What’s The Definition Of Antisemitism? Congress Doesn’t Agree

A measure that would broaden nan meaning of antisemitism stalled successful Congress arsenic members statement its free reside implications. Republicans are trying to push nan Antisemitism Awareness Act done Congress for nan 2nd twelvemonth successful a row, but they person moreover little momentum this clip astir because nan assemblage protests that fueled nan 2024 support for nan enactment person simmered down. 

Supporters of nan measure said it’s basal to protect nan civilian authorities of Jewish students aft protests connected assemblage campuses successful 2024 near immoderate Jewish students emotion threatened aliases unsafe. 

“Chasing Jewish students into a room, pounding connected nan doorway and threatening them pinch unit is wrong. That is not free speech,” Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La, said. “Preventing a student from going to class, immoderate student, because of their belief aliases ethnicity, is wrong. That is not free speech. That is harassment, intimidation, and should not beryllium tolerated.” 

But opponents of nan measure warned it was excessively broad, saying that it would criminalize speech that criticizes Israel’s authorities aliases its policies, moreover if those criticisms aren’t hateful, utmost aliases belief successful nature. 

“One tin knock nan authorities of Israel, authorities of immoderate state connected world for their policies, and that does not make them antisemitic aliases hateful of nan group successful immoderate of those countries,” Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said. “The group of nan United States of America person nan correct to knock immoderate authorities connected world for their policies.” 

The bill, if enacted, would codify the definition of antisemitism adopted by nan International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance successful 2016. 

That meaning states: “Antisemitism is simply a definite cognition of Jews, which whitethorn beryllium expressed arsenic hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and beingness manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish aliases non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish organization institutions and belief facilities.”

But that definition, critics said, would criminalize free reside that has historically been protected. 

“In fact, if you look astatine Brandenburg vs. Ohio, nan operative lawsuit connected [the] First Amendment, each 1 of these things – nan First Amendment isn’t astir protecting bully speech. It protects moreover nan astir bad and vile speech,” Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said. “Brandenburg was a Nazi and an antisemite and he said horrible things. And nan First Amendment, Constitution and nan Supreme Court ruled that you tin opportunity unspeakable things. That’s unsocial astir our country.” 

The measure would besides adopt nan examples fixed by nan meaning arsenic nan charismatic ineligible guidance for prosecution nether nan Civil Rights Act. Those examples include: 

• Drawing comparisons of modern Israeli argumentation to that of nan Nazis. 
• Denying nan Jewish group their correct to self-determination. For example, claiming that nan beingness of a authorities of Israel is simply a racist endeavor.
• Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of nan authorities of Israel.

“It is not antisemitic to speak retired against nan extremist Israeli authorities for not allowing a azygous shipment of assistance to Gaza successful 2 months, 62 days and counting. It is not antisemitic. It is nan truth,” Sanders, who is Jewish, said. 

In May 2024, nan bill passed nan House pinch beardown bipartisan support successful nan aftermath of pro-Palestinian protests at assemblage campuses astir nan country. 

“I judge profoundly successful speech, successful free speech, but I besides judge that it’s really important that each students consciousness safe, and that students aren’t threatened pinch violence,” Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D- N.J., said successful May 2024. “And that’s been nan problem astatine a batch of these campuses correct now, is that students that I’ve met pinch don’t consciousness safe.” 

The Senate, which astatine nan clip was controlled by Democrats and then-Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., did not o.k. nan bill.

This clip around, it is stalled successful nan Senate again, moreover though nan precocious enclosure is now controlled by Republicans. In nan House, aggregate Democrats who supported it past twelvemonth opportunity they won’t ballot for it again.