Letter to the Editor: Jeremy Moss Congressional Bid Raises Free Speech Concerns About U.S. Responsibility in Gaza Conflict
This letter responds to Pride Source’s May 8 coverage of Michigan State Sen. Jeremy Moss announcing his candidacy for Michigan’s 11th Congressional District. In that article, Moss discussed his viral confrontation with anti-LGBTQ+ Rep. Josh Schriver, his role in passing the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act amendment and his campaign platform focused on defending trans rights, reproductive healthcare, voting rights and economic issues including fighting price gouging. While Moss did not speak to us about the conflict in Gaza, one reader wrote to us questioning his past support for anti-BDS legislation.
Dear Editor,
We have certainly come a long way as a LGBTQ community in finally having an out candidate running for the U.S. congress. Mr. Moss mentions in your article that he will not allow people to inflict on our community, and he will be outspoken for people who do not have a voice in our community. His support of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, and statements that he will advocate for the concerns of all, Trans rights, abortion rights, voting rights, government transparency, price gouging and fundamental rights.
All of these are praiseworthy pursuits, I would say.
But there is something about Jeremy Moss that is contrary to all this advocacy for democracy he touts. I am talking about his assault on the sacred right of free speech that is enshrined in our constitution. I speak of bills signed on a New Year's Eve by then Governor RIck Snyder, A bill who one of its sponsors was Jeremy Moss. These are now Public Acts 526-527 of 2016, condemning national discrimination and the efforts of the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanctions movement (BDS). In effect, the legislation outlaw's business relations between public entities of the state of Michigan and companies that practice BDS policies.
This assault by the State of Michigan on companies who want to do the right thing as they see it and speak out about oppression, death and starvation of a people is troubling and, in my mind, unconstitutional.
Just ask the World Court, B'Tselem (Israel's Human Rights Organization), and Amnesty International who will all tell you that Israel is an apartheid state. The U.N. has told us there are 849 Israeli checkpoints in the occupied West Bank that the Indigenous Palestinians have to navigate. No freedom of movement for the Palestinians, they are subject to military laws not civilian and have no right of return to their land which most of them are refugees from. But white Ashkenazi Jews whose family never set foot in the Levant can come and settle with government help. This does not sound like a democracy to me.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has killed over 800 babies under the age of 1 year old. Gaza has the largest population of orphans now on the planet, more child amputees than any other place, 51,305 confirmed dead indigenous Palestinians, 17,400 of them children, 117,096 injured, and thousands missing and presumed dead under the ruble. Since Israel broke the ceasefire, they have killed an additional 1,928 indigenous Palestinians, 500 children and injured 4,683. Not to mention that Israel, since March 2, 2025, has stopped all food, water and medical supplies from entering Gaza, a war crime.
I think any company or person who has any humanity/empathy and who wants to practice BDS has an ethical and moral right to do so and should not be punished. In this country, I think it is called free speech and freedom of conscious.
Chuck Kesner, Royal Oak
We welcome your voice. Send letters to the editor at [email protected].
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