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.”

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  • sweetpotato@lemmy.ml
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    7 months ago

    So it’s ok to call students that are protesting against a genocide Nazis but not the people actually committing the genocide. Got it.

    • Jimmyeatsausage@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      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.

    • rottingleaf@lemmy.zip
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      6 months ago

      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.

    • whotookkarl@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      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 genetic information. Nobody gets protections for genocide.

      Edit: genetic not generic

  • Pistcow@lemm.ee
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    7 months ago

    I mean, what do you call a person that performs ethnic genocide?

      • MrVilliam@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        Hey!

        Aw who am I kidding, I know my country’s bloodstained history despite my public education. I wish I could say it was in our past and that we’re better now, but we’re literally funding this exact genocide. 🫠

        • Asafum@feddit.nl
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          7 months ago

          I know my country’s bloodstained history despite my public education.

          I fucking can’t stand that this is a thing. I experienced the same thing and honestly it was “earth shattering.”

          When you’re a kid and you’re brainwashed into believing “America the Great” and how we’re always the Good Guys™ always Fighting for Democracy™ only to graduate and then learn on your own how absolutely fucking disgusting we are as a nation it absolutely fucks with your head and how you trust information.

          These fucking morons can’t figure out where so many conspiracy theorists come from? It’s from people like me who find out their entire social studies class was a fucking lie to indoctrinate you and then fall down a rabbit hole when they start learning about actual history… Thankfully I was “smart” enough to dig my way out of that hole before becoming some crazed Neonazi but still… Damage was done.

    • zurohki@aussie.zone
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      7 months ago

      That’s double-plus ungood wrongthink, citizen. Report for re-education.

    • exanime@lemmy.today
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      7 months ago

      What about it? You are still free to say exactly what the government wants you to say

    • rwhitisissle@lemmy.ml
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      7 months ago

      I get the feeling a lot of our more vocal free speech absolutists are going to be conspicuously quiet on this one.

  • Nobody@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    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.

    • Dkarma@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      The state guard fired on students at Kent State not the cops.

      The difference today is kids got guns and will fire back.

  • bartolomeo@suppo.fi
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    7 months ago

    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”.

    Lmao this is a guilty conscience talking.

  • john89@lemmy.ca
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    7 months ago

    What the fuck?

    Fuck zionists and their disproportionate amount of control over the world.

    • Dkarma@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      Good thing their silly religious stories will never come true.

      Imagine being disappointed for eternity.

      • Alsephina@lemmy.mlOP
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        7 months ago

        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]

        • rottingleaf@lemmy.zip
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          6 months ago

          It used religion simply as a component of typical XIX-century romantic nationalism. It was a secular ideology until the last 10-20 years.

    • mihor@lemmy.ml
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      7 months ago

      Only free for zionists and the corporations. You know, the wealthy people. Not for the silly plebes.

    • Arcturus@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      7 months ago

      Always the same map

      A bit surprising that “israel” didn’t vote against it, but that would be a bit too on the nose I guess.

        • Alsephina@lemmy.mlOP
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          7 months ago

          China didn’t colonize the world like western Europe and Japan did, then make neocolonial institutions like the IMF and World Bank to preserve those colonial relations.

          They’ve mostly escaped colonialism and become the manufacturing hub of the world now, but wealth isn’t being extracted from the Global South / “former” colonies to China like they are being transferred to the imperial Core.

    • cobra89@beehaw.org
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      7 months ago

      It seems like the US voted against it because Russia was using it as a political ploy and excuse to try and invade Ukraine. (Ukraine is “full of Nazis” sound familiar?)

      That’s why Ukraine voted against it too.

      The United States says it was one of three countries to vote against a U.N. resolution condemning the glorification of Nazism over freedom of speech issues and concerns that Russia was using it to carry out political attacks against its neighbors.

      Ukraine and Palau were the other no votes.

      “We condemn without reservation all forms of religious and ethnic intolerance or hatred at home and around the world,” said Deputy U.S. Representative to the Economic and Social Council Stefanie Amadeo, explaining the U.S. vote.

      “This resolution’s recommendations to limit freedom of expression, freedom of association, and the right to peaceful assembly contravene the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and must be opposed,” Amadeo said.

      The UN resolution wanted to quash “antisemitic” protests very much like the ones we’re seeing in the US right now. So really if you’re against the Bill this post is about, you should be okay with the US voting no on that UN resolution.

  • Binthinkin@kbin.social
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    7 months ago

    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.

  • Lad@reddthat.com
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    7 months ago

    Legitimate criticism of the Israeli government and IDF is being actively outlawed in the western world as governments support the brutal mass killing in Gaza.

    Condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or China’s actions in Xinjiang rings completely hollow. Western governments really are the people in glass houses throwing stones.

    • SitD@feddit.de
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      7 months ago

      bro you need to chill out. I’m all for criticizing Israel but if you use a name that has a bad ring to it (for example nazi) but is defined on an entirely different era, set of crimes, and political landscape, you cannot put forward a well-reasoned argument. if people continue to get up in their feelings and stray from reality, they’ll never change anything that is based in reality

      • phobiac@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        There is a world of difference between taking issue with someone making a poorly received argument and a government deciding that making that argument is inherently illegal.

        • SitD@feddit.de
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          6 months ago

          everyone who upvoted this comment is a brainlet social media activist and never did anything good for Palestine 👌😂 go on and confirm by downvoting here, polls are open.

      • BNE@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        6 months ago

        Hun, your slavish devotion to optics are shackles. Worse, you’re policing your peers, prioritizing the abstract appeal of your optics to a hypothetical other over their reality anchored and literal praxis.

        Kill the cop in your head, babe. We’ll be over here when you’re ready.