Who Gives A Shit: Will You Vote For The Vote on Banning Co-op Products from Israel?

 photo by Park Slope Lens

It seems like only last summer we were arguing about arguing whether or not the Park Slope Food Co-op should ban all products imported from Israel. The B.D.S. (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement -- a global initiative to boycott Israeli companies -- has been knocking on the co-op's door since February of 2009, and has been called everything from anti-Semitic to, as super star lawyer Alan Dershowitz said, outright "bigotry."

Needless to say this is a hot topic that won't go quiety into that good night, especially since the Co-op and its members are ready to put their vote where their mouths have been for the last three years. But let's be clear, this isn't a vote for whether or not to actually ban Israeli products. This is a vote for whether or not to put the B.D.S. issue to a vote at a subsequent meeting. As I have written in previous posts, I am not a co-op member because they have too many rules and do shit like voting to put things to votes. Please refer to the quote below from the Wall Street Journal as a case-in-point:

The decision to introduce meat at an institution where organic and non organic products don't comingle was divisive. The green light to sell beer came only after two referendums spaced more than a decade apart. And a ban on bottled water took two years to push through.

The WSJ also reported that next month the co-op is expecting as many as 1,000 of its 15,000+ members to turn out for the vote. So many that the meeting will have to be held in the auditorium of the Brooklyn Technical High School in Fort Greene because it's usual meeting place is far too small (which BTW is a synagogue). 

A filmmaker who goes by the name Hima B started pushing for the co-op to endorse the B.D.S. because she, along with others like her, believe that economic pressure will force Israel to end their harsh sanctions against the Palestinians. She told the WSJ:

"The food co-op has a very long history of being involved in boycotting corporations and also countries or regions that have exploited or have had discriminatory practices. In that respect, this is totally consistent."

Still, others against the ban feel very differently. A group that has called itself "More Hummus Please" says that a BDS movement is not in keeping with the co-op's mission and is anti-Semitic. The group's founder, Barbara Mazor and member of the coop for 23 years, had this to say: 

I oppose BDS in general but I particularly oppose it for the food co-op because they are trying to impose a political point of view on an entire population that didn't get together for the sake of supporting political causes, but got together to save on food. 

And in the middle of this 3-year controversy are the co-op members who don't really care. Susan Choi-Hausman told the WSJ:

I guess I don't care that much about it. I don't really know anything about it. I pretty much shop here for the food and do my shift."

Completely confused or don't have an opinion? The PSFC members who support B.D.S. will hold two information sessions before the scheduled voting while the opposition group is holding a panel about the Israel/Palestinian conflict on March 4th and as the WSJ said, "is seeking donations for flyers."

So any of you FIPS'ters/ Co-op members voting next month? Any thoughts?