In a vote held Wednesday, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which could make it easier for concerned students to file civil rights complaints.
CBS New York spoke with Reps. Mike Lawler and Josh Gottheimer, two sponsors of the bipartisan bill.
“We need to be able to define antisemitism,” Lawler said.
The bill put forth by Republican Lawler and Democrat Gottheimer aims to do just that.
International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance defines antisemitism The Antisemitism Awareness Act directs the Department of Education to use the definition promulgated by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance when enforcing federal anti-discrimination laws.
“Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews,” the definition says.
Colleges that fail to protect Jewish students could face civil rights enforcement.
The bill still needs to pass the Senate and be signed by President Joe Biden to become law.
NEW YORK — While many Jewish college students nationwide support campus protests, a large number of them claim to feel scared and uneasy.
The Antisemitism Awareness Act was passed by the House of Representatives with overwhelming support on Wednesday. This could make it simpler for concerned students to file civil rights complaints.
Representatives were interviewed by CBS New York. The bipartisan bill’s sponsors are Mike Lawler and Josh Gottheimer.
Antisemitism needs to be defined, according to Lawler.
That is the goal of the legislation sponsored by Democrat Gottheimer and Republican Lawler.
As defined by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, antisemitism is.
Enforcing federal anti-discrimination laws requires the Department of Education to follow the definition provided by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, per the Antisemitism Awareness Act.
According to the definition, antisemitism is “a certain perception of Jews which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.”.
Some of the recent vehement rhetoric heard on college campuses would be included in the definition of antisemitism that follows.
“You are calling for the eradication of Jews and the state of Israel when you hear, ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,'” Lawler stated.
“It is the duty of each of our colleges to guard against bigotry and hatred. Gottheimer clarified that there is a distinction between speech that is entitled to protection and acts of harassment, violence, and intimidation, such as making death threats.
Should colleges neglect to safeguard their Jewish students, civil rights enforcement may take action.
How about justifiable critiques of Israel?
Those who oppose the new legislation, such as Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York claims that the bill would restrict free speech guaranteed by the constitution, which includes rightful criticism of Israel, and that it sweeps too wide.
Others counter that there are boundaries to free speech and that some rhetoric verges on harassment.
A lot of people come to me thinking, ‘Well, maybe they don’t understand what they’re saying,'” said Columbia University graduate student Omer Granot-Lubaton. “Those are mature, educated individuals who attend the world’s top universities.”. It should be clear from their words. “.
To become law, the bill must still be approved by the Senate and signed by President Joe Biden.
