Diverse Coalition of Organizations Says “No to HB 30”
January 25, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Shelley Danzy, Project South, shelley@projectsouth.org, 678-508-5293
Urooj Ali, Georgia Muslim Voter Project, urooj.ali@gamvp.org, 470-222-6517
Chany Chea, Asian American Advocacy Fund, chany@asianamericanadvocacyfund.org
James Woo, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta, jwoo@advancingjustice-atlanta.org
Diverse Coalition of Organizations Says “No to HB 30”
On January 25th, the Georgia Legislature adopted House Bill 30, which falsely equates anti-Zionism with antisemitism. The Say No to HB 30 Coalition remains opposed to HB 30 and is gravely concerned about the bill’s manipulation of antisemitism at the expense of Georgians’ First Amendment rights by labeling criticism of Israel and Zionism as antisemitic. This bill moves forward to the Governor's desk to be signed, and we urge our communities to take action and ask for a veto.
A coalition of Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Palestinian, immigrant, and people-of-color led organizations stands firmly on the side of Georgians’ right to free speech, including people’s rights to criticize and condemn the Israeli government and the Israeli occupation of Palestine. This bill creates a legal framework based on a discredited definition in order to challenge, intimidate, and silence pro-Palestinian advocacy.
As legal agencies have noted, the distorted International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism falsely equates critiques of Israel and Zionism with discrimination against Jewish people. The language in this bill is dangerously vague and opens the door for Georgians to be found in violation of regulations or to be prosecuted for voicing their political beliefs on Israel's occupation, apartheid, and genocide of Palestinians.
If this bill is signed into law, the state creates more avenues for censorship and repression, not less. To codify the IHRA definition mirrors right-wing efforts to ban Critical Race Theory (CRT), initiatives that prohibit educators and institutions from teaching about systemic oppression. Our coalition stands against all forms of racism and injustice, including the erasure of history and the weaponizing of antisemitism.
Ahead of the vote, Georgians sent over 11,000 emails to members of the Senate Judiciary committee, which passed the bill on Monday, as well as almost 2500 emails to their individual representatives and Senators stating their concerns about HB 30’s threats to free speech. Georgia policymakers who stand against the current wave of repressive legislation should also stand against this bill as a thinly veiled attempt to exploit the realities of antisemitism to advance their own agendas.
Members of Jewish Voice for Peace testified at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Monday, January 22, saying: “HB 30 is not about protecting Jews from antisemitism, but to weaponize the definition to prevent free speech.”
This coalition of Georgia-based community and policy organizations has been working to challenge the harmful assumptions codified in HB 30 for three consecutive legislative sessions, and we will continue to fight for our rights and protect the rights of all Georgians.
“Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta is deeply concerned about the passage of HB 30. Amid the rise of anti-Asian violence in recent years, we understand the pernicious nature of anti-semitism and the grave effects of bigotry and hate on individuals and communities. However, we cannot do so at the expense of our collective rights to freedom of speech.” -Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta
“HB 30 equates Zionism and Israel with Judaism and Jewishness, a comparison which is fundamentally inaccurate. This sets a dangerous precedent in chilling our free speech and ability to openly criticize the Israeli government and occupation forces for their human rights violations in Palestine. This bill directly harms Muslims across the state, especially those who are directly impacted by the actions of the Israeli government, and it limits their ability to advocate on behalf of their communities.” Georgia Muslim Voter Project (GAMVP)
“We vehemently oppose House Bill 30 due to its threat to our First Amendment rights and suppression of political speech. Asian American communities, rooted in a history of combating oppression, join forces with coalition partners to defend these essential rights. Condemning violence and rhetoric that fuels anti-Palestinian racism, Islamophobia, and anti-Semitism, we stress the critical importance of safeguarding our free speech rights and adamantly reject any legislation that seeks to silence our voices.” – Asian American Advocacy Fund
“For the Georgia Legislature to pass this bill during genocide in Gaza - in which it is more pertinent than ever to stand against apartheid, repression of Palestinian life and dignity, calculated settler colonialism, and mass displacement - reflects the Georgia government's commitment to dehumanizing Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim lives. Manipulating antisemitism to increase the lack of accountability for racism against Arabs and Arab Americans in Georgia is an injustice to both Jewish and Palestinian Georgians. HB30 will only exacerbate more anti-Arab racism and Islamophobia, as seen with the heightened waves of discrimination and unfair treatment of students and student groups across Georgia’s campuses. By making it suspect to criticize Israel or organize against the occupation, HB30 criminalizes the movement for a free Palestine and attempts to intimidate Palestinian organizers and their allies, both Jewish and non-Jewish, in our efforts to organize for Palestinian liberation and freedom from the Israeli occupation.” Palestinian Youth Movement
“The Georgia Legislature has taken a dangerous step today with the passage of HB30, whose purported purpose is to oppose antisemitism, but intended impact will be to stifle free speech and prevent criticism of the state of Israel. We should all oppose antisemitism, just as we should all stand for freedom and justice for all. This bill does nothing to advance either goal.” - American Friends Service Committee
“In the midst of an ongoing genocide in Gaza with a death toll of over 25,000 Palestinians, it is despicable that Georgia legislators passed a bill that makes it harder to criticize Israel’s human rights violations. Over the last three decades, Project South has worked with Jewish, Muslim, Black, and immigrant communities in Georgia to prevent repression and racism in all its forms. Despite hearing from thousands of Georgians who oppose this bill over the last few days, Georgia’s legislators showed that they are not concerned with protecting our communities or our freedom of speech. We will continue to defend the rights of our communities and work with a united coalition to stop HB30.” - Project South
“Labeling criticism of Israel antisemitic, as HB30 does, would seriously limit First Amendment rights and academic freedom in higher education in Georgia. Conflating disagreement with a nation-state with hate speech would put a target on students' backs and stifle the nature of intellectual inquiry and political dissent.”
Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine-GA
“HB30 does not solve the very serious problem of antisemitism. Instead, it stifles and censors legitimate, and otherwise legal speech. By conflating Jewish identity with the state of Israel, it makes Georgia unsafe for all Americans, especially those of Palestinian, Arab and Muslim descent. CAIR-Georgia has seen an unprecedented increase in incidents of harassment and discrimination since October 7, with Pro-Palestinian students being unfairly targeted, harassed and doxed. HB 30 will only increase this climate of suppression.” CAIR-Georgia
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