By David Codrea
USA – -(Ammoland.com)- Practically everyone, including conservative and gun rights groups, reacted with understandable outrage to rocker and RKBA diehard Ted Nugent’s Facebook post of a graphic featuring Jewish anti-gun politicians with Israeli flags.
While quick to distance themselves from a celebrity they’d have happily claimed as an ally the day before his ill-conceived post, none of his detractors even attempted to contact him afterward to ask if accusations of anti-Semitism were true.
Wanting to understand what he was thinking and how he managed to make himself a media target for charges of anti-Semitism, Nicki Kenyon of The Zelman Partisans spoke with Nugent, and found her group was alone in asking him what happened. Additionally, Nugent took TZP up on an offer it made a week earlier and ended up joining the group.
The recently-formed organization is comprised of former members of Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership, who split off in disagreement following JPFO’s acquisition by the Second Amendment Foundation. Naming themselves in honor of JPFO’s founder, the late Aaron Zelman, TZP activists who knew and worked closely with Zelman consider themselves more in keeping with his fiercely uncompromising nature, and believe their approach to be truer to the legacy their friend, colleague and mentor would have wanted.
Perhaps there’s something to that, as JPFO, instead of reaching out to Nugent, merely issued a statement decrying his post. And while they are correct (in a Captain Obvious kind of way) that “Aaron Zelman, founder of Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership was far from anti-gun,” the statement ignores that Zelman reserved some of his harshest criticism for Jewish citizen disarmament proponents, and even coined the term “bagel brained Jews” to describe them.
In many ways, Aaron Zelman and Ted Nugent were alike, particularly in not worrying about who might be offended.
“Do Jewish leaders want us all to be victims?” Zelman asked in one powerful essay. He’s also the man who, in his trademark politically-incorrect, take-on-all-comers style, told the Anti-Defamation League to “burn in hell.”
People are going to have their opinions about Nugent and about what he posted on his Facebook page, and on his adamant refusal since then to back down. In a way, that works in his favor against those who will now claim he only spoke with Kenyon and TZP as a pandering move to try and ingratiate himself back into the good graces of those calling for his expulsion from the NRA Board. He just doesn’t appear to be the type of guy to back down or to bow to political correctness.
Was it ill-conceived? Considering how easy it is to trace back to true anti-Semites who have used the same graphic, it was certainly thoughtless, and Nugent admits as much.
Was it evidence of bigotry? Of course not.
And those tripping all over themselves to distance themselves from Nugent ought to know better. What are you guys afraid of, that Media Matters and The Huffington Post will say mean things about you? Like they won’t regardless of how much you try to appear “reasonable“?
My own takeaway from this? I’ve not involved myself that much in Nugent’s doings, aside from writing an article critical of his supporting Tom Tancredo, given some of that politician’s bipolar positions on guns. I’m hardly in the tank for the guy – I’m just looking at what makes sense to me.
On the other hand, I go back years with Nicki, and if there’s one person who will not mince words and is not afraid to rip into someone who deserves it – and colorfully – just ask her readers how timid and reserved they think she is. I’m pretty sure if she perceived Ted was BSing her, she wouldn’t be afraid to publicly field dress the guy, and maybe even not just metaphorically.
Go read her article (and take the poll) and make up your own mind.
About David Codrea:
David Codrea is the winner of multiple journalist awards for investigating / defending the RKBA and a long-time gun rights advocate who defiantly challenges the folly of citizen disarmament.
He blogs at “The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance,” and also posts on Twitter: @dcodrea and Facebook.
This is from the JPFO.org website under handbills it has been there many years.
. Ted Nugent certainly has done no different than Aaron Zelman did. clothing.
It has nothing to do with bigotry and everything to do with hypocrisy.
Attempts to disarm US citizens by jewish politicians is much like the nazis disarmed the Jews.
