As we all know, the biggest obstacle to racial harmony in the American South is not vile racist imagery like the Confederate flag, resurgent racism among white males, or systemic bigotry left over from the days of slavery and Jim Crow.
Of course not. It’s the fact that some people still have the temerity to criticize Israel.
In April, South Carolina passed a law that sought to define and quash anti-Semitism.
Sounds great, but now, against the backdrop of recent violence in Gaza that left scores dead, critics are saying the law as written is far too broad, and anathema to free speech.
Via Al Jazeera:
Civil rights activists are opposing the passage of a bill that equates criticism of Israeli policies with anti-Semitism in the US state of South Carolina.
The new bill would effectively deem any criticism of Israel in publicly funded schools and state colleges as "anti-Semitic".
Unable to pass it as a standalone law for the past two years over questions about its constitutionality, supporters of the measure used a legislative tactic known as a "rider" to insert it into the state's 2018-2019 budget. The measure will expire after one year.
Supporters of Israel see the controversial bill as a triumph, arguing that any criticism of Israel is inherently anti-Semitic and should be banned on college campuses.
Opponents argue the bill is politically motivated and has nothing to do with the actual issue of anti-Semitism. They argue the law will instil fear in academic circles and create self-censorship among professors and students who will be reluctant to include Israel in political discussions.
Oh, rightwing evangelicals — they really love them some Israel, don’t they? As for Jews themselves? Well, as long as they don’t get in the way of Jesus’ opening a brand-new Chick-fil-a franchise on the Temple Mount post-rapture, they can be tolerated. Until the final judgment, that is.
Of course, we should all applaud laws that vigorously protect racial and ethnic minorities, but not if they’re so ineptly written that they might stifle legitimate criticism of human rights abuses. (For the record, you can still legally be fired in South Carolina for being gay or trans.)
Unfortunately, anti-Semitism is a serious and growing problem — largely because our oafish ocher overlord has made all forms of racism tres chic these days — but, needless to say, equating Jews with the actions of Israel is hardly the answer:
Joshua Cooper, a professor of mathematics at the University of South Carolina at Columbia, told Al Jazeera he opposes the law not only because it stifles free speech and academic debate, but also because it violates the values of his Jewish faith.
"The law will chill free speech on campus when a robust debate is desperately needed," he said.
Barry Trachtenberg, director of the Jewish studies programme at Wake Forest University, who teaches a course on anti-Semitism, said there should be clear distinctions between "actual anti-Semitic hatred" and legitimate criticism of Israel.
Cooper, also a member of the Academic Advisory Council of Jewish Voice for Peace, said that, as a Jewish person, he does not want to be identified with Israel when it commits human rights abuses and continues to occupy Palestinian territories.
"The bill identifies Jews with Israel. As a Jew, I don't want to be associated with Israel's human rights abuses," Cooper said.
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