NJ LD-1 Assembly Candidates Speak Up for Free Speech in NJ!
This editor on January 5th published an open letter to the Mayor Fulop aligned Assembly candidate team. I urged them to oppose NJ Assembly (A3558) . That proposed bill would conflate opposition to or criticism of Israel with antisemitism. Passage of this bill would in effect ban protected free speech. Advocacy for the Palestinian People or critical commentary about Israel would be construed legally as “antisemitic”. Mayor Fulop has yet to state an opinion on the matter and we have been in contact with him since November asking him to clarify. We still await his answer.
We are pleased to report that both Fulop aligned Democratic Primary candidates for LD-1 have provided clear statements opposing the effort to ban criticism of Israel and support for the Palestinian people. As they should, they state their opposition to true cases of antisemitism but state their understanding that criticism of Israel is not antisemitism.
NJ LD-1 is currently represented by two Republicans in the Assembly, Erik Simonsen and Antwan McLellan who are both signed on as cosponsors of the harmful A3558. Should Carolyn Rush and Brandon Saffold prevail in the primary in June and General Election in November and if the vote has not occurred by then, that would move two votes in the “opposed” direction. Meanwhile lets use their bold voicing on this issue to educate Stephen Fulop and the other Gubernatorial candidates, sitting Assembly members and other Assembly candidates on Fulop’s team and beyond – this is how to protect our beloved free speech rights in NJ!
The following are their statements. Hopefully this is the first of more to come from the other Fulop aligned candidates.
The following stament is by LD-1 Democratic Primary Assembly candidate Carolyn Frank Rush. She made this statement today, January 6, 2025 on her Facebook profile page:
I was recently asked how I feel about A3558. This piece of proposed legislation will establish a State definition of anti-Semitism as well as appropriate $100,000 to fund a public awareness campaign.
The state’s definition of antisemitism will be taken from the definition of antisemitism as shown on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) website which reads as follows:
“Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
While I am personally opposed to hate against any group of individuals, I believe there is a difference between words and actions. As such, I find this definition of antisemitism to be problematic.
I do not believe a citizen should be penalized for a “rhetorical manifestation of antisemitism” as that would violate that citizen’s 1st Amendment Rights.
However, if a citizen engages in a “physical manifestation of antisemitism” and that physical action violates a NJ law, that citizen should be penalized in accordance with the law it violates.
I do not support a New Jersey law based on what I believe to be a flawed definition of anti-Semitism.
In my opinion, antisemitism is morally unacceptable.
I do not, however, believe the state should spend $100,000 of taxpayer money to define and educate NJ residents about a word the people of NJ already know.
Additional commentary was provided by Candidate Rush’s CD-1 Assembly running partner Brandon Saffold:
Let’s not confuse antisemitism with anti-Zionism. Real antisemitism under the law is already considered a hate crime. They are independent of each other and current laws already have protections against discrimination. It is important that we reinforce our constitutional right to freedom of speech as long as it doesn’t insight violence. I think this bill is a distraction from the real struggles New Jersey residents are facing.
This is good news and let us hope that this will start a trend for the rest of Fulop’s Assembly followers and that Mayor Fulop himself articulates a position opposing IHRA and in support of protecting our beloved First Amendment free speech rights. Please consider signing the voters and candidates pledge in defense of NJ’s free speech rights:
