Why Most Jews Should Buy a Gun
Spoiler Alert: People want to harm us
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Let me start by saying I’m not a gun nut. Nothing against people who have 2nd amendment tattoos, but that’s never been me.
I grew up in North Jersey and didn’t touch or even see a gun (besides on a police officer or in a movie) until I was a junior in high school when my family moved to Reno, Nevada. In Reno, it’s fairly common for kids to target shoot empty bottles and clay pigeons in the desert. After going shooting a few times with friends up in the mountains, I decided to buy my first gun. I was into mountain biking at the time and was frequenting trails that were known to have bears, mountain lions, and rattlesnakes, which fortunately I never ran into.
Even after serving in an IDF infantry unit, where I became more confident handling firearms, I’m still not a big fan of guns. I don’t like loud noises and I’d rather spend an afternoon reading a book than at the firing range. I’m not the greatest shot either, which is why my commander would joke that he made my specialization the Negev, which is the Israeli-made light machine gun I’m holding below.
Here’s the thing though- I don’t have to like guns to recognize why we need them now. Violent crimes against Jews are spiraling out of control, and as cliche as it sounds, “I’d rather have one and not need it, then need one and not have it.”
Before you gaslight me by claiming Jews are inflating the severity of the threats we face, let’s take a look at the statistics.
Antisemitic incidents in the US are at the highest level recorded since the 1970s. Take a look at the graphs below (if you’re not listening to the audio version) and you’ll see that harassment and assaults make up a large portion of these incidents.
Wow, this looks bad, but it has to be getting better, right?
No, much worse actually. In 2023, there were a record-high 8,873 antisemitic incidents across the US, according to the Anti-Defamation League. Antisemitic incidents on college campuses specifically jumped 321%, with 922 occurrences.
The Anti-Defamation League also said in an early January report that there was a 361% increase in antisemitic attacks between October 7, 2023 (when Hamas terrorists attacked Israel for those who have forgotten) to January 7, 2024. It’s also worth noting that most incidents go unreported and the real numbers are likely much higher.
Jew hatred never stops with just words. Eventually antisemites escalate with violence to stab Jews, run them over with their cars, or shoot them to get the full “intifada revolution” experience. After all, what’s stopping them? Government officials are generally more intimidated by antisemitic protestors (who seemingly take pleasure in destroying property and perpetrating violence), than they are by most Jews, who by and large protest peacefully.
I understand that for many Jews not raised around firearms, the prospect of owning a gun can be scary, as it was for me initially. You can seriously mitigate the risks of gun accidents by taking proper precautions, but you never eliminate them entirely. Today, we all must ask ourselves, do the risks of not owning a gun outweigh the risks of a potential gun accident? I believe they do.
Sure, we can hide our Jewish identities to temporarily improve our safety, but we sure as shit shouldn’t have to do that. Hiding one’s identity damages a person’s soul. It can lead to anxiety, depression, and chronic fatigue. It can lead to social isolation, and reduced sense of worth. Hiding should not be considered a reasonable option.
As someone who’s overly trusting and forgiving by nature, I’ve learned to embrace the mantra that “when people tell you who they are, believe them.” Right now, the world is telling us what they think of Jews, and it isn’t pretty. Will we live in denial or will we take necessary steps to protect ourselves and our families? Are we willing to step outside our comfort zones to protect our communities?
We must live in the real world, and not in a utopian fantasy we wish existed instead. And in the real world, you might need a gun to protect your Jewish butt.
That said, you shouldn’t buy a gun if you’re not ready to store it safely and learn how to use it properly. In my recent interview with Stuart Wohl, a retired NYPD Sergeant who specialized in firearms and disorder control, we learn how owning a gun is a never-ending process that continues long after the gun is purchased.
I want to paraphrase some important points about gun safety and training from the Stuart Wohl interview below:
🔷 Understand the importance of self-defense laws, which vary dramatically state by state in America, and country by country.
🔷Always treat every gun as if it is loaded at all times. Never point a gun at anything you don’t intend to destroy.
🔷 Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. Be aware of what’s around and behind your target.
🔷 Keep the gun unloaded until you are ready to use it. Store guns and ammunition separately. Designate an area in your home to clean the gun where you can focus.
🔷 Guns should be stored in a locked safe. In some states and countries, this is the law, but even if not the law, it can minimize the risk of accidents (especially if children are in the house). Stuart recommends a biometric safe.
🔷 Never consume alcohol or drugs while operating a firearm.
🔷 Take a gun safety training course and continue learning how to better use and care for your firearms continuously throughout your life. Don’t get complacent and overconfident to the point you don’t respect that firearms can be deadly.
🔷 Owning a firearm is not for everyone. If you know you’re prone to anger, or have mental health issues, you should sit this one out.
Please, my Jewish friends, whether you are in Israel, America, Europe, Australia, or any of the other places where subscribers of Maccabee Nation hail from, consider getting a firearm. We deserve to feel safe, but more importantly we deserve to be safe. Let’s not wait around to become sad statistics and let’s start taking precautions today.
Sources:
Deadly animals in Reno Nevada https://www.rgj.com/story/life/outdoors/2017/06/29/nevadas-deadliest-animals-surprise-you/437220001/
Threats on the rise prompt more Jews in America to buy guns https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/11/06/us/american-jews-guns-antisemitism
Colonel Sharon Gat training Jews how to use arms https://forward.com/news/450886/synagogues-security-tactical-israel/?amp=1
ADL Rise of antisemitic attacks article https://www.yahoo.com/news/delaware-student-went-antisemitic-tirade-204355949.html
CNN stats https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/23/us/antisemitism-report-unprecedented-rise-dg/index.html
Man shoots Jews outside a synagogue https://www.foxla.com/news/jewish-men-shot-synagogue-pico-robertson
Jewish Yale Student Stabbed in the eye with Palestinian Flag https://nypost.com/2024/04/21/us-news/jewish-yale-student-stabbed-in-the-eye-with-palestinian-flag-during-protest/
Attempt to ram Jewish students with a car https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/maniac-s-attempt-to-ram-jewish-students-with-car-a-sickening-symptom-of-rampant-antisemitism-officials-say/ar-BB1nlsiS
Stuart Wohl Interview
Well said, Sir!
I got my firearms license 5 years ago, after the actor John Cusak tweeted a vile anti-Semitic cartoon and got no pushback at all.
I did not join the NRA until 3 years later, after the Colesville, TX incident, when the FBI idiot in charge said at a press conference that he didn't think a Muslim guy walking around Colesville on Saturday morning looking for a Jewish congregation to hold hostage had anything to do with anti-Semitism. My first reaction was relief that we have an extra line of defense in the house. But my second reaction, a minute later, was that we wouldn't have that extra defense if not for the dedicated efforts of the National Rifle Association. I joined right away.
I may not carry often but at least have the peace of mind that the first 10 people to break into our house won't cause us any harm.
It was with great sadness and anger that I read all the stories of Oct 7 families retreating into their government-required safe room but armed only with a kitchen knife for defense.
Firearms ownership is part of a community understanding that it’s a full member of a nation that has firearms in its DNA, with all the rights and responsibilities inherent in that membership. The very first day of the American Revolution was an attempted gun grab by the British army.