Once again, the normalcy of our routines has been shattered by murderous violence. On Wednesday afternoon, James Wenneker Von Brunn allegedly entered the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., and opened fire on security guard Stephen Tyrone Johns. Other security guards returned fire. Both Johns and Von Brunn were hospitalized, but Johns died soon thereafter, and as of this writing, Von Brunn is in critical condition. Johns worked for six years protecting anyone who visited the Holocaust Museum. He died for us … and he died for anyone who strives to eradicate anti-Semitism, bigotry, intolerance and hatred from our world.
Von Brunn is 88 years old. On his hate-filled anti-Semitic Web page, he describes himself as a decorated World War II veteran and a member of Mensa (a high-IQ society). In addition, he proudly promotes his book, “Kill the Best Gentiles: the Jew Conspiracy to Destroy the White Gene Pool.” He also includes a number of links to other Web sites. One link is the Institute for Historical Review; it attempts to slickly wrap its historical revisionism in the guise of academia. One of its contributors is Holocaust denier David Irving. Another link is Stormfront, a white supremacist site whose slogan is “White Pride World Wide.”
Von Brunn hates more than the Jews. He hates the government. In 1981, he attempted to kidnap members of the Federal Reserve Board, blaming them for the state of the economy. As a result, he served 6.5 years in prison. On his Web site he blamed the “Negro jury,” “Jew/Negro attorneys” and the “Jew judge.”
To say that I am shocked by the violence that has occurred lately in our nation is an understatement. Abortion provider George Tiller was gunned down in his Wichita church allegedly by Scott Roeder. A Muslim convert murdered Army Private William Andrew Long outside a recruiting office in Little Rock, Arkansas, blaming his act on the United States’ presence in the Middle East.
But are the barbarians at the gates?
No.
Granted, I would be naive to write that threats do not exist. Too many of our fellow-citizens, blinded by ideology, propaganda, conspiracy theories and hatred are plotting violence against those whom they consider to be enemies.
However, there is no evidence that these latest murderous acts represent a trend. I do not fear going to Temple B’nai Israel. I do not fear sending my children to Camp Chaverim. None of us should be afraid to attend Sha’a'rei Shabbat this Friday. Please do not give in to this terror.
When we in our community proudly walk through the doors of temple, synagogue, federation or chabad, we do what we can to stand up to hatred, anti-Semitism and bigotry.
June 13, 2009 at 2:32 am |
Dear Rabbi, some of this anti-Semitic hatred lies dormant and skin deep among more gentiles than you can imagine. Hard times brings it to the surface and we offer a convenient scapegoat. I remember it from the Depression years and am not surprised over this latest terrible act of hatred.
FYI, the Southern Poverty Law Center claims that the number of neo-nazi and similar hate groups has risen at an alarming rate.
As we used to say flying in combat, “It’s easy to become paranoid when they’re trying to kill you.” Don’t let your gentility lull you into complacency!
June 18, 2009 at 9:48 am |
However sad it is to say this, as long as there are Jews, there will be those who hate Jews; however, I do not believe that they in greater numbers are acting on their evil inclinations.