Jewish groups have called on Congress to enact legislation that would criminalize paramilitary training by anti-government militia groups and give law enforcement authorities more tools to confront domestic terrorism.
“Congress must take steps to ensure that the American criminal justice system is better equipped to counter a new level of sophistication and danger posed by terrorist groups,” Michael Lieberman, Washington counsel for the Anti- Defamation League, testified before a recent hearing of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime.
Also testifying on the dangers posed by extremist groups that espouse anti- Semitism, conspiracy theories and an overthrow of the federal government were representatives of the American Jewish Committee and the Simon Wiesenthal Center.
Jewish groups have expressed support for legislation sponsored by Rep. Jerold Nadler (D-N.Y.) that would make it a crime not only to conduct but to participate in paramilitary training; make it easier for federal authorities to go after private armies by making criminal civil rights violations a federal offense; and extend protections under civil disorder statutes to all public officers and employees, not just law enforcement officials.
The measure is based on model legislation developed by the ADL in the early 1980s, which is now law in 24 states.
“This legislation addresses a real problem in a reasonable and effective way,” Nadler said. “It targets overt, violent activity, not ideas, speech, assembly or the right to petition the government for redress.”
Militias are believed to operate in more than 30 states. Many harbor anti- Semitic and racist views.
A number of those in Congress oppose such legislation, saying that it would grant the federal government too much authority and curtail individual freedoms.
After listening to Jewish representatives and others testify, Rep. Bob Barr (R- Ga.) said he was “flabbergasted” to hear them “dealing so cavalierly” with civil liberties.
Barr said he found it “rather stranger” that so many people are in “such a pell-mell rush to outlaw more activity, to cut off from doing things” that are disagreeable, “given the fact that we already have very, very extensive criminal laws in this country that do protect us against acts of violence or conspiracy to commit acts of violence.”
Kenneth Stern, the AJCommittee’s program specialist on anti-Semitism and extremism, said Jewish groups retain “very strong respect for civil liberties and the First Amendment” when opinions are expressed through acceptable channels – but not through the formation of armed units that endanger lives.
The real threat to free speech, Stern told the committee, is the atmosphere of fear that armed “thugs” create, which “makes people afraid to speak their minds” and confront them.
In a related move, Rep. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) has launched a campaign to force the House of Representatives to vote on anti-terrorism legislation with a back-door procedural move that requires the support of 218 lawmakers. The legislation, which passed the Senate, has stalled in the House.
“It is time to stop the secret, back-room negotiations that are going on regarding this bill,” Schumer told the committee. “Those back-room deals will only water the bill down.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
