University Of California Approves Anti-Semitism Statement

[Little Tich]

31. The right for a group to decide what constitutes discrimination against that group potentially

interferes with free speech.

If criticism of a political ideology, in this case anti-Zionism, is labeled discrimination, it will interfere with the right of people to promote a political opinion. There are many groups that would love to be able to decide what constitutes discrimination against them. In fact, what you're proposing is in many ways parallel to religious groups being forced to participate in practices (birth-control, abortions) and provide services to certain people (LGBT), and then complaining that they're being discriminated against by being forced to do so. Now they can only complain about discrimination, but what if they had the right to decide that it actually was discrimination in the legal sense?

I think it's irresponsible to allow groups of people to decide themselves what's to be considered discrimination against them. On the surface, it's a pleasing argument to give the Jewish community the privilege to decide themselves what constitutes discrimination against them, but it's a privilege that is bound to be abused.

I think the current debate in the US and elsewhere about what constitutes anti-Semitism is needed. Currently, it seems as if "Stupid" in the form of various pro-Israel groups has the upper hand, but there's excellent constitutional protection of free speech in the US which will eventually trump any attempts to stifle criticism of Israel.