There is a Jew conspiracy in this country to trash the 2A ! Nugent was spot on about that ! It’s so obvious to everyone ! Jews place the race card as good a blacks do ! If you tell the truth about Jews,and they don’t like it you’re anti Semitic !
It is astounding that the level of reading comprehension in the general population of the United States has fallen to such a low level.. The Nuges comments in no way were racists, those of us that are able to understand and comprehend the written word understood Teds comment. perfectly. Ted was also correct in his assessment of gun grabbing collectivists anti second amendment Jews. If you can find a living Jew that survived the Warsaw Ghetto, just ask him or her about how they feel about the gun grabbers both Jewish and Gentile.
It is astounding that the level of reading comprehension in the general population of the United States has fallen to such a low level.. The Nuges comments in no way were racists, those of us that are able to understand and comprehend the written word understood Teds comment. perfectly. Ted was also correct in his assessment of gun grabbing collectivists anti second amendment Jews..
I am glad to see that Mr Nugent has taken up the offer from TZP. I have more than once embarrassed myself with an importune statement but Fortunately not on the interwebs or a national public format. (to my knowledge that is to say) I don’t know Mr Nugent well enough to say that I think he is anti-semitic or not. I am however more than willing to wait and watch and see just what his Actions, from the past and into the future, have to say about his public expressions of opinion. So far it seems that he is… Read more »
uncle ted!!!! what else can you say! he s right more than he s wruong!
People can get into all sorts of trouble when they make assumptions based on people names. They can presume they know what people are and how they believe. They may even think they know where they came from and who they are. You know the old saying about making assumptions, right? I also came from JPFO. This team, The Zelman Partisans, banded together, a small band of people fiercely determined to keep Aaron Zelman’s LEGACY, as well as his name alive and working. To do that, we worked as partisans. Each of us using what skills and resources we had… Read more »
I’ll chime in here as well, since Mark Abramson sees it fit to impugn the credentials of an organization about which I care an enormous deal. And well… frankly, I wrote the original piece, so I should probably respond. “Nothing Jewish about it”? REALLY? You’re either illiterate or a liar. Here are my Jewish credentials, and my purpose and ethos, you supercilious prevaricator. https://keepandbeararms.com/information/XcIBViewItem.asp?ID=2287 It’s quite nauseating to watch you malign an organization into which we put blood, sweat, and tears, because you either a) lack the reading comprehension to understand our “purpose, and ethos” or b) are some kind… Read more »
Probably your upper lip!
Way to go Claire, tell it just like it is and not care what “air heads” think. A hypocrite is a hypocrite is a hypocrite no matter what their other labels may say.
Uncle Ted needs to take a trip to Israel and hobnob with the troops as well as meet President Netenyahu. It would lay this anti Semite issue to rest once and for all except for the nasty Wasserman Shultz types who have no regard for the truth. I’m proud to support Israel and IMI. They market some great gear.
My paltry submission: Mark A. – Good morning. I am not sure what directed you to your conclusion that TZP “has no Jewish leadship, purpose, or ethos.” Have you actually visited TZP’s website? Did you notice the mission statement? Leadship-wise, the President, Secretary/Treasurer, and the majority of the writers are Jewish, including Nicki. JPFO – upon Aaron’s demise, the president wasn’t Jewish. Most of of the writers were. Claire wasn’t Jewish then and, so far as I know, she still isn’t – yet she is the creative driving force behind this organization. Thus, Jewish representation in the original JPFO was… Read more »
And David … sorry I didn’t say so earlier, but thank you for the terrific article. Your comments about those who “reported” on Nugent without attempting to talk with him are right on — as is your take on Nicki. She would indeed “field dress” anybody she thought was BSing her. You and Nicki are two of a kind, but you’re a little less savage. 🙂
Didn’t say it earlier because I was too busy having hysterics over a mental image of how Aaron Zelman would have reacted at being accused of possessing insufficient gravitas.
