Cooper signs bill to establish an official state definition of antisemitism
Gov. Roy Cooper (File Photo)
The SHALOM Act became law in North Carolina after Gov. Roy Cooper signed it on Monday.
The law makes the “Working Definition of Antisemitism Adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance on May 26, 2016” the state’s official definition of antisemitism.
“Defining antisemitism is important to stopping it, and this new law helps do that as antisemitic incidents are on the rise,” Cooper said in a press release. While we protect the right to free speech, this legislation helps to make our state a more welcoming, inclusive, and safe place for everyone.”
Under the definition, several types of criticism directed against Israel, such as “claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor,” would be deemed antisemitism.
House Speaker Tim Moore, one of the bill’s chief sponsors, said in a press conference in May that the measure is a response to a rise in hate speech and attacks on Jewish people.
“North Carolina already has hate crime statutes in place, but there really is not a working definition of what truly constitutes antisemitism,” Moore said. “This is very timely because of what we have seen across this country, and even right here in North Carolina.”
While the bill provides for no particular enforcement mechanism, it specifies that the definition will be used as “a guide for training, education, recognizing, and combating antisemitic hate crimes or discrimination and for tracking and reporting antisemitic incidents.”
Moore said the bill does not create any new criminal penalties related to antisemitism, as state laws against “ethnic intimidation” already exist. But it provides a clear definition of antisemitism for prosecutors and law enforcement
“A prosecutor would look at that and look at the statutes that are already in place and make a determination if that conduct rose to that level.”
Critics say the bill is an attack on free speech and it’s intended to stifle criticism of Israel.
Some of what the definition targets isn’t antisemitism, said Reighlah Collins with the ACLU of North Carolina at a committee hearing last week.
“The right to engage in political speech is one of the most important First Amendment protections even if we don’t agree with it, and for this reason, the IHRA definition cannot serve as a yardstick for determining what is hate speech or religious discrimination and what is not.”
Last week, a group of Jewish and Muslim activists protested outside the Governor’s Mansion calling for Cooper to veto the bill after both chambers overwhelmingly voted to approve the bill.
Hadeel Hamoud of Muslim Women For, an advocacy organization based in North Carolina, said during that criticism of Israel is not antisemitism.
“Criticism of a foreign government…should never be construed as hatred for an ethnic religious group,” said Hamoud. “If our government truly cared about combating hatred, they would invest in meaningful and community-based ways to combat hatred of all faith groups.”
Sandra Korn of Jewish Voice for Peace Triangle NC said the bill is intended to divert attention from what she described as antisemitism in the Republican party.
“It’s designed to confuse and distract from real antisemitism, and particularly the Holocaust denial of our Republican gubernatorial candidate,” said Korn. It’s part of a classic right-wing playbook to suppress dissent and criminalize protests.”
Korn was referring to Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the GOP nominee for governor in November, who has previously made multiple comments decried by critics as antisemitic.
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