Dan Shea of Small Arms Review: "Useful Jew."

“A grievous blow has struck the ghetto. They are asking us to give up the best we possess - the children and the elderly. I was unworthy of having a child of my own, so I gave the best years of my life to children. I've lived and breathed with children, I never imagined I would be forced to deliver this sacrifice to the altar with my own hands. In my old age, I must stretch out my hands and beg: Brothers and sisters! Hand them over to me! Fathers and mothers: Give me your children!" -- Mordecai Chaim Rumkowski, Head of the Lodz Ghetto Judenrat, in a speech later entitled "Give Me Your Children" wherein he pleaded with the Jews in the ghetto to give up children of ten years of age and younger, as well as the old and the sick, so that others (including himself) might survive the Nazi terror.

Mordechai Chaim Rumkowski, "Useful Jew."

The term useful Jew was used in various historical contexts, typically describing a Jewish person useful in implementing an official authorities' policy, sometimes by oppressing other Jews. . . During the Holocaust in Nazi-occupied Europe, the Jews who helped implement the Final Solution, such as members of Judenrat or the Jewish Police, were considered "valuable Jews" (German: Wertvolle Juden). They, and sometimes members of their families as well, were immune from deportation for extermination so long as they served the Nazis' purposes. Also, Jews who had helped plan the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin were considered "useful" and were spared deportation. -- Wikipedia.

I doubt that many of you have heard of Dan Shea, editor of Small Arms Review, but he is the big catfish in the little pond of Class III collectors and dealers. He is the owner of Long Mountain Outfitters, long-time board member and founder of the National Firearms Act Trade & Collectors Association (NFATCA) and Dan Shea is, last but not least, a very "Useful Jew" to the ATF.

Unfair characterization? Over the top? Perhaps. But if so, the complaint can only be only one of degree -- of the current situation of creeping proto-tyranny versus the full blown massacre of the Holocaust -- for trust me, Mordechai Rumkowski and Dan Shea would have understood each other had they lived at the same place and time. (JPFO has previously dubbed Shea and his NFATCA "ghetto Jews" here.)

As evidence of my assertion, I present Shea's latest "SITREP" column from SAR. He writes, in part:

I guess one of the positive side effects of this current political debacle is that the anti-firearms ownership crowd hasn't been able to launch any massive new legislation. . . There is also that pesky bit of history where former President Bill Clinton tried the silly, pointless and impotent "Assault Weapons Ban" resulting in the removal of his House and Senate majorities, thus neutering his political power. . .

That doesn't mean that a few individuals in ATF haven't had their Wheaties for breakfast since the Democrats took control of the White House, the House of Representatives, and the Senate. The end result has been a marked decrease in communication and working together with the community, as some of these people exercise their agendas, interpretations, and points of view in how the regulations are implemented. Fortunately, there is still a vast majority in the public service at ATF who are doing their jobs, enforcing the laws, looking for criminals, ensuring compliance, and not trying to create de facto gun control programs out of thin air by parsing words. So, at this point, it looks good for the status quo.

What does the future hold? Certainly more of the same. There are a few misguided crusaders on the pro-gun side who cross the line; probably the most dangerous people there are to us because they will sacrifice anyone and anything to their generally misguided and usually self-serving agendas. Up in the mountains, we used to have a self-mocking saying. "Hey, Elmer, why don't you go poke that stupid old bear over there with a stick. Stupid old bear." The problem here is that all of the rest of us are are near that bear too. One has to wonder how much damage has been done by this very small group of "true believers" who have attacked the general employees of ATF instead of trying to effect true change in policy, regulation or law. Generally, their arguments are poorly thought out and rely on parsing words, instead of reading the laws as written and working within that as well as the existing political structure to effect real, solid changes. We need good, solid well thought out negotiation and proper legal and legislative remedies to address our issues. Join the NFATCA and help.

I can't help but hope that this year, even as the dark clouds of fanatic modern liberalism are on the horizon, that the good people of our country, both liberal and conservative, and the countries of many of our readers, prevail and keep their freedom, their safety and their rights. We have real enemies out there, people sworn to killing off any who don't agree with them, abd we need to stand against them instead of tearing ourselves apart. -- Dan.

Hmmm. But who is he talking about? Now, knowing more than a little bit about old Dan here, I have my informed suspicions. But I decided to write Dan an email asking that question and I provide it for your edification and amusement below.

From: georgemason1776@aol.com
To: MaximGun@aol.com
Sent: Wed, Mar 10, 2010 1:31 pm
Subject: re: SITREP & "Useful Jews"

Dear Dan,

Having read your latest SITREP in Small Arms Review, I am bit puzzled about a few things. Perhaps you can clear them up. You write:

"There are a few misguided crusaders on the pro-gun side who cross the line; probably the most dangerous people there are to us because they will sacrifice anyone and anything to their generally misguided and usually self-serving agendas."

I'm curious, Dan. Who specifically are you talking about? Aaron Zelman of JPFO? David Codrea of the National Examiner and War on Guns? Len Savage? My good friend R.A. Bear? ME? All of the above?

Really, if you won't tell your readers who you are warning them against, how can they be forewarned? Or was this written not for your readers, or for the NFATCA, but for your ATF butt-buddies, to once more ingratiate yourself with the "bears" (as you describe them) of the Chief Counsel's Office and other branches of the ATF?

Knowing something about your recent activities, I rather suspect you are nothing more than a "useful Jew" to them. (You may go to my blog http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com if you are unfamiliar with the term.)

But really, if you think that characterization of you is unfair, then, please, tell us who it is you are talking about.

Inquiring minds want to know.

Mike Vanderboegh
The alleged leader of a merry band of Three Percenters
PO Box 926
Pinson AL 35126
GeorgeMason1776@aol.com