U.S. Rep. Max Rose (D-Southern Brooklyn, Staten Island) joined President Trump and a number of Republican colleges at the signing of an executive order expanding the federal government’s current definition of anti-Semitism, an event that was part of the White House’s Hanukah reception.
The order uses the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) language on what defines anti-Semitism, which also includes attacks on the State of Israel and accusing Jews of dual loyalty.
“Come on up, if you want, fellas,” said Trump to Rose and his House colleagues at the signing, inviting them to the podium. “Even the Democrat can come up. What the hell,” he added to laughter, referring to Rose, who was the only Democrat at the signing.
https://youtu.be/NqpOHbqjStg?t=3491
“I support the President’s Executive Order to prohibit anti-Semitic discrimination and was honored to join him today at the signing ceremony, said Rose, who stood next to the President’s daughter while joining in applause immediately following the order’s signing. “The fact of the matter is that we need to look past politics and work to make public spaces safer for Jews and all targeted groups.”
The order is similar in nature to the bipartisan “Anti-Semitism Awareness Act”, which passed the Senate in 2016 but never came up for a vote in the House.
Previous media reporting suggested that the order planned to designate Jews as a nationality, which turned out to be false. The order merely allows federal agencies to use the expanded definition of anti-Semitism to make a case for discrimination under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The order specifically mentions an increase of anti-Semitic harassment on university and college campuses since 2013 in the first paragraph. Its expansion of the definition of anti-Semitism to attacks on Jews masked in anti-Israeli rhetoric could lead the way for some academic institutions who engage in such language to lose federal funding, due to being in violation of Title VI .
“This action makes clear that Title 6 of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits the federal funding of universities and other institutions that engage in discrimination, applies to institutions that traffic in anti-Semitic hate,” said Trump to applause.
“We need to be doing everything possible to ensure it has no place in our communities or college campuses,” said Rose.
“Hate has no place in Brooklyn, in America and certainly not on college campuses. Nobody’s religion, color of their skin, nor country of origin should make them a target,” said U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-Brownsville, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Flatbush, Kensington, Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Midwood, Sheepshead Bay, Marine Park, Gerritsen Beach, Prospect Lefferts Gardens) in response to the order. “However, we must not forget the sum of President Trump’s policies that continually make people who aren’t European-Americans the target of discrimination and bigotry. Maybe this holiday season Trump will find it within himself to value all people for who they are but we shouldn’t hold our breath.”
