there’s a federal anti-boycott law? Then how were the left able to boycott north carolina when NC refused to allow pervert men to use women’s bathrooms?
Re. NC boycott: The anti boycott law only applies to international transactions.
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Our anti-boycott laws date to the mid 70s, nothing particularly new. They're the inverse of US boycotts. The US boycotts Cuba or Iran or South Africa, Americans and American firms are required to follow the boycott. Nothing to do with speach, you can praise the Ayatollahs and Castro all you want, just can't do business with them. The existing anti-boycott laws allow the Executive Branch, specifically the State Department, to declare a boycott by a foreign power to be against our interests, and criminalizing participation. The State Dept. opposed the Arab boycotts, so Americans and American firms can not formally participate. But they can criticize Israel all they want. And boycott Israeli products personally. Currently they're exploring ways to protect Taiwan. State has never listed BDS, which is why various states have passed their own bans. I've read the reason State has never banned BDS is that the law deals with boycotts by foreign states, and there is no palestinian state. Personally I think given their recognition by various UN agencies, it would be worth listing. If State or the administration opposed BDS. See if it describes court challenges. Or change the law, the issue has pretty strong bilateral support, though it's tough to get by the ability of a single Senator to hold a bill.
The Anti-Boycott Act is intended and designed to prevent boycotts that severely frustrate U.S. foreign policy.
Also, the Arab League boycott of Israel was different from any other boycott.
It was an ENFORCED boycott in which no one could do business with oil-rich Middle Eastern countries OR anyone else participating in the boycott unless they participate.
This is really an extension of Islamic Jihad which seeks to coerce the entire world to submit to the desert moon goddess Allah.
This was not a voluntary boycott like North Carolina.
This was if you don’t join us in boycotting Israel, then you are blackballed from doing business with any company participating in the boycott or the Arab League nations.
In fact, one of the hallmark features of the Arab League boycott was that every participant was required to demand that any potential business partner, supplier, vendor, etc., CERTIFY that it was also participating in the anti-Israel boycott.
So every participant in the boycott — whether countries or businesses — was sending inquiry letters or forms to countries not participating and demanding that they certify they would participate in the boycott.
One would not only agree to boycott Israel, but to boycott any other company not boycotting Israel.
But that was also how the Anti-Boycott Act weakened it.
The Anti-Boycott Act ordered any company receiving such an inquiry to immediately report it to the Office of Anti-Boycott compliance.
It is against the law to receive an inquiry and FAIL to report the inquiry.
This turned the thing on its head.
Any inquiry about participating in the boycott of Israel became a violation if not reported immediately.