‘Necessary' or 'misguided'? 6 reactions to House antisemitism bill
Jerry Nadler
Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler, a lawmaker who is also Jewish and describes himself as a “deeply committed Zionist,” expressed opposition to the bill on the House floor last Wednesday. The representative stated that he opposes antisemitism but urged his fellow lawmakers not to support what he referred to as a “misguided bill.”
“Vigorous enforcement of federal civil rights law does not depend on defining terms like ‘antisemitism’ or ‘racism,’” Nadler said. “In fact, codifying one definition of antisemitism, to the exclusion of all other possible definitions, could actually undermine federal civil rights law because antisemitism, like other forms of bigotry, evolves over time, and future conduct that comes to be widely understood as antisemitic may no longer meet the statutory definition.”
“There is no excuse for bigotry, threats, or violence directed at anyone, anywhere, and it is imperative that we confront the scourge of antisemitism,” he added. “And Congress can help. But this legislation is not the answer.”
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: samantha.kamman@christianpost.com. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
