"I believe that the possession and carrying of weapons by individuals is illogical in an orderly society with formal law enforcement and state security agencies."
(Prof. George Lundskow, American Sociologist)
"An expansive policy of firearms licensing is not just a problem for law enforcement and security agencies. It poses a challenge to the very possibility of maintaining an open democratic society."
(Jonathan M. Metzl, American Sociologist and Psychiatrist)
"The American gun culture is preparing us for authoritarianism and the decline of democracy."
(Prof. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, American Historian)
Guns as a Value
The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." This fundamental right, deeply rooted in America's colonial past, has become ingrained in the nation's identity. By most estimates, there are more guns in the United States than people.
Israel: The Palmach – the elite combined strike forces of the Haganah, the underground army of the Yeshuv (Jewish community) during the period of the British Mandate for Palestine – anthem contains the line: "All the young and best – to the weapon." According to the Academy of the Hebrew Language, the phrase "all the young and best" originates from the biblical description of Saul in the Book of Samuel: "And he [Lakish] had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man; and a goodly" (1 Samuel 9:2). The word "weapon" (Neshek) is ancient, dating back to biblical times.
Weapons, Society and Politics
A Pew Research Center survey, conducted June 2023 (for The New York Times) presented the following findings:
Reasons for owning a gun: For most U.S. gun owners, protection is the main reason they own a gun.
General Owning of guns: In general, roughly a third (32%) say they own a gun; another 10% say that while they do not personally own a gun, someone else in their household does.
Rural – Urban: Gun ownership is far more common among residents of rural areas (47%) [in our case, the West Bank] than among people living in suburbs (30%) or urban areas (20%).
Men – Woman: 40% men say they own a gun, compared with about 25% of women.
White – Black and other: Whites are far more likely than Black, Hispanic or Asian adults to say they personally own a gun.
Parisan division: Republicans, particularly conservative Republicans, are far more likely than Democrats to say they own a gun: About half of conservative Republicans (51%) say they own a gun. That compares with 38% of moderate and liberal Republicans, 24% of conservative and moderate Democrats, and 16% of liberal Democrats.
The link between firearms and the far right – particularly the radical-religious and extremist right – is evident in both the United States and Israel. Guns have become a central issue in discussions concerning far-right movements.
Prof. Jonathan Metzl, a sociologist and psychiatrist specializing in gun policy in the United States, focuses primarily on the risks posed by civilian gun ownership and the various ways legally owned weapons contribute to violence. However, he also highlights an equally significant danger – the impact on democracy and the integrity of the state itself: "Americans have not understood that the spread of guns among the population is a risk not only to human health but also to democracy itself. Guns are presented as a means of self-defense, but in practice, they reinforce and even promote the agenda of right-wing parties. Guns are a tool of the right, and its supporters are the ones who arm themselves."
In recent years, the debate over the Second Amendment has intensified in the United States. Gun rights and gun control have become polarizing issues.
The deterrence approach, which is fundamentally conservative, advocates for the enforcement of existing gun laws while imposing severe penalties for the illegal use of firearms. This ideology is based on the belief that increasing gun ownership among citizens serves as a deterrent, ultimately reducing criminal firearm use.
Conversely, the interdiction approach, which is fundamentally liberal, supports restricting access to firearms as the most effective means of controlling gun use. Proponents argue that tighter regulations help prevent gun violence and reduce mass shootings.
The growing polarization between conservatives (right) and liberals (left) in the United States has become particularly evident in debates over the civilian ownership of assault rifles – semi-automatic weapons with military-style features, such as the AR-15, a civilian version of the M-16 assault rifle. In recent years, the ideological divide over this issue has widened considerably. Assault rifles have become a symbol of the far right's opposition to social progress and its resistance to policies that promote equality in the United States.
The staunchest defenders of the right to bear arms are conservatives, who tend to support rigid social hierarchies reinforced by religious-nationalist beliefs. In the United States, this often translates into notions of white superiority over Black Americans, while in Israel, it manifests as Jewish superiority over Arabs.
In general, conservatives (Republicans) are twice as likely to own firearms as liberals (Democrats). Additionally, gun owners in the United States are disproportionately white conservative, married and residents of rural or semi-urban areas relative to their share of the population.
Israel: A survey conducted by The Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research (directed by Prof. Tamar Herman) at the Israel Democracy Institute in late March 2024 found that Jewish respondents, when segmented by political affiliation, expressed differing views on Minister Ben-Gvir's expansive gun-carrying policy. Among right-wing respondents, 64.5 percent reported that the new policy improved their sense of security, whereas significantly fewer respondents from the center (31.5 percent ) and the left (17.5 percent) shared that sentiment.
Guns and Religion
Recent research has demonstrated a strong correlation between religious affiliation and gun ownership, similar to political alignment. For instance, in the United States, evangelical Protestants own firearms at a significantly higher rate than the general population.
Weapons and Government Policy
Since the end of the Cold War – and despite the storming of the U.S. Capitol in January 2021 – democratic nations have faced less of a threat from armed groups attempting to overthrow governments by force. Instead, a more pressing danger has emerged: democratically elected leaders gradually dismantling democratic institutions from within. By leveraging legal mechanisms to concentrate power, these governments systematically erode democratic checks and balances.
This situation is further exacerbated when far-right social movements – whether overt or concealed – operate as semi-parliamentary factions. These movements, through the legitimization of dominant political parties, work strategically to secure positions of governmental authority.
Israel: An extremist movement, such as the Kahanist faction, has successfully gained control over national resources, including the critical domain of sovereignty – the regulation of firearms, which traditionally falls under the exclusive jurisdiction of the state.
Firearms Licensing Policy
The debate over firearm licensing policy is marked by an ongoing tension between proponents of an "expansive" approach and advocates of a "restrictive" approach.
Those favoring an expansive policy – typically from conservative circles – argue that firearm ownership enhances personal security, particularly for individuals at risk. Conversely, those advocating for a restrictive approach – typically from liberal curcles – highlight the risks firearms pose to both individuals and public safety.
Implications
Research from the past decade consistently shows that as the number of privately owned firearms increases, so does the rate of firearm-related deaths. Studies indicate a direct correlation between firearm accessibility and instances of homicide and suicide, with particularly alarming trends in cases of domestic violence and femicide.
These findings were presented in a position paper submitted by The Israeli Professor's Forum for Democracy to the National Security Committee. For example, a study spanning 106 countries found that firearm-related deaths – whether by homicide or suicide – occur at a rate of 10.6 per 100,000 residents in the United States, where firearm sales are largely unrestricted. In contrast, firearm-related death rates in various European nations are significantly lower: 2.7 per 100,000 in France, 2.1 in Canada, 0.9 in Germany, and 0.6 in Spain. The data underscores that the United States experiences higher firearm-related fatalities than any other developed nation.
Anyway, From the far right's standpoint, gun rights have taken precedence over concerns about public safety. (In Israel, the implications extend beyond the Jewish community, especially affecting Arab citizens). While most Americans (61%) say it is too easy to legally obtain a gun in the U.S., while 30% say the ease of legally obtaining a gun is about right; 9% say it is too hard – an overwhelming share of Democrats (86%) say it is too easy to obtain a gun legally, while about a third of Republicans (34%) say the same.
(The firearms licensing policy in Israel until the events surrounding Operation Guardian of the Walls, May 2021, will be surveyed in the following Part).