 |
|
December 2, 2014
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon With its colorful cache of purples and oranges and reds, COLLARD GREEN SLAW is a marvelous mood booster --- not to mention just downright delish
April 18, 2014
Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Clarifying one of the greatest philosophical conundrums in theology
John Ericson: Trying hard to be 'positive' but never succeeding? Blame Your Brain
The Kosher Gourmet by Julie Rothman Almondy, flourless torta del re (Italian king's cake), has royal roots, is simple to make, . . . but devour it because it's simply delicious
April 14, 2014
Rabbi Dr Naftali Brawer: Passover frees us from the tyranny of time
Eric Schulzke: First degree: How America really recovered from a murder epidemic
Georgia Lee: When love is not enough: Teaching your kids about the realities of adult relationships
Gordon Pape: How you can tell if your financial adviser is setting you up for potential ruin
Dana Dovey: Up to 500,000 people die each year from hepatitis C-related liver disease. New Treatment Has Over 90% Success Rate
Justin Caba: Eating Watermelon Can Help Control High Blood Pressure
April 11, 2014
Rabbi Hillel Goldberg: Silence is much more than golden
Susan Swann: How to value a child for who he is, not just what he does
Susan Scutti: A Simple Blood Test Might Soon Diagnose Cancer
Chris Weller: Have A Slow Metabolism? Let Science Speed It Up For You
April 9, 2014
Jonathan Tobin: Why Did Kerry Lie About Israeli Blame?
Samuel G. Freedman: A resolution 70 years later for a father's unsettling legacy of ashes from Dachau
Jessica Ivins: A resolution 70 years later for a father's unsettling legacy of ashes from Dachau
Matthew Mientka: How Beans, Peas, And Chickpeas Cleanse Bad Cholesterol and Lowers Risk of Heart Disease
April 8, 2014
Dana Dovey: Coffee Drinkers Rejoice! Your Cup Of Joe Can Prevent Death From Liver Disease
Chris Weller: Electric 'Thinking Cap' Puts Your Brain Power Into High Gear
April 4, 2014
Amy Peterson: A life of love: How to build lasting relationships with your children
John Ericson: Older Women: Save Your Heart, Prevent Stroke Don't Drink Diet
John Ericson: Why 50 million Americans will still have spring allergies after taking meds
Sarah Boesveld: Teacher keeps promise to mail thousands of former students letters written by their past selves
April 2, 2014
Dan Barry: Should South Carolina Jews be forced to maintain this chimney built by Germans serving the Nazis?
Frank Clayton: Get happy: 20 scientifically proven happiness activities
Susan Scutti: It's Genetic! Obesity and the 'Carb Breakdown' Gene
|
| |
Jewish World Review
Nov. 10, 2009
/ 23 Mar-Cheshvan 5770
The Shrink and the Terrorist
By
Debra J. Saunders
| 
|
|
|
|
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
There have been two views on what happened last week when Maj. Nidal
Malik Hasan opened fire on unarmed military colleagues at Fort Hood,
Texas, killing 12 soldiers and one civilian. The politically correct
version blames a lonely soldier's personal meltdown, precipitated by the
fear of being deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. The politically incorrect
view portrays Hasan, the son of Palestinian immigrants, as a homegrown
Islamic terrorist, whether he coordinated with any terrorist groups or
not.
In the end, it may turn out that both views are correct — in that Hasan
would not be the first unstable person to immerse himself in an
extremist ideology before he turned his rage on his fellow man. Perhaps
that is how seemingly benign men become terrorists.
I've been hearing from folks who are furious at headlines and reports
that downplay Hasan's religion and focus on his opposition to the wars
in Iraq and Afghanistan.
It's astonishing how people have used their political beliefs to recast
this murderous rampage to reflect their politics. New York Times
columnist Bob Herbert, for example, wrote a column Saturday that focused
on the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder suffered by troops who have served
three or four tours of duty — unbothered by the fact that Hasan never
served in a war zone.
Gen. George Casey, the Army chief of staff, went on the Sunday
television shows to warn against jumping to conclusions on this case.
That's his job; he must work to prevent a backlash against Muslims
serving their country in the military, often at great personal
sacrifice. Let me add that to view all Muslim troops as suspect — or
otherwise attempt to isolate them — would be to reward Hasan's attack.
That said, soldiers reported hearing Hasan proclaim "Allahu Akbar" —
God is Great — as he opened fire. The Associated Press has reported
that law enforcement had investigated whether he posted
pro-suicide-bombing statements online. According to news reports, former
co-workers from Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington complained that
he would not allow his photograph to be taken with women for group
holiday pictures. On Monday, the Washington Post reported on Hasan's
association with a Yemeni al-Qaida promoter who hailed Hasan as "a hero"
and a "man of conscience who could not bear living the contradiction of
being a Muslim and serving in an army that is fighting against his own
people."
If the Fort Hood shooter had been a white man who yelled the N-word
before firing, I don't think you would see military brass warning
against a rush to judgment that the shooter was a racist.
I watched the story as it broke Thursday, and I understand why news
anchors hesitated before coming to conclusions on the shooting. After
all, early reports got it wrong — it was reported Hasan was dead.
By now, however, it seems pretty clear that Hasan perpetrated what Sen.
Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., called on Fox News possibly "the most
destructive terrorist act to be committed on American soil since 9/11."
And guess what? Most Americans are not stupid — they can process that
information with the clear understanding that Hasan does not represent
your average Muslim or your average Muslim serving in the U.S. military.
His own words as he opened fire — "Allahu Akbar" — and perhaps his
online screeds show who he was. He acted not as a stressed-out shrink,
but a violent and twisted extremist.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
Comment JWR contributor Debra J. Saunders' column by clicking here.
Debra J. Saunders Archives
© 2009, Creators Syndicate
|
|
Columnists
Toons
Lifestyles
|
