Arbit Asking For Antisemitism To Be Added To Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 06/03/2025) Antisemitism would be defined as the hatred for demonizing Jews under the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA) and the Michigan Antisemitism Protection Act (MASPA), which the Michigan Legislative Jewish Caucus rolled out Tuesday.

Rep. Noah Arbit (D-West Bloomfield) said the “gold standard” definition of antisemitism that’s been adopted by the U.S. Department of State defines it as “calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews in the name of a radical ideology or an extremist view of religion.”

In addition to the USDOS definition, the bill text says antisemitism means a perception of Jews expressed by hatred, denying the Holocaust, accusing Jews of being collectively responsible for real or perceived wrongdoings, dehumanizing, demonizing or stereotyping Jews as being part of a worldwide conspiracy theory, accusing Jews of being more loyal to Israel than America, demanding behavior of Israel that is not demanded of other democratic nations, and more.

Rep. Noah Arbit

Arbit said this addition would apply to discriminatory conduct, not constitutionally protected free speech. He said he’s partnered with the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Laboratory (PERIL) at American University and would like to see school districts implement their K-5 digital literacy curriculum.

Arbit said he’s also calling on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to create a commission on targeted violence prevention within the executive branch that would bring together public and mental health professionals, law enforcement, intelligence professionals, faith leaders, and education professionals to establish a statewide strategy for preventing targeted violence.

Rep. Samantha Steckloff (D-Farmington Hills) said during the press conference that a rise in antisemitism had caused her, Arbit and Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield) to each be contacted by the FBI with credible threats to their lives.

“Currently, right now at home, I have police detail at my home,” Steckloff said.

In addition to the three things Arbit is calling for, he also said every person of conscience needs to stand up and speak out against anti-Jewish rhetoric. He said that right now both parties get a failing grade in defending against antisemitism.