think this referendum is ultimately discriminatory,” Segal said. “It calls out Oak Park Jewish neighbors and it is inconsistent with the Oak Park welcoming village ordinance that rejects discrimination based on national origin.
“The second is this has become a very divisive issue,” he went on. “It just makes no sense to have a referendum that addresses international conflicts in general and this one that pits neighbors against neighbors. What Oak Park does will have zero impact on the actual conflict.”
Segal said the third reason is that the referendum distracts from issues facing Oak Park, including zoning, affordable housing and healthcare issues exacerbated by the closing of West Suburban Hospital.
He added that he believes the specific issue of boycotting the state of Israel is part and parcel with the Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) Movement, which describes itself as “a Palestinian-led movement for freedom, justice and equality. BDS upholds the simple principle that Palestinians are entitled to the same rights as the rest of humanity.”
He also said there is local historical context on the issue. In 2024, the Oak Park-based group Committee for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel, called for a ceasefire of hostilities in Gaza. Over 1,500 signed a Change.org petition that year titled, “Pass an Oak Park permanent ceasefire resolution to save lives.” The petition was created by Caren Van Slyke, a leader in Oak Parkers for Free Speech, and founder and chair of the Committee for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel.
Oak Parkers for Free Speech has stated that, “Opponents claim the referendum is about Middle East policy. It is not. It is about an Illinois law that restricts the right to boycott, in violation of a unanimous 1982 Supreme Court decision that economic boycotts are protected free speech, and that directly impacts the pensions of current and retired Illinois state employees residing in Oak Park. These are issues for Oak Park voters – and we deserve to be heard.”
Once again, Segal’s reaction is unambiguous.
“First of all, I think to any outside observer, it’s clearly about the Middle East,” he said. “Why would they be putting so much focus on this? Secondly, on the pension item, they claim that it limits fund returns for Illinois pensions, but when asked, they simply provided no evidence to that.
“There is nothing about this law that restricts anyone’s right to free speech. It doesn’t affect anybody’s right to speak and boycott. I’d also emphasize that they claim it’s unconstitutional, (but) there has not been a lawsuit filed against this law.”
These issues are covered on the Myths vs. Facts page on the Oak Park Neighbors United website.
Segal said that the organization is planning educational outreach within the community between now and Nov. 3.