Self-Protective Gun Ownership in the US

"An estimated 2.9 percent of U.S. adults [7.5 million] became new gun owners from January 1, 2019 to April 26, 2021."

"Most [5.4 million] had lived in homes without guns."

2021 study: Annals of Internal Medicine

"It may be that a percentage of firearm owners are concerned that their information will be leaked and the government will take their firearms or that researchers who are from universities that are typically seen as liberal and anti-firearm access will paint firearm owners in a bad light."

New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center, Rutgers University

"[A year after New Jersey restricted an estimated 100,000 to 300,000] assault weapons [in the state in 1990, the New York Times reported] only four military-style weapons have been turned in to the State Police and another 14 were confiscated."

"[Officials knew the locations of] fewer than 2,000 other guns."

J.D. Tuccille, National Post

"Currently, fewer than two-in-ten Americans say they trust the government in Washington to do what is right 'just about always' [one percent] or 'most of the time' [15 percent]."

"This is among the lowest trust measures in nearly seven decades of polling."

Pew Research

"I'm one of at least ten Jewish men in the [gun safety] class, many wearing yarmulkes."

"Jewish New Yorkers have come to appreciate how fortunate they are to live in a country that protects their right to self-defence."

New York University law professor Max Raskin

A firearms instructor with nonprofit Jewish organization Magen Am demonstrates how to unload a gun safely.  CNN

 

The cascades of blatant, in-your-face antisemitism accompanied by threats and violence have alarmed American Jews to the extent that they have done the formerly unthinkable; arming themselves for self-protection in view of the very real perceived potential of becoming a victim of now-viral Jew-hate. They're buying firearms and taking training lessons in their use; yet another subgroup of American citizens until recently not thought of as a demographic of gun owners.

Self defence is the motivation. But they're not alone. Muslims, Blacks, women and those with ultra-left politics appear to have reached similar conclusions; government seems either incapable or disinterested in the responsibility inherent in their mandate to protect their citizens. People are now taking it upon themselves to ensure that they are themselves responsible for their singular self-preservation.

Since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, firearms instructors and Jewish security groups in the U.S. have been 'flooded' with new and anxious clients. A similar pattern has been noted among Jewish and Muslim Americans, attributed not only to the conflict in Gaza, but motivated by fear related to "attacks on Jewish and Muslim communities in the U.S.", as well.

Tensions across the United States have been exacerbated with protests, street clashes and fatalities emanating from the violence that Jews in particular have been facing. Gallup pollsters in October were informed by 63 percent of respondents that crime is an "extremely or very serious" problem; that following years of political violence and pandemic lockdown-fuelled social disruptions people conclude that officials in government are failing their public security obligations.

Gun owners now are no longer overwhelmingly conservative, white, male good ol' boys, but rather look and live as a reflection of the full range of American citizenry.                                                          Rutgers University published a report in the summer suggesting as many as 40 percent of people claiming they do not own guns may be lying. They identified unmarried urban women of colour constituting close to half of those thought to be denying being armed, when they are.

American Jews and Muslims -- just as women, Blacks, Hispanics and liberals -- have taken to buying guns in the belief government is no longer willing or able to maintain community safety. That belief appears to them to be supported by government officials appearing to shed both public support and confidence.

Authorities continue to believe in passing restrictive laws backed by government force. But the world appears more dangerous than ever and repeated government failures has earned it the public's skepticism toward officialdom.

David Kowalsky, owner of Florida Gun Store, teaches Mendy Duchman gun safety and proper ways to handle a firearm at Kowalsky’s gun range in Hollywood, Fla., on Friday. Duchman knows Kowalsky through their synagogue, Shul of the Lakes, and approached him about getting his firearm training done. Kowalsky said local synagogues had reached out to him to host gun training seminars and shooting sessions in the past week. Scott McIntyre for NBC News