Colorado House Bill 1284, which recently passed the House, would require the Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) to divest any funds from companies that abide by boycott, divestment or sanctions (BDS) campaigns related to Israeli human rights abuses. Not only does the bill dictate how PERA is allowed to spend its money, but its board would be forced to take a side on a foreign policy issue that does not affect it.
Thousands of Colorado residents rely on PERA for retirement and this bill threatens how their money is invested without giving them input.
This bill would also have a chilling effect on activism. Boycott is a First Amendment-protected right and is a nonviolent means to bring about political change. BDS is a peaceful movement started by Palestinians that seeks to address the injustices they face using economic pressure so that both Palestinian and Israeli peoples can live in peace, freedom and equality.
We strongly encourage the Senate to reject this infringement of constitutional rights.
Abby Harms, Denver
The writer is a founder of the Front Range chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace.
This letter was published in the March 6 edition.
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