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.”
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.
Adding IHRA’s definition to the law would allow the federal Department of Education to restrict funding and other resources to campuses perceived as tolerating anti-Semitism.
The campus crackdown is definitely going too far. Vietnam War protestors were treated the same way. It escalated, and the cops opened fire at Kent State.
The state guard fired on students at Kent State not the cops.
The difference today is kids got guns and will fire back.
Always the same map
Looks like a goddamn Risk map.
But Nazism is completely legal in the US?
Thereby rendering the definition of antisemitism meaningless.
at least you have freedom dont ya, us?
If this happened under Trump liberals would be up in arms. But it’s happening under Biden, so they don’t give a shit.
Once Obama got in office, Democrat stans suddenly didn’t care about the Global War(s) on Terrorism anymore. They were silent on his star chamber as well. It was a real wake-up call for me.
Are all Israelis Jewish? The US is such a fucking joke at this point. And it’s tedious to block community after community on lemmy to avoid the noise of vapidness. Good luck with your fucked up politics.
PS: I’d recommend excluding US specific news from “world news”. Not sure if this stuff is moderated, or if those who do, give af about it.
The politics of the global hegemon affects the entire world, as much as we hate it. Specially when it’s regarding a country they’re currently committing genocide in.
3/4 are Jewish which is an overwhelming majority but I also think there are great reasons to separate the classifications of Israeli and Jew. Mainly because the state is not led by the religion but instead by elected leaders.
Though that separation of church and state does seem to be diminishing as Bibi and his far right ultraorthodox cronies do seem to be slowly turning it into more of an authoritarian state.
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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?
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.
The oil, the real estate?
The highest order of interference in the US comes from AIPAC, it must go
At some point US troops will invade to bring democracy to such an autoritarian country
No no that’s only if there’s oil there.
Oh shit.
Nazis: “we will fight to the death for your right to speak it!”
Divest israel: “Believe it or not, jail, right away.”
These people must know all this does is destroy the legitimacy of your authority. Israel is committing genocide. Its happening. Changing legal definitions will not change how many bodies are piled in Gaza. The mounds of dead children cannot be legislated into something moral.
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He can be Gaddafi’d in the street. Fuck that piece of shit to death with a bayonet. Just
Fuck you, piece of shit imperialist. You’re as bad as the Zionists.
I also condemn Hamas.
Pathetic. How dare they resist their genocide!? Uppity bastards.
Even when you’re trying to pretend to be some kind of supporter of justice you still can’t hide that you’re an ugly removed.
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
