I am named after my great grandfather, Siegmund, who died in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp in 1942—so understanding and fighting anti-Semitism is close to my heart.
But the Antisemitism Awareness Act recently introduced in Congress will silence discussions in institutions of higher education where academic freedom should guarantee the right to open debate and dissent. Along with anti-critical race theory and “Don’t Say Gay” legislation, bills targeting anti-Semitism are part of a larger agenda to control what is taught in K-12 schools and universities, therefore redefining social justice concepts.