RSS Feed
Washington - Kin of Hate Slayer: Father Deserved to Die |
|
| |
Text Size
|
Investigators from the FBI examine a bullet ridden door at the entrance to the Holocaust Memorial Museum on Thursday. The museum remained closed to honor security guard Stephen Tyrone Johns, who died of wounds he received during Wednesday's shooting.
Erik von Brunn, 32, said "my father's actions are unforgivable" and openly wished that it had been his dad -- infamous bigot James von Brunn -- who died in the attack and not hero security guard Stephen Tyrone Johns.
"I cannot express enough how deeply sorry I am it was Mr. Johns, and not my father, who lost their life," Erik said in letter to ABC News. "It was unjustified and unfair that he died, and while my condolences could never begin to offer appeasement, they, along with my remorse, is all I have to give."
James Von Brunn stormed into the solemn museum Wednesday with a .22-caliber rifle and quickly shot Johns dead, before other guards opened fire and seriously wounded him.
The younger von Brunn said that he has long been embarrassed by his dad, who has for some 50 years been a vocal and prominent white supremacist who kept a hate Web site and wrote a book filled with anti-Jewish slander.
"My father's beliefs have been a constant source of verbal and mental abuse my family has had to suffer with for many years," he told ABC News. "His views consumed him, and in doing so, not only destroyed his life, but destroyed our family and ruined our lives as well.
More of today's headlines
“Israel - When Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu delivers a major foreign policy address Sunday, the setting will be part of the message: He will speak at Bar-Ilan...”
Israel - World Anticipates Netanyahu's Major Speech to Inject Zionist Perspective
New York City - Jews Welcome Jerusalem Post 'New York Edition'
Total18
Read Comments (18) — Post Yours »
1
Jun 13, 2009 at 11:34 PM Anonymous Says:
yemach shemio
2
Jun 14, 2009 at 07:24 AM Milhouse Says:
I dunno. The guy may be nutty or evil, but he's still his father, and kibbud ov is still a virtue. Even a mamzer has to honor the parents who ruined his life. If this son can't think of anything good to say about his father (and that's understandable) then he shouldn't say anything at all.
By the way, are the press still playing this guy up as some sort of right-winger because he hates Obama, rather than a left-winger because he hates Bush?
3
Jun 14, 2009 at 07:06 AM Anonymous Says:
The guy should change his name. He'll never be able to escape the association. This is a very strong statement...it must have been terrible to live with evil like that.
4
Jun 14, 2009 at 12:44 AM Milhouse Says:
I dunno, kibbud av is still a value. No matter how bad the son thinks his father is, does he have the right to say so in public? If he can't say anything nice about his father (which is understandable) then he should keep quiet. Even a mamzer, whose parents ruined his life, is obligated to respect them.
5
Jun 14, 2009 at 08:16 AM cp Says:
“ I dunno. The guy may be nutty or evil, but he's still his father, and kibbud ov is still a virtue. Even a mamzer has to honor the parents who ruined his life. If this son can't think of anything good to say about his father (and that's understandable) then he shouldn't say anything at all.
By the way, are the press still playing this guy up as some sort of right-winger because he hates Obama, rather than a left-winger because he hates Bush? ”
Pikuach nefesh is doiche kibud av. If he DIDN'T make this statement, his life would probably be in danger!
6
Jun 14, 2009 at 08:00 AM respect it Says:
I applaud the son, this cannot have been easy to live with and now he has to live with this too.
7
Jun 14, 2009 at 08:57 AM Anonymous Says:
this young man has courage and integrity...i can just imagine the misery that he went through having such a monster as a father. The only silver lining? The father's Jew hatred made his life absolutely miserable. Imagine what was going through his deranged brain when a black president payed tribute to Jewish suffering at Buchenwald
8
Jun 14, 2009 at 09:41 AM Hold on ... Says:
Do we not learn in the Gemara that the sons of Haman HaRasha taught Torah in Bnai Brak? Well, this son was traumatized by his Father's sickness and he repudiates his Father's murderous deeds. What kibud Av could there possibly be? Cite a source for that my friends. I learned Kiddushin and it is not mashma there...
9
Jun 14, 2009 at 10:55 AM Milhouse Says:
“ Do we not learn in the Gemara that the sons of Haman HaRasha taught Torah in Bnai Brak? Well, this son was traumatized by his Father's sickness and he repudiates his Father's murderous deeds. What kibud Av could there possibly be? Cite a source for that my friends. I learned Kiddushin and it is not mashma there... ”
What are you talking about? A source for what? Kibud av?
10
Jun 14, 2009 at 10:53 AM Milhouse Says:
“ Pikuach nefesh is doiche kibud av. If he DIDN'T make this statement, his life would probably be in danger! ”
From whom?
11
Jun 14, 2009 at 11:49 AM Raphael Kaufman Says:
“ I dunno, kibbud av is still a value. No matter how bad the son thinks his father is, does he have the right to say so in public? If he can't say anything nice about his father (which is understandable) then he should keep quiet. Even a mamzer, whose parents ruined his life, is obligated to respect them. ”
Interesting question. The son says "My father's actions are unforgivable" and "My father's beliefs have been a constant source of verbal and mental abuse...". He could be said to be condemning his fathers actions and beliefs, not his father himself. Could, for instance, Elisha be Abuya's frum son (if he had one) condemn his father's apikorsus without being over Kibbud Av, or is this only a distinction without a difference? I invite all to comment.
12
Jun 14, 2009 at 11:44 AM Huh???? Says:
Milhouse:
Do YOU have nothing else to comment about other than this guy's obligation to honour his 'murderous, beastly father'?
13
Jun 14, 2009 at 01:22 PM Milhouse Says:
“ Milhouse:
Do YOU have nothing else to comment about other than this guy's obligation to honour his 'murderous, beastly father'? ”
What else is important? And whom are you quoting there, with "murderous, beastly father"? Those words don't appear in the story or in any previous comment.
14
Jun 14, 2009 at 01:20 PM Milhouse Says:
“ Interesting question. The son says "My father's actions are unforgivable" and "My father's beliefs have been a constant source of verbal and mental abuse...". He could be said to be condemning his fathers actions and beliefs, not his father himself. Could, for instance, Elisha be Abuya's frum son (if he had one) condemn his father's apikorsus without being over Kibbud Av, or is this only a distinction without a difference? I invite all to comment. ”
Openly wishing his father dead is certainly not kibud av.
15
Jun 14, 2009 at 02:44 PM Anonymous Says:
kibud av is not a mitzvah l'bnei noach. Why would he be obligated? Do you object to to the children of Nazis disavowing the actions of their parents?
16
Jun 14, 2009 at 05:43 PM Milhouse Says:
“ kibud av is not a mitzvah l'bnei noach. Why would he be obligated? Do you object to to the children of Nazis disavowing the actions of their parents? ”
Really? What about Domo ben Nesinoh? A son has no right to denounce his father. Disavowing his actions is another matter; but he must do so respectfully, no matter how he feels inside.
17
Jun 14, 2009 at 10:31 PM Anonymous Says:
you do not have to honor your father if he is a rasha
18
Jun 15, 2009 at 02:49 AM Milhouse Says:
“ you do not have to honor your father if he is a rasha
”
Oh, really? In which shulchan aruch is this to be found? Even a mamzer has to honor his parents! Not only are they resho'im, but they ruined his life, and yet he must honor them. He can hate them, but he has to act as if he loves them, because that's kovod.