Donald R. Richberg, general counsel of the NRA, in a communication to the American Jewish Committee denied that he had meant any offense to the Jewish people by his references to the Old Testament in a broadcast speech July 31 to which many Jews took exception.
“I readily concede that the phrasing of my thought was unfortunate, particularly when my remarks might be given an implication wholly unintended: and I regret deeply that they seemed to reflect in the slightest degree upon the Jewish people or religion,” Mr. Richberg wrote to Morris D. Waldman, secretary of the committee. “I have so high an esteem for so many Jews, and I have enjoyed invaluable associations with so many for so many years that I would not intentionally speak disparagingly of their race or religion. Finally, religious intolerance is to me a hateful thing; and I should be the last person to wish to express or to foment such intolerance.”
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
