I've been watching this story on the news, and trying to keep my mind open until I learn more. The man was a psychiatrist, according to his family he has always been a muslim and was recently deployed to the mid-east and really hated that idea. He was also sick of being teased and taunted about being muslim. A fellow soldier reports that he made many anti-war comments, and said that he hoped Obama would bring all our troops home and get out of the mid-east. It was reported that he was making over $100,000 a year as a psychiatrist - in the army. By most accounts, he seemed like a person who was against fighting in the mid-east and didn't want to be deployed. I'm waiting for more info.
I'm with you both on this one. As soon as I heard the name my head went to that same place (and I know how bad that is, I know better), and then reminded myself of all the same things Mike said. The media perpetuates so many stereotypes. Local news here said he had just converted to Islam. Maybe misinformation? I guess 'wait and see' is the best.
"religous aggression" now I realize those two words together should be an oxymoron ... regretably they are not
The guy's cousin said in an interview today that he grew up Muslim, I can't verify that, but I heard the interview.
Interesting, after reporting all night that the guy was killed, he's actually alive and in stable condition!
Pretty much all the wars have been because of Religion, the Crusades, Hitler hated the Jews, Northern Ireland, it goes on and on....
This was horrific. At least one Wisconsin soldier was injured.
Per the BBC (it's 12:30 am and I decided to take a break from doing dishes).
1. 12 killed and 30 injured
2. Although several others were questioned it appears he acted alone, the others were running from the scene but in an apparent attempt to be safe. But further investigation will show whether it was a planned attack (by a group) or one person gone nuts.
3. He had been protesting being deployedapparently through millitary channels. This point boathers me. Was anyone llistening? Even MASH had an episode where a Korean soldier has issues because he is fighting his own people. The possiblity of an ethnic conflict should not escape considedration.
This land is a melting pot; other than Native Americans, all of us have our "own" people elsewhere. I consider my own people to be Americans of all colors, ethnic backgrounds, and faiths or non faiths. If he felt that way, IMHO he had no business being in the army.
a lot of people, it seems, join the army but do not want to go to any war zones. they then fight going over or go awol. wtf, that is what the army is all about.
i have also known folks who couldn't get sent to a war zone even though that is what they wanted, the army had other ideas for them. luck of the draw.
Religious aggression. It may be an oxymoron, but it is one that has raged for centuries.
Horrific. Every time human beings are killed in war it is horrific. Whether it occurs here or there. Whether it is our side or theirs.
The Viet Nam war screwed up a lot of men. There are still some that wake up at night screaming. Many wander the streets with no real home. My brother once shot up his own house from the terrors in his brain. I would have thought we would have learned then that wars that have no end or no clear goals have no winners, only losers. Even in the Viet Nam war, soldiers only went on multiple tours if they signed up for it. We didn't send men back over and over like in this one.
