In our gun happy culture, it’s no surprise that a convicted felon would gain access to guns and use them to kill someone. That’s precisely what James Von Brunn, who attacked the U.S Holocaust Museum earlier this week and killed an African-American security guard, did. As such, he had no legal right to own any weapon (as I understand the law). So how did he do it?
Thanks to M.J. Rosenberg for pointing me to this CNN report that reveals he used a Winchester rifle (!) made sometime between 1908 and 1920. How’s that for an antique? We shouldn’t be surprised that a man who served in World War II and who espoused views that would make him at home in Nazi Germany circa 1933, owned a weapon about as dusty as his ideas. Clearly von Brunn, at least in this particular, managed to circumvent the law.
But he also owned another weapon:
Mr. von Brunn brought a .22-caliber rifle and a .30-30 rifle when he moved into an apartment in Annapolis, Md., two years ago, according to the affidavit. The police recovered the .30-30 as well as ammunition for a .22 from his bedroom after the museum attack.
While it seems hopeless to topple the gun lobby in this country, at least we can demand that authorities trace these weapons and punish anyone stupid enough to sell one to a violent thug and felon like von Brunn.
I’m also distressed to find that embarrassed websites and web hosts are erasing many vestiges of von Brunn’s sojourn online. His website, Holy Western Empire, has been taken down by its host. von Brunn’s Wikipedia account and biography have been scrubbed clean. In these instances all I can say is thank God for the Internet Archive and Wikileaks. TPM Cafe has also uploaded many of his writings for the record.
It is interesting that before someone commits murder you can’t get a web host to do a thing about the hate they post to websites (we’ve had that problem with Masada2000 and its webhost, Dreamhost). Nor can you get the police to investigate their threats and other activities (just ask the Seattle Police Department and FBI about defenestration and genital mutilation threats sent to me which they refuse to investigate). But then after haters do strike and the damage is done, they rush to obliterate the killer’s identity and existence. A bit hypocritical I think.
Some Comment is Free commenters noted that Abe Foxman did not, as I predicted, tie the shooting to Iran or the vast Islamist conspiracy. No, that honor goes to Jennifer Lazlo Mizrahi, director of the Israel Project who actually had the self-promotional cahones to write a press release in which she claimed that the Maryland police would’ve stopped von Brunn had they only investigated him when he allegedly distributed hate flyers on her doorstep. She goes on:
Today we are talking about Iran – and the possible re-election of a man who denies the Holocaust and has said he wants to see Israel wiped off the map.
We need to keep the lessons of history in our minds. Even if that memory is from just yesterday – when an innocent man was murdered in cold blood.
I am pleased that President Obama has spoken out forcefully about the culture of hate in the Arab world – and the senseless act from yesterday.
Thanks to Ali Gharib for catching this. Abe, I owe you an apology on this one. We’ll catch you another time. The credit for such sky-is-falling exploitation of tragedy for political advantage goes to the Israel Project this time.
And if we want to go even farther afield in the universe, we can always catch Debbie Schlussel orbiting out there somewhere around planet [Pam] Geller. Here’s what Deb writes:
…The shooter…at the U.S. Holocaust Museum is not a Muslim but a White guy, James W. Von Brunn, who is a neo-Nazi.
But that is a distinction without a difference. In fact, it is because of Muslims–who are the biggest contributor to the worldwide rise in anti-Semitism to Holocaust-eve levels–that neo-Nazis feel comfortable–far more comfortable!–manifesting their views about Jews. Until 9/11 and our resulting new tolerance for Islam, the neo-Nazi types were marginalized and howling at the wind. We know who has been targeting Jewish museums and centers affiliated with Jews in recent years. And it hasn’t been, in general, 89-year-old White guys…
Can you imagine there are actually people in the world who admire this woman? In my opinion, she von Brunn and bin Laden were made for each other. The views of one are more paranoiac and pathological than the other.
RE: “…he used a Winchester rifle (!) made sometime between 1908 and 1920…”
FROM CREEDO: Why is it so easy for domestic terrorists to get hold of guns?
Here’s one way to make it harder. The Brady Bill requires criminal background checks before the purchasing of guns. But there’s a tremendous loophole for gun shows and similar events – a loophole that criminals know only too well how to exploit.
Currently, there’s a bill in Congress to close this loophole – H.R. 2234, “To require criminal background checks on all firearms transactions occurring at gun shows.” We need this law to reduce future attacks like those on Dr. Tiller and at the Holocaust Museum, but it won’t go anywhere without significant support in Congress – and right now it has only seven sponsors.
I just signed a petition to tell my representative to co-sponsor H.R. 2234 – I hope you will, too. Please have a look and take action.
*TAKE ACTION – http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/gunshow_loophole/?r_by=4475-1604494-eqsWiux&rc
“Can you imagine there are actually people in the world who admire this woman? In my opinion, she von Brunn and bin Laden were made for each other. The views of one are more paranoiac and pathological than the other.”
No I can’t imagine but then again, its difficult to imagine a lot of things-how people can think Sarah Palin could lead our country for one, how Liz Cheney believes what she does, etc. On the other hand, its not difficult to believe that there are people like Rush L and Michael Savage. I guess I’m used to loud crazies like them.
For some reason, its easy to dismiss Limbaugh and Savage. Not so easy for me to ignore Sarah Palin, not sure why. I guess its more about the people who think she’s capable.
Limbaugh and Savage are ultimately entertainers, even if you and I don’t find them entertaining, but Palin is the one seeking high public office and would have been a heartbeat away from the presidency had McCain won last year – perhaps that explains it.
Hello people,
The organizations in government are dropping the ball. They don’t even talk to each other even after the lessons from 9/11,and these crazies slip thru the cracks. You don’t make an insane person stop doing anything with a law. You wont stop a criminal with a law. They already are going to brake the law thats why they are called criminals. Only when we start enforcing the laws we already have and using some common sense in sentencing can things improve. Rush and Savage don’t make sense to people who want someone else to direct their lives. To those of us who want to be truly free and control our own destinies, they make a lot of sense.
Susan Molinari-she’s another one that gets my goat. She thinks Sarah Palin is outstanding. There’s such a difference between these two and Debbie Wasserman Schultz for example. They don’t get it and I don’t get how they don’t.
[comment disallowed for violating comment rules]
I am sorry i did not read the rules first.I knew when i commented truth about Israel and the Zionist agenda that you as a Jew in denial of truth would never allow it in your propaganda blog,I guess you are a Truth denier its to bad you must live with your head in the sand visibility is poor down in the dirt.Consider both posts for you alone as you are as bad as any censor preventing truth from the world.How small you are,just a little fraction of a real complete unbiased person.People like you only prove my point that everything i said is 100 percent factual.Live your delusional life I will pray for your enlightenment and for the VICTORY OF THE HOLOCAUST VICTIMS IN PALESTINE.
You’ve violated my comment rules yet again, but I’ve decided to publish yr screed. But if you refuse to read the rules & violate them again, you’ll lose yr privileges.