More than two dozen Republicans from the Senate and Assembly stood as a force against antisemitism on college campuses last week, explaining a package of bills authored to combat antisemitism and hate on college campuses. This was one of several news conferences in which Democrats from both houses did not join to speak up on this issue.
“The idea that we are not leading the fight on this as a state is shameful,” said Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt. “New York should be a refuge. We should be a sanctuary for Jews who live here, who are New Yorkers, who pay taxes, who call this home. We are quickly not becoming that. That is a shameful thing and that is what this conference stands against.”
Senator Steve Rhoads (R – Bellmore, Nassau County) said he’s frustrated that the majority has not disclosed their plan to combat antisemitism. “Not only do you have students participating in that, but you have outside groups coming onto our campus[es] without action on the part of the university administration and faculty. Employees of the State of New York that are actually coming out actively supporting these same pro-terrorist, anti-American activities cannot be tolerated,” he said. “There are some members who have taken action that would be in support of hate. I’m not saying they support hate – I’m saying they haven’t taken appropriate steps to try and stop it and try to curtail it.”
This is an issue that is likely to spill over to the campaign trail later this year, when Republicans who are trying to unseat incumbent Democrats will use this as a wedge issue in many races. “The candidates who are on the campaign trail that are on our side will have our full support. I’m sure they will be speaking about the same issues, the same frustrations, and talk about what they will do with us when we are in the majority next year,” said Senator Bill Weber (R – Montebello, Rockland County).
“Our Democratic colleagues in the Senate and the Assembly have been silent on combating antisemitism on college campuses,” Weber said. “Their silence speaks volumes. This is a topic where we should be speaking with one voice. We are a tolerant state. We are the Empire State. We pride ourselves on being the first in really protecting the rights of so many groups. Why aren’t we protecting our Jewish residents? I have a daughter who goes to college and she told me about the fear in the eyes and the thoughts of a lot of students who go to school with her. These are serious issues.”
Another Long Island Republican, an Orthodox Jew, spoke about how the Democrats in the Assembly are shutting down all Republican attempts to publicly debate antisemitism on the Assembly floor. “Not only aren’t the Democrats allowing my bills to come to committee, they’re not even assigning it a bill number,” said Assemblyman Ari Brown (R – Cedarhurst, Nassau County). “There’s an expression: ‘There is nothing new under the sun,’ which is found in Ecclesiastes. Today Socialists are not only welcomed in, they are feared by the Speaker and others to shut down appropriate bills that [would] keep our Jewish brethren and all of our students and faculty safe.
“At the end of the day, we should hit them where it hurts and that’s in the pocketbook. That’s why we should call it the Defunding Anarchy Act. I would like to see some guts and determination from the other side of the aisle,” Brown said. “Why do we have antisemitism in the Capitol?”
Another Long Island Senator representing the Five Towns in Nassau County had a lot of unanswered questions about the lack of Democratic support. “We’re not seeing the support that I thought I would see from the majority in both houses. Where are they? Why aren’t they here? Why aren’t they supporting us? Why aren’t they speaking out? Why aren’t they taking up this legislation? I can’t answer that question because they are not here,” said Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick (R – Malverne, Nassau County). “It is far past time that the state takes decisive action to tackle antisemitism head-on. We have repeatedly come up with commonsense proposals. We are not only pointing out a problem, but we are coming up with solutions and that’s why we keep talking about it… We do have tools at our disposal that will allow universities to have consequences for their actions.
“The bill I’ve introduced would require colleges and universities to take appropriate and corrective action when one of their educators promotes the actions of a designated terrorist organization, and if one of those institutions fails to do so, we would prohibit the institution from receiving state funding,” Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick told The Jewish Press.
Rhoads also expressed his frustration with the college hierarchy. “We continue to present actual solutions for how we can address what has to be recognized with this outrageous and growing problem. You have outside groups coming onto our campus without action on the part of university administration and faculty. Employees of the State of New York that are actually coming out actively supporting these same pro-terrorist, anti-American activities cannot be tolerated,” he said.
“Hate has consequences for students that participate in it. Legislation was introduced that would take away TAP [Tuition Assistance Program] grants from students who are participating in these types of activities on our campuses,” he continued. “We are introducing a package of bills that will take action against universities – both SUNY, CUNY, as well as private institutions who receive state funding – [and] against students or anyone who is protesting wearing a mask for the purpose of deceiving and concealing their identity while participating in these activities, with limited exceptions, obviously protecting religious freedom. Also, action against faculty who are participating in these activities which are clearly not only antisemitic but are anti-American and certainly intolerable.”
Democrats did not respond when asked for comment on these accusations by Republicans.
