Dr. James P. Wickstrom
JEWS DEMAND AMERICAN GUN CONFISCATION
From a Jewish News source, “THE JEWISH DAILY FORWARD.”
Jews leading the push for gun control
Jewish Daily Forward Saturday, 29 December 2012
Jews leading the push for gun control
Jewish Daily Forward Saturday, 29 December 2012
JEWS FOR CIVIL DISARMAMENT — Among the leading voices calling for gun
control are (clockwise from upper left): international finance tycoon
George Soros; Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.); Sen. Diane Feinstein
(D-Calif.); New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg; Sen. Charles Schumder
(D-N.Y.); and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
WASHINGTON — A Jewish community strongly supportive of gun control
plus Jewish lawmakers eager to enact new gun control laws brings Jews
into a lead role as the nation debates federal measures to rein in mass
murders at its malls and schools. (They have been doing this since
1965).
The new openness to legislation and other measures following the
slaughter of 26 elementary school children and school staff in Newtown,
Conn. — plus the killer’s mother — is welcomed by Jewish organizations,
which have long supported gun control. But in recent years, with the
prospects for progress on this front all but hopeless until the December
murders at Sandy Hook Elementary School, those organizations have been
largely passive on the issue.
PUTTING ISSUE ON FRONT BURNER
Now, activists are fighting to seize the moment and get gun control back on the front burner.
“There has been an ebb and flow of activism on this issue,” said Dan
Mariaschin, executive vice president of B’nai B’rith International, one
of the groups calling for legislation to limit the sales of assault
weapons. “It is an issue we as a community care deeply about*****.
In recent days, that latent passion has come alive. The Jewish
Council for Public Affairs has called on members to sign a petition
advocating “meaningful legislation” to limit access to assault weapons.
The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism began reaching out to
other Jewish movements and to non-Jewish faith groups in an attempt to
create an interfaith coalition to back the drive for gun control.
INTRODUCING ANTI-GUN LEGISLATION
“This can be a model for Congress on how people can work together at times like this,” said Rachel Laser, the RAC’s deputy director. “I think the faith community can play a central role in getting the ball across the line.”
“This can be a model for Congress on how people can work together at times like this,” said Rachel Laser, the RAC’s deputy director. “I think the faith community can play a central role in getting the ball across the line.”
On Capitol Hill, the effort to introduce legislation limiting access to
weapons has been led by several Jewish lawmakers, all Democrats (though
one now uses the Independent label). California Senator Dianne
Feinstein, a longtime leader on the issue, intends to introduce
legislation for renewing the ban on the sale and possession of assault
weapons, which expired in 2004.
OTHER JEWISH LAWMAKERS JOIN IN
New York Senator Charles Schumer, another leading gun control
advocate, has called for legislation that would increase background
checks. Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey announced his plan to
reintroduce legislation banning the sale of high-capacity magazines. The
two Jewish senators from Connecticut, Richard Blumenthal and
independent Joseph Lieberman, also stood at the forefront of calls for
gun control following the tragedy that hit their state.
But perhaps the most prominent voice on the issue has been that of
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has been urging President
Obama, ever since the December 14 shooting, to make gun control his top
priority. During the 2012 election cycle, Bloomberg also funded a super
PAC targeting pro-gun candidates.
RELATED:
Rabbi calls for ban on all private weapons/news/category/Jewry
Bloomberg to Obama: Gun control should be ‘no. 1 agenda’
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/273119-bloomberg-to-obama-gun-control-should-be-number-one-agenda
Senator Feinstein set to push for assault weapons ban /news/2012/11/senator-feinstein-set-to-push-for-assault-weapons-ban/