Staff Reports
The House just passed a bill to make the definition of antisemitism bigger, in response to problems on college campuses. This bill passed by a big vote, 320-91. Some people who didn’t like the bill said it would hurt free speech.
A few Republicans and Democrats voted against the bill. They worry it could make it harder for people to talk about things like what’s going on in Israel. The bill wants the Department of Education to have a wider idea of what antisemitism means when they check if civil rights are being followed.
it’s only going to get worse as House passes bill to expand definition of antisemitism, a blatant violation of first amendment, but Congress could care less. they got aipac. pic.twitter.com/gDSp5f3hrj
— Imran Lionheart (@MidasNudge) May 2, 2024
Many colleges in America have seen a lot of problems lately, with people arguing about what’s happening in Israel. Some Republicans think these arguments have made it not safe for Jewish people on campus. They want schools to lose money if they don’t fix this.
There are some Republicans who think the bill goes too far. They say it might make parts of the Bible into hate speech. The bill uses a definition of antisemitism from a group that says blaming Jews for killing Jesus is a form of antisemitism.
It seems like President Biden doesn’t want things to get out of hand. He said it’s important to have different opinions, but they shouldn’t cause trouble. It’s good that the government is trying to make sure everyone feels safe, especially Jewish people who might face hate because of what’s happening far away.
