This Is Exactly Why Governments Fear an Armed People (ft.PewPewJew)

Yehuda, known online as the Pew Pew Jew, joins hosts Kaylee and John on State of the Second to trace how he went from a spoiled LA kid who thought only police, military, and bad guys could own guns to one of the most recognizable voices for Jewish gun owners. He explains that he got into the industry by accident. After his parents had what he calls a Chernobyl meltdown over learning he owned a Glock 19, he set out to teach his own kids gun safety, went looking on Amazon for a children's book on the subject, and found none existed. So he wrote one. It took five years to get published because no one would touch it, and once it was out he was suddenly being called a gun safety expert on podcasts and radio. Much of the conversation centers on what it means to be a Jewish gun owner. Yehuda pushes back hard on rabbis who say Jews should not own guns, pointing to a 2,500-year warrior heritage and arguing the community has only been anti-gun since 1945. He says post October 7th there was a massive uptick in Jewish firearms owners, but that many stay quiet about it, and his mission is to get them to be loud instead. He also breaks down how draconian Israel's gun laws actually are compared to the US, and reflects on his own move from California to Texas, where a gunsmith removed his bullet button for free and welcomed him to the state. The back half turns lighter. In the From the Soapbox segment, Yehuda gives his spicy take that his favorite gun company is High Point, because they know exactly who they are and are willing to joke about themselves while the rest of the industry takes itself too seriously. He and John trade ideas for joke products, and both land on the same theme that runs through the episode: take someone to the range, pass the experience on to the next person, and have fun with it. Kaylee ties it back to building momentum for the Second Amendment, from fighting the NFA to changing hearts and minds one first-time shooter at a time. Questions this episode answers How did the Pew Pew Jew get into the firearms industry? He got into it by accident as a first-time Glock 19 owner. After his parents melted down over learning he owned a gun, he set out to teach his own kids gun safety, couldn't find a children's book on the subject, and wrote one himself, which led to podcasts and radio calling him a gun safety expert. Why did he write a children's book on gun safety, and how long did it take to publish? He wrote it because he went looking on Amazon for a children's book to teach his own kids gun safety and found that none existed. It took five years to get published because no one would touch it. What does he say to rabbis and others in the Jewish community who are anti-gun? He pushes back hard, pointing to a 2,500-year Jewish warrior heritage and arguing the community has only been anti-gun since 1945. His mission is to get Jewish gun owners who stay quiet to be loud about it instead. Did Jewish gun ownership change after October 7th? Yes. He says there was a massive uptick in Jewish firearms owners after October 7th, though many stay quiet about it, which is why he works to get them to speak up. How do Israel's gun laws compare to laws in the United States? He breaks down how draconian Israel's gun laws are compared to those in the United States, where firearm ownership is far more accessible. What was it like buying his first gun in California versus moving to Texas? He bought his first gun in California, then moved from California to Texas, where a gunsmith removed his bullet button for free and welcomed him to the state. Why does he name High Point as his favorite gun company? He names High Point because they know exactly who they are and are willing to joke about themselves, while the rest of the industry takes itself too seriously. What role does taking people to the range play in growing the Second Amendment community? He and the hosts agree that taking someone to the range and passing the experience to the next person is the best on-ramp, building momentum for the Second Amendment one first-time shooter at a time. Chapters 00:28 — Rapid fire: movies, grail gun, and gun culture 03:35 — How he fell into the gun industry by accident 04:47 — Writing a children's book on gun safety 06:30 — Being a Jewish gun owner and a warrior heritage 10:03 — October 7th and Israel's draconian gun laws 13:28 — Advice for closeted gun owners 16:00 — Why he bought his first gun in LA 20:58 — Why the LA riots and North Hollywood shootout didn't move his community 23:01 — Buying in California versus a free state in Texas 27:38 — Expanding into books like Bullet Points 30:36 — From the Soapbox: High Point is his favorite company 35:09 — Joke products and not taking yourself too seriously 38:38 — Passing the range experience on to the next person 46:13 — Wrap up, gift, and where to find him About the guest Yehuda, known online as the Pew Pew Jew, is a firearms author and Second Amendment advocate who has worked to amplify the voice of Jewish gun owners for almost nine years. He got into the industry by accident as a first-time Glock 19 owner, then wrote a children's book on gun safety that took five years to get published, going on to write several more children's books and a book titled Bullet Points. He grew up in North Hollywood, California, and now lives in Plano, Texas, where his home range is Mr. Guns. His books and merchandise are available at thepewpewjew.com. Key quotes "people with ars don't get in cattle cars" — Yehuda (Pew Pew Jew) "there's a reason why they come after that right. Because when people don't exercise it, it's much easier to take away." — Yehuda (Pew Pew Jew) "I'm just a dude who wrote a book for his kids." — Yehuda (Pew Pew Jew) "gun companies need to stop taking themselves so seriously." — Yehuda (Pew Pew Jew) "Taking someone to the range is always going to be the best on ramp to get them interested, involved and ready to take the next step." — Kaylee