JGVPR Statement on Second Trump Assassination Attempt
From JWI’s Jewish Gun Violence Prevention Roundtable on September 16, 2024:
For the second time in two months, Americans of all political stripes are outraged by an assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump. Political violence is unacceptable. And for the second time in two weeks, as we did after the shooting at Apalachee High School, the Jewish Gun Violence Prevention Roundtable is releasing a public statement in which we inquire, how did an individual who clearly should not have had access to a firearm obtain an assault rifle, a weapon of war?
We applaud the Secret Service for responding immediately to the threat against former President Trump. At the same time, we recognize that civilians across the nation face threats from assailants armed with assault weapons without the 24-7 protection by an elite law enforcement agency dedicated solely to their safety. A 2018 article by The Trace estimated that between 15 and 20 million assault weapons are circulating in communities, a number that has undoubtedly increased in the past six years. Assault weapons are not defensive weapons, and they are not used for hunting. They are offensive weapons, designed for military use, and have only one purpose - to kill as many people as possible as efficiently as possible.
Last week marked the thirty-year anniversary of the federal assault weapons ban, a law that Congress allowed to sunset and must reinstate. Join the JGVP Roundtable in urging lawmakers to prioritize the safety and well-being of all Americans by enacting common-sense gun legislation. Reinstating the assault weapon ban is a necessary step toward preventing future tragedies and ensuring a safer future for our communities.
Click here to email your members of Congress to urge them to support S.25/H.R.698, the Assault Weapons Ban of 2023. Contact rgraber@jwi.org with any questions.
Jewish Women International (JWI) is the leading Jewish organization working to end violence against women and girls domestically and internationally. JWI's National Center on Domestic & Sexual Violence in the Jewish Community is the hub of resources, trainings, and research to support the field. It convenes The Collaborative, the network of all Jewish domestic violence agencies in the U.S. and established and hosts the Interfaith Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and the Clergy Task Force to End Domestic Abuse in the Jewish Community. A Steering Committee member of the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, JWI’s advocacy efforts focus on the passage of legislation that supports women and girls, ensures their economic security, and protects their right to live free of violence.