Bob Brown Tries to Defend the Indefensible

Ron Boswell attacks Bob Brown for his disgraceful attempt to defend the anti-Semitic boycott of Max Brenner Chocolates because of their Jewish owners:

Today, Senator Bob Brown, in an attempt to defend the indefensible - the boycott and persecution of Max Brenner Chocolate stores - moved a motion in the Senate that: "the Senate upholds the democratic principle that consumers should be free to buy or not buy goods based on personal ethics."

Bob Brown’s proposed motion today follows the Greens refusal to support my motion on Thursday 18^th August, 2011 condemning the boycott of Max Brenner chocolate stores and all other Israeli companies.

The motion by the Greens was an attempt to hide what many Australians have come to realise that the Greens are moving further and further to the left, and that despite Senator Brown’s assurances, the truth is that the Greens support this blatantly anti-Semitic boycott.

The boycott of Max Brenner Chocolate shop and all other Israeli companies that manufacture and sell products to and within Israel as part of the Global Boycott Divestments and Sanctions (GBDS) must be condemned in the strongest terms.

Today, I successfully moved an amendment to Senator Brown’s motion by adding the following words to the Senator Brown’s motion:

“And that consumers should not be prevented from exercising that democratic principle to be free to buy or not to buy, by means of unlawful secondary boycott, intimidation or picket”

The amendment was carried on the voices on the floor with Senator Brown lacking the courage to divide.

Senator Brown should understand by now that when you are in a hole, you stop digging.  The original motion proposed by Bob Brown was a poor attempt to justify the boycotting and picketing of Max Brenner’s chocolate and coffee stores. 

With protesters planning to block potential customers from entering the Max Brenner store in Brisbane this Saturday, the 27^th August as part of an BDS orchestrated campaign, Senator Brown attempted today to give the protestors some form of moral justification for the boycott planned this weekend.

Since the arrival of the new Senators in July the party has pursued a socialist alliance agenda with Senator Brown fixated on Senator Rhiannon’s support for the global BDS campaign.

Despite Bob’s Brown saying that he is opposed to the boycott his refusal to vote for my two previous motions condemning the boycotts and his motion today attempting to justify the boycotts speaks volumes. Senator Brown is saying one thing to the press and doing another thing in the Parliament.

Ron Boswell is a Senator from Queensland, and the Father of the Senate. For previous Menzies House coverage of the BDS issue, click here to read Danielle Harris invite you to join a Brisbane Rally in support of Max Brenner, and here to read Adam McKee on the actions the Victorian Government have taken.

Comments

[SignedIn]

1.

"anti-Semitic boycott"

*cough*

This nonsense has to stop .. anti-Israel does not equal anti-semitic.
Grow up!

Unless of course you assert that Israeli and Jewish are the same thing!

[Emil]

2.

Are we in Australia or is this Nazi Germany in 1939?

[John]

3.

I wonder if Bob Brown would be so forgiving if I were to refuse to buy from a shop because I knew they supported the homosexual lobby?...

[Andy]

4.

Well done, Senator Boswell for successfully moving an amendment to Senator Brown’s anti-Israel motion.
The fact that Senator Brown didn’t have the ticker to divide the motion speaks volumes about him.
The greeno’s are digging a bigger hole for themselves and every time they target another Max Brenner chocolate store will further remind the public just how radical the Greens are.

[Richo]

5.

In case you didn't realise 75 per cent of Israel's population is Jewish. Considering the Greens and others seem oblivious to other human rights abuses in the Middle East (Syria anyone?) that are argubably far worse than anything Israel has ever done, I don't think it is too big a stretch to believe there is an anti-semitic tone to the protest.

[bluebell]

6.

They sell choccies online... :-)
Since I can't support them in person I will place an order of chocolates in support of their business.

http://www.maxbrenner.com.au/

[kraka]

7.

The Greens, as predicted by John Howard in the paperback version-will disintegrate. They'll be reduced to a couple of voices in the Senate within two elections. Australians are a predominately conservative bunch and these loonies don't fit in with mainstream Australia

[SignedIn]

8.

"Are we in Australia or is this Nazi Germany in 1939?"

Pretty sure we are in Australia in 2011, but you raise an interesting question.

Who else was herded into Concentration Camps along with Jews? Socialists/Communists. If this was Germany in 1939 many of these protesters would have found themselves persecuted by the Nazis.

[bluebell]

9.

The Nazis had socialist beliefs. They detained Communists yes, along with other groups they deemed sub human or perverted, even priests were detained in concentration camps.

[SignedIn]

10.

LoL now you think there is difference between socialist and communist?
ROFL!

[Anton]

11.

It is very difficult to discuss the Greens without invoking Godwin's law.

Yes, there is one difference between communists and socialists - they are spelt differently

[SignedIn]

12.

"Yes, there is one difference between communists and socialists - they are spelt differently"

So you imply they are the same?
Therefore they were persecuted by the fascists Nazis.