House Bill HR 9495 is Dangerous
There’s a pit in my stomach I can’t shake. I’ve been waiting on the House to vote (again) on the “non-profit killer” bill, which is a big concern for me personally and professionally. I have applications in for nonprofits that support Palestinian liberation, one of which will be a direct target if HR 9495 passes. This bill could take an employment opportunity away from me, and end jobs for a lot of good people doing important work.
Earlier this year, things were going well with a nonprofit I applied to, and then abruptly everything stopped. Based on the board of directors, I believe my public political beliefs about Israel’s genocide against Palestinians was a no-go. Not entirely shocking given how many organizations have unofficial or official agreements not to criticize Israel and how many states will penalize boycotts of Israeli products and investments, making candidates who support such political beliefs unappealing, to say the least.
I’m not naive that political beliefs and moral convictions limit job opportunities in the United States. What’s not at all acceptable is losing upward mobility because Republicans and Democrats want to punish anti-zionist Jews and Arabs for growing resistance to the genocide. They want to destroy nonprofits by claiming they have connections to terrorism.
This bill isn’t just an issue of free speech, it’s an issue of being slandered a terrorist and punished by the government for exercising constitutionally protected rights. The government is not allowed to punish us for holding political beliefs or demanding the government follow U.S. and international laws. They are not allowed to punish organizations for providing humanitarian support and aid.
When I said I’m afraid of what’s already been allowed, this is what I’m talking about. This bill has been around since last year gaining support. Don’s second term clownshow of hell hasn’t even begun, and look at what is scheduled to happen tomorrow.
52 Democrats in the House supported the earlier version of HR 9495; how many do you think will betray everyone on round two? Given it is an AIPAC-supported bill, one wonders how much money exchanged accounts. How much is it worth to destroy freedoms and lives and hope?
The anxiety and exhaustion from watching the erasure of rights so that a few can benefit needs its own word in English. We need a word to describe the pit in our gut from this evercreeping fascist bullshit.
Fuck.
