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Having covered the historical background of this topic in the last essay, let’s dive straight into current events surrounding it, before President Trump announces anymore territorial acquisitions.
President Trump’s executive order in January is essentially an affirmation of his order 13899, from his first term in 2019. We know that the order is primarily intended to protect Jewish students from the intense harassment they have been subjected to on college campuses, notably at our own prestigious Yale.
Upon reading the order though, I was struck by how some alarming precedents are being set, which remind me of a time in 2001 when Americans were willing to part with some liberty to obtain additional safety. The order is exceptionally vague you see, and I was unable through my own research to determine exactly what qualifies as an “Anti-Semitic incident” which the order seeks to curtail. Pro Hamas riots of course, but what else could be included under such a broad definition? Do we not already have laws against rioting, and civil rights laws protecting minorities?
I see a good intention order by President Trump that can easily be turned into a damaging attack on our fundamental right to free speech as Americans. This author has always been a vocal opponent of foreign aid, including to the state of Israel, would this be considered “antisemitic” by interested parties? What of the recent bombshell revelation that the United States will take possession of Gaza, which has been met with significant push back from the President’s electoral base? Will opposition to this endeavor be maligned as “antisemitic” in order to silence political opposition, and equate it with the position of Hamas radicals? Those of us who remember the Patriot Act and it’s disastrous impact on the privacy of the citizenry have cause for concern.
Closer to home we have similar concerns arising, as we see Governor Ned Lamont proposing the strengthening of “hate crime” statutes. We know that little opposition will be raised to this proposal, because the Democratic controlled legislature thoroughly enjoys claiming the moral high ground, and the Republican minority will be happy to get a pat on the head for their cooperation. There's just one problem though; “Hate crimes” are essentially thought crimes. Is a murder victim extra dead if his killer hated him for some sort of protected characteristic? Unlike President Trump’s executive order, there is no clear issue that Governor Lamont is addressing for our state. Are hate crimes on the rise? Only if you count teenagers vandalizing BLM murals, and illegal immigrants in New Haven getting their feelings hurt by leaflets. The real hate crime happening here is how Hartford spitefully punishes the taxpayers every legislative session.
In conclusion, we cannot expect much of a course correction from the out of touch Governor Lamont, but we can and should expect a strong commitment to freedom of speech from both the Trump administration, and the Jewish community of America. Hamas protesters do an excellent job all on their own of turning the American citizenry against them, but what the Jewish community must understand is that our fundamental rights are not negotiable, even when they come to us at a steep cost. The United States has always been a safe haven for the Jewish diaspora, but we see no need for opening up the potential of yet more government overreach, and persecution of thought criminals. “Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” - Benjamin Franklin.
Just a layman's perspective.
