First Amendment with a Clause

Amnesty International’s (AI) comprehensive report issued February 1, titled “Israel’s Apartheid against Palestinians: Cruel System of Domination and Crime against Humanity,” which set out how massive seizures of Palestinian land and property, unlawful killings, forcible transfer, drastic movement restrictions, and the denial of nationality and citizenship to Palestinians are all components of a system which amounts to apartheid under international law.

Not only the U.K.-based AI said that this system is maintained by violations which found to constitute apartheid as a crime against humanity, as defined in the Rome Statute and Apartheid Convention, but also called on the International Criminal Court to consider the crime of apartheid in its current investigation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and on all states to exercise universal jurisdiction to bring perpetrators of apartheid crimes to justice.

The AI report was instantly, rather in less than half a wink, declared anti-Semitic. While this was ample indication that it should be religiously condemned by politicians and media at all echelons.

In keeping with their standard operating procedure of having the U.S. and the government on tight leash, American Israel Public Affairs Committee president Lillian Pinkus and Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt made generously invective-laced calls to President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer (‎D‎-Md.), Minority Leader of the House Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Sen. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D.N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

Of course, AI is U.K. based but Pinkus and Greenblatt demanded blood: strict measures should be promulgated that such reports never reach American eyes and senses.

Greenblatt insisted that post-incident measures like ABC firing Whoopi Goldberg were meaningless because a few million Americans had already become privy to her words.

The “anti-Semitism” branding, designed to work like a firewall that nothing could even enter thought which could negatively affect the unique selling proposition, which is that victims of Holocaust have absolute rights over the lives and properties of all and sundry.

Pro-Israel interests have contributed $56.8 million in individual, group, and soft money donations to federal candidates and party committees since 1990, the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics reports. For example, 269 members of the House and 57 members of the Senate received funds from pro-Israel interests in 2018.

Of course, politicians were concerned.

President Biden, Kamala Harris, the Senate and House leaders hurriedly agreed to meet in the Kennedy Conference Room, which is a secure conference room in the basement of the West Wing of the White House.

The gravity of the situation could be judged when all of the meeting’s participants wore incontinence diapers. Circumstances dictated.

The fear of public reprimand from Pinkis and Goldblatt, and from Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennet was so thick that you couldn’t rip through even with a sharp sword.

Biden explained that AI was a London headquartered organization, over which, it would take a long time to pressure. However, he wanted to do his best that nothing critical of Israel could ever come to American minds.

Schumer offered, “You we can’t sound ‘anti-democratic’, although the best option would be to strike off the First Amendment, so no one is free to talk about or publish anything about Israel’s actions, which some call as apartheid. But what we can do is to create a conditional amendment to this section ‘… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press…’

“You’ll know that now it reads, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

“We need to add a rider that ‘… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press…’ shall apply if any shadow of doubt is cast on any action taken by Israel or one that is deemed as anti-Semitic in any manner whatsoever.”

Pelosi chimes in, “So, we will suspend First Amendment rights in this regard.”

Biden searching for words, “You guys bring the bill, and I will sign it. But wait a second, Chuck, we got 50:50 on paper and Kamala can tip the balance…”

“Mr. President, this will not be a partisan act, but an act of deference to Israel, AIPAC and ADL…. I will get the 100 votes in the Senate; the moment Nancy steers it through the House...  even Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.) will be on board.”

Biden crosses his heart and declares, “Sure, we’ll have First Amendment with a Clause. Thank you.”