- cross-posted to:
- politics@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- politics@lemmy.world
The United States House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed a bill that would expand the federal definition of anti-Semitism, despite opposition from civil liberties groups.
The bill passed the House on Wednesday by a margin of 320 to 91, and it is largely seen as a reaction to the ongoing antiwar protests unfolding on US university campuses. It now goes to the Senate for consideration.
If the bill were to become law, it would codify a definition of anti-Semitism created by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) in Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
IHRA’s working definition of anti-Semitism is “a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-Semitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities”.
According to the IHRA, that definition also encompasses the “targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity”.
The group also includes certain examples in its definition to illustrate anti-Semitism. Saying, for instance, that “the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor” would be deemed anti-Semitic under its terms. The definition also bars any comparison between “contemporary Israeli policy” and “that of the Nazis”.
Rights groups, however, have raised concerns the definition nevertheless conflates criticism of the state of Israel and Zionism with anti-Semitism.
In a letter sent to lawmakers on Friday, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) urged House members to vote against the legislation, saying federal law already prohibits anti-Semitic discrimination and harassment.
“Instead, it would likely chill free speech of students on college campuses by incorrectly equating criticism of the Israeli government with anti-Semitism.”
You must log in or register to comment.
Wonder what other things they’ll make illegal to compare to Nazis. Cause once your banning disparaging speech, why stop there?
As heavily as they’re censoring outlets to the point a tiktok ban suddenly isn’t laughable, I’m surprised they didn’t pass a law making calling it genocide a hate crime.
If the Israelis don’t want to be compared to Nazis maybe they ought to stop acting like Nazis
It would also help if more than a handful of people in the House knew semitic is a pretty archaic term and would include Palestinians in Gaza as well as Israelis and people from several other countries as well.
Protected classes are race, religion, national origin, age, pregnancy status, gender, citizenship, disability or veteran, family status or generic information. Nobody gets protections for genocide.
As a Jew I have never felt less respected by Congress than them appropriating the concept of antisemitism to further their own oppressive political ends. Fuck it’s so gross.
Modern Israel is not Judaism! It’s not the same theocracy described in the old testament. It’s not even religiously pure, there’s a sizeable Christian and Muslim population. It’s perfectly valid to respect Jews and and their beliefs, and to criticize Netanyahu’s government for attempting to crush Palestine and kill its civilians indiscriminately in raids. Jewish folks in the US and abroad are joining in the protests to stop the war - this isn’t about being antisemitic, this is telling a very atrocious government to stop behaving as a similarly atrocious government did 80 years ago
Even the Jewish community in Germany is against Netanjahus way of treating Palestine.
That’s called a Nazi apologist law. That’s making a subset of Nazis accepted and censoring those against them at the same time.
I thought I won’t see such decay in my lifetime, but then life is never boring.
This would make more sense if Israel weren’t actively being nazis right now! Like, if they weren’t being nazis, it’d be really annoying to get called a nazi when you aren’t being a nazi, but these guys… i mean, they’re kinda just being nazis, there’s not really two ways about it. Admittedly the palestinians are hitting back harder than the jews were able to at the time, but trying to wipe people out is kinda enough to get called a nazi, and rightly so, even if they are defending themselves however poorly
Admittedly the palestinians are hitting back harder than the jews were able to at the time,
No they are not. A few Israelis killed here and there is not “harder”. Just modern weapons are different.
I’m a little confused why this is in the news. First off, it’s just a House Resolution. It’s has no legally binding repercussions. It’s basically the House of Representatives as a group making a statement: “We don’t like anti-Semitism”. The definition of anti-Semitism they decided to point to is the thing that’s really in contention. But again, this affects nobody but the US House of Representatives.
Secondly, the vote on this took place in December. So it seems kind of late to be raging over it.
Full text of the resolution: https://www.congress.gov/118/bills/hres894/BILLS-118hres894ih.pdf
Summary of action: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-resolution/894/all-infoIf you’re in the US and it really bugs you, I’d suggest looking up how your district representative voted and let them know how you feel about it.
No, this definitely seems different and new from all the recent articles about it I’ve seen. This vote passed Wednesday, not in December. It’s a response to the protests at universities. And it’s a bill, so it can be passed into law. I think you’re confusing two different things.
This expands the definition of antisemitism to bring critical of Israel at all or comparing Zionism to Nazism, and would codify it into law if it, passes the Senate and is signed by the President. So there is still time to stop this, and it’s a big deal, so people should be angry about it.
Honestly, this was a helpful comment. And now I am super extra charged to vote Jimmy Gomez out.
I have contacted all my reps several times about Palestine and cease fire and the only response has been that they fully support Israel against the terrorists. They don’t care about our opinion.
Get it in writing and share it
Democracy amirite
But Nazism is completely legal in the US?
Looking very much so.
So it’s ok to call students that are protesting against a genocide Nazis but not the people actually committing the genocide. Got it.
It’s OK to call anyone not aligned with the Republican Party a Nazi, because it’s important that words have no real meaning. Once words have no meaning, the ideas behind them fade as well. This is double plus ungood.
Like triplespeak.
That’s what modern Nazis do - try very hard to defame their opponents as Nazis. Sometimes even their victims. Then any argument from that side is disadvantaged.
Why the fuck I’m even writing this here, it’s obvious, only unless I find a way to kill some bad people doing this, I won’t help things.
And what’s so bad about being called an antisemite?
I mean, personally I’m highly again all types of organised religion. The abrahamic ones included.
So the shoe fits, I guess.
What does it mean to be against a religion? As in you don’t follow it? Or that you oppress people following it?
That’s what happens when corrupt politicians are paid by AIPAC
Got your cart before the horse: the US controls Israel, the control Israeli lobbyists have over it is secondary to that.
If the US truly controlled Israel, they could force them to comply with UN resolutions, force them to ban settlements or force them into a ceasefire. The US built Israel, but these criminals are now strong enough not to have to listen to the US or anyone, not even the UN or the ICC.
If the US truly controlled Israel, they could force them to comply with UN resolutions, force them to ban settlements or force them into a ceasefire.
Could, but why would they want to? They have a little buddy doing their dirty work for them.
How does the US benefit from Israel committing a genocide?
The oil, the real estate?
Does the US benefit from stopping them?
Yes. War always has a negative impact on the economy, and trust me, if the US care about one thing, then that is money.
What the fuck?
Fuck zionists and their disproportionate amount of control over the world.
The genocidal world order. The civilized nations see them for the monsters that they are.
Good thing their silly religious stories will never come true.
Imagine being disappointed for eternity.
Zionism is a racist colonial ideology, merely using religion as a tool. Theodor Herzl, founder of zionism, said so himself
“We should there form a portion of a rampart of Europe against Asia, an outpost of civilization as opposed to barbarism. We should as a neutral State remain in contact with all Europe, which would have to guarantee our existence.” Source [II]
It used religion simply as a component of typical XIX-century romantic nationalism. It was a secular ideology until the last 10-20 years.
Zionists are also thieves because they are buying stolen Gaza land.
I have sat at passover with Zionists and they are the dumbest shittiest people just like the crazy evangelicals. Just shit people.
Good luck on getting them to admit any type of fault.
Ah, free speech in the land of the free
Only free for zionists and the corporations. You know, the wealthy people. Not for the silly plebes.
lol fuck off morons.
