It’s taken some time to my thoughts on the events that have unfolded over the past weeks. Anti-genocide protests have roiled American campuses, they’ve been labeled anti-Semitic, and American governors have sent in the stormtroopers to break them up. Now we’re witnessing the suppression of free speech in this country at the behest of Israel with the overwhelming passage of the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which is basically a first step towards European-style censorship of criticisms of Israel. This was passed because the accusations of “anti-Semite!” Have lost their punch. Many influential people have lost their fear of this dishonest race card, and have found their voice on this issue, and are now openly criticizing the Jewish State and its malign influence on American politics.
HR 6090 passed with a vote of 320-91, and adopts the definition of anti-semtism as defined by the ‘International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance”, which includes slippery and vague phrasings that could be interpreted in wildly different ways. How in the world will this bill hold any water in the face of First Amendment arguments? Are we really prepared to scrap the foundation stone of our country in order to cater to Israel’s feelings?
Criticism of Israel is protected speech in this country. Criticism of anyone is protected speech in this country. No one gets a special exemption because they belong to a certain religion or culture. Doubt surrounding the official facts of the Holocaust is also protected speech, just as is doubt surrounding every other 20th century massacre of civilians, of which there are many. Meanness and rudeness is also protected speech. We have libel and slander laws which already go too far. No further with this nonsense.
The principles protected by the First Amendment are beyond debate, and should be beyond vote. Not only Americans, but the entire world benefit from our unwavering commitment to free speech. Would we really begin jailing people for denying the official account of the Holocaust, or rightly pointing out that Israel is a squatter state, hellbent on taking Palestinian Territories for their own? Doesn’t this bill appear to prove critics of Israel correct in their claims that Zionists control the US government?
It’s time to cut Israel loose and let them survive, thrive, and bear the consequences of their actions all on their own. Their values are not American values. They are not an ally, but an enemy. American Christians are willfully ignorant of the hate that Zionists have for them, but appear more than willing to dig their own grave and even leap into it, if Israel tells them to. They are not a part of the West. They haven’t made any attempt to integrate and assimilate themselves into the region that they barged into. They’ve made every neighbor into an implacable enemy, and demand protection from the US because of it. American support has sustained their murderous attitude, and it’s time for America to face that fact.
