Divest MN from Apartheid Israel Now

Divest MN from Apartheid Israel Now

Speech given by Stephen Vizenor on December 18, 2023 at the Federal Building

Hello my name is Stephen Vizenor, I am a member of White Earth Nation and the Anti-war committee. I am here today to demand the state board of investments, to divest Minnesota pension and retirement funds from companies complicit In genocide and divest from apartheid Israel completely. 

I work for the city of Minneapolis and I am disgusted and enraged that my wage contributions to the Public employees retirement association – PERA for short- are used to fund the apartheid settler colony of Israel and fuel their genocide against Palestinians. 

Palestine has been under illegal occupation since 1947 and subjected to a legion of war crimes including, ethnic cleansing, collective punishment, intentional targeting of civilians, bombardment of hospitals, starvation of civilians, to name a few. Israel’s latest ongoing assault on Palestinians living in Gaza and the West Bank have resulted in over 25,000 killed, and rising. This is genocide in every conceivable way. 

As a city employee, 6.5% of my bi-weekly checks matched by 7.5% employer contributions go towards crimes against humanity. I have no choice but to contribute to the pension system, it is mandatory. I wish I could stop my contributions, so less capital could be used for killing. I don’t know one city employee who wants their pension contributions used to fund genocide, polls show the public does not support Israel’s occupation either. 

The Minnesota state board of investment funnels over 1 billion dollars into companies complicit in Israel’s apartheid regime. Millions invested into weapons manufacturers like Lockheed-Martin, Elbit systems, Raytheon and Millions more into Israeli banks and bonds. Hundreds of millions are invested in multinational companies that profit from the illegal occupation, theft of Palestinian land and resources and erasure of the people. 

Governor Walz and his board of investors choose to fund genocidal occupation, they choose to bloody their own hands, and in turn choose to bloody the hands of all public sector workers. The state board of investors has full control of all assets, they have the power to divest but they choose not to. Let’s help the board take the first step towards Palestinian right to self determination. 

The Boycott divestment and sanction campaign is pivotal and necessary for Palestinian liberation. If we stop the cash flow to weapons and apartheid, we help stop the illegal occupation. The BDS campaign has proved effective, it worked in the 80’s in apartheid South Africa, it will work now. Investing in Israel is not a safe investment, as apartheids always fall. Regimes of destruction are not where Minnesota should be investing our money. 

There will be no retirement for me until Palestine is free. From the River to the sea, Palestine will be free. Decolonize our Mother Earth, and land back to all indigenous people.