James W. von Brunn is not only a bitter old white supremacist; he is also a member of Mensa and a decorated veteran who served as a PT boat captain during World War II. These facts will raise at least two different and equally important issues.
First, the identity of the shooter in today’s attack will no doubt frustrate the hate-filled and fear-driven voices which have filled the internet this afternoon, voices which were already explaining how we could “know” that this was the work of Muslims. Some went so far as to blame President Obama and his speech in Cairo for inviting such an attack by Muslims empowered to take revenge on America and upon Jews. I wish I was kidding or even exaggerating, but I am not.

Second, this will unsettle all those who blithely assume that ethnic, religious or racial hatred is the domain strictly of stupid or unaccomplished people. While contrary to fifty years ago, the social acceptability of expressing such hatreds tends to limit itself to the lower echelons of society, the challenge is present at all levels of our culture. To be sure, it is nowhere near as common as it once was, but neither is it something to be ignored.
Ultimately though, this seems to be the work of one man, albeit one steeped in a culture of hate and a network of people who shared his hate. What that means is that the attack, as a real threat, should not loom too largely in our consciousness, but addressing the challenges we face when hate defines any part of our community, should.