New York State Senate Republicans have introduced a series of laws aimed at combating antisemitism, proposing that tearing down pro-Israel posters and flyers be classified as a misdemeanor. This move comes in response to a surge in antisemitic incidents.
Under the proposed legislation unveiled on Wednesday, removing pro-Israel posters and flyers, which has become common following the Hamas terror attacks and subsequent conflict in Gaza, would also be prohibited. Senate Republican Minority leader Robert Ortt emphasized the need for action to ensure the safety of all individuals, particularly in New York, home to one of the largest Jewish populations outside of Israel.
The proposed bills would define “antisemitism” under the state Human Rights Law and facilitate the prosecution of antisemitic acts such as incitement of violence or vandalism as hate crimes. Additionally, they would block state tuition assistance for those engaged in anti-Jewish harassment, mandate antisemitism awareness and prevention training at SUNY and CUNY campuses, and broaden the definition of harassing conduct to include Nazi symbols.
During a press conference in Albany, Senator Ortt called on Democrats to support these measures, referencing Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s remarks criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and certain leftist Democrats’ alignment with Hamas.
The Senate GOP had established a working group to address antisemitism in March of the previous year, well ahead of the October attacks by Hamas. Despite these efforts, antisemitic incidents have increased significantly since the attacks and ensuing conflict, according to senators speaking at the press conference.
Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick expressed dismay over the escalating antisemitism, expecting more solidarity with the Jewish community.
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5 Responses
A couple of thoughts
1) so what? The perp would be let out the next day and wouldn’t learn his lesson
2) why aren’t the democrats proposing legislation? I wonder why
Even more definitely voting 🗳 for President Donald Trump שליט”א with Republicans being such בעלי-חסד ורחמים
If it passes I would be impressed.
This has the appearance of a publicity stunt/fundraising attempt.
There’s definitely something missing from this story, because as described this would be blatantly unconstitutional.
For one thing, you cannot ban “antisemitic acts”, any more than you can ban “anti-black acts”. You can only make something illegal on a viewpoint-neutral basis. Hatred itself is not a crime, and cannot be made a crime. And acts that would otherwise be legal cannot be made illegal just because of their motive.
Incitement of violence, vandalism, and harassment are already crimes, and are so regardless of the motive. “Hate crime” laws merely increase the penalty because of the motive, and that is constitutional, but the act itself may not be banned because of the motive.
Tearing down posters that are on private property, and were put there with the owner’s permission, is vandalism; it makes no difference whether they’re pro-Israel, anti-Israel, or just advertising some product. In such a case the legislature can increase the penalty if it was done in order to make Jews feel threatened. But if the poster was not put up with the property owner’s permission, or if it’s on public property where nobody has permission to put it up, then it is not a crime to take it down, and therefore doing so for antisemitic reasons cannot be made a crime.
Also, “incitement to violence” is very narrowly defined, and what these antisemites say at their rallies is almost never incitement. It makes absolutely no difference how it makes Jews feel. That does not make it incitement. A person can go in the street and shout “Hitler was right”, or “Blacks should be slaves”, and the legislature cannot make that illegal. Swastikas, confederate flags, nooses, are all 100% protected by the first amendment, and are not incitement.
Silly! What if someone puts up an Israeli flag in Williamsburg or in any big yeshiva like Torah v’daas or Chaim Berlin and a Satmar guy or kollel guy rips it up, is that going to be a crime?!