2A Newsletter: Week of November 10th

Image Source: Shutterstock VIA Puttawat Santiyothin

Brady United Enlists Hollywood for Gun Control Campaign

Brady's recent "Culture and Gun Safety" campaign, backed by the allure of Hollywood, is an artful but transparent attempt to propagate anti-gun rhetoric. Cloaked as an initiative for responsible gun portrayal, it's a thinly-veiled strategy aimed at reshaping public opinion on gun rights.

Brady's recruitment of Christy Callahan, Matt Littman, and Jared Milrad—a trio steeped in Hollywood, politics, and public relations—signals a fortified effort to steer the national conversation on guns. Their "Show Gun Safety" campaign appears less about genuine firearm safety and more about crafting a narrative that could potentially infringe on Second Amendment rights.

Callahan's history of political community organizing and her role in the Hollywood Open Letter reveal a strategic blend of media and activism. Littman's transition from a bipartisan initiative and his ties to the Biden-Harris campaign indicate a political undercurrent to the gun control dialogue. Meanwhile, Milrad's background in advocacy and social impact filmmaking suggests an intent to harness storytelling as a tool for influencing public opinion.

However, Second Amendment advocates see through this tactic. The enlistment of entertainment heavyweights and the orchestration of high-profile events are seen not as moves for safety, but as maneuvers to erode gun ownership rights. This campaign, while claiming to promote responsible use, could in fact disseminate a narrative that undermines the constitutional freedom to bear arms.

Pro-2A voices are raising the alarm: True safety lies in the hands of informed, law-abiding citizens exercising their rights, not in scripted messages from an industry disconnected from the daily realities of average Americans. The focus should remain on practical education and real-world solutions, not on emotionally charged campaigns that may only distort the national conversation on gun ownership.

Image Source: Shutterstock VIA icedmocha

Supreme Court Reviews U.S. v. Rahimi

The Supreme Court is navigating a crucial case that tests the balance between Second Amendment rights and a federal statute designed to restrict gun access to individuals accused of domestic violence.

This case follows a landmark ruling that established a new standard for evaluating the constitutionality of firearms restrictions, causing ripples through the judicial system. The Solicitor General has called upon the justices to rectify lower courts' misapplications of this standard, which have led to the questioning of established gun control measures, including those disqualifying convicted felons from owning firearms.

The case, U.S. v. Rahimi, centers on a man who was indicted under a 1994 law after violating a domestic violence restraining order. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down his conviction, suggesting the law was incompatible with the Second Amendment under the Court's new historical test.

The proceedings have prompted calls for the Supreme Court to offer clear guidance on applying this test, given the varied interpretations by lower courts.

As the Supreme Court deliberates, the outcome is expected to clarify the extent to which the Second Amendment encompasses modern firearm regulations, with implications for the protection of constitutional rights. A decision is anticipated by the end of June.

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Jews in America are buying guns and seeking firearms training

Amid rising antisemitism and escalating tensions following the conflict between Israel and Hamas, American Jews are increasingly turning to firearms for protection. Following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Anti-Defamation League has documented a significant rise in antisemitic acts in the U.S., tallying 312 occurrences that include harassment, threats, vandalism, and physical assaults against Jewish individuals and symbols. These acts of antisemitism have manifested in various forms, from death threats at kosher businesses to the defacement of property and direct aggression toward members of the Jewish community.

Southern California has seen a disturbing increase in anti-Jewish hate crimes, as reported by the Los Angeles Police Department. During the period from October 6 to October 30, incidents rose by 140% compared to the previous year. Adding to the concern, the death of a Jewish man, Paul Kessler, during the Israel-Hamas conflict protests in Thousand Oaks on November 6th is being investigated as a hate crime, highlighting the growing climate of hostility towards the Jewish community. Kessler's death, ruled a homicide, has become a stark example of the dangers currently facing Jewish individuals.

The Jewish community feels a pressing need to stand up against antisemitism and to learn self-defense mechanisms. In response to these concerns, gun range operators and firearms instructors have observed more Jewish people seeking firearms for self-defense, many for the first time. Gene Petrino, a retired SWAT commander and co-owner of Survival Response LLC in Coral Springs, Florida, has noted a marked increase in Jewish clients seeking training. These individuals are not only looking to arm themselves but are also eager to learn situational awareness to preemptively identify threats.

This shift is part of a broader pattern of Jewish Americans taking proactive steps to ensure the safety of their families and communities in the face of growing antisemitic threats.