The Humboldt County Human Rights Commission (HCHRC) Reacts to Billboards South of Arcata.
The first billboard was put up in early February. [Photo by Ryan Hutson]
In recent weeks two billboards have appeared just south of Arcata, facing the southbound lanes of 101. These billboards have appeared to support a Zionistic approach to the world and have upset a number of residents in the area, It is not the goal of the Human Rights Commission to enter into a debate on the merits of the billboards, but to explain our purpose and goals. We hope to build harmony and the ability to vigorously debate issues without hate or malice.
The Commission is obliged to engage with the County of Humboldt and other governmental entities on behalf of underserved groups and individuals who may be affected by the policies of local government. We are not in the business of monitoring the speech rights of the client (who paid for the signs) or the rights of property owners (the sign company). We have received considerable feedback regarding both, but can see little appropriate action we can or should take.
The Commission encourages debate on the issues of the day. We encourage neighbors to respect the rights and voices of anyone with an opinion. We do not support disrespectful words or actions toward anyone, no matter how tempting that might be. We encourage the community to engage with the Commission if there is a concrete way for us to contribute to discourse in the community and to protect the rights of all our residents
Earlier:
- Crowdfunded Pro-Zionist Billboard Rises in Arcata, Critics Say It’s Provocative
- Pro-Zionist Billboard in Arcata Torn Down Overnight
- New Pro-Israel Billboard Replaces Vandalized Sign on Highway 101
- Sign Wars: the Pro-Israel Billboard Near Arcata Has Been Vandalized Again
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To tell the truth I think people were trying to turn this into something bigger than it was.
Vandalism and a tagger not some anti-Jewish plot is all it amounts to. Happens all over. The billboard was just an easy target.
If that was pro hamas you wouldn’t sit on your ass. Even though freedom ofsech protects that to. County of dumb hicks with double standards.
Who is leasing that sign? You wore out your welcome around here
Now there’s a problem- thinking pro Hamas is the other side of the coin to pro Israel. Hello? Even a county of dumb hicks knows the difference.
I’m glad that freedom of speech is still alive in Humboldt at least. It shows the quality of local leadership at the county level. In most places, you can’t even say Zionist, you’ll be censored or even risk losing your job. People have a right to their religion and to be themselves, that’s why the Quakers came here from Europe in the first place. Yeah those shaky people seem odd by today’s standards but who am I to judge them. If they were still around today I’m pretty certain they would agree with this billboard.
$40,000 and you can make a religious statement. That is not freedom of speech. That is BUYING public speech. Big difference!
The billboard messages are political statements; not religious.
And Savage Pete might be surprised to know the Quakers are still around and are generally critical of Zionism and instead call for respecting the rights of the Palestinians.
The saying….. “Talk is Cheap.”
I’m pretty sure that these kids could pool together one week’s worth of the money they spend at the dispensary and at Target for hair dye and instead use it to rent a billboard, but that would require actually doing something besides getting high and whining. Speech is free, but some people’s speech is weak. If you want to see a real leader talk, look at Netanyahu. When he speaks, the world listens, even the presidents of the USA.
The debate seems to ignore the attacks and rockets being directed at Israel. These attacks increase 100 fold after the obama and biden administrations gave money to Iran. The billions were then used to fund a war at Israel.
”vigorously debate issues without hate or malice.” My ass. You all just want to preach hate at Israel.
Pretty sure this $40,000 sign is generating more hate at Jews than anything around here lately….No I’m not saying it should but I hear that it is
and I’m fairly certain that this 40K, along with the discourse in our community, is benefiting the billboard owner and their banner installation teams. Is this worth it to pad your pockets and see folks act like this?
They already got paid the $40k so their business is done, the pockets are already padded. Also, billboard advertising requires about zero work to be effective other than to pay a couple people to install them. Plenty of sign companies out there that will also create and install literally anything you want for a price.
Some less controversial yet very effective examples. #15 is behind the groups that put up the Support Gaza (I said, Gaza, not Hamas) billboards that occupy some of the very billboards that this one in the article has across the country. L.A. in particular.
Are you proposing that the best way to discuss this is to compare the level of munitions, and paint the effect of those munitions, that the two sides launch at each other?
So this “Human Rights” council approved of billboards as freedom of speech?! Freedom of speech if you have an extra $40,000 I guess. And if you do then you can push a racist statement. But if you’re poor then you’re shit out of luck and you don’t get to have freedom of speech via billboard. Wow. We have entered upside-down land of Ill logic as promoted by a group claiming to protect freedom of speech yet lined up behind the rich people. Great going you sell-out wafflers, you meekest of compromisers trying to appease and lull us all back to sleep with your kumbaya preachiness. I see you now…You like the rich people. You justify the wealthy. You pretend otherwise….
