Opuscula
Preventing
Another
Pittsburgh
Above image of Yosemite Sam with pistols drawn and caption “I don’t think so”
THANKS TO ROBERT BOWERS, MANY AMERICAN JEWS are heading to gun shops and shooting ranges.
They are arming themselves not to kill anti-Semites such as Robert Bowers, but in the hopes that knowing members of the congregation are armed will prove sufficient to discourage a Bowers want-to-be.
WHAT MANY AMERICAN Jews are realizing is that it is the JDL philosophy, not the hang wringing of the ADL that is needed to prevent another Pittsburgh.
On October 27th, 2018, during Shabbat morning services, a white supremacist entered the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, saying “all Jews must die.” He then murdered 11 innocent people — simply because they were Jewish. This was the deadliest attack on Jews in US history.
We are devastated over this senseless act of domestic terror. Our hearts break for the families of those killed and injured at the Tree of Life Synagogue, and for the entire Jewish community of Pittsburgh. (https://action.adl.org/digital-vigil/)
The JDL’s home page, on the other hand, clearly encourages action.
Therefore we are urging all Jews to become legal firearm owners.
* Meet at your local synagogues, Jewish community centers, and places of gathering.
* Practice gun safety, form gun range groups, apply for legal firearms permits.
* Study Torah and the actions of our historic leaders who stood up to the anti-Semitism of their times.
The battle is not new. It has been continuing for centuries. (http://www.jdl.org/)
JDL is urging Jews to DO SOMETHING.
JDL’s belief is that knowing congregants are armed – and proficient with firearms – may be enough to discourage others of Bowers’ ilk to leave Jews alone.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t protect other religions’ places of worship nor any liberal institution where weapons are prohibited.
An issue with which some jurisdictions are debating: If a facility BANS firearms and a terrorist attacks and kills people inside the facility, can the facility owners/managers be held liable for failing to protect people in the facility?
Three out of the five JDL principles apply to ALL people; only two are “Jewish specific,” and even then these can be modified to be more inclusive.
JDL’s princlples (http://www.jdl.org/about.html)
* Dignity and pride
* Iron strength
* Discipline and unity
The two slightly modified principles to be inclusive
* Love of nation
* Faith in indestructibility
Liberals may have a problem with some or all of JDL’s principles; some will have a problem simply because JDL is involved.
In Ecclesiastes (3:1-8) it is written (http://tinyurl.com/ydcvbz6x), and as numerous folk singers have sung (http://tinyurl.com/ya2kla8k), there is a time for everything.
Right now it seems the time has come to arm ourselves and to become proficient with the weapons; to know when – and more importantly, when NOT --to use them.
The police will tell you that you cannot expect an officer to be there the instant an officer is needed.
By the way, this has NOTHING to do with the National Rifle Association (NRA); I am not a member and in any event the NRA does NOT promote illegal use of firearms.
IN THE MEANTIME
Work with – or on – the politicians at the municipal, county, state, and federal levels to enforce gun laws already on the books. Insist on inter-department cooperation and sharing of information. There have been several instances when the federals had information that might have prevented a disaster if only the information was shared with local law enforcement. The killing of 17 students, many of them Jews, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland FL is a case in point.
Most states have good laws already in place; the laws must be enforced.
Banning guns is not the answer. Banning fully automatic weapons and magazines (ammunition holders) of more than 9 or 10 rounds (bullets) seems a reasonable compromise.
The people who contend that “When guns are banned, only criminals will have guns” are correct.
Until laws are enforced, as long as crazies can get guns (and explosives), about the only thing John and Jane Q. Citizen can do is arm themselves and become proficient with the weapon.
Metal detectors may be useful, but they are not the answer.
Rent-a-cops also may be useful, but as proven in Pittsburgh, they are not the answer.
Vigilance and preparedness are a better answer.
PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.
Truth is an absolute defense to defamation. Defamation is a false statement of fact. If the statement was accurate, then by definition it wasn’t defamatory.
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