The bill, sponsored by State Rep. Randy Fine (R-Palm Bay), was recently approved in the Florida house on a 114-0 vote.
From the bill:
3. "Religion" includes, but is not limited to, anti-Semitism. For purposes of this section, the term "anti-Semitism"
includes all of the following:
a. Anti-Semitism is a certain perception of the Jewish
people, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jewish people.
Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-Semitism directed
toward a Jewish or non-Jewish individual or his or her property
or toward Jewish community institutions or religious facilities.
b. Examples of anti-Semitism include:
(I) Calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or
harming of Jews, often in the name of a radical ideology or an
extremist view of religion.
(II) Making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or
stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of
Jews as a collective, including allegations such as the myth
about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the
media, economy, government, or other societal institutions.
(III) Accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for
real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Jewish person
or group, the State of Israel, or even for acts committed by
non-Jews.
(IV) Accusing Jews as a people or the State of Israel of
inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust.
(V) Accusing Jewish citizens of countries other than
Israel of being more loyal to Israel, or the alleged priorities
of Jews worldwide, than to the interest of their own nations.
c. Examples of anti-Semitism related to Israel include:
(I) Demonizing Israel by using the symbols and images
associated with classic anti-Semitism to characterize Israel,
Israelis, drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to
that of the Nazis, or blaming Israel for all inter-religious or
political tensions.
(II) Applying a double standard to Israel by requiring
behavior of Israel that is not expected or demanded of any other
democratic nation, or focusing peace or human rights
investigations only on Israel.
(III) Delegitimizing Israel by denying the Jewish people
their right to self-determination and denying Israel the right
to exist.
Comments
(Old Spike)
Times of Israel is anti-Semitic
(Old Spike)
it's very cleverly worded so it doesn't sound like it's banning criticism of israel unless you read very carefully. in part c their examples sound fair enough, especially ii and iii, but the law very carefully states that these are just included examples, and thus it can be used to block any other criticism of israel also.
(Old Spike)
It's extremely vague with things like "focusing peace or human rights investigations only on Israel." - so you're not allowed to even discuss human rights in Palestine without a resume of discussing human rights in other places.
"Accusing [Jews] of being more loyal to Israel...than to the interest of their own nations."
- This is what they charged Ilhan Omar with in a lot of the media to shut down her criticism of government reps bending over for Israel... the law would serve to do the same to students - ban them from (rightly) claiming their government their government is full of Israel-firsters.
"denying Israel the right to exist."
- this is extremely vague and a stupid thing to write into law. It can be interpreted in many ways, one of which is to censor people who advocate for a one-state solution. Recently it was declared that Israel is a "Jewish State" so any speech that threatens their "right to exist" as a Jewish state can be censored under this law.
Also "Demonizing Israel by using the symbols and images associated with classic anti-Semitism to characterize Israel, Israelis, drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis"
- When you have leading Israeli Rabbis praising Hitler & countless other comparisons there are between Nazi Germany & Israel, this is ludicrous.
- Who even decides what these symbols and images are?
These points are some of the pillars of how the ADL & their lackeys shut down criticism of Israel.
The bill will likely be used as ammo to lobby against people invited to speak at the universities too. Uni campuses should be able to determine for themselves who can come and speak.
(Old Spike)
LOL, When I heard the comment I thought, "so what?"..........
If this bill does not clearly show how tight the israeli grip on US politics is, I don't know what does.
(Old Spike)
I think you're full of shit actually. Line 91 and 92 read as follows.
"However, criticism of Israel that is similar to criticism toward any other country may not be regarded as anti-Semitic."
This law doesn't even ban criticism of Israel. All it does is increase the penalty for people "Evidencing prejudice while committing offense"
(Old Spike)
criticism of Israel that is similar to criticism toward any other country may not be regarded as anti-Semitic
... with a whole bunch of clauses where it can be considered NOT similar to criticism toward any other country. These clauses open the door to further shutdown legitimate criticism of Israel by a range of people, including those "focusing peace or human rights investigations only on Israel".
In what world do you live in that this should be regarded as proof of anti-Semitism & deemed illegal?
(Old Spike)
I stand by the quote. You said this law "Bans Criticism of Israel". That is a lie. At no point in this law does it say it is a criminal offense to talk shit about Israel.
What this law does is amend an existing law that increased the penality for crimes committed when the crimnal "evidences prejudice based on the race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, homeless status, or advanced age of the victim"
Nobody is going to be arrested in Florida for standing in public and saying they hate Jews. Unlike in New Zealand where merely looking at a video of crime being committed will get you multiple years in jail, we don't prosecute people for merely saying offensive things in the United States.
Now stop lying and just realize your little island nation is a cucked out shithole where the free exchange of ideas isn't allowed.
(Old Spike)
in New Zealand where merely looking at a video of crime being committed will get you multiple years in jail
...and you accuse me of lying? gtfo here with your far-right conspiracy theory horseshit.
The bill does ban forms of criticism of Israel in schools & universities in Florida. It's not an outright ban on all forms of criticism but the title doesn't claim that it is. The description clarifies it & people can make up their own minds about the nature of the ban.
You're funny in your opinion of NZ & your morals of convenience re: Israel. Your nation is cucked to corporations, to Israel & increasingly to the Saudis. The good news is that we found something else to argue about.
(Old Spike)
This coming from someone propagating free speech...... LMFAO.
An unbiased bill would not have the need to specify a particular religion or group of people.
(Old Spike)
(Old Spike)
Are you telling me the bill DOES NOT contain the words "Israel", "jew(s)" or "jewish"?