Mr. Abramson,thanks for that clarification. Why, I’d been so convinced of the Jewish aspect of TZP that I was watching sunset times on Saturdays to avoid posting anything or sending alerts on the Sabbath. My bad.
So TZP has gentile members and workers like me. That wasn’t a problem when I worked for JPFO under Aaron. Why is it now?
Did you worry about gravitas when Aaron’s JPFO was producing comic books?
Dear Mark Abramson,
Appearances can be deceiving. So can names, to those who jump to conclusions. Speaking as the Treasurer of the organization; I am indeed Jewish. As is my wife, my four children, and four grandchidren. One daughter was married at 770 Eastern Parkway, and lives in Crown Heights! For a nominal fee I can arrange for you to examine my schmekel. Feh.
Mark Abramson writes: “The problem with TZP is that there is nothing Jewish about it.” Wait. You mean you’re willing to write public calumnies against The Zelman Partisans without first doing any research? TZP president: Brad Alpert, Jewish; TZP treasurer, Eric Andreason, Jewish; TZP writer, Nicki Kenyon, born in the Soviet Union to a Jewish refusnik family; TZP writer Y.B. ben Avraham … well, to think he’s not Jewish, you’d have to be so deliberately ignorant there’d be no use talking to you. And writer Sheila Stokes-Begley may not be Jewish, but she speaks Hebrew, knows Israel, and knows more… Read more »
The cool thing about Nugent is that he ain’t into that political correct BS ! He will say things that other people would like to but don’t !
@ft,maybe your’re just full of sh*t !
What religion teaches “Thou shall not offend”? Where in the Constitution does it say “don’t offend”? “Offended” is the new “race card”, designed to silence anyone that has a differing outlook or, especially, when an idea, or belief, is counter to your own One of the reasons I served 20+ years in the military was so that even morons could speak freely. Grow up, get over it; you’ll have a much happier life.
How come every time I see a picture of Nugent, I smell sh*t.
Because your moustache is full of it?
I did not realize there were any conservative jews left in Amerika. I thought they were all in Israel fighting the good fight.
“In an age of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
We welcome Orwell’s warning but do not accept his prediction for our country’s dystopian future.
Social Justice Warriors ignored, the tried and true litmus test for everything – is it true?
Yes Mr. Nugent, what you Tweeted is true.
The problem with TZP is that there is nothing Jewish about it. It is a for profit entity that appears to have no Jewish leadership, purpose or ethos. I am happy they reached out to Uncle Ted, whom I believe to be a passionate and highly intelligent guy whose mouth gets ahead of his thoughts, which diminishes his effectiveness. Thanks for sharing this news. I continue to look for an organization that can replace the real JPFO since 2AF saved the old one from an embarrassing financial debacle. I was hoping TZP was it, but it is clear to me… Read more »
I saw the meme as a calling out of those individuals who are forgetting that what should never be forgotten, those who are willing to allow, who actually encourage, the disarmament of their countrymen. Ted Nugent has come to the age of a lot of us old farts who don’t have the time or the inclination to be nice to those we see as anti-americans who have no respect for us, our constitution, and/or our rights. The jackasses who got their feeling hurt are probably the very people who should re-examine their positions and ask themselves if just maybe they… Read more »
Anyone who didn’t understand the true message and called him anti-semitic are idiots!
Sorry — done with jews/zionists — he’s absolutely right
I’m gratified that Nicki ask for a comment. Debbie Schlussel, whom I used to kinda like, now thinks Ted is a Nazi for posting that meme. I saw the meme. I also call bullshit on the alleged antisemitism allegations. Crap, people, don’t we have thicker skins than the SJW crowd? Apparently not. Even “conservative” Debbie Schlussel – who branded Nugent with the Nazi moniker, can be as inflamed over some alleged “offensive” slight as any Black Lives Matter activist. Frankly, the 12 people in the “offensive” meme ARE anti rights. Some are the face of anti-gun organizations, and others advance… Read more »