DISQUS

AMERICAblog: Fort Hood shooter alive, more updates

  • nancy50 · 1 month ago
    What a tragedy. We don't know the facts yet, but one thing is clear to me...the admissions board for the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences should do a better job at admitting not just those who want to be doctors, but those who want to be soldiers as well.
  • jimfromthefoothills · 1 month ago
    Thank you! This guy is obviously a psychopath... wasn't there someone more deserving of that med school spot?
  • celticbuddha · 1 month ago
    I don't know if this has been said in other posting comments, but here is an example of where there were guns available to all and what a clusterf*ck it was. So that just sorts of moots the argument that everyone toting a gun is a deterrent and would stop the killing. I work in a school and have read learned opinions of these situations and there is little you can do to mitigate this in a free society and wouldn't want to as it would infringe civil liberties. And the friendly fire remark if true only verifies my thought that when someone opens fire and someone fires back and others are armed and you don't know who is friend or foe you have a lot of confusion and a looming disaster.
  • RonNYC · 1 month ago
    He's a devout Muslim who, according to NPR, was disciplined for proselytizing about his Muslim faith with patients and colleagues; who, despite being born in this country, listed himself as a Palestinian and also is perhaps the one who posted messages on a site praising suicide bombers. He is the same as Hasan Akbar who attacked fellow soldiers in Kuwait; or the Fort Dix five. They all have one thing in common: Islam, an extremely aggressive and warlike religion.
  • SCLiberal · 1 month ago
    "Islam, an extremely aggressive and warlike religion"

    unlike christianity, right? LOL
  • jimfromthefoothills · 1 month ago
    Well we are not talking about Christianity are we. We are talking about a MUSLIM terrorist. Why are you rushing to defend the muslims?

    All religions have plenty to be ashamed of, but you can save your christian jabs for a more appropriate time. Is your point that this mass slaughter is justified in some way because of the Spanish Inquisition?
  • vkobaya · 1 month ago
    Sigh! Hasan is not a Muslim terrorist. His objective was not terrorism. He struck out at those who were tomenting him and he happened to be a Muslim. He did not belong to any conspiracy to attack this nation and therefore it is your bigotry that labels him a terrorist. He's a very sad individual who snapped under the strain of being harrassed for his Muslim beliefs.

    America is supposed to a land of freedom of religion. Hasan should have been free to practice his religion in peace. Obviously, the bigots in the military don't believe in freedom of religion. Sadly, America doesn't practice what is supposed to be one of its principles. Islam is just another religion regardless of what barbaric practices you attribute to that religion. Buddhism is a religion of pascifism, yet there are violent Buddhists too.

    Religions are creations of men. You can talk all you want about "us" and "them" religions, but the fault lies in human nature or rather our lizard brain stems rather than any religion, race or philosophy. All these are efforts to rise above that basic savage human nature.

    Maybe for this time frame, Muslims are worse than American Christians. Yet, I see many of same fundamental flaws also couched in Fundamentalist Christian theology ... by lizard brained Christians.

    Give it a rest. It wasn't his Muslim religion that pushed Hasan to commit these horrific crimes. Rather it was his lizard brain stem reacting the lizard brain stem of others around him. We are all human beings, brothers and sisters with the same flaws and same strengths. Don't blame the man's religion. It was incidental except that it was the point on which he was constantly harrassed and abused.
  • jimfromthefoothills · 1 month ago
    I never claimed it was his religion.  I just did not see this as a perfect opportunity to attack American soldiers like you did.  You continue to blame the victims and you have no proof that they tormented him.  I think only an extremely sick individual blames the victims in this senseless murder.  Maybe you should throw a little blame hasan's way rather than praise him as a great American.  He is NOT a great American... If he wants to call himself a Palestinian and shout Allah Akbar while slaughtering innocent America soldiers then I will call him a muslim terrorist, murderer, psychopath and anything else I can come up with. 

    What I think is odd is your need to worship him and the muslim religion while somehow blaming christianity and the murder victims.  How in the fuck do you know the murder victims tormented him?
  • SCLiberal · 1 month ago
    I'm not rushing to defend muslims. I'm pointing out that all religions include a base of bigotry and hate. They all set up an "us against them" mentality.

