House passes bill to expand definition of antisemitism amid growing campus protests over Gaza war

aleph@lemm.ee to News@lemmy.world – 274 points –
House passes bill to expand definition of antisemitism amid growing campus protests over Gaza war
apnews.com

'If passed by the Senate and signed into law, the bill would broaden the legal definition of antisemitism to include the “targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity.'"

Pardon me, but what is this horseshit?

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For those who aren't aware, this bill aims to effectively enshrine into law the IHRA definition of antisemitism, which has been a controversial doctrine since its inception because critics say it unnecessarily curtails freedom of speech.

Hell, even the Zionist Anti-Defamation League say on their website that the IHRA definition is a guideline that should not be codified into law because it could be used to infringe the First Amendment:

ADL does not support the adoption and application of the IHRA Definition in a manner that would create new categories of legally prohibited speech that are subjected to either civil or criminal penalties – something we believe the First Amendment and principles of free speech would prevent.

This bill does very little that existing legislation does not already except have a chilling effect on freedom of speech on university campuses, and the fact that it got such widespread support from both Democrats and Republicans in the House is an absolute farce.

It's a terrible bill, but I feel fairly confident that this will not get through the Senate, so I'm not all that concerned about it. It's performative at best.

Cope, both dems and Republicans strongly support this and it will pass both house and senate and Biden will sign it.

Let's see the numbers for senate support. Or are you just being hopeful?

You know you fucked up when it's the ADL telling you your pro-Israel rhetoric has gone too far.