The US House of representatives is preparing to vote next week on a resolution that would deem “Free Palestine” to be “an antisemitic slogan.”
If anybody votes against this, they’ll say they voted to support Colorado terrorist attack.
Update (from comments): A Nitter link to the Ryan Grim tweet in the screenshot:
https://
xcancel.com/ryangrim/status/19
30972170479370686
#USpol #FreePalestine #Genocide #Israel #Antisemitism #Fascism
#Palestine @[email protected] @[email protected]
Australian deported from US says he was ‘targeted’ due to writing on pro-Palestine student protests. Alistair Kitchen says he was detained and questioned about views on Israel and Palestine before being deported from LA to Melbourne
I’m not saying they couldn’t be stronger. There is a huge problem with abusing deportations this way, and other forms of legislating speech by enforcement. But please consider how much worse things can get, and what barriers still remain between here and there. That it isn’t a crime to say “Free Palestine”, that it isn’t a simple matter of declaring it a racist slogan to make it a crime, does mean something.
The barriers are largely logistical. And I believe Trump’s allies in Silicon Valley are closing the gap between what they want and what they can practically achieve.
If you can be targeted, arrested, and deported for doing a thing, it is a crime in every way that matters.
I guess its nice they didn’t subject him to torture, indefinite detention, or summary execution. But given how many people are being sent to international black sites and concentration camps, that’s hardly a given.
The question isn’t whether things can get worse. The question is whether there are any avenues left for things to get better. I’m increasingly pessimistic, given the current state of play.