8 August 15 • 2019
jn

I

t’
s not often one gets to read his own 
obituary. 
But that’
s kind of how it felt after 
The New York Jewish Week reported on 
my plan to step down as 
editor and publisher on 
Sept. 30. 
I’
ve received a number 
of notes from colleagues 
in the Jewish community 
that have touched me 
deeply. Many of them 
used the word “bitter-
sweet,
” saying they were 
happy for me that I could relax a bit 
more after almost a half-century of 
dealing with daily pressures and weekly 
deadlines, but sorry to mark “the end of 
an era.
” 
Being on vacation and out of the 
country these last couple of weeks has 
given me the chance to stop and take a 
breath, thinking back on the past and 
ahead to the future.
So much has changed in journalism 
over the years. Newsroom typewrit-
ers have been replaced by computers, 
and news is reported and transmitted 
instantly, not weekly. Unfortunately, 
respect for the profession has declined 
as it has been buffeted by financial chal-
lenges and bogus charges of “fake news.
” 
Coverage of Jewish life has changed 
dramatically, too. Jewish newspapers 
used to read like a bulletin board 
of communal activities and social 
announcements supplemented by wire 
service stories on Israel. Editors were 
fearful of tackling issues close to home. 
But with more probing coverage today of 
the community, including its shortcom-
ings, come charges of digging too deep.
Of course, the Jewish world has 
changed in a number of dramatic 
ways since 1972, when I started out 
as assistant editor of The Jewish Week-
American Examiner, a precursor to the 
current publication. Back then the New 
York Times had a reporter, Irving “Pat” 
Spiegel, whose primary beat was to cover 
the programs and conferences of orga-
nizations like B’
nai Brith, Hadassah and 
the once-influential American Jewish 

G

un violence in the United 
States will continue to be an 
issue until we can all agree 
it is a national epidemic. Over the 
last 35 years, we have experienced 
some of the deadliest 
mass shootings in 
our country’
s history. 
These senseless acts 
of violence are taking 
the lives of nearly 
100 Americans each 
day. As members of 
Congress, we have a 
responsibility to protect the people 
of the United States; however, we are 
dealing with an administration that 
refuses to acknowledge that hateful 
words have consequences.
This February, the U.S. House of 
Representatives passed H.R. 8, the 
Bipartisan Background Checks Act 
of 2019, which establishes stricter 
background check requirements for 
firearm transfers between private par-
ties. However, Senate Majority Leader 
Mitch McConnell refuses to bring up 
this bipartisan piece of legislation for 
a vote in the U.S. Senate. As elected 
members of Congress, we swore an 
oath of office to defend the people 
that we represent; however, Leader 
McConnell refuses to consider bipar-
tisan legislation that is supported by 

a majority of Americans. Enough 
is enough — Americans across the 
country are demanding gun reform, 
and it is past time for Congress to act.
Young children go through active 
shooter drills in school before many 
even know how to read. Places of 
worship, festivals and communi-
ty centers, long considered to safe 
havens for Americans to enjoy, are 
becoming targets for individuals 
seeking to inflict mass casualties. For 
far too long, we have been offering 
“thoughts and prayers” to fami-
lies across the country affected by 
unspeakable hatred. Gun reform is 
necessary to protect the American 
people. Every year, nearly 40,000 peo-
ple die from gun violence, and that is 
40,000 people too many.
We have allowed the hatred 
of domestic terrorism and white 
supremacy to slowly tear away at 
the moral fabric of our country. The 
hateful rhetoric and lack of support 
for gun control by the president of 
the United States is normalizing 
hatred that has no place in our soci-
ety. It will never be acceptable to 
speak negatively about or physically 
harm someone based on their gender, 
race, sexual orientation or religion. 
America was established as one 
nation under God, indivisible, with 

liberty and justice for all. The citizens 
of this country should matter more 
than gun lobbyists and the National 
Rifle Association.
In the last 10 years, we have seen six 
of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. 
history. In 2017, 58 innocent festival 
goers were killed at a concert in Las 
Vegas, Nev. Many of these shooters 
used assault weapons to carry out 
their attacks, and I am proud to be a 
co-sponsor of legislation that would 
ban these dangerous weapons. These 
semi-automatic firearms are military 
grade and have no business on our 
streets. Since the ban on assault weap-
ons lapsed in 2004, there has been a 
significant increase in the number of 
high-fatality shootings in this country.
We cannot allow our country to 
be ripped apart by gun violence. No 
family, no school and no community 
should have to suffer through the 
tragedy of a mass shooting in 2019.
As members of Congress, we 
have an obligation to uphold the 
Constitution and protect the people 
we serve. When one community 
experiences a mass shooting, our next 
thought should not be “will we be 
next?” Enough is enough. ■

Democrat Brenda Lawrence represents 

Michigan’
s 14th District.

commentary
Enough Is Enough: 
No More Thoughts and Prayers

commentary

The Ongoing 
Challenge For A 
Jewish Journalist

views

Rep. Brenda 
Lawrence 

Most Read on 
JN Web and Social 
Media Sites

Each month, the JN will let
you know the stories that were 
read most often on its web and
social media sites. If you missed 
any, you can go to the
jewishnews.com and search for 
them by title. Here’
s what
was most popular in July:

Top 10 on the Website 
thejewishnews.com
1. Teen Lifeguard Jumps into Action
2. Neo Nazi Flyers Displayed in 
 Two Michigan Cities
3. Charlevoix the Beautiful
4. Ernie’
s Market Makes History
5. Soul Cafe Rises Above
6. Man Jumps into Action During 
 Attack on Rabbi
7. Inside Ora Pescovitz’
 Sunset Terrace 
 Home
8. Society of Humanistic Judaism 
 
 Celebrates 50 Years
9. Ann Arbor Welcomes Jim Brady’
s
10. Palace of Auburn Hills Set 
 for Demolition

Tops on Facebook
1. West Bloomfield resident is helping the 
 homeless by bringing showers and 
 laundry with the Corner Shower and 
 Laundry
2. Police are investigating the shooting 
 of a 69-year-old man outside of a 
 Miami synagogue
3. BurgerIM boycott threats
4. Teen lifeguard saves small child
5. Oak Park native Josh Nodler drafted by 
 Calgary (NHL) 

Top Instagram Posts
1. Schmoozing with Jacob Zuppke
2. Bloomfield Hills Native Marathon Runner
3. Toasted Oak Grill and Market
4. Detroit Maccabi Dance Team
5. Don Was/Concert of Colors

Gary 
Rosenblatt 

continued on page 10