Typical of political activists. Complete panic sets in when someone with a bigger sign shows up.
Situation similar to what is commonly expounded about guys with grow dozers.
Do you really see that as the dichotomy? Rich people versus poor? Isn’t that just a rephrasing of the old Jewish International Cabal trope? Hmm…
Like they said, it’s not their job to police the content. That’s antithesis of their mission goals, which is promoting and protecting the right to do so.
Also, money talks, BS walks.
“We hope to build harmony and the ability to vigorously debate issues without hate or malice”. Well said Human Rights Commission members. Thank you!
The Commission needs to roll up their sleeves, double down and proactively seek inputs on commonalities among all the stakeholders, across the spectrum, and explore opportunities to vigorously integrate harmonious concepts.
Stake holders? In the Israeli Palestinian conflict? The trouble is that there are few stake holders locally on either side. Maybe a few dual citizens but mostly it’s just a lot of posturing involving irrationally self identifying with others. People wanting to condemn US history by asserting identity with Palestinians verus those wanting to condemn the world history of antisemitism by asserting identity with Israel. Most people are caught between the irrationality both.
The statement by the HRC is very neutral, even bland — so it’s amazing the way it’s being denounced as if it was taking sides — the other surprising thing is that anyone thought the billboard was a topic the HRC should investigate or has the power to do anything about — to their credit HRC has decided to stay out of it unless someone can suggest a constructive way for them to participate in the debate.
>”Humboldt County Human Rights Commission”
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Who are those people ? Did anybody vote for ’em ?
For comparative reference, here is a screenshot of the current replacement sign, copied from a previous RHBB article…
Why exactly the message was changed on replacement sign, remains unclear…
Because Israel’s pager bombs, and violating ceasefire agreements, would mean that it’s false advertising
Because calling someone Zionist has become a way of distancing from its hard-to‐ separate antisemitism by Pro Palestinians movement. The reality is that zionism is a euphemism as used by Arab Palestinians when they really mean anti Jew the same as Israel does when they refer to terrorists when they mean gentile. Both want the same thing- everyone not themselves to be eliminated. And that has been the goal for thousands of years. And apparently an insurmountable human condition.
A zionist is someone who advocates for an independent Jewish state where Jews can live in safety. Seems responsible not hate speech.
The enduring problem is the longed for “independent Jewish state” was created by a systemic campaign of terror, armed conquest and ethnic cleansing to drive out the indigenous Arab majority — this is the incontrovertible truth that Israel refuses to acknowledge or redress.
At least the religious Zionist’s are forthright enough to justify the oppression, expulsion and murder of Palestinians by claiming that God have them the land with a command to destroy anyone who stood in their way.
Then there’s this – https://www.alislam.org/articles/why-does-quran-say-that-infidels-should-be-killed/
Even in this very disingenuous pro Islamic rationalization, it is clear that Islam and Zionism share pretty similar ideas about how people should be treated if they are “others.” It’s comes down to what is ours is not yours in any part for both sides. And is why one sided blame will never produce anything better than what is currently happening. Both need to change and good luck with that.
In the Human Rights Commission’s considered opinion the “billboards have appeared to support a Zionistic approach to the world ….” I say “considered” because in order to turn the defiant passion of “Call Me a Zionist; It Only Makes Me Prouder” into a liberally tone-correct “appeared to support a Zionist approach,” the HRC shows it is being considerate to the “Zionist approach to the world” and thereby diminishes the opposition to Zionist Genocide.
The ICC and ICJ have determined that Israel and members of its War Cabinet are engaging in War Crimes and Genocide of the Palestinians in Gaza. The people in Humboldt County have shown that we oppose it. The HCR needs to support this moral stance instead of diluting it through its tone-washing of blatant Zionist hubris.
I do understand their resistance to do so. AIPAC and other members of the Zionist lobby use their immense wealth to pressure, intimidate, slander and bribe/lobby adherence to their cause. Pro-Palestine students are being expelled, threatened with deportation; professors are being fired; Zionist thugs have attacked pro-Palestine activists; Israeli counter-intelligence propaganda—hasbara—is rampant in all forms of media, including these billboards.
However, rather than complacently being complicit with the “Zionist approach to the world,” with its not-so subtle justification for Genocide, I urge the HRC to more faithfully honor its stated goal of promoting “vigorous debate” by forthrightly acknowledging that the Zionist glorification of the Israeli War Crime of Genocide is morally repugnant and deserves to be castigated.
Double down and get a bigger sign. $40K is a drop in the bucket compared to the paid protests across this country.