ACLU Supporter, the Senate could vote as soon as today on a bill that threatens free speech under the guise of national security – and we can't let it pass. This bill is clearly a reaction to pro-Palestinian protests. It gives the government virtually unfettered power to revoke the nonprofit status of accused "terrorist supporting organizations," and it could be easily used to discriminate against, target, and silence dissenting voices. We've already seen government officials conflate protesting students with Hamas or other organizations. It isn't a stretch to imagine how this authority could be used to pressure universities to shut down activist student groups in another harmful overreaction to student and faculty protests.
This bill would allow the government to investigate, harass, and effectively dismantle any nonprofit organization – like public colleges and universities – it claims has provided "material support" to terrorist groups, without due process. With such vague wording, this could easily be used to pressure universities to shut down student protests or advocacy groups. We've seen these arguments about national security before. This bill reeks of the same reactionary investigations and prosecutions we saw after 9/11, disproportionately targeting Muslims, charities, and civil society organizations. To be clear: It's already a federal crime to provide material support to terrorist organizations. This bill would stifle free speech and allow the government to target political opponents. It gives the government a new tool to attack organizations like public universities and pressure them to silence speech the government doesn't like. Thanks for all you do, The ACLU Team |
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