The House of Representatives is trying to pass a resolution making the term “Free Palestine” an official antisemitic slogan.

Republican Representative Gabe Evans from Colorado introduced the resolution in the wake of the attack on a gathering for Israeli hostages in Boulder this week. Mohammed Sabry Soliman, an Egyptian national, has been charged for the attack, during which he yelled “Free Palestine,” according to the FBI.

“Whereas, while shouting ‘Free Palestine,’ an antisemitic slogan that calls for the destruction of the state of Israel and Jewish people, Mohammed Sabry Soliman attacked the peaceful demonstrators with homemade Molotov cocktails,” the resolution reads. House Republicans are expected to vote on the nonbinding resolution next week.

  • grte@lemmy.ca
    43·
    2 months ago

    Next up, Republicans prepare bill declaring “Black Lives Matter” is racist against white people.

  • acargitz@lemmy.caOP
    321·
    2 months ago

    Remember kids, this is cheapening the word anti-Semitism and making it more and more meaningless. In the long run, this will hurt Jews. (Who do you think will be blamed by the fascists for US imperial over-extension?)

    • Omega@lemmy.world
      56·
      2 months ago

      [E: Republicans] portraying Jews collectively, universally as perpetrators of genocide seems antisemitic and hurts Jews.

      • neatchee@lemmy.world
        151·
        2 months ago

        And when you see someone conflating all Jews with the Israeli government, you are free, nay encouraged, to call that shit out.

        But guess what’s NOT happening in this thread? Or this entire comment section?

        Israel is committing genocide.

        Sincerely, your friendly neighborhood Jew

        • Omega@lemmy.world
          5·
          2 months ago

          Sorry for the misunderstanding. I’m agreeing with OP.

          The Republicans are painting Jews as warmongers. What the Republicans are doing is antisemitic.

  • _thebrain_@sh.itjust.works
    26·
    2 months ago

    You would think they would start with an easier one like “heil Hitler” being antisemitic, but they seem perfectly okay with that one.

  • hexdream@lemmy.world
    16·
    2 months ago

    Didn’t Orwell have something to say about redefining words and phrases. Well, even if he didn’t, yikes.

    • Omnifarious@lemmy.worldEnglish
      10·
      2 months ago

      You have been cordially invited to the Ministry of Love good citizen. A black van with blacked-out windows will be arriving soon.

    • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      2·
      2 months ago

      He sure did… Controlling language as a means of eventually controlling thought.

      I always thought that part of the book seemed boring and far-fetched in my teens and 20s.

      Boy was I wrong

  • themeatbridge@lemmy.world
    151·
    2 months ago

    I’m not antisemitic. I know that I’m not, even if I can’t prove that to anyone who cannot see into my mind. But in words and actions, I’ve never done or said anything antisemitic.

    I believe that Palestine should be free. Passing a law isn’t going to change my mind or affect my behavior. If someone calls me antisemitic, they’re either mistaken or lying. Passing a law won’t change the truth behind their words.

    • Nate Cox@programming.devEnglish
      4·
      2 months ago

      Making a statement legally classified as antisemitism opens up legal retaliation under the guise of “hate speech”, which is not protected speech.

      It doesn’t change the truth of it, but it does change he the consequences of it.

      • neatchee@lemmy.world
        2·
        2 months ago

        Not be contrarian, but this is a common misconception. Hate speech IS protected speech in the US, but it can be used to enhance the punishment of a related crime into a hate crime.

        It can also, under specific circumstances, be considered “fighting words”. But again, that depends on the specific context and is not broadly true.

        This is one of my least favorite facts, but it is unfortunately true

        • Nate Cox@programming.devEnglish
          2·
          2 months ago

          I mean, if we’re being technical then “hate speech” isn’t a legal term at all, but I should have made it clearer that I was alleging the republicans were building their usual flimsy-as-shit-case to harass their “enemies”.

          • neatchee@lemmy.world
            2·
            2 months ago

            That is for sure. There is no question that it is an asinine attempt by the GOP to weaponize the law, rather than a genuine attempt at protecting Jews in any way, shape or form

        • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
          1·
          2 months ago

          As if it fucking matters when we have students being deported for writing an op-ed in their school newspaper suggesting Israel stop committing genocide.

  • mhague@lemmy.world
    12·
    2 months ago

    Look guys, if the people who go around blaming Jews for trying to replace white people say Free Palestine is antisemitic, who are we to argue? I never knew space lasers could be so Jewish until the authorities on antisemitism enlightened me. Was it not a nutcase conservative who taught you the power of a few parenthesis? They’re the experts here.

  • opavader@lemmy.world
    7·
    2 months ago

    our politicians are shameless cuckolds for aipac. american working class is having the worst crisis since great depression and these hacks are busy deepthroating genocider scum