Anti-Semitic Congresswoman Tlaib Demonstrates The Need for Anti-BDS Legislation

A couple of days ago, I wrote my thoughts on newly minted Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib's motherfucker comment arguing that her anti-Semitism was the greater obscenity. I specifically cited her support for the BDS movement.

True to form, after an anti-BDS bill was introduced in the Senate over the weekend by Marco Rubio, Tlaib pulled the old "dual loyalty" canard:

They forgot what country they represent. This is the U.S. where boycotting is a right & part of our historical fight for freedom & equality. Maybe a refresher on our U.S. Constitution is in order, then get back to opening up our government instead of taking our rights away.

For his part, Rubio replied:

This “dual loyalty” canard is a typical anti-Semitic line #BDS isn’t about freedom & equality, it’s about destroying #Israel

This isn't to say the anti-BDS bills don't present First Amendment challenges. Indeed, last year a federal judge put a halt to Kansas' anti-BDS bill on First Amendment grounds. The Kansas legislature subsequently narrowed the scope of the legislation to make it applicable only to businesses who had contracts with the state government exceeding $100,000. While the new version of the Kansas law hasn't been challenged, a federal judge in Arizona overturned that state's BDS law last September. If a federal version does pass Congress it will likely be subject to judicial challenges by the ACLU.

Whatever the merits of the First Amendment argument against anti-BDS bills, let us make no mistake. Anyone who supports BDS is an anti-Semite and seeks to harm Jews whether they live in Israel or not. Opposing anti-BDS measures is to give anti-Semitism legitimacy. Such legitimacy is doubly dangerous when such noxious ideas are given the veneer of respectability by elected officials while other elected officials look the other way.

Tlaib's declaration of dual loyalty among Jews is every bit as dubious as President Trump's ceaseless efforts to associate illegal immigrants with rapists and murderers and should be vigorously condemned. Unfortunately, Tlaib calling Trump a "motherfucker" makes her a heroine on The Left who will either ignore or rationalize her hatred of Jews. It is statements from the likes of Tlaib and her allies failure to condemn them which make anti-BDS bills, whatever their shortcomings, necessary.