LOS ANGELES.–Objecting to the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act passed by Congress May 1 [320-91], 693 Jewish college professors signed a letter saying the new definition eliminates Free Speech connected to Israel. College professors objected to using the International Holocaust Awareness Alliance [IHAA] definition of anti-Semitism, serving notice to certain members of Congress like Palestine-born Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) that they cannot continue to spew anti-Semitic hate speech and hide behind the First Amendment. “Criticism of the state of Israel, the Israeli government, policies of the Israeli government, or Zionist ideology is not—in and of itself—anti-Semitic,” reads the letter sent to Biden and Senate leaders. Whether the college professors see it or not, harping on Israeli policy or the right to Israel to exist at all is, in fact, a disguised form of anti-Semitism based on Israeli government policy.
Anti-Semitism Awareness Act attempts to restrict Free Speech by identifying the onerous nature of saying offensive things like, “from the river to the sea,” as cryptic expression used often by Tlaib, to call for the destruction of Israel. College professors don’t see how current criticism of Israeli policy, whether or Gaza, the West Bank, Golan Heights, Lebanon, etc. is actually a pretext for Jewish hatred. “We accordingly urge our political leaders to reject any effort to codify into federal law a definition of anti-Semitism that conflates anti-Semitism of the State of Israel,” read the professors’ letter. Professors are too busy splitting hairs to understand that by maintaining current definitions and policies it gives anti-Semitic lawbreakers a way out of prosecution for hate crimes. Broadening the definition to International Holocaust Awareness Alliance, stops members of Congress from crossing the line.
Calling anti-Semitism “a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews,” and says “Rhetorical and physical manifestation of anti-Semitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities,” covers the kind of acts seen escalating in recent years due to what’s happening in Israel or the Palestine territories. IHAA defines anti-Semitism as “calling for harming Jews in the name of radical ideology or an extremist view of religion and accusing Jewish individuals as inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust,” something that happens regularly today. Broadening the anti-Semitism definition serves notice to members of Congress and the clergy that routinely use anti-Semitic tropes in sermons for no reason other than spreading anti-Semitic tropes and stereotypes.
When it comes to American Jews, who’ve lived in the U.S. since Colonial Times, there simply no excuse for pro-Palestine demonstrates to equate a legitimate religion with Zionism or the recognition and promotion of a Jewish homeland in the Middle East. When it comes the recent pro-Palestine protests on college campuses, it deliberately intimidates Jewish students not for their stand of Zionism or Israel but because in the U.S. they chose to identify or practice the Jewish faith. Pro-Palestine protesters or anarchists in general need new guidelines for expressing hatred toward Jews in the U.S. or abroad. “Anti-Semitism is wrong, but this legislation is written without regard to the Constitution, common sense, or even a common understanding of the meaning of the words,” said Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fl.). Purists don’t want a new definition to determine a hate crime.
When the Senate takes up the bill, it should have the approval of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) who knows that anti-Semitism has gone viral in recent years requiring a new definition for hate speech. Anti-Semites like Tlaib, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Mich.) or Rep. Ayanna Presley (D-Mass.) often use anti-Semitic tropes, stereotypes and insults when their speech should be restricted as hate speech. Using the International Holocaust Awareness Alliance would give guidance to anti-Semites who like to cross the line when it comes to Jews but show hypersensitivity to any speech derogatory of Blacks, Latinos or Native Americans. Squad members should follow the same Free Speech restrictions applied to all Americans as they do to Jews, even though Jews aren’t considered a minority per se.
President Joe Biden, 81, speaking on Holocaust Remembrance Day, showed he backs the new Anti-Semistism Awareness Act, saying too many anti-Semitic acts are ignored by members of Congress and others. “My commitment to the safety of the Jewish people, the security of Israel and its right to exist as an independent Jewish State is ironclad, even when we disagree,” Biden said on Holocaust Remembrance Day. Biden pointed out that on seven month since the Hamas atrocity, raping, torturing and murdering 1,200 Israelis and seizing 250 hostages, people have already forgotten what happened on Oct. 7. Biden wants the anti-Semitism to stop in the United States, saying it has no place under America’s doctrine of religious freedom. Yet under current laws governing anti-Semitism there are too many loopholes to give anti-Semites as way to escape hate current laws outlawing hate speech.
About he Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
