The House of Representatives passed the Antisemitism Awareness Act on Wednesday, aiming to crack down on antisemitism on college campuses amid ongoing pro-Palestinian protests at U.S. universities. However, the bill faced opposition from some Republicans, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who cited concerns over the legislation's potential impact on Christian expression and religious beliefs.
Rep. Greene, who has previously been criticized for her dalliances with antisemitic tropes and influencers, explained her vote against the bill by claiming that it rejects the "gospel" that "the Jews" handed Jesus over to his crucifiers. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Greene wrote, "Antisemitism is wrong, but I will not be voting for the Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2023 (H.R. 6090) today that could convict Christians of antisemitism for believing the Gospel that says Jesus was handed over to Herod to be crucified by the Jews."
Similarly, Rep. Gaetz voiced his opposition to the bill, labeling it a "ridiculous hate speech bill" and arguing that some excerpts of the Bible would meet the bill's definition of antisemitism. "The Gospel itself would meet the definition of antisemitism under the terms of this bill!" Gaetz wrote on X, quoting New Testament scripture that collectively blames Jews for Jesus's killing.
The bill, if enacted, would require the Department of Education to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism when enforcing antidiscrimination laws. The IHRA defines antisemitism as "a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews" and includes contemporary examples of antisemitism, such as "using the symbols and messages associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis."
The opposition from Greene and Gaetz comes at a time when some conservatives are embracing ancient Christian anti-Jewish ideas. In a recent example, conservative influencer Candace Owens broke ranks with Orthodox Jew Ben Shapiro over Owens' seeming embrace of Christian antisemitic tropes, including the belief that Jews imbibe blood.
The accusations made by Greene and Gaetz have been widely criticized, with many pointing out that the belief that Jews were collectively responsible for Jesus's death has been repudiated by numerous Christian denominations in the years following the Holocaust. The Catholic Church formally rejected the charge of deicide against Jews in 1965, recognizing it as a potent driver of antisemitic violence throughout history.
Jeff Miller, a close ally of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, called Gaetz an "anti-semite" and a "pedophile" in response to the Florida representative's post on X. "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.
Despite the controversy surrounding Greene and Gaetz's opposition, the Antisemitism Awareness Act passed in the House with a vote of 320-91. The bill was championed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, whom Greene has said she will try to unseat next week.
The debate over the legislation highlights the ongoing tensions between efforts to combat antisemitism and concerns over free speech and religious expression. While the bill aims to address the rise of antisemitism on college campuses, critics argue that it could potentially stifle legitimate criticism of Israel and infringe upon First Amendment rights.
