The preliminary report of the Massachusetts Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism for K-12 Education paves the way for attacks on free speech in Massachusetts schools and beyond.
The report ignores the testimony at its own hearings about the weaponization of antisemitism, the misuse of antisemitic incident reporting by the ADL, and the letter from 90 rabbis and Jewish community leaders to commission co-chairs Sen. John Velis (D-Westfield) and Rep. Simon Cataldo (D-Concord) admonishing them that they are enabling the Trump administration attacks on free speech “under the auspices of combating antisemitism.”
The use of antisemitism to justify right-wing attacks on speech and education will very likely stimulate increased antisemitic activity. As an old Jew, I am very aware that antisemitism is and always has been a serious problem in our society. However, the current upsurge in the publicity around antisemitism in Massachusetts has little to with an actual increase in number or severity of events. It is about the significant and legitimate outrage over the decimation of a civilian population by Israel which receives billions in U.S. military assistance and U.S. diplomatic cover.
This anger is what the commission and the Trump administration wish to eradicate, not antisemitism.
Marc Gurvitch
Northampton