Florida bill is based in discrimination

In Florida this week, Rep. Dick Kravitz introduced a bill that he hopes will keep state… In Florida this week, Rep. Dick Kravitz introduced a bill that he hopes will keep state funds from educating terrorists. But while the bill’s supporters say it has admirable and pragmatic intentions, its faults should be enough to keep it from passing. On the surface, it’s tax savings and national security. But at heart, it’s government-sponsored discrimination.

If adopted, Kravitz’s bill will deny financial aid to all students from six of the seven nations on the State Department’s list of known terrorist supporters. These include Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya and North Korea. Cuba is also on the list of terrorist nations, but was amended out of the bill, presumably because of Florida’s large Cuban population.

The justification behind the bill is simplistic: “In these hard times,” Kravitz says, “we need to put as much taxpayer money as possible into programs for residents of the state of Florida who are citizens.” Kravitz also added that he doesn’t like the idea of students taking their American education back to regimes that are opposed to the United States.

The notion that Florida is justified in withholding funds from foreign students because of budget shortfalls is OK. It’s up to the people of Florida how their tax dollars are spent, as long as it’s ethical. But if money is withheld, it should be withheld from all foreign students. Doing so would limit cross-cultural opportunities for American and foreign students, but at least it wouldn’t constitute racism. Kravitz would rather deny money to individuals based solely on their nationality, which is inexcusable.

In targeting these nations specifically, Kravitz is ruining an opportunity to bridge an ever-widening gap. Not only is he failing to distinguish between citizens and their governments, he is actually punishing students for the crimes of their political leaders. Higher education is supposed to be an institution that analyzes and mends divisions like these, but Kravitz would put education on hold under the pretense of saving state funds and fighting terrorism.

Cuba’s exemption highlights the flimsiness of this bill, demonstrating that students from terrorist nations must never be funded by American dollars, unless large numbers of their countrymen live and vote close by.

Despite the ongoing threat of terrorism, government bodies must be careful to avoid legislation that targets people based on race or nationality. Government-sponsored discrimination in cases like this tends to win support in the moment, but later causes regret.