Why Every Synagogue Should have a Gun-Carrying Member

Here is an ongoing list of attacks against synagogues that were either carried out or planned, many of which could have been ameliorated by a gun-carrying congregant. Many synagogues have members with gun licenses, some who are law enforcement professionals.

Years ago, I suggested this idea to officers of an American congregation. I explained that Arab terrorists had dropped their earlier technique of opening fire in crowds because of the ubiquity of Israeli weapon-holders:

- On April 3, 1984, three Arab terrorists trying to machine-gun a Jerusalem crowd killed only one victim before being shot down by Israeli civilians. The next day, the surviving terrorist said his group had planned to gun down other crowds of shoppers, leaving before police could arrive. They had not known that Israeli civilians were armed.

- On April 6, 1994: "A Palestinian opened fire with a submachine gun at a bus stop near the port of Ashdod today, killing one Israeli and wounding four before being shot to death by bystanders."

Almost all incidents of mass shooting end with the arrival of good guys with guns. For example, most people believe that there were no Islamist terror attacks in America after Sept. 11, 2001. This is only true because an armed security guard limited the number of people murdered at the El Al ticket counter at Los Angeles Airport by an Islamist on July 4, 2002 to two. Protracted massacres such as Columbine can only occur only when armed security and armed citizens are absent.

My proposal was received as if I had suggested merging with the neighboring church as a cost-cutting measure.

Sep. 2, 2006: Masked Man with Firebomb Attacks Montreal Jewish School
Although officials of Jewish groups disagree, police have been unwilling to declare the attack a hate crime. In the absence of graffiti or other other evidence, it is being treated as an unexplained case of arson.

Jan. 11, 2006: Attacker Stabs Eleven in Moscow Synagogue
He was a skinhead who shouted "Heil Hitler"

Sept. 1, 2005: Four Indicted in Alleged Plot to Attack LA Synagogues, Israeli Consulate

Here are more details on the story cited earlier in this blog:

The attacks were to be carried out with firearms and other weapons at synagogues during Jewish holidays "to maximize the number of casualties," authorities said.