2 hrs 4 mins ago
WASHINGTON (AFP) – The son of white supremacist James von Brunn, who shot a guard at the entrance of Washington's Holocaust museum this week, slammed the "cowardice" of his father's actions on Friday.

"My father's actions are unforgivable," Erik von Brunn, 32, said in a statement to ABC News. "I do not expect, nor will I accept forgiveness for what he has done," he said.

Erik's 88-year-old father reached the entrance of the Holocaust Memorial Museum in the US capital on Wednesday, raised a .22 caliber rifle and fatally shot African-American museum guard Stephen Tyrone Johns, 39, in the chest.

Security guards returned fire, shot von Brunn and prevented him from entering.

Von Brunn will face murder charges for the crime, officials have said.

"I cannot express enough how deeply sorry I am it was Mr Johns, and not my father who lost their life," the shooter's Florida-based son said.

Erik von Brunn said his father's hatred for racial minorities and Jews destroyed his family, and resulted in the divorce between him and Erik's mother.

"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 wrote in the statement.

"His views consumed him, and in doing so, not only destroyed his life, but destroyed our family and ruined our lives as well.

"Now, it is not only my families lives that are in shambles, but those who were directly affected by his actions; especially the family of Mr Johns, who bravely sacrificed his life to stop my father."

If convicted, James von Brunn faces life in prison without parole and could face the death penalty.

A search of the shooter's car left in the street outside the museum Wednesday turned up a notebook of handwritten anti-Semitic rants denouncing President Barack Obama as a Jewish puppet.

"The Holocaust is a lie. Obama was created by Jews. Obama does what his Jew owners tell him to do," said one of the notes, which was signed James W. Von Brunn, according to an FBI affidavit.

Erik von Brunn had blunt words for racists and anti-semites who idolize his father's actions.

"For the extremists who believe my father is a hero: it is imperative you understand what he did was an act of cowardice," he said.

"To physically force your beliefs onto others with violence is not brave, but bullying. Doing so only serves to prove how weak those beliefs are. It is simply desperation, reminiscent of a temper tantrum when a child cannot get his way."

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I love his last quotes. goes to show it doesn't always run in the family

Who says a son cannot be far smarter than his father?

It is a ray of hope in the cycle of prejudice in this country.

Too sad someone had to die for it though.

I like this guy!

Homosassa, Florida -- In an effort to speak on his family's behalf about his father's alleged actions, Erik, the son of James von Brunn, released this written statement to 10 Connects reporter Erica Pitzi this afternoon:

"My father's beliefs have been a constant source of verbal and mental abuse my family has had to suffer with for many years. His views consumed him and, in doing so, not only destroyed his life, but destroyed our family and ruined our lives as well. For a long time, I believed this was our family's cross to bear. Now, it is not only my families lives that are in shambles, but those who were directly affected by his actions; especially the family of Mr. Johns, who bravely sacrificed his life to stop my father. I cannot express enough how deeply sorry I am it was Mr. Johns, and not my father, who lost their life yesterday. It was unjustified and unfair that he died, and while my condolences could never begin to offer appeasement, they, along with my remorse, are all I have to give. While my father had every right to believe what he did, by imposing those beliefs on others he robbed them of their free will. His actions have taken opportunities away from many people and forced decisions not expected, nor warranted, to be made that otherwise would not have been necessary."

"For the extremists who believe my father is a hero: it is imperative you understand what he did was an act of cowardice. To physically force your beliefs onto others with violence is not brave, but bullying. Doing so only serves to prove how weak those beliefs are. It is simply desperation, reminiscent of a temper tantrum when a child cannot get his way. Violence is a cop out, an easy answer for an ignorant problem. His actions have undermined your "movement" and strengthened the resistance against your cause. He should not be remembered as a brave man or a hero, but a coward unable to come to grips with the fact he threw his and his families lives away for an ideology that fostered sadness and anguish."

"I apologize to friends and family who have been inundated with the media blitzkrieg you have been suffering through. While I understand it is the media's job to report as much as possible, I can only hope they have the restraint to curb the sensationalism they have thus far been reliant upon."

"Again, my father's actions are unforgiveable. I do not expect, nor will I accept, forgiveness for what he has done. I realize there is nothing positive to be taken from this incident. It is empowering, however, to know our country's resistance and intolerance for such acts of hatred has been bolstered in the face of this tragedy. I humbly ask you respect our privacy and allow us to grieve and attempt to rebuild our family, along with the other families affected by what has happened."

--Erik von Brunn

That's something the old man and Rev. Wright have in common.
They both hate Jews.
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/06/12/wright-apologizes-for-them-jews-as%20museum-re/