TEXT ONLY: Guns & Domestic Terrorism – Republicans Refuse to Act

Friends,

The latest massacre of innocent Americans took place this weekend in Allen, Texas, where a far-right extremist entered a mall with an AR-15 and murdered at least eight people, including a three-year-old child and his two parents. According to reports, the gunman displayed a patch with the letters “RWDS,” which stands for ‘Right Wing Death Squad,’ and had a swastika and “SS” lightning bolts tattooed to his body. The gunman used social media to espouse his neo-Nazi and white supremacist views, and his victims were mostly people of Korean and Indian descent.

The shooting in Texas is yet another demonstration of the link between white supremacy, violent extremism, antisemitism, and gun violence in America. More than 14,000 Americans have lost their lives this year alone to gun violence, which is the leading cause of death for American children, and all extremist-related murders last year were committed by right-wing extremists. Allen has now been added to the list of cities — including Buffalo and Colorado Springs — where mass shootings have been committed by white supremacists in the last year.

The violent scourge of assault weapons in the hands of right-wing extremists is domestic terrorism. The Republican Party provides a political home for extremists and white supremacists while refusing to take action against gun violence. Republicans are failing the American people, and our children and communities are paying the price.

We appreciate that President Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act into law and issued two dozen executive orders to prevent gun violence, but there is more work to do — from banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, to enacting universal background checks, to requiring safer gun storage, to ending immunity for gun manufacturers. More than 80 percent of Americans support gun safety restrictions, according to Fox News.

That’s why we are asking you to join us and tell your member of Congress to reauthorize the assault weapons ban.

JDCA is the political home and voice of Jewish voters in support of Democrats who share our core values. We advocate for policy, educate and mobilize Jewish voters, and elect Democrats, all consistent with our core values. If you are ready to take action and advocate for the issues Jewish voters care about most — including gun safety and right-wing extremism — join our 2023 Week of Action.

We are grateful for your continued action and commitment to fight for our values.

All the best,

Halie Soifer
CEO, Jewish Democratic Council of America