Sanity Must Prevail Over Fort Hood Madness

Investigations continue to determine whether Hassan acted alone or was part of a wider conspiracy. Hassan’s violent act of betrayal must not reflect on all military personnel that are of the Islamic faith. There must not be blanket backlash against Muslim soldiers that are loyal to the U.S.

Sanity Must Prevail Over Fort Hood Madness

[Black Star News Editorial]

In this moment of madness and national grief sane minds must prevail.

What’s known is that 12 unarmed military personnel and one civilian were killed in cold blood by an officer, Major Nidal Malik Hassan at Fort Hood, in Texas.

Speculation so far is that the gunman was opposed to his impending deployment to either Iraq or Afghanistan; there have also been reports that he had become increasingly depressed due to harassment because of his Islamic faith.

Hassan was a psychiatrist and reportedly had counseled many dozens of service personnel who had returned traumatized from the war fronts abroad. Hassan himself has never been deployed. Which, in fact, means many returnees may need care.

Whatever aggravated him into committing his murder spree, Hassan could have pursued other recourse, such as deserting the armed forces, or taking his own life–not the lives of 12 other personnel, who had chosen to join the services.

That a soldier would kill 12 unarmed comrades is chillingly shocking. Yet, the case has even more potentially explosive consequences, due to Major Hassan’s Islamic faith.

His parents are reportedly Palestinian immigrants from Jordan. Hassan himself was reportedly born here in the United States.

Hassan joined the military while in high school and the military paid for his education as well as his medical training as a psychiatrist.

He is now wounded and is reported to be in a coma in a hospital. His rampage reportedly ended when he was shot at least four times by a female security officer, who herself was wounded. The gunman was reportedly armed with two firearms.

When asked about reports that witnesses heard that Hassan yelled “Allah Akbar! (God Is Great!)” as he embarked on the killing spree, the commander at Fort Hood said:

“There are first hand accounts here from colleagues that are similar to that,” the General said.

Caution is critical as this tragedy is further investigated. Reports have variously, either one or two individuals in custody.

We live in a world where careless verbal arsonists like Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck are always looking for opportunities to inflame bigotry.

More evidence, based on the ongoing investigations will provide a more detailed and clearer picture. This is important because critical aspects of the initial news accounts subsequently were found to be false, such as accounts that Hassan and the female officer who stopped his rampage, had both died. 

Investigations continue to determine whether Hassan acted alone or was part of a wider conspiracy. Hassan’s violent act of betrayal must not reflect on all military personnel that are of the Islamic faith. There must not be blanket backlash against Muslim soldiers that are loyal to the U.S.

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“Speaking Truth To Power.”

 

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