This is a guest opinion column

Antisemitism is real, and it is terrifying. As Jewish people living in Alabama, we have both experienced it firsthand: being told we should die; being accused of controlling the media, the banks, and the weather; even being physically assaulted just for being Jewish. True antisemitism must be condemned and fought.

But in recent months, we have seen something deeply troubling: accusations of antisemitism being weaponized to silence criticism of Israel’s political decisions and to punish those who stand up for Palestinians. That does not serve to protect Jewish people. Instead, it suppresses necessary political discourse.

A growing number of people — including students and everyday community members — are speaking out about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Many do so, not out of hatred for Israel, but out of a deep concern for Palestinian lives. Yet, they are being painted as antisemitic, pro-Hamas, or anti-Jew. Some are even facing life-altering consequences for their speech.

We do not know why the University of Alabama doctoral student, Alireza Doroudi, who has not been charged with a crime or even connected with a protest movement, was detained this week. But in recent weeks, we have seen former and current students across America like Mahmoud Khalil, Rumeysa Ozturk, and Yunseo Chung detained for their involvement in speaking up for Palestinians. The official reason given for their detentions is that they were “spreading antisemitism in a way that is contrary to the foreign policy of the U.S.”

Over the same few weeks, we have also seen institutions of higher education lose hundreds of millions of federal dollars in research funding because of alleged failures to protect Jewish students from antisemitism, usually in response to student demonstrations of solidarity with the people of Gaza, and against Israeli politics.

This should alarm all of us. The federal government has no business deporting people, or defunding universities, based on its objections to their viewpoints. These anti-Constitutional, un-American actions are purportedly being undertaken in the name of protecting people like us on college campuses. And so, we are compelled to speak out.

Judaism is a religion. Israel is a country. The two are not interchangeable. Contrary to the working definition of antisemitism adopted both federally and here in Alabama, criticizing and protesting the political choices of Israel’s government — choices that have led to the deaths of approximately 50,000 Palestinians in the past year and a half — is not inherently antisemitic. We would not claim that criticizing U.S. foreign policy, even stridently, makes someone anti-

American. Despite Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s comments to the contrary, “raising a ruckus” is a proud American tradition, protected by the First Amendment.

For Jews, talking about all this can be challenging. Many American Jews, including us, come from families traumatized by generations of persecution and genocide. We grew up at the knees of elders who told us about their experiences being terrorized and forced to leave homes in Europe, and who often wove undying gratitude for Israel as a safe place for Jews into the telling. This can make the complexity of Middle East politics hard to talk about, even as we see Palestinians in Gaza demonstrating against Hamas and Israelis in Tel Aviv protesting Israel’s government.

But the fact is that American Jews’ opinions on Israel and its government are diverse and nuanced. While research shows most identify as Zionists and feel a strong connection to Israel, a significant number also express concerns about its policies towards Palestinians. Under the definition of antisemitism being used by the current administration, some of these views might be considered antisemitic. When a definition of antisemitism includes features that would mark many American Jews as antisemites, the problem is the definition, not the Jews.

If Americans truly care about protecting Jewish people, we must ensure the term “antisemitism” retains its meaning. We must call out real hatred when it occurs, but we must also reject attempts to manipulate fear for political ends. Deporting people and defunding education because of political views is not just an attack on free speech, it is a betrayal of the very values this country claims to uphold. As Martin Niemmöller warned in his famous poem, “First They Came,” when freedoms are eroded for one group, they are at risk for all of us. As Jews, we will not stand for anyone to be “come for” in our name.

Nuance is hard. Especially right now when each new day brings an onslaught of painful, complicated news stories. But American Jews, and all Americans, must demand — and demonstrate — clarity, nuance, and integrity in these conversations. The stakes are too high to allow fear mongering to dictate our national discourse or erode anyone’s right to speak freely.

Allison Berkowitz is an assistant professor at the University of North Alabama in Florence, and Leah Nelson, an independent researcher in Montgomery.