Tell Ohio and Wisconsin to Protect Free Speech

This Action Alert is for residents of Ohio or Wisconsin.
If you’re outside of those states, support the Antisemitism Response and Prevention Act in Congress.

The Ohio State Senate and Wisconsin State Senate and Assembly are considering voting on bills that would codify the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism into state law.

That might sound innocuous. Unfortunately, it’s dangerous. It could undermine Jewish safety and fuel the weaponization of antisemitism against free speech.

While we appreciate the goal of fighting antisemitism, this legislation would do the opposite. By enshrining a vague and politicized definition into law, these bills risk chilling free speech, punishing legitimate criticism of Israeli government policy, and fueling the dangerous trend of using false claims of antisemitism as a tool to silence dissent.

Even Kenneth Stern, the lead drafter of the IHRA definition, has warned against its codification and its potential weaponization.

And we’ve already seen this weaponization play out. The federal government has abused the IHRA definition to detain and deport peaceful protesters under the guise of combating antisemitism. We cannot allow Ohio or Wisconsin to reinforce these attacks on our democracy.

Rather than codifying a single, flawed definition, we need real, comprehensive approaches to combating antisemitism that strengthen democracy, protect free expression, and keep all communities safe.