220: ALAA's Ceasefire Resolution and the Fallout From it: Part I w/Michael Letwin

Today, Hunter is joined by Michael Letwin, former President of ALAA 2325 and longtime Public Defender at the New York Legal Aid Society. Today's episode is part one of the two-part coverage of the ALAA 2325 Ceasefire in Gaza resolution. To understand the resolution fully requires us to fully understand the patterns, practices, and history of ALAA 2325 when it comes to speaking about international events. With this context in mind, hopefully those asking why ALAA 2325 would choose to issue a ceasefire resolution can understand how that is directly in line with their organizational ethics. Finally, Hunter makes his pitch for why Public Defender organizations should be speaking out about international affairs.     Guests: Michael Letwin, Former President ALAA 2325 and long time Public Defender   Resources: ALAA 2325 Resolution Calling for a Ceasefire in Gaza, an End to the Israeli Occupation of Palestine, and Support for Workers' Political Speech https://www.alaa.org/media-releases/resolution-calling-for-a-ceasefire-in-gaza-an-end-to-the-israeli-occupation-of-palestine-and-support-for-workers-political-speech Bronx Defenders Union Statement https://drive.google.com/file/d/15Hzyy_ufSJ9h8GjiYdg4eRKdGIUyikRE/view A Statement by Jewish Members of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys-UAW Local 2325 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MJDXr9nANDCtcV76fxYNwNsxNbru3MYu5hLkCC3KrLY/edit New York Legal Aid Society Response https://legalaidnyc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Statement-on-Resolution-from-ALAA-UAW-Local-2325.pdf Bronx Defenders Response https://www.bronxdefenders.org/the-bronx-defenders-response-to-its-unions-october-20-statement/ News Coverage of the Resolution https://theintercept.com/2023/11/17/public-defender-gaza-legal-aid-bronx-defenders/ https://www.huffpost.com/entry/association-legal-aid-attorneys-public-defenders-palestinian-israel-resolution_n_655d2541e4b0c91d8278efcd https://freespeechproject.georgetown.edu/tracker-entries/legal-aid-lawyers-approve-pro-palestinian-resolution-after-federal-judge-dissolves-state-court-order-preventing-vote/ https://nypost.com/2023/12/19/metro/legal-aid-union-approves-pro-hamas-antisemitic-resolution-calling-for-boycott-of-apartheid-jewish-state-critics-say/ https://www.nysun.com/article/congress-to-probe-legal-union-over-anti-israel-resolution-opposed-by-nearly-a-third-of-its-members https://nypost.com/2023/11/16/metro/legal-aid-society-denounces-unions-antisemitic-resolution/ https://inthesetimes.com/article/palestine-resolution-unions-court-blocked https://www.thefp.com/p/alaa-legal-aid-attorneys-antisemitism-congress https://edworkforce.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=410256  https://www.nyclu.org/en/press-releases/congressional-subpoena-over-pro-palestinian-speech-violates-free-speech-alleges  ALAA 2325 History of Anti War Votes and Comments https://alaa2325.wordpress.com/1999/03/26/history-of-the-association-of-legal-aid-attorneys-uaw-local-2325/ https://alaa2325.wordpress.com/2003/04/14/alaa-antiwar-vote/ https://alaa2325.wordpress.com/2009/09/15/2009-09-15-urgent-appeal-to-alaa-members-defend-free-speech-at-legal-aid/ https://alaa2325.wordpress.com/2014/07/29/2014-07-29-updated-signers-173-of-mass-free-speech-grievance/ https://alaa2325.wordpress.com/2023/12/19/adopted-resolution-calling-for-a-ceasefire-in-gaza-an-end-to-the-israeli-occupation-of-palestine-and-support-for-workers-political-speech-association-of-legal-aid-attorneys-united-auto-w/ https://labornotes.org/blogs/2021/08/bottom-labor-solidarity-palestine-growing https://laborforpalestine.net/2022/07/26/press-release-uaw-2325-association-of-legal-aid-attorneys-votes-to-divest-from-israel-bonds/ https://docs.google.com/document/u/1/d/e/2PACX-1vQzS8V0UkBAdiBRbaSasIvKuu45SjEuQKwXMxdMO92DZBn7QNhF2nWbKZI6ALAYoZfFkqpckIt1QMdW/pub https://laborforpalestine.net/2023/10/26/sf-public-defender-staff-in-solidarity-with-palestine/ https://therealnews.com/ny-court-blocks-union-from-voting-on-gaza-ceasefire-palestine-resolution-uaw-legal-aid https://laborforpalestine.net/2023/11/26/digest-of-select-statements-and-positions-on-matters-of-public-concern-by-the-association-of-legal-aid-attorneys-uaw-2325/ https://laborforpalestine.net/2023/12/06/uaw-labor-for-palestine-rank-and-file-welcomes-our-leaderships-pro-ceasefire-announcement-demands-that-the-international-uaw-endorse-palestinian-trade-union-call-for-boycott-divestment-and/ https://laborforpalestine.net/2023/12/15/statement-against-genocide-alameda-county-public-defenders-chapter-ifpte-local-21/ https://laborforpalestine.net/2023/12/20/even-in-the-face-of-management-interference-and-an-illegal-restraining-order-alaa-uaw-2325-membership-has-overwhelmingly-passed-apro-ceasefire-anti-occupation-resolution-uaw-2325-labor-for-palestin/ https://www.huffpost.com/entry/public-defender-union-cease-fire-resolution_n_65832a11e4b03e698a11c6d7   Contact Hunter Parnell:                                 [email protected]  Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast Twitter                                                                 @PDefenselessPod www.publicdefenseless.com  Subscribe to the Patron www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast  Donate on PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ Donate on Stripe https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN