Crazy White People
A racist, Jew-hating white man walked into the U.S. Holocaust Museum yesterday and killed an African-American security guard before being critically wounded himself.
Seriously, angry white people – WTF? Is Angela Lansbury playing the queen of diamonds again?
Two weeks ago it was the murder of an abortion doctor by a radical pro-life supporter, now we have the neo-Nazis getting into the act.
Of course, the shooting has spawned torrents of outrage as the white supremacist background of the shooter – eighty-eight year old James von Brunn – has been plastered all over the mainstream media.
Those crazy white people.
Really, though, we’re sick and tired of these racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic cowards.
And while it’s not like these fringe “Holocaust deniers” were ever really on the verge of being taken seriously (at least not until President Barack Obama felt the need to suck up to Jews after an anti-Israeli speech), von Brunn’s actions are the latest in a long line of cowardly acts that stem from irrational, unnatural, un-American fears.
Seriously, people. Did somebody not send this guy his copy of Gran Torino? News flash – we can all get along.
Here’s the bottom line, people – Stephen Tyrone Johns, a security guard whose only crime was to show up for work yesterday, is dead. His family is grieving.
Can’t we all stop exploiting our various political angles for two seconds and feel a little bit of genuine remorse over that?
A husband and father got killed by a crazy, cowardly bigot. It can happen to anybody, and anybody can be the one with their finger on the trigger.
Let’s condemn this for what it is – a murder. Pure and simple.
The fact that the murderer was trying to elevate the profile of the hatred in his heart doesn’t mean the rest of us have to go along for the ride.
Comments
By Um,no on June 11th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
I leave this comment out of genuine concern, not just trying to be contrary and find ways to criticize you.
One thing that we need to examine is how these people’s anger is being stoked. Crazy is crazy, but there’s often more to the story. That “more” includes Limbaugh and Hannity and that crying dude who used to be on CNN and is now on Fox.
And, more to the point, there’s FITS News. Do you notice that some of the the commenters on this site are of the same flavor of crazy? Go re-read the comments to the abortion doctor post if you doubt me. Or some of the gay posts. Really disturbing stuff. People who run cable news networks and, yes, even blogs, should stop and ask themselves about the ripple effects. Sure you’ve got every 1st amendment right, blah, blah, blah. No doubt about that, so spare me the argument. I’m asking about the flip side, which is responsibility.
I’m just suggesting a little self-reflection here. Irreverent and snarky is really much less appealing than you seem to think, and it apparently has come to serve as magnet for these people. You don’t have to agree with me, but I’m asking for a serious, non-smartass response.
By newzjunkie on June 11th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Funny! So Pres. Obama’s comments are to blame for this?
You wrote: “…at least not until President Barack Obama felt the need to suck up to Jews after an anti-Israeli speech…”
This 88 year-old confederate bandana wearing white supremacist conducted hate crimes while Pres.Obama was in high school.
You all are really living up to your moto: Unfair. Imbalanced.
I don’t believe this.
By Rick on June 11th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Amen…no sense in hatin’….it just hurts your belly and makes you to ugly to talk to.
By BIN News Editorial Staff on June 11th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Um, you make good points. We’re not suggesting any of sic(k) willie’s readers would ever shoot anyone, but he certainly caters to URWW.
BIN News Editorial Staff
Flair and Balanced
P.S. URWW = Ultra-Right Wing Wackos
By Pat Hendrix on June 11th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
His major concern was that Obama was pushing to bring socialism to the United States. Wonder where this “crazy white guy” got that idea? Oh, and he was a “birther”.
Go figure.
By Beth Cornell on June 11th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
I think the line, “Is Angela Lansbury playing the Queen of diamonds again?”, is not called for. I wished people would not use her name or her character’s name in this kind of context. She played an ammeter sleuth.
By me on June 12th, 2009 at 5:17 am
no one likes jews. Dont blame white people, blame them.
By Beth Cornell on June 12th, 2009 at 6:35 am
I think the line, “Is Angela Lansbury playing the Queen of diamonds again?”, is not called for. I wished people would not use her name or her character’s name in this kind of context. She played an ammeter sleuth.
Sorry, forgot to add great post! Can’t wait to see your next post!
By Clint Eastwood on June 12th, 2009 at 9:36 am
Thanks for referencing my movie, Sic.
I must say though, that I heard the most idiotic statement from a news anchor ever last night.
“Authorities are searching for a motive for the shooting at the Holocaust Museum.”
Really? Motive? I thought that we’ve pretty much established that he hates anybody but white people. He got his chance, and sadly, he took out someone who looks different.
I hope he survives so we can throw the book at him.
By Um,no on June 12th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
On this subject, a must-read from Eugene Robinson in today’s Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/11/AR2009061103038.html
“But what about those who might not understand that it’s all just political theater?”
By Mike on June 12th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Um, newzjunkie, et al are dead on it- the comment in the piece which appeared to posit some kind of nexus between Obama’s recent remarks regarding Israel and this wackjob’s murder of a black security officer at the Holocaust Museum are just plain wacky. Even a cursory glance at von Brunn’s history and background as reported in open sources reveals that he is (and has been for a long time) damaged goods; a racist, violent turd.
The linked Robinson article was more on point, although the SPLC stats he cites are notoriously inflated (their definition of a hate group is pretty broad, even by sociologists’ standards, and often includes our local Civil War re-enactment silliness).
Here’s one last nugget to chew on in regard to hate crimes and racist, violent s#!theads- take a look at the coverage of the Bledsoe/ Muhammad Army recruiter murder and the attendant media coverage of that tragedy.
By Really? on June 12th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
@Beth Cornell:
I’m not sure how you think this article and the Angela Lansbury comment have anything to do with Murder, She Wrote. Its a reference to her famous role in the movie (and book) called The Manchurian Candidate about a brainwashed assassin.
By newzjunkie on June 12th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
@ me: Aren’t most Jewish people white? Well, there was Sammy Davis, Jr. But, I don’t quite remember them being any other color. I don’t get it.