NJ State Sen. McKeon Says Quiet Part Out Loud – NJ’s IHRA Fraudulent Proposed Laws Not About Antisemitism but About Protecting Israel
In June of 2024, a NJ Senate Committee voted two pieces of fascist legislation out of committee, a pair of laws that will codify criticism of Israel as “anti-Semitism”. One of the members of the committee that did much talking at that NJ Senate committee meeting was Sen. John McKeon (D LD27). He bloviated about how Israel is our friend, etc. – he dropped the truth. It is all about protecting Israel and the bipartisan policy where Democratic Party lawmakers along with their Trumpian Republican partners vote to expend tax funds to pay for endless weapons for Israel still continuing genocide in Gaza. The false “antisemitism” accusation of pro-Palestine advocacy by McKeon and other Israel supporting lawmakers is just a clever justification to impose iron fisted rule in support of bipartisan genocidal policy toward Palestinians.
Since the policy of supporting Israel’s genocide in Gaza is unpopular to a growing sector of NJ citizens, voters and residents, these politicians want to destroy the US Constitution and trample our beloved First Amendment Protected Free Speech Rights just so they can continue to vote on policy to support Israel but without having to face challenges of any democratic discussion as to whether we as citizens and residents want to support genocide.
NJ Democrat Party legislators are patting themselves on the back over passing a “NJ Freedom to Read Act” while they are legislating measures that will lead to a massive purge of books from the shelves at NJ colleges, universities, school districts and libraries because these laws fraudulently claim that a pro-Palestine perspective – or even treating Palestinians as if they actually exist – is anti-semitism. Any book that does not conform to the “anything for Israel” narrative will be removed from the shelves lest institutions will face cuts in NJ funding and lawsuits by pro-Israel politicians, lobbyists and law firms – under the letter of the laws McKeon and his fascist NJ legislative partners of both parties are trying to impose.
Former NJ Assembly member and former Mayor Sadaf Jaffer has reviewed Sen. McKeon (D) NJ Senate committee bloviations – of which there are 3 video clips below and offers the following commentary:
In justifying his support for S1292 & S2937 to have NJ adopt the controversial IHRA definition of antisemitism, NJ State Senator @JohnFMcKeon stated that the true objective is to protect Israel from criticism. That is because of our “ties” to Israel including our need for oil (!)
@JohnFMcKeon continues his “us vs. them” speech. Israelis are like us. Palestinians are foreign terrorists. He says his heart breaks for Palestinians, but after listening to hours of testimony re: how IHRA harms the ability to express their suffering, he sends “thoughts and prayers”
NJ State Sen @JohnFMcKeon mentions empathy but lacks it for Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims, Jewish people & allies whom the adoption of IHRA will harm by punishing critique of Israel. Islamophobia is a “sidebar” & these groups are not part of “people that we should all care about.” Sadaf Jaffer in tweets embedded below.