    Several centuries ago christians behaved with as much barbarism as today's fundamentalist muslim factions do. Christians have grown up a little just as the muslims will. They are at different points in their evolution. And I wasn't thinking too much about the Spanish Inquisition but rather about people like Eric Rudolph and Fred Phelps.
    All religions have their eccentrics.
    This man sounds like someone who simply snapped. Given the strain on our military I can understand that. It's no accident that the suicide rates in the military now surpass those in the civilian population. This man directed his rage outward rather than inward.The whole thing is a tragedy, for all concerned.
  • RonNYC · 1 month ago
    Despite Christianity's sorry record for quite a long time, it's main message (often ignored) is peace and turning the other cheek (I am not a Christian, by the way). Islam is not like that. It's main message is jihad in various forms (and not the "internal struggle" jihad) as written in about half of its book and laid out in great, and often excruciating detail. It is followed by many Muslim terrorist groups, Hamas, AQ, etc., to the letter so it is no wonder that its message inspires people to act on it.
  • jimfromthefoothills · 1 month ago
    We have plenty of opportunities to point out "christian behaviour".

    This is the second high profile mass murder, fratricide by a muslim service member. In understanding the crime, we must understand the self-identity of the killer.

    The fact that the military is involved in a war is irrelevant. Many muslims have had exemplary service just as many asians and germans served in wars involving their historical ethnic groups. This military had better do a better job of rooting nutcases out... even if they are muslims.
  • osage · 1 month ago
    Teabaggers, birthers and deathers are cultists. Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian Scientists and Scientologists are cults. And those who watch Faux News and believe they're being told the truth and being presented with facts belong in padded cells. This is nothing more than a traumatized individual driven to commit an unjustifiable tragic act because he couldn't cope with the reality that he is once again being sent to a foreign land to kill or be killed for NOTHING meaningful to him! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! His name could be Smith, O'Toole, Mancini, Schultz, Chin, Sanchez or Patel and this tragedy would not have had anything to do with the ethnicity of his ancestors. He was born and raised an American. An immigrant Muslim terrorist didn't kill American soldiers; a lifelong American citizen killed his fellow American soldiers. He wasn't trying to terrorize Americans; he was an American who has been terrorized to the point of insane desperation.
  • Bluemole · 1 month ago
    ALL religions are cults. Some just have more members than others. The big ones use this as a slur to keep the small ones from cutting into their profits.

    Parasites all
  • jimfromthefoothills · 1 month ago
    For fuck sake. Blaming America for the actions of a religious nutcase is really beyond the pale. You should be ashamed of yourself.

    The US Government paid millions of dollars for a first class education for this clown who SELF IDENTIFIED as a Palestinian, not an American.

    Just because he was a Muslim nutcase does not mean he needs sympathy. Perhaps if you can remove your lips from his ass for one god-damned minute you can show a little of that understanding and compassion for his victims.
  • the crustybastard · 1 month ago
    Word!
  • Wesinoregon · 1 month ago
    It was interesting how Kay Huchison was on television very soon after it happened while it took Gov. Perry hours to respond. Guess she wants the Gov. possition more than he does. Also, when Perry was on he had that look of Bush. A deer in the headlights.
  • Ksue · 1 month ago
    Yes, interesting. Plus, his hair isn't looking all that "good" these days.
  • godwillsortyouout · 1 month ago
    Even when they are born in the US, and serve in the US army, you can not trust Muslims. It's a cult.
  • Dave of the Jungle · 1 month ago
    Maybe you don't know the whole story yet.
  • vkobaya · 1 month ago
    That's just the sort of stupidity that drove a good American over the edge. It should never have happened in the land of equality and tolerance. Unfortunately for Hasan, that equality and tolerance is an ideal not a reality and stupid bigots like the idiot above just can't wait to spread their hatred and vileness creating unnecessary hurt, pain and anger and destroy innocent lives. This is also the same stupidity that took us into the Middle East to butcher innocent Muslim and Middle Eastern civilian men, women and children who had zero to do with 9/11. The guilty party was Bush/Cheney and company, who were bigots before and after that evil act.

