As Humanistic Jews, our hearts are broken as we grapple with each terrible report of yet another mass shooting in America.
As Humanistic Jews, we deplore the senseless violence and mass shootings that our nation has been struggling with for more than a decade.
As Humanistic Jews, we recognize that the response to such mass shootings is complex and must be approached with a multi-faceted solution that includes better mental health treatment and screening as well as a society committed to less glorification of violence; nonetheless, we believe that a federal ban on assault rifles, bump stocks, and high capacity magazines needs to be part of the solution.
As Humanistic Jews, we do not believe the right to bear arms as embodied in the Second Amendment includes the right for citizens to own military-grade assault rifles, bump stock conversion kits, and high capacity magazines like those that were used in the tragedies in Las Vegas, at Sandy Hook, a Portland, Oregon mall, and a movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado, as well as countless other locations.
As Humanistic Jews, we condemn the National Rifle Association’s unwillingness to even consider banning assault rifles and high capacity magazines, or other meaningful gun restrictions, especially in the wake of these calamities.
As Humanistic Jews, we support a federal ban on assault rifles and accessories such as large ammunition magazines, strips and drums that hold more than 10 rounds.
As Humanistic Jews, we support enhanced efforts to prevent people from buying guns through unlicensed and licensed dealers without a stringent background check. We also support federal registration and stringent background checks on the owners of any rapid-fire weapon.
As Humanistic Jews, we applaud those retailers that have suspended the sale of military-style automatic weapons and high capacity magazines. We urge other retailers to join them in removing assault rifles, bump stocks, and high capacity magazines from their online catalogs and stores and to make this suspension permanent.
Accordingly, we, the Society for Humanistic Judaism, urge support for federal legislation banning assault rifles, bump stocks, and high capacity magazines as well as increased efforts to prevent people from buying guns through unlicensed dealers without a background check.
January 2013
Rev. October 2017
