Journal of Other Forum Analysis

[kaleidoscopium]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/protests-at-columbia-university-continue-as-groups-on-both-sides-of-the-aisle-call-for-action-to-be-taken-university-shifts-to-hybrid-classes.851787/page-34?post=122994663#post-122994663

On the other hand, we had a handful of SJP members show up at our town meeting tonight to see if we could push for divestment to be represented on the ballot for this November. Well...it didn't go so well. When it came to the votes themselves, we got crushed pretty hard there. And there are far more Zionists in our college town than we've thought; this one old fart in particular mentioned how "God would punish America" if we pulled funding from Israel. Of course, all the boomers who hated us walked out while one of ours presented a list of reasons as to why we should pursue divestment. Fun stuff.

Safe to say that we're fighting an uphill battle here, guys. It's depressing but we're not stopping anytime soon.

Found it:
https://granicus_production_attachments.s3.amazonaws.com/cityblm/b693d0cb55e9245351c1d967e94606960.pdf

4. Public Policy Vote
Shall the following advisory question of public policy be placed on the ballot for submission to the voters in the City of Bloomington Township in McLean County, in the State of Illinois, for the November 5, 2024 election:

Shall the United States federal government and subordinate divisions stop giving military funding to Israel, which currently costs taxpayers 3.8 billion dollars a year, given Israel’s global recognition as an apartheid regime with a track record of human rights violations?

here: https://bloomingtoncitytownship.org/documents/


https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-05-14/citizen-petition-forces-city-of-bloomington-township-vote-on-israel-referendum

https://www.25newsnow.com/2024/05/15/another-effort-fails-include-pro-palestinian-referendum-november-election-ballots/

Those attending shot down the proposed referendum by an 88-28 vote.

Before the vote, 16 people spoke on the topic.

Those against the question asked why the attention was on the war in Israel and not any other war funded by U.S.

“It would’ve been okay to put this on the ballot if you included all the wars that the United States are in, including Ukraine, Iran, and all the other places the military is in,” one woman said.

Another woman said, “The question on this ballot does nothing to bring peace to the Middle East and only perpetuates the Islamic plans of clearing out Israel and the United States complicity in it.”

Those in support of the question repeatedly brought up how the U.S. has a democratic voting system and wanted to get an idea where people stand on the issue.

“To have this on the ballot would be a victory for democracy itself in Bloomington. To stand in the way of that is true cowardness,” one supporter said.

The electors’ action follows a similar defeat from the City of Peoria Township last month in which that township’s electors voted 93-67 against a similar referendum.

Wonder if we can find the full video