The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Shooter

As I was posting some Tweets re: the subject of his post, it occurred to me that I had a post in the making.

I’ve been reflecting on the shooter, James W. von Brunn, age 88. That degree of hate, experienced over a lifetime, is inconceivable to me, and he has lived a very long time. Talk about a life lived in shackles.

Society tells us that we shouldn’t have empathy for people like von Brunn. But, I do. Don’t get me wrong; what he did was reprehensible, unforgivable, and horrific. A person lost his life, at the hands of man saturated in hate, and at one of our country’s most sacred monuments for social justice. Ironic, isn’t it?

At a very young and impressionable age, von Brunn’s heart and mind were filled with hate, by those who were supposed to care for and about his well-being. This, too, is reprehensible, unforgivable and horrific. This is a reason, however, and not an excuse. When we reach adulthood, we make choices. Unfortunately, von Brunn made very poor choices, to say the least, that ultimately lead to the death of another human being.

So, a message to those who are responsible for children and young people in any capacity: If you truly care for and about them, please do not teach them to hate. Here’s a link to one of my all-time favorite resources, to get you on your way.

What can you take from this tragedy to educate the next generation?