The Associated Students Inc. Senate passed a resolution against House Resolution 35, a state resolution aimed at reducing anti-Semitism on college campuses, with some senators concerned the potential legislation could impede on students’ free speech.
ASI’s resolution furthers a movement against HR 35 by California student organizations. The University of California Student Association – a group composed of UC students and student governments that represent more than 220,000 students – also passed a resolution condemning HR 35 in September.
HR 35, coauthored by Long Beach’s Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal, cites increases in anti-Semitic sentiments and a report by the United States Commission on Civil Rights, which said that anti-Semitism on some campuses is “cloaked as criticism of Israel.” The California State Assembly passed HR 35 in August.
HR 35 calls for public universities to “increase their efforts to swiftly and unequivocally condemn acts of anti-Semitism on their campuses” and ensure that “no public resources will be allowed to be used for anti-Semitic or any intolerant agitation.”
ASI Secretary of Cultural Diversity Ojaala Ahmad helped draft the ASI Senate resolution and said she fears HR 35 would tarnish the reputations of students attempting to bring an alternative view of Israel’s actions into the public discourse.
“A large part of HR 35 is written to unfairly smear human rights advocates who are dissenting against Israel’s human rights violation as anti-Semitic,” she said. “It says that campaigning to raise awareness of Israel’s human rights violations is anti-Semitic.”
Ahmad called HR 35 a “slippery slope,” saying its passage could lead to similar resolutions that could limit the rights of students and faculty.
“The reason why we’re presenting this to ASI is to protect students’ civil liberties and First Amendment rights to free speech and academic freedom,” Ahmad said.
James Sauceda, director of the Multicultural Center, said HR 35 attempts to eliminate anti-Semitism are misplaced.
“Anti-Semitism is a serious issue, but you don’t handle it by legislating a specific point of view,” he said. “You do it by having an open discourse.”
Sauceda said censoring a view isolates students from some ideas and only serves to worsen the situation. Rather than quieting one group, he said, more emphasis should be placed on educating students about anti-Semitism, its roots and its effects.
“The Supreme Court gives universities and higher education institutions the widest possible allowances to have these discussions,” he said. “We shouldn’t be afraid to see racist views, no matter from what angle.”
Lowenthal said that while she supports HR 35, she never meant to curb free speech rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
“I supported HR 35 because it condemned acts of intolerance and urged both the UC and CSU systems to confront anti-Semitism with due respect to the First Amendment,” she said. “It was not, and would never be, my intent to suggest that free speech rights should be limited to ideas with which elected officials agree.”
HR 35 must pass in the California Senate before becoming officially recognized. ASI will vote on the second reading of its resolution against HR 35 again on Nov. 28.
