Editorial
NRA Is Now On The Fringe
W
hile our lawmakers in Washington, D.C.,
are beginning to discuss legislation
aimed at reducing gun violence in our
society, the National Rifle Association — once recog-
nized as protecting the Second Amendment rights
of law-abiding citizens but now widely recognized as
mainly protecting the rights of firearms manufactur-
ers — remains steadfast in its opposition to sensible
and popular reforms, such as universal background
checks. A recent poll shows that 89 percent of
Americans, including gun owners and NRA members,
support universal background checks for gun pur-
chasers.
Despite that, the NRA's Wayne LaPierre, in late
February, said, "This so-called background check is
aimed at one thing — registering your guns. When
another tragic opportunity presents itself, that reg-
istry will be used to confiscate your guns ... Imagine
right now your name on a massive government list."
A list? Really, Wayne? Let's talk about another
list, a list that was posted on the NRA website, and
once publicized, was quickly deleted — the "NRA
Enemies List," which read likes a "Jewish who's who
list," according to Nathan Guttman, writing in the
Forward.
The list, prepared by the NRA's Institute for
Legislative Action, includes individuals, organiza-
tions, media outlets and corporations that "have
lent monetary, grassroots or some other type of
direct support to anti-gun legislation."
In addition to a slew of names of Jewish enter-
tainers, politicians and business owners, Jewish
groups on that list include the Anti-Defamation
League, American Jewish Committee, B'nai B'rith,
the Jewish Labor Committee, Hadassah, the
National Council of Jewish Women, the Central
Conference of American Rabbis, the American
Jewish Congress and the Union of American
Hebrew Congregations.
By the way, if you're a doctor, a teacher, a social
worker, a psychiatrist, a police officer, a nurse, a
counselor, a drugstore owner, a lawyer or a prin-
cipal, a professional organization that you may
belong to is on that NRA enemy list, too.
LaPierre, so worried about a national list of gun
owners, refused to answer questions about the
NRA's enemy's list, which has since been scrubbed
from its website.
Gun owners and defenders of the Second
Amendment, including those in the Jewish commu-
nity, should not be vilified for standing up for their
beliefs; but the NRA, with more so-called enemies
than friends, is no longer the organization that
speaks for the majority of those citizens.
It is possible to be pro-Second Amendment
and anti-NRA. Why would people want to support
an organization that considers them to be the
enemy? It's time for the NRA's reign of power in
Washington to come to an end.
From The
Twitterverse
• While NRA opposes a gun registry, they
maintain the best list of U.S. gun owners &
SELL it for $0.09/record. @NowlsTheTime
• Irony alert: Government already has a
national gun registry, the NRA membership
list. @aravosis
❑
JN Survey
An Israeli bus company
last week launched new
"Palestininans-only" bus lines
from the West Bank into central
Israel.
The official word is that
the bus lines are to "ease
overcrowding," but the move is
being met with some criticism.
What do you think?
Ad
b
\
aoapb
*
❑ Good move; Palestinians on Israeli buses pose a security risk.
❑ I'm uncomfortable with it, but it may be a necessary evil.
❑ Doesn't feel right; it could raise perceptions of apartheid or racism.
❑ This policy should be stopped immediately.
Scan the QR code with
your smart phone to
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March 14 • 2013
45