We encourage Georgia lawmakers to stand up against antisemitism.

We urge the South Georgia legislative delegation to support hate crimes legislation that passed out of the judiciary committee last week.

House Bill 30 defines antisemitism and would give both law enforcement and courts the necessary tools to enforce hate crimes enhancements when criminals target victims because of race and religion.

It appears the bill is garnering some bipartisan support, assuming it makes it to a floor vote, we think both Republicans and Democrats should overwhelmingly support this measure.

If a single lawmaker opposes identifying crimes against Jewish people as hate crimes, it begs the question why would any person defend and support hate and racism?

The bill is sponsored in the state House of Representatives by Republican John Carson who has clearly explained what he perceives as his moral obligation to support the legislation.

Some opponents of the bill have suggested that it violates the free speech clause.

The claim is simply untrue and amounts to nothing other than a red herring. The measure does not address speech at all and only provides clarity about what constitutes antisemitism in instances where crimes targeting Jewish people are committed.

The proposal would adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition for antisemitism that includes: “a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

We agree with Rep. Carson when he said, “I believe that this is right, this is moral and this was just the right thing to do for people that are constantly being persecuted, even though they are a vast minority of the population. They get huge amounts of persecution on religious and other grounds. It is important that we pass this bill, that we end the hate toward this community once and for all.”

In the aftermath of the horrific murder of Ahmaud Arbery, Georgia lawmakers finally enacted long-needed hate crimes legislation in our state.

Now building on that legislation by adding language that will make it possible to prosecute crimes against Jewish people is a logical, and needed, next step.

We still have a long way to go in Georgia but each of these steps is a step in the right direction.

Again, we encourage our delegation to vote yes on House Bill 30, defining antisemitism in our state.