Senate Minority Leader Audrey Gibson insists that she is not anti-Semitic after vote sparks furor

[TexasTowelie]

The Florida Senate’s top Democrat struggled Wednesday to quell a bipartisan firestorm over her opposition to a measure designed to snuff out anti-Semitism at schools and colleges.

Speaking to reporters, Senate Minority Leader Audrey Gibson stopped short of apologizing but insisted that she is not anti-Semitic and blamed her “no” vote on a “very confusing” presentation of the bill, which has widespread support from Jewish legislators and organizations.

But the Jacksonville Democrat’s remarks did little to assuage some critics and may have further inflamed an already-splintered Senate Democratic caucus.

The hubbub is centered on Gibson’s “no” vote Monday on a measure that would require public schools, colleges and universities to treat anti-Semitism the same way racism is treated. The bill (SB 1272) also would adopt the same definition for anti-Semitism used by the U.S. Department of State.

Read more: https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2019/04/11/senate-minority-leader-audrey-gibson-insists-that-she-is-not-anti-semitic-after-vote-sparks-furor

[Cattledog]

1. FL has a large Jewish community. This is why many older Jewish residents

vote republican. It will also be fodder for the 2020 election that Dems are anti-semitic.

[mercuryblues]

2. Treating

anti-Semitism the same way they treat racism? IMO that's a pretty low bar, even lower now that DeVos is in charge. I guess Islamophobia isn't a concern in Florida.