Syrian Prelate & US Rifle Maker Get Gun Dean Anti-IS Praise

American gun dean John M. Snyder today praised a Syrian prelate and a United States rifle manufacturer for defending Middle East Christians facing Islamic State (IS) murderous decapitating brutality in the region.

Snyder noted that Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II, head of the Syriac Orthodox Church, reportedly encouraged Christians in their use of arms to defend Sadad, Syria from rampaging Muslim terrorists.

Catholic World News, citing Newsweek, reported the patriarch "visited Sadad in order to encourage the town's defenders.  'It is under assault,' the patriarch said.  'The young people in Sadad, with the help of some armed groups, were able to fight back and push IS back to where they started"

Snyder said, "The patriarch must be aware of Our Lord's declaration that, 'The man without a sword must sell his cloak and buy one,' according to Luke 22:36.  Sometimes you must use force and the instruments of force to defend good against evil.

"Hopefully, Vatican prelates will take off the blinders and see reality for what it is.  They should encourage, rather than discourage, the acquisition and use of firearms for defense against terrorists and other murderers.  The Pope could initiate a world-wide collection of funds to be used for the purchase of guns for endangered Catholics and others"

Snyder also praised a Texas gun company, Tracking Point, which stated it will be giving 10 of its state of the art rifles to "any organization that can take the guns into the fight against ISIS"

"That's the American spirit," said Snyder, "helping those who need help.  The Muslim terrorists are a real international problem and they must be stopped"

Tracking Point's CEO, John McHale, said in a press release "it's hard to sit back and watch what is happening over there.  We want to do our part.  Ten guns don't sound like a lot but the dramatic leap in lethality is a great force multiplier.  These 10 guns will feel like two hundred to the enemy"

McHale said the gift of the M600 SR and the M800 DMR rifles will "save countless lives"

A practicing Catholic, Snyder has been named "the dean of Washington gun lobbyists" by the Washington Post and New York Times, "a champion of the right of self-defense" by the Washington Times, the "gun dean" by Human Events, and "the senior rights activist in Washington" by Shotgun News.

He holds AB and MA degrees in government from Georgetown University.  He has been an NRA magazine editor and official of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms and Second Amendment Foundation.  He directs Telum Associates, LL.C, and serves on boards of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, Council for America and American Federation of Police & Concerned Citizens.

Contact: John Snyder, gundean@gmail.com, www.GunRightsPolicies.org