Michael Tracey: Florida Is About to Make It a 'Hate Crime' to 'Demonize Israel'

Chris Menahan
InformationLiberation
May. 15, 2019

Independent journalist Michael Tracey said Wednesday on Twitter that the Florida state legislature is about to "criminalize ordinary political speech" by making it a "hate crime" to "demonize Israel."

"Florida is about to make it a 'hate crime' to 'demonize Israel,' Utterly insane," Tracey said. "These numbskulls in the state legislature are really going to criminalize ordinary political speech."

Florida is about to make it a "hate crime" to "demonize Israel." Utterly insane. These numbskulls in the state legislature are really going to criminalize ordinary political speech https://t.co/Hseecc7MvJ
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) May 15, 2019

The Center Square reported April 29:

Under the bill, the BDS movement is defined as a terrorist group no different than the KKK or ISIS, which has prompted some to question if criticism of the Jewish state could be mischaracterized as being anti-Semitic criticism of the Jewish people.

HB 741 also amends Florida’s hate crime statute to specifically include anti-Semitism, which it defines “as a perception of the Jewish people, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jewish people,” through such acts as:

“Calling for, aiding, or justifying violence against Jews.
"Alleging myths about a world Jewish conspiracy or that Jews control the media, economy, government, or other institutions.
"Accusing Jewish people as a whole of being responsible for real or imaginary wrongdoing by a single Jewish person, group, or the state of Israel, or for acts of non-Jews.
"Accusing the Jewish people of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust.
"Accusing Jewish citizens of countries other than Israel of being more loyal to Israel than their own nations.
"Demonizing, applying a double standard to, or delegitimizing Israel.”

"To top it all off, Gov. Ron DeSantis is actually planning to *go to Jerusalem* and hold a ceremony in which he signs this bill. Just amazing," Tracey said.

To top it all off, Gov. Ron DeSantis is actually planning to *go to Jerusalem" and hold a ceremony in which he signs this bill. Just amazing
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) May 16, 2019

"So if you are a student at Florida State University and you say something in class that could be construed by some special snowflake as 'demonizing Israel,' they could cry about how offended they are and report you to administrative authorities as having violated the law," he said.

So if you are a student at Florida State University and you say something in class that could be construed by some special snowflake as "demonizing Israel," they could cry about how offended they are and report you to administrative authorities as having violated the law
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) May 16, 2019

"I wonder if the Intellectual Dork Web free speech warrior guys will have anything to say about this [crickets]," Tracey said.

I wonder if the Intellectual Dork Web free speech warrior guys will have anything to say about this [crickets] pic.twitter.com/JxNEHqZ4ms
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) May 15, 2019

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