BILLBOARD PRESS RELEASE - 8 June 2009

8 June 2009

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Rich Forer, 505-265-1898, rich_forer@yahoo.com
Mary Gossage, 505-246-0147, tethys.shore@gmail.com
Jeff Haas, 505-469-0714, jeffhhaas@aol.com


LAMAR OUTDOOR ADVERTISING BOWS TO PRESSURE TO SILENCE HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP PROTESTING U.S. MILITARY AID TO ISRAEL


On June 5 Lamar Outdoor Advertising rejected a compromise offered by the Coalition to Stop $30 Billion to Israel to reinstall billboards calling for an end to $30 Billion in U.S. taxpayer-funded military aid to Israel. Previously, on April 28, after three weeks of an eight week contract and under pressure from individuals and groups that support Israel’s continued occupation of Palestinian territory, Lamar pulled down all of the billboards that their graphics department had designed in cooperation with the Coalition.

On May 18 the Coalition and Lamar's corporate office agreed to a modified redesign of the billboards. Lamar rescinded that approval on May 26, 2009. Lamar’s explanation was that their switchboard had been inundated with phone calls demanding they refrain from putting the billboards back up (see original and redesigned billboard images attached). Lamar then unilaterally proposed another even more modified redesign that was unacceptable to the Coalition.

The Coalition believes the pressure exerted upon Lamar’s employees is part of a coordinated campaign to suppress the public’s right to be informed about the Israeli Government’s policies and actions against the Palestinians. These actions, which affect all Americans, include the recent invasion of the Gaza Strip in which over three hundred children were killed by an Israeli military that relied heavily on American made weapons. In contrast to the open debate about U.S.-Israel relations that occurs in much of the world, including Europe and even Israel, this level of censorship is all too common whenever somebody speaks out about Israel’s policies, the role of the U.S. in financing those policies and how, by doing so, the U.S. violates its own laws, specifically the Arms Export Control and Foreign Assistance Acts.

The Coalition’s fundamental goal is equal rights for both Palestinians and Israelis. To achieve that goal the Coalition seeks a more inclusive and balanced U.S. policy. To that end we call on all people who are concerned about human rights to contact Lamar’s corporate offices and respectfully request they put the billboards back up as agreed to on May 18.


Kevin P. Reilly, Jr., President and CEO
Lamar Outdoor Advertising - Corporate Office
Phone: (225) 926-1000
Email: twall@lamar.com
Mailing Address: P. O. Box 66338, Baton Rouge, LA 70896

We also ask that people contact their Congressional delegations to voice their opposition to any further U.S. military aid to Israel.


Coalition to Stop $30 Billion to Israel
Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico

Webpage: http://www.stop30billion.com
Blog: http://stop30billion.blogspot.com