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In Greek mythology, a story is told about Odysseus, a king of Ithaca. This king is said to have waged war against the city-state of Troy. After an unsuccessful siege of the city, Odysseus conceived the idea of building a huge horse and hiding within its structure many of his best fighters, counting on the Trojans to see the wooden horse as a sign of their victory over the Greeks.<\/p>\n
As Odysseus believed, the Trojans pulled the wooden horse inside their city walls, believing it to be a sign from the gods of their victory. At nightfall, the Greeks disembarked their hiding place, opened the gates for their fellow soldiers and the city of Troy fell. History has trumpeted the genius of Odysseus. The Trojans on the other hand, have been seen as gullible and painfully na\u00efve.<\/p>\n
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Why the quick lesson in Greek mythology? It seems the same type of strategic maneuver has recently been completed in the US House of Representatives, with many Republicans playing the part of the Trojans. Let me explain.<\/p>\n
House Resolution 6090 (HR 6090), interestingly named the Antisemitism Awareness Act<\/em>, was passed recently without a full committee hearing or markup, which would have enabled lawmakers to address many of the concerns voiced by those who see dangerous implications for American\u2019s free speech rights under the US Constitution.<\/p>\n It should go with saying that antisemitism is evil. Labeling Israel as an apartheid state is the height of ignorance and delusion. Declaring Israel\u2019s government and military leaders war criminals for their response to Hamas\u2019 October 7, 2023, invasion and violent barbarity is unconscionable. The issue is not about addressing antisemitism. We must do that forcefully. The issue is that addressing antisemitism must be a genuine effort whereby all parties to any proposal agree that antisemitism must be prosecuted to the full extent possible while also denying potential applications outside the original intent of the law. Loopholes left intact that can be used to prosecute other parties beyond original intent is extremely dangerous to free speech rights in America. Therein lies the rub.<\/p>\n The House of Representatives under Republican Speaker Mike Johnson and his predecessor, Republican Kevin McCarthy, have practiced \u201cairdropping\u201d bills to the House floor which circumvents regular order, deliberation, and potential amendments. In other words, nothing can be debated, objected to, removed, or added. Lawmakers are left to vote yea or nay. Christians and conservatives decry that practice when the Democrats do it but are surprisingly silent when Republicans do the same thing.<\/p>\n At issue with this bill is any clear definition of what constitutes antisemitic speech. It seems that this bill is little more than a knee-jerk reaction to the violent antisemitic actions currently wreaking havoc on several college campuses across America. As such, the bill fails to adequately address the current turmoil and does not give any clear direction for prosecution of offenders in the future. If it cannot or will not be used to prosecute the current Soros funded campus violence, then what is the point in touting this bill as some type of solution? I\u2019ll tell you what the point is \u2013 it is mere political optics. In other words, HR 6090 is meant to shore up the Biden administrations polling numbers among American Jews, a demographic that is in freefall away from Biden. The same strategy has been used by the current administration toward Israel, coddling the American Muslim population ahead of the 2024 election by denouncing Israel, threatening to withhold armaments, and giving a green light to the International Criminal Court\u2019s issuance of arrest warrants. Do you really believe that a bill to protect Jews from acts of violence would find favor with House Democrats without the Biden administration giving the go ahead? Why are Republicans, Conservatives, and Christians so na\u00efve?<\/p>\n Opponents of the bill cite the Bible as now being placed directly in the crosshairs of prohibited language. The standard by which courts in the future will decide what constitutes antisemitic language (depending on whether the Senate rubber stamps the bill as anticipated) was developed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). Why does that matter? It matters because the IHRA has provided what amounts to another step in the destruction of American civil liberties. I\u2019m not saying that the IHRA has deliberately done anything nefarious. I am saying that their language needs revision and \u201ctightening up\u201d to make it specific, and clear. Their broad definition of antisemitism begins with \u201cAntisemitism is a certain perception of Jews.\u201d This means that the thoughts, opinions, or perspectives of people are once again on trial. What the IHRA has provided, and a majority of the House GOP railroaded through, is nothing more than the same broadly defined hate speech legislation that Conservatives and Christians have criticized from the very start of that dangerous and unconstitutional boondoggle. Why are some Christians and conservatives celebrating this bill?<\/p>\n Within the language the IHRA provided is this gem: \u201cUsing the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis.\u201d Using a cross, a Bible, or biblical passages can under this bill be deemed antisemitic.<\/p>\n Before we go any further, let it be known that this author is a staunch supporter of Israel. I have taught for decades and continue to teach that Israel is Yahweh\u2019s people, that His promises in the Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic Covenants will be fulfilled entirely, that Israel has every right to exist in peace without constant threat of attack, that Israel must stop being made the villain for the haters in the Muslim world and elsewhere, and that the church absolutely has not nor ever will replace Israel in Yahweh\u2019s economy. My bona fides concerning Israel are impeccable.<\/p>\n I\u2019m also sympathetic to the \u201csomething is better than nothing\u201d argument currently heard in response to opposition of this bill.<\/p>\n