Tennessee assembly advancing bills against antisemitism
The state legislature aims to greater define what constitutes antisemitism so as to help determine whether an investigation by state authorities needs to be conducted.
By JEREMY SHARONU.S. President Donald Trump holds a campaign rally in Sunrise, Florida, U.S., November 26, 2019(photo credit: REUTERS/YURI GRIPAS)
Legislation is currently being advanced through the Tennessee state legislature to better define what constitutes antisemitism, so as to help determine whether an investigation by state authorities needs to be conducted.The bills, currently working their way through both the state’s House of Representatives and Senate, come in the wake of an executive order issued by US President Donald Trump last year that directed the Justice Department and the Education Department to address discrimination cases against Jews under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.Both bills were introduced to the bicameral General Assembly at the beginning of February, have passed the requisite preliminary steps and were referred to the appropriate committees last week.The order was largely designed to prevent federal funds and resources being used for antisemitic events on college campuses, including some anti-Zionist events if they fall foul of the definition of antisemitism Trump’s measure adopted, which is the working definition of antisemitism of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.Trump’s executive order generated fierce debate, with critics arguing that some of the IHRA’s stipulations, such as that “claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor” is antisemitic, could stymie free speech on college campuses and could contravene the First Amendment.The legislation in Tennessee adopts the federal definition of antisemitism as laid out by the State Department’s definition, which is largely based on IHRA’s antisemitism definition.The bill is being advanced by Dolores Gresham, Tennessee state senator and chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee, and Mark White, chairman of the House Education Committee.According to the bill, “awareness of the federal definition of antisemitism will increase understanding of the parameters of contemporary anti-Jewish conduct and will assist the Tennessee Department of Education in determining whether [to open] an investigation of antisemitism.”Gresham pointed out that Tennessee was the first state in the US to pass legislation condemning the BDS movement, and said it was critical that Jews enjoy protections against discrimination and racism in the state’s institutions of education.“Whether it is our secondary schools or schools of higher learning, the constitutional rights of all students will be protected in providing a safe environment for our children to excel,” said Gresham. “No individual will be denied that.”
White said that education institution administrators throughout Tennessee “must take these threats seriously by strongly condemning the antisemitic activity on their campuses.”He said the state legislation would send a message that antisemitism on college campuses and other educational institutions “will not be tolerated.”Proclaiming Justice to The Nations, a pro-Israel Christian advocacy organization that has supported the legislation, has welcomed the further process of the bills through the state legislature, and deplored what it described as “antisemitic activities” of organizations such as Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP).“PJTN is continuing to call for organizations like SJP and MSA [Muslim Students Association] to be closely monitored by authorities. These groups have often used violent attacks and intimidation tactics to push Jewish and Christian-Zionists into submission, thus silencing and suppressing their right of free speech and diminishing their right to a safe and secure educational environment,” said PJTN president Laurie Cardoza-Moore.In January, it was announced that the US Department of Education has opened an investigation into UCLA for having hosted a national conference of the anti-Zionist Students for Justice in Palestine organization on its campus in November 2018.
