Minnesota Session Laws - 1983, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1983 

                        RESOLUTION 6--S.F.No. 863
 A resolution memorializing the President and Secretary 
of State of the United States to protest 
discrimination against Soviet Jews and seek an end to 
restrictions on their emigration. 
    WHEREAS, the current policies of the Union of Soviet 
Socialist Republics seeks to destroy the cultural and linguistic 
identity of Soviet Jews, in violation of the Soviet 
Constitution; and 
    WHEREAS, the Soviet government has pursued a policy that 
severely restricts the exercise of religion by Soviet Jews and 
other religious groups; and 
    WHEREAS, Soviet Jews have been the target of a systematic 
propaganda campaign in the Soviet press, and the victims of 
official discrimination in employment and higher education; and 
    WHEREAS, the Soviet Union has virtually halted emigration 
by Soviet Jews seeking the freedom to live their cultural and 
religious values; and 
    WHEREAS, the right to emigrate is contained in the 
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the right to family 
reunification is recognized by the signatories to the Helsinki 
Accords, including the Soviet Union; NOW, THEREFORE, 
    BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota 
that the policies of the government of the Union of Soviet 
Socialist Republics that discriminate against Jews are morally 
repugnant and a violation of basic human rights.  The President 
and the Secretary of State of the United States express in the 
strongest possible way the opposition of the United States 
government to these anti-Semitic policies and antireligious 
policies of the Soviet government and urge that government to 
end its restrictions on the emigration of Soviet Jews.  
    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State of the 
State of Minnesota is directed to forward certified copies of 
this memorial to the President and Secretary of State of the 
United States and to Minnesota's Senators and Representatives in 
Congress. 
    Approved June 7, 1983