A federal judge ruled last week that the Texas law prohibiting government contractors from boycotting Israel is unconstitutional.
"At the heart of the First Amendment lies the principle that each person should decide for him or herself the ideas and beliefs deserving of expression, consideration and adherence," said U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman.
"Our political system and cultural life rest upon this ideal," Pitman said in his opinion.
He added that "the purpose behind the Bill of Rights, and of the First Amendment in particular" is "to protect unpopular individuals from retaliation – and their ideas from suppression – at the hands of an intolerant society."
The judge rejected the state's motion to dismiss several lawsuits and tentatively halted the state from enforcing the 2017 law.
The Texas legislature passed legislation a few weeks ago to modify the anti-BDS law that, if enacted, would exempt individuals and smaller companies, specifically those with less than 10 full-time employees or valued under $100,000.
This article is reprinted with permission from JNS.org.
