Published by
Raw Story
Raw Story
For background on bill and IHRA definition of antisemitism, click here.
*
House Republicans Thursday spread a conspiracy theory that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) this week made the Bible’s New Testament illegal. Reps Eli Crane (R-AZ) and Matt Gaetz (R-FL) both shared on X a conversation between Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News pundit the Southern Poverty Law Center warns has descended into radical extremism, and Charlie Kirk, the activist for former President Donald Trump with a reported history of pushing “right-wing hoaxes.” “Did the House of Representatives just make parts of the Bible illegal?” Kirk tweeted Wednesday night. Want more breaking political news? C…
The following e-mailed comments were received by San Diego Jewish World which I as editor pass along in the interest of presenting a range of Jewish (and occasionally non-Jewish) opinion:
Christians United for Israel:
On Monday, Pastor John Hagee, the National Chairman of Christians United for Israel, and Ralph Reed, Chairman of the Faith & Freedom Coalition, penned a letter addressing recent misconceptions and allegations surrounding the Antisemitism Awareness Act.
“To the Biblically literate, claims the Antisemitism Awareness Act is anti-Christian are as insulting as they are injurious… And just as Biblical literacy is a necessary precondition to defending Christianity, so too is literacy of this law,” the pair of Christian leaders wrote.
“What the opposition to this legislation is choosing to ignore is that this law is about preventing unlawful action – not speech. For the law to apply, a student would have to have an unlawful act committed against them first… This law no more stifles free speech than the presence of a thermometer would change the temperature. This law is sound. The Biblical and moral mandate is clear,” the two go on to write.
The letter was sent to Congressional leadership in both chambers, among others.
What others are saying
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), “History will judge us for what we do at this moment. And the question for the Senate is simple: Will you stand up to the radicals spouting antisemitism and calling for a genocide of the Israeli and Jewish people?”
Sen. James Lankford (R-OK), “IHRA is just making it very clear what antisemitism is and gives some very clear examples of that. It’s not something contrary to scripture, contrary to the First Amendment protections of free speech. You still have free speech, but it provides clarity.”
Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), “The House just passed my Antisemitism Awareness Act. This is a momentous step towards rooting out antisemitic hate and protecting the rights of Jewish students on college campuses across America.”