The Jewish Race

[Dill]

(12-17-2019, 10:21 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: 2. It potentially allows the government to affect school funding if any curriculum or school functions criticize the Israeli government. This order was specifically crafted to protect Jewish people under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
For example, if students on a school campus hold a TDS rally or event, that could be construed as anti-Israel (it is anti-Israeli Government) which can then, under this change, be used to justify defunding a school for allowing "anti-Semitic" behavior on campus. But...being anti-Israel isn't the same as being Anti-Semitic. Opposing the Israeli Government, and the things they are doing to the Palestinians, is not a matter of race. It is a matter of policy. But this change could effectively equate the two.

Essentially, the concern is that it equates being Jewish to being of Israel, and protects the Israeli government from criticism, at least superficially.

This is the part that concerns me. And if you criticize Israel for human rights violations, then you are an "anti-semite."  

(12-17-2019, 10:21 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: 3. If being Jewish is a race, then we can now call Christian - Jewish marriages "interracial marriages" despite both people potentially being white. And that's objectively silly (this one is more of a joke. The first two are the major issues). Most American Jewish people do not define themselves as a different race or nationality. They view being a Jew as being a cultural or religious identity. Their nationality is American.

Lots of black Jews in Israel, as well as northern Europeans. That makes it hard to call Jews a "race."

The other aspect of this race definition is that Arabs can fall under the designation "Semite" as well, if people want to return to that 19th century typology. People have spent a great deal of energy since WW II restricting the term to Jews, but it's not clear how successful their efforts would be for legislative/legal purposes. Should they fail, then criticism of Arab Muslims would be "anti-semitic" too--not what the Trump camp wants.