    We have no moral superiority if we aren't the land of tolerance, equality and religious freedom. God didn't bless America for being racist and religious bigots.
  • Wesinoregon · 1 month ago
    While some of what you say might be true. It's hard to convince many that everyone in the middle east is innocent.
  • SCLiberal · 1 month ago
    Just as it is hard to convince those in the middle east that all Americans aren't warlike, militaristic thugs intent on stealing their resources and disrespecting their culture and religion.
  • jimfromthefoothills · 1 month ago
    Well let me be the first to disrespect a culture that cuts people's hands off for stealing a pack of gum. Or a culture that treats women as property and rape as a property crime. Or a culture that celebrates flying planes into buildings. Or a culture that beheads homosexuals.
  • SCLiberal · 1 month ago
    Or a culture that enslaves dark skinned people, or commits genocide by stealing an entire nation, or denies dark skinned people the right to vote, or denies homosexuals the right to marry...
    Every culture is on an evolutionary path toward a more cooperative and compassionate society. Some are further along than others but adding hatred to the mix is not helpful to anyone.
  • jimfromthefoothills · 1 month ago
    I don't think it is a dark skinned/light skinned, or even a religious issue. Respect for humanity and the rights of all people is not owned by anyone.

    I do not buy into the "white devil" or the ignorant "darkie". This is a specific case of a murderer who thinks he is doing god's work... and he is muslim. I just do not think it is an opportunity to bash america, christians, fox news or bush/cheney. I am glad you are hopeful of the evolutionary path of society. Unfortunately I do not share your optimism.
  • proudliberal1947 · 1 month ago
    You really need to educate your self on your fellow world neighbors. Chistians use children for sexual amusement, women have NO choice to do with their bodies as they see fit, No we fabricate wars kills 100 of thousand innocent then justify it on make believe premises.ZDo you really think killing innocents in the name of a PHONY war is any different from flying a plane into a building.
  • jimfromthefoothills · 1 month ago
    you are a fucking offensive dumbass.  Maybe dementia is setting in you asshole.
  • proudliberal1947 · 1 month ago
    Spoken like a true right wing christian as expected.

    Might I recommend you read David Hume Scottish Philosopher (1711-1776)till then Sunt superis sua jura, (The gods have their own laws) hahahaha,

    If that is to deep try the great Patiot Thomas Paine
  • jimfromthefoothills · 1 month ago
    Like you can read...  Everything you post is totally disconnected from the topic and the other posts.  You are an asshole looking to pick a fight with whoever crosses your path.
  • jimfromthefoothills · 1 month ago
    "I told him, `There's something wrong with you,'" Osman Danquah,
    co-founder of the Islamic Community of Greater Killeen, told The
    Associated Press on Saturday.

    Hasan was anti-American just like you proudliberal1947.  He thought that the suicide bombings were justified just like you do. You are as sick and twisted as he is.
  • proudliberal1947 · 1 month ago
    Your reply acknowledges you and you name a Dumb White Trailer Trash Inbred Wacko Right Wingeer with a IQ two points below his shoe size.

    I served for twenty plus years and my son was there the night it happened and he is there today processing to go over and do What COWARDS on the right Talk about and HIDE from commiting to.

    So you Ignoeant Buffoon (new word I read haha) I take your insult as a praise because you would rather remain a INBRED weirdo then read a Book for enlightment. DUH! furhter proof the Hate Mongers on the right are all about dumbing down America.

    This will be the last reply as your ignorance and stupidity are just to much to over come and like a true Hate Monger it is not the argument but claiming to have won the argument right wrong indifferent or otherwise. So Mr. Hate Monger bye bye.
  • jimfromthefoothills · 1 month ago
    Who did you serve?  Osama Bin Laden?  Why do you hate America old man?  Hasan is awake now.. maybe you can send him flowers!
  • jimfromthefoothills · 1 month ago
    Hasan is a "good American"? Are you really saying such a stupid thing? He was driven "over the edge" by stupid Americans? You are blaming Bush/Cheney for this crime?
  • vkobaya · 1 month ago
    Hasan joined our military over the objections of his family to serve his country. He loved America as did his family. The bigotry and viciousness of his fellow soldiers drove him over the edge. The man was a major, two steps short of a command officer, and was a trained professional, a medical doctor in psychology but subject to the vicious hatred of his fellow American soldiers he cracked. There is systematic bigotry in our services against the Muslims who are regarded as the enemy. Look at that court-martial of the Chinese muslim cleric who was found innocent after being accused of being a traitor when he was serving at Guantanamo.

