Today's JPFO Alert notes that defining independence as the ability to defend oneself rings rather hollow when coming from someone who presides over laws that enormously hinder self-defense.
In the wake of several high-profile attacks on Jews in Europe by militant Islamic extremists this past winter, there have been some voices calling for European Jews to arm themselves--to, as Netanyahu might put it, break their
dependency on the government's ability to protect them from evil. European gun laws are unlikely to change to allow that any time in the foreseeable future. Inexcusably, prospects for such a change in Israeli gun laws seem rather weak as well.
Stumble it!
1 comments:
Israel has almost universal conscription. Consequently, a very high percentage of Israelis are military veterans. (In contrast to the US, where 90% of Americans under 65 have never served in the military.) These men and women were trained and qualified with assault rifles, machine guns, and automatic pistols. Are they suddenly unqualified the day after they serve out their term of enlistment?
In fact, Israeli policy is that every citizen is, in effect, a soldier. Shouldn't soldiers be armed?
As for having to show "need" to get a gun permit, I would say that living in Israel is itself proof of need to be armed. That country is a prime target for terrorists. It is surrounded by countries that do not even recognize Israel's right to exist. Their geography textbooks don't even show Israel on the map.
Besides, in a free country, the burden of proof should not be on citizens to show need. It should be on the government to justify restrictions.
Post a Comment