US Congress Pass Law Criminalizing Christian Who Claim Jews Killed Jesus

The United States Congress has voted to pass the bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act, a vote that comes amid heightened concerns over antisemitism with Israel at war with Hamas and as pro-Palestinian protests have sprung up on college campuses across the country.

Supporters of the legislation say it will help combat antisemitism on college campuses, but opponents say it overreaches and threatens to chill free speech.

According to CNN, the bill would mandate that when the Department of Education enforces federal anti-discrimination laws, it uses a definition of antisemitism put forward by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

OSUN DEFENDER reports that antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. This sentiment is a form of racism, and a person who harbours it is called an antisemite. Primarily, antisemitic tendencies may be motivated by negative sentiment towards Jews as a people or by negative sentiment towards Jews with regard to Judaism.

Critics of the bill argue that the definition is overly expansive and could lead to censorship issues.

The House vote was 320 to 91, with 70 Democrats and 21 Republicans voting against the bill. The GOP opposition largely came from the right flank of the conference. The bill would next need to be taken up by the Senate.

New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, who introduced the legislation, said in a statement, “it’s critical that we crack down on antisemitic hate within our own country.”

“I’m thankful for the bipartisan support of the Antisemitism Awareness Act and for the support from a wide range of Jewish organizations that are standing up, endorsing this legislation, and saying enough is enough,” he said.

In the House, Reps. Josh Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democrat, Max Miller, an Ohio Republican, and Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Democrat, are also leading the effort.

The American Civil Liberties Union has called on lawmakers to oppose the bill.

In a letter to representatives, the ACLU wrote, “Federal law already prohibits antisemitic discrimination and harassment by federally funded entities. H.R. 6090 is therefore not needed to protect against antisemitic discrimination; instead, it would likely chill free speech of students on college campuses by incorrectly equating criticism of the Israeli government with antisemitism.”

“While we wholly support efforts to fight discrimination and harassment through Title VI complaints and investigations, we strongly oppose use of the IHRA definition, or any definition of discrimination that threatens to censor or penalize political speech protected by the First Amendment,” the letter states.

Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York said during floor debate on the bill Wednesday, “There is no excuse for bigotry, threats, or violence directed at anyone, anywhere, and it is imperative that we confront the scourge of antisemitism, and Congress can help, but this legislation is not the answer.”

“Speech that is critical of Israel alone does not constitute unlawful discrimination,” the congressman said. “The bill sweeps too broadly.”

Lawler dismissed bipartisan critics of the bill and told CNN that GOP Sen. Tim Scott will introduce the Senate’s companion bill, calling on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to take action.

“Now it’s up to Senator Schumer, the highest ranking Jewish official in America and in American history, to do something and bring this bill for a vote on the Senate floor,” he said, urging the Senate to “quickly act on it.”

Reactions

Sen. Roger Marshall on Thursday claimed a Congressional push to combat antisemitism violates Christian scripture.

A bill that overwhelmingly passed the House by a 320-91 vote Wednesday evening would require the Department of Education’s division of civil rights to consider the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism when investigating discrimination claims on campuses that receive federal funding.

That definition cites “claims of Jews killing Jesus” as an example of “classic antisemitism,” which sparked opposition from some conservative Republicans.

“Religious leaders back home are very concerned about some of the language in that bill, that it pushes against what the scripture says,” Marshall said. “Obviously, as a born-again Christian, I believe that the Holy Bible is the word of God. I think that we’re not supposed to alter the word. So I’m just guessing the House overlooked something.”

Marshall, a Kansas Republican, said that he opposes antisemitism, but if the bill comes up for a vote in the Senate, he would offer an amendment that would strike the language. The notion that Jewish people were responsible for Jesus’ crucifixion has been a source of tension between Jews and Christians for centuries but has been rejected by historians.

The Catholic Church disavowed the belief in 1965, and Pope Benedict XVI declared in 2011 that there was no scriptural evidence to back the claim. But some Christians maintain the belief, reports the Kansas City Star.

Also, Rep. Matt Gaetz came under fire Wednesday from a powerful K Street lobbyist after the lawmaker voted against a bipartisan antisemitism bill and defended his decision with an antisemitic trope.

Jeff Miller, a close ally of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, called Gaetz an “anti-semite” and a “pedophile” as he responded on X, formerly Twitter, to a post less than an hour earlier by the Florida representative.

In his post, Gaetz said antisemitism is “wrong,” but he said the bill violates the Constitution and “common sense” with its definition of antisemitic language.

“The bill says the definition of antisemitism includes ‘contemporary examples of antisemitism’ identified by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). One of those examples includes: ‘… claims of Jews killing Jesus …’,” Gaetz wrote. “The Bible is clear. There is no myth or controversy on this. Therefore, I will not support this bill.”

Claims that Jews are responsible for the execution of Jesus by Roman authorities have long been regarded as an antisemitic trope and rejected by historians and theologians.

“You’re not just a pedophile but also an anti-semite… the rhetoric like this statement that Jews killed Jesus is an anti semitic trope,” Miller wrote on X.