House passes bill to beef up protections against antisemitism as campus chaos rages on

[mystery-ak]

 House passes bill to beef up protections against antisemitism as campus chaos rages on
By Social Links for Ryan King
Published May 1, 2024, 5:16 p.m. ET

Seventy House Democrats and 21 Republicans voted against a bill to bolster protections for Jewish students against the scourge of antisemitism ravaging campuses across the country.

The Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2023, also known as HR 6090, cleared the House of Representatives in a 320 to 91 vote and strengthens the definition of antisemitism used in federal anti-discrimination laws.

“This bill threads to chill constitutionally protected speech — speech that is critical of Israel alone does not constitute unlawful discrimination,” Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), who is Jewish, said on the House floor.

“It is imperative that we confront the scourge of anti-semitism and Congress can help. But this legislation is not the answer.”

Reps. who voted “nay” included Andy Biggs of Arizona, Cori Bush of Missouri, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Pramila Jayapal of Washington, Jamaal Bowman of New York, Katie Porter of California, Ro Khanna of California, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, and Marjorie Taylor Green of Georgia.

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Reps. who voted “nay” included Andy Biggs of Arizona, Cori Bush of Missouri, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Pramila Jayapal of Washington, Jamaal Bowman of New York, Katie Porter of California, Ro Khanna of California, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, and Marjorie Taylor Green of Georgia.

[mystery-ak]

 May 01, 2024, 04:50 PM | 118th Congress, 2nd Session

Vote Question: On Passage

Antisemitism Awareness Act

https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2024172

[mountaineer]

House GOP Passes Controversial Bill Labeling Certain Christian Scriptures as ‘Antisemitic,’ Sparking Fears of Criminalizing Religious Beliefs
by Jim Hᴏft
 May 1, 2024 8:40 pm
Gateway Pundit

The House of Representatives passed the “Antisemitism Awareness Act” (H.R. 6090) on Wednesday, which has sparked significant debate over the interpretation of religious texts and the definition of hate speech.

The bill, aimed at curbing hate speech amid heightened tensions on college campuses concerning Israel, has seen a significant majority of Republicans in support, while a coalition of Democrats and Republicans opposed it, citing free speech concerns.

It passed with a vote of 320-91, seeing opposition from 70 Democrats and 21 Republicans. The bill was introduced by Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., and supported by 15 Democratic co-sponsors. ...

The bill defines antisemitism broadly, incorporating definitions provided by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), including traditional antisemitic actions and accusations such as those against the state of Israel. Critically, the bill makes it an offense to “apply double standards” to Israel or to accuse it of genocide, categorizing such actions as hate speech.

Among the dissenting voices is Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who expressed concern that the bill’s definition of antisemitism could potentially criminalize Christians for their religious beliefs, particularly narratives in the Gospel regarding the death of Jesus Christ.

“Antisemitism is wrong, but I will not be voting for the Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2023 (H.R. 6090) today that could convict Christians of antisemitism for believing the Gospel that says Jesus was handed over to Herod to be crucified by the Jews,” Greene wrote. ...

Lafayette Lee
@Partisan_O
The hate speech bill that just passed the House will not protect students or prevent anarchy on college campuses… but if signed into law, it would  subordinate the First Amendment to the whims of an international body and succeed where other efforts to criminalize speech under the Civil Rights Act have failed.
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10:04 PM · May 1, 2024

Jon Root
@JonnyRoot_
Can “Christ is King” be used as an antisemitic slur? Yes.
But, is it a true statement? Of course.
Can “The Jews Killed Jesus” be used as an antisemitic slur? Yes.
But, is it a true statement? Of course.
The U.S. Gov criminalizing saying “The Jews Killed Jesus” is a denial of Biblical fact. It’s soft. It’s censorship of free speech that has potentially terrible ramifications…
7:10 PM · May 1, 2024
 

[mountaineer]

I generally don't listen to what Charlie Kirk says, but he's right:

Charlie Kirk
@charliekirk11
In response to campus anti-Israel protests, the House is rushing to to vote on a new bill, HR 6090. This new bill would officially define "Antisemitism" so the federal government can sue, prosecute, or sanction more people, businesses, and universities for supposed violations of civil rights law.

I abhor antisemitism, but this bill is flagrantly unconstitutional and an appalling attack on the First Amendment.

This bill would make it illegal to compare Israeli policies to Nazi policies. It would make it illegal to describe Israel as racist. It would make it illegal to accuse an American citizen of being more loyal to Israel than to the United States.

All of those behaviors might be stupid or repugnant, but they are indisputably protected by the First Amendment. Yet now, Congressional Republicans are rushing to gut the First Amendment in order to pass a Europe-style ban on supposed "hate speech."

Rioters should be arrested. Unhinged Israel-hating students who take over buildings and refuse to leave should be expelled.

But I stand with @RepThomasMassie: This bill is an affront to the Constitution and must not pass.
3:11 PM · May 1, 2024

The bill purports to criminalize your belief that it was, in fact, the Jewish religious leaders who devised the plot to hand Jesus Christ over to the Romans to be executed, as described in Matthew 26:3-5, for example: Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, named Caiaphas; and they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth, and kill Him. But they were saying, "Not during the festival, lest a riot occur among the people."

Or Mark 14:1-2: Now the Passover and Unleavened Bread was two days off; and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to seize Him by stealth, and kill Him; for they were saying, "Not during the festival, lest there be a riot of the people."

Or the rest of the New Testament, for that matter. Don't dare read those passages aloud, or Congress will charge you with antisemitism.

[mountaineer]

Matt Walsh
@MattWalshBlog
The vast majority of Republicans just voted for a bill to criminalize criticisms of the Israeli government. If the bill passes you will be guilty of hate speech if you “apply double standards” to the government of Israel or accuse it of genocide. This is honestly one of the most insane pieces of legislation I’ve ever seen.

6:26 PM · May 1, 2024


Blaming Israel or any present-day Jew for what the priests did 2,000 years ago in urging the Romans to execute Jesus Christ is just plain ignorant. That's not the point. It's a stupid unconstitutional law.

[DefiantMassRINO]

... hollow words on a piece of paper.  More virtue signaling.

[DB]

Sounds like Andy Biggs got it right. He usually does.