State Senator McGuire’s March 19th talk at Kol Shofar Congregation in Tiburon was billed as a “Conversation on Antisemitism Legislation”. Unfortunately, it wasn’t about antisemitism, it was about doing Trump’s work in California schools by stifling political dissent. McGuire supported AB 715 -supporting censorship under the guise of opposing antisemitism in our schools despite widespread opposition from civil liberties groups like the ACLU, teacher’s unions, advocates for peace and justice in Palestine. As if to prove the point that it is all about suppressing dissent, I was not allowed to participate in this “conversation” because of the words on a t-shirt I wore. The words they found offensive: “Jews Say Let Gaza Live”- the back of shirt says, “Divest from Genocide”. These words are a plea for peace. Words for justice. Words for hope to end the carnage. I was told to either cover up these words or leave under threat of arrest. Arrest on what charge- Disturbing the War? I reluctantly left McGuire to discuss his trumpy work to mostly supporters of Israel’s ongoing genocide in Palestine. Being barred from this talk was a clear case of censorship. Not surprising, but disappointing, nonetheless.
Problems with AB 715
CAIR-California has shared these main problems with AB 715:
- Chill instruction and speech in public classrooms by pressuring teachers and students to avoid speaking about Palestine and Islamophobia, and discussing and teaching about other historically marginalized groups.
- Politicize complaints against educators and students by relying on vague and overbroad definitions, including the controversial IHRA definition of antisemitism.
- Blur the line between legitimate classroom speech and discrimination by conflating discussions on Palestinian history and critiques of the state of Israel with actionable discrimination and harassment.
Putting educational institutions at risk for lawsuits that allow any serious discussion in classrooms of Israel’s and United States’ crimes against the Palestinian people is precisely the tactic used by Trump administration to quash free speech in universities across the United States. Senator McGuire, who aspires to be a congressman, pretends to oppose Trump’s fascism. His actions in support of Trump’s agenda say otherwise.
AB 2159 Fixes AB 715
There is some good news for those who support free speech in California schools and oppose racism. Assemblyman Robert Garcia has recently introduced AB 2159 to clean up AB 715 to both support Jewish students and protect free speech, including speech critical of Israel.
From a press release from CAIR-CA:
- Remove reference to a federal strategy document that incorporates a definition of antisemitism critics say can sweep in protected political speech about Israel and Palestine.
- Require the state’s Antisemitism Prevention Coordinator to be hired through a merit-based civil service process.
- Strike vague language that has exposed schools and teachers to politically motivated discrimination complaints.
CAIR-CA, a co-sponsor of the bill, said the measure reflects concerns long raised by educators, labor groups, civil rights organizations, and community advocates who supported efforts to confront antisemitism in schools but warned that parts of AB 715 passed last year were overly broad and open to misuse.
This website will update you on Marin’s state representatives, both Senator McGuire and Assemblyman Connolly on their positions on AB 2159 when that information is available. Contact these offices NOW and speak up for free speech to oppose war and oppression.
Defeating Antisemitism and all forms of racism
Antisemitism is a growing problem in the United States. In 2018 Robert Bowers, a rightwing, anti-immigrant extremist, entered Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA and shot and killed eleven people and wounded six more. Many members of the Marin community, including myself, went to Kol Shofar to memorialize those harmed by this evil act.
On January 20, 2025, billionaire Elon Musk, also an anti-immigrant extremist, celebrated Trump’s new Presidential term with two nazi salutes. It is important to note this was followed the next week by Musk’s endorsement of Neo-Nazi political parties in Germany. Even more shocking than Elon Musk’s gesture (and blatant political extremism) was the response of the Anti-Defamation League, which excused Musk’s flagrant embrace of fascism with a defense of Musk’s clear Nazi sympathies as merely an “awkward gesture”. The irony is that the ADL is still respected by many Democratic politicians to decide what is or isn’t antisemitic. The ADL was a key supporter of AB 715.
In contrast to ADL’s appeasement to a neo-Nazi billionaire, recently the ADL has accused Senator Van Hollen of “peddling antisemitism”. What did Van Hollen say? That AIPAC was a destructive influence, and it was “time to call them out.” In other words, merely opposing a political lobby is labeled “antisemitism”. Van Hollen’s response:
“I say that he [Jonathan Greenblatt, leader of the ADL] is undermining his own mission and a mission that I share, which we should be fighting and defeating antisemitism,” Van Hollen responded. “But when he equates criticism of the government of Israel, when he acquits criticism of a political organization like AIPAC with antisemitism, all he’s doing is cheapening the effort to fight real antisemitism. And so I think a lot of folks– put it this way. I’m hearing from a lot of folks in the Jewish community that he is undermining the very important cause, which he says is his mission.”
Clearly the ADL has long forfeited any right to determine what is or is not antisemitism. It is nothing but a lobby for the extreme-right and Israel’s policies. Indeed, by claiming they must defend Israel policies to defend Jewish people, the ADL itself is engaged in a form of antisemitism. That is why there is a strong movement in the Jewish community to reject the ADL.
Real work against antisemitism means supporting peace and justice for all. It means radical solidarity. Only when we see that our fate is tied into the fate of others will we be able to realize our collective liberation, to create a world free of war, oppression and racism.
We have got to understand that people in third world countries think and care and smile and cry just like us. We have got to understand that they dream our dreams and we dream theirs. We have got to understand that they are us. We are them.
-Rachel Corrie, age 10. Corrie was killed by the Israeli military while trying to prevent the destruction of a family home in Gaza at the age of 23.
Solidarity is fragile and frequently betrayed, but it is all we have. It is the only thing that can save us.
-Molly Crabapple
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