Associated Students Inc. passed a resolution Wednesday against House Resolution 35, a state resolution designed to crack down on anti-Semitic speech on college campuses nationwide.
The resolution passed on its third and final reading with no dissenting votes and one abstention.
The ASI resolution claims that encouraging administrators to silence any opinion on a college campus denies students the academic freedom to explore all theories and ideas, as well as violates the fundamental right to free speech.
HR 35 would encourage college administrators to restrict anti-Semitic demonstrations, enact stricter regulations on speech against Jewish policies and culture, and ensure no public resources are “used for anti-Semitic or any intolerant agitation,” according to the House Resolution’s text.
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, according to the UCSA website.
ASI Vice President Jonathon Bolin, who co-authored the ASI resolution with ASI Secretary of Cultural Diversity Ojaala Ahmad, said its passage is an important victory for students’ rights to self-expression.
“We penned together the resolution, and I think it’s a big step for free speech,” he said. “Anything that is going to limit free speech on a college campus is a bad thing.”
The ASI resolution against HR 35 is the first resolution to be passed that originated at the bi-monthly “John and Jon” town hall meetings, according to Bolin.
“We had a student who came and asked us to take a stand against it,” Bolin said.
That student, junior women’s studies major Jane Emerson, asked Bolin and ASI President John Haberstroh what was being done to protect the first amendment rights of those who criticize Israel’s policies and actions on a legal basis. She said in September that she felt people would be silenced should HR 35 pass.
When Emerson first asked the question, Bolin said he had not heard of HR 35.
“This is the reason we set [the town halls] up,” he said. “We’re trying to be the most transparent and reaching-out administration possible.”
Bolin said that while not all suggestions will make it to ASI Senate, HR 35 was serious enough that it did.
“In this case, this was something that we could handle with the senate, and I gave it to the senate and let them decide,” he said. “And they decided yes, we should take a stand against HR 35.”
Bolin said he wants students to see that when they voice their opinions, ASI listens.
“I hope next semester we can get more students coming out and knowing this is a place where they can really share their opinions,” he said.
The California State Assembly passed HR 35 in August, and the resolution is waiting to be voted on by the California State Senate.