    As for Bush/Cheney's culpability, these genocidal wars against Iraq and Afghanistan are completely unnecessary, the result of their greed, power lust and bigotry. Yes, I blame them. We never should have attacked either nation as this was all inevitable due to their needless actions.
  • jimfromthefoothills · 1 month ago
    This has to win some kind of prize as the most asinine comment ever. Hasan loved America??? He self-identified as a Palestinian, not an American... even though he had never been to the land formerly known as Palestine. Do you have even one shred of evidence that he was subjected to "bigotry and viciousness"?

    When a woman gets raped you are the kind of person who blames her for wearing suggestive clothing.

    Furthermore, you can now call these the Bush/Cheney/Obama/Biden wars.

    Hasan was not some innocent victim. He is a mentally deranged muslim murderer. And apparently your hero.
  • vkobaya · 1 month ago
    Grow up! Can't blame Biden as he is opposed to the Middle East wars even if Obama is far from blameless. No, Hasan isn't my hero, you know that is unfair. I'm simply saying he is the victim of similar mentalities like your own who abused and blamed him before this incident and then find justification after Hasan crossed the line.

    As for religious bigotry, someone else pointed out that Christianity was, at one time, guilty of every savagery you accuse the Muslims. Give bigots like yourself enough rope and you would return to those barbaric times. My point is that all people, Muslims, Arabs, Christians are the same, we are all brothers and sisters, and all good and bad. Don't condemn people for their religion or skin color. The foundations of this nation are tolerance, equality not bigotry, racism and Christianity.
  • jimfromthefoothills · 1 month ago
    You are calling me a bigot? What have I said that is bigoted? Here are some of your doosies...

    "He loved America" of Hasan

    "I'm simply saying he is the victim" of Hasan

    "Christianity was, at one time, guilty of every savagery...Don't condemn people for their religion or skin color." Is this consistent vkobaya?

    So your point is that the victims got what they deserved from the great american hasan... nice.
  • proudliberal1947 · 1 month ago
    You are a ignorant moron sir, and I do take offense to your asinine,Racist, Nazi, Fascist, Socialist Christian statement. What can one expect from a Hate Monger, look Stupid this is one of OURS a American, oops he isn't a Hate Mongering CHRISTIAN, I am concerned that NO ONE, especially the WACKO RIGHT is asking how many TOURS did this man served, understanding Hate Mongers do not ask questions or just follow in lock step. Why am I so bitter because my son was there and next week he goes there again so he can leave his wife and children for a 2ND time, while you Gutless Cowards rattle your Hate Mongering swords. Oh by the way I DO NOT excuse what this man did in fact it is deplorable I as a retired Military Combat Vet, I want to know why.

    Have you Moron white trailer trash wackos sunk so low in your hatred that you even feed on our own CITIZENS answering the call of OUR COUNTRY.
  • jimfromthefoothills · 1 month ago
    Save your rage. This particular murderer had not served overseas for even 1 day. Why do you think this event is a reason for you to go off on hate mongering christians.

    Do you have the same disdain for the wahbiasts and the taliban? Because if you do, then it is not apparent in your post about a deranged muslim fanatic.
  • proudliberal1947 · 1 month ago
    I hold distain for ALL religions, as all require total Hatred and undying commitment to a ficticious god that only hates unless of course you give up your FREE WILL and CHOICE. Wether the man served overseas or not is not the question the radical christian right are beating thei drums of hatred and pity already, notice you pointed out immediately that he did not serve one day overseas again a christian point of view apparently he didn't have a life prior.
  • jimfromthefoothills · 1 month ago
    My religious views have been documented pretty well here.  I just got pretty annoyed at the posters below rushing to defend Hasan as a hero and Islam as a religion of peace.  Obviously neither claim is true. 

    As far as the tours I was just answering your question... "I am concerned that NO ONE, especially the WACKO RIGHT is asking how many TOURS did this man served?"  I also do not care at this point if he felt put upon for people scoffing at his "Allah is Love" bumper sticker.

    My hero is Kimberly Munley.  What a brave person to draw her weapon and run to the sound of gunfire.  She should receive the congressional medal of honor.
  • proudliberal1947 · 1 month ago
    Jim you miss the point everyone is making his religion the point of action, being a christian you probably know nothing of the Muslim faith.

