For Immediate Release—March 18th, 2015
Contact JPFO 1-800-486-6963, jpfo@liberty.seanet.com
Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership
Objects to Rabbi Margolin”s Proposal to
Change Gun Laws for European Jews
Following the horrific muslim jihad assaults on cartoonists, journalists, Jews and others in France, Rabbi Menachem Margolin, General Director of the European Jewish Association has asked in an open letter, “that gun licensing laws are reviewed with immediate effect to allow designated people in the Jewish communities and institutions to own weapons for the essential protection of their communities, as well as receiving the necessary training to protect their members from potential terror attacks...”
Although Rabbi Margolin’s appeal is well intentioned, American-based Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership flatly rejects this approach to firearms ownership.
Asking government permission for a select group to bear arms or train for their own safety is a fundamental error, and reflects a common and understandable lack of information on the current state of affairs.
1. The Rabbi, like the public, is apparently uninformed, since nothing in current European law prevents Jews or others from immediate training in self-defense strategies, tactics, awareness and danger avoidance, without government involvement or interference.
Considering the ongoing global muslim jihad, such training is a sane policy and should begin without delay. Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership hereby offers Rabbi Margolin, without expense, training materials and support, for Jews who feel the need and desire for such materials and support.
2. Although European gun law is highly restrictive and oppressive by America’s freedom-based standards, nothing in current European law prevents Jews or others from applying for and receiving the firearms access the Rabbi begs to receive. See, The Worldwide Gun Owner’s Guide, available from JPFO. Rabbi Margolin and his congregants should begin the application process without delay.
3. Singling out Jews for special pro-rights firearms treatment, while perhaps commendable at first blush, sets a precedent for special anti-rights treatment as well, and is therefore a terrible policy choice and should be rejected. People will rightly call that discriminatory, which should be avoided.
4. Finally, Rabbi Margolin seeks “training by local authorities.” While this is certainly reasonable, it must be augmented by qualified private-sector instructors and in this case, trainers with experience from Israeli Defense Forces, to ensure the broadest possible spectrum of training for this population segment’s unique needs.
The Rabbi wisely points out an “ urgent need to stop talking and start acting.” JPFO emphatically agrees. JPFO’s position is that Margolin’s “designated people in the Jewish communities” includes all who are willing and capable of keeping and bearing arms, lest we consign some to defenseless, less-than-human status, a position which has had devastating results in the past.
We agree with the Rabbi the arms are for “self-protection only,” as this is the only legal and justifiable use of force, under the laws of G-d and man.
Rabbi Margolin is 100% correct for Europe—and our own homeland in America—when he notes that, “the danger is that much greater as many Europeans travel abroad to be indoctrinated into radical Islam, before returning to their European homelands to use their militant training to devastating effect. We need to recognize (sic) the warning signs of anti-Semitism, racism, and intolerance that once again threaten Europe and our European ideals.”
The more and better trained armed individuals we have afield, the better we can meet this very real, very deadly peril almost everyone recognizes is out there.
Rabbi Menachem Margolin’s letter:
http://freebeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Gun-protection-template.pdf
NOTE: This article can be downloaded if required as either a PDF file, or a 'DOC' file.