Democrats are pressing legislation that would make New Jersey the first state in the nation to define “Islamophobia” for use in criminal prosecutions and civil trials. The proposal is an abomination that, despite its protestations to the contrary, would erode citizens’ free speech rights under the First Amendment to the Constitution.
It defines “Islamophobia” as, amongst other things, “severe disparagement toward Muslim persons or their culture… hostility and fear of Islam… making stereotypical allegations about Muslims… especially but not exclusively about Muslims’ entry into politics… the myth of Muslims having a unique propensity for terrorism… claims of a demographic threat of Muslim takeover… rhetorical anti-Muslim manifestations… expressing an unfounded dread or dislike of Muslims… which results in discrimination… and accusing Muslim citizens of being more loyal to a transnational Muslim community or to their countries of origin or to the alleged priorities of Muslims worldwide.”
