(JTA) — A National Rifle Association board member in criticizing a New Jersey mayor for supporting gun safety proposals noted the mayor’s grandparents were Holocaust survivors.
Scott Bach, also the executive director of the Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs, in an interview on the NRA News website rapped a proposal by Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop to survey vendors bidding to supply firearms to local law enforcement about how they handle gun safety issues.
“His grandparents were Holocaust survivors according to Wikipedia. So you’ve got to wonder why he is not getting it,” Bach said.
Bach pointed out that the mayor, who worked for Goldman Sachs prior to 9/11, joined the Marines after the 2001 terror attacks.
Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, in a statement issued Monday assailed using the Holocaust analogy.
“No matter how strong one’s objections are to a policy or how committed an organization is to its mission, invoking the Holocaust to score political points is offensive and has no place in civil discourse,” Foxman said.
“It is especially disturbing that in the debate over gun control in America, Holocaust analogies and references to Nazi Germany flow so freely off the lips of critics of gun control. There is absolutely no comparison of the issue of gun control in the U.S. to the genocidal actions of the Nazi regime.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