    I have bee retired for more years the I care to remember but here is the point, on a railhead in Germany a yung soldier locked and loaded a 105 round in a tank that was in front of his, when his platton Sgt. got into his tank the young soldier fired killing the platoon Sgt and two additional crew members plus wounding approx. 9 other soldiers. I did not hear anyone condemn that soldier on his faith as is being done here. He was White and Christian on the reports that came out at the time NO mention of his thnicity or religion was mentioned or the group of people hee associated with. I do not know all that much of Islam but I do nknow tht for 98% of the followers are good people, my issue is with the constant he is a Muslim and he is Evil because of it. Now the young man that killed those people wasn't being given a 15 day
    leave because of our mission. To condemn a community on FEAR and Hatred is wrong and that is what has most people in a up roar, it is the christian Hate Mongers working on FEAR and twisted Truths.
  • jimfromthefoothills · 1 month ago
    This is not the first time a muslim US service member has murdered his comrades. Fair or not, your point is valid. Soldiers will look askance at their muslim brothers, even if they are model soldiers.
  • mudsnark · 1 month ago
    well knowing this should have been less of a tradgy if the military hadnt been forced to use blackwater for thier security instead of the military police that are allmost extinct anymore is a shame , just as the army engineers and seabees went the way of the dodo bird allso they had to call in police swat teams for the army redicules!
  • tcabill · 1 month ago
    Blackwater does not provide security to US military bases. They protected State Department officials in Iraq.
  • mudsnark · 1 month ago
    oh!hell i know that !the point i was trying to make is the militarys depending on blackwater in the mid east and asia and destroying thier own military police force thru not training enough of them to do the law enforcement jobs in the us, dureing the combat in ww2 in europe the mps were the dependable branch of the army,
  • jimfromthefoothills · 1 month ago
    Do you have any evidence that MP training is substandard and somehow contributed to this massacre? Your point is that somehow Blackwater is to blame for this?
  • mudsnark · 1 month ago
    id explain it to you sonny but im sure you know very little about the armys military police force any more then you know about medal of honor winners as a matter of fact one of my grandsons is with the military police and has kept me up to date on its degradeing , so go away sonny yah bother me!
  • jimfromthefoothills · 1 month ago
    Your spelling, grammar and logic demonstrate that you shouldn't be explaining anything to anyone.
  • mudsnark · 1 month ago
    heh heh sonny your like a gnat buzzing around a dead goats orffice! get your head out of your ass and listen to your elders instead of insulting every body with an opinnion!
  • jimfromthefoothills · 1 month ago
    You have no idea what you are talking about.
  • the crustybastard · 1 month ago
    ^
    TROLL.

    Don't feed it.
  • markf217 · 1 month ago
    In 1966 a gunman named Charles Whitman killed 14 and wounded 32 others from a university observation tower in Austin, Texas. He was killed by police and a autopsy revealed he had a brain tumor (a large gioblastoma) which could have impacted his behavior and impulse control. Other than the bullet wounds he received, we don't know anything about the medical and psychiatric condition of the accused shooter at Ft. Hood -- Dr. Nidal Malik Hasan. A white man from New York state , a Christian, and a registered Republican named Timothy McVeigh murdered 168 people (including small children) when he blew up the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City in 1995. McVeigh was not found to be mentally or physically ill. I am a gay man and a Christian (more of a progressive Episcopalian), and as awful as McVeigh's actions were I don't blame all Christians or even all Republicans for McVeigh's terrorism. There are fanatics in all political and religious groups. There are also people (like Charles Whitman) who have severe neurological problems or psychosis which are mitigating factors. I am a U.S. Army veteran and I feel immense solidarity with the Ft. Hood community. Once I entered the gates of an Army base I always felt safe and "at home." I feel very sad for the people of Ft. Hood. As an American, I certainly want justice and I am certain that Dr. Hasan will receive thorough medical and psychiatric evaluations prior to his trial. We should not hold all Muslims accountable for this (any more than we blame all Republicans and Christians for the actions of Timothy McVeigh). Let's adopt a wait and see attitude and let the doctors and investigators do their work before we jump to conclusions. My husband was killed by a drunk driver on 9/13 so I haven't been posting much here lately. But I felt this was an important conversation for me to join. Please, let's not start attacking entire groups of people based on the behavior of one individual. That seems unfair and un-American.
  • celticbuddha · 1 month ago
    Beautiful response. My condolences on the loss of your husband, too.
  • CharltonH · 1 month ago
    This would never have happened if soldiers were allowed to carry guns!
  • jimfromthefoothills · 1 month ago
    They do carry guns... but no bullets. Gun control is very strict in the military because they know that unrestricted access to live arms leads to more deaths.