From early reports, an 88-year-old white supremacist opened fire with a shotgun at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., seriously wounding a security guard and sustaining fire in return before being apprehended, also seriously wounded. There are all kinds of possible resonances to this, but before everyone starts hyperventilating about how American Jews are in danger: Remember that we live in a big country, one that also happens to be well armed. With 300 million people, there are bound to be more than a few nuts. Some of those nuts will be anti-Semites. That there should be some hateful duffer with a shotgun, ready to blast, is really no surprise. Thank God no one was killed, and let’s pray the security guard comes through. But don’t draw any dramatic conclusions from this. Also reflect on that fact that while church shootings are tragically common, attending a synagogue, again thank God, is quite safe.

Also interesting how diverse the witnesses are, noted in news reports: a Puerto Rican tourist, a guy from Kansas, a group of Amish visitors. None Jewish that I’m aware of. They all cared enough to visit the Holocaust Memorial Museum. To me, that says more about our country than does the looney with the shotgun.
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