I found this article this morning.
As parents of 3 soldiers, and of one who served at Ft. Hood until this past June, you can bet we've been talking about this situation. I have found and read so many things that upset and concern me about this shooting that I may have to up my stomach acid meds!
He's being called the "alleged" shooter. Please. There were more than 100 witnesses to his crime. Surely we can cease the "alleged" stuff and still consider him innocent until proven guilty. After all, we've passed the point of "string him up, boys." We're obviously giving him his day in court, albeit a military one.
His lawyer is "mad" because he was charged while sick in bed and 150 miles away from counsel. Again, please. His "sickness" is of his own making. My son was charged with a crime while entirely alone; no friendly face, no counsel, no nothing. It happens all the time, to people of all races and creeds. This is not a single, singular incident.
This article says, "Months before the shootings, doctors and staff overseeing Hasan's training reported viewing him at times as defensive and argumentative in his frequent discussions of his faith." That's putting it nicely, when this one says, "Major Nidal Malik Hasan, the gunman who killed 13 at America's Fort Hood military base, once gave a lecture to other doctors in which he said non-believers should be beheaded and have boiling oil poured down their throats." Just a bit sanitized, I would say.
I am not saying that we should take this guy out behind the PX and shoot him. I'm not saying that his religion shouldn't be given the same protections as any other in this country. I am saying that this is a different situation than many other crimes committed, and can be looked at through different lenses. Yes, a person can have doubts about deployment. All of our kids have. The individual works through them, sometimes with help, and most "belly up to the bar" and handle what they've been dealt. (Wonder if I can mix some more metaphors? Stay tuned.) I can even see a person's fears driving them to commit violence, but I'm thinking more of violence to themselves. Maybe a self-inflicted injury. But this soldier walked into a situation where he knew that 1) he would be among the few armed people and 2) because of his rank, most of the people he would confront would be treating him with deference and trust, took advantage of that situation, and damaged that trust. There's a difference, I think, between being cowardly and acting in a cowardly manner.
I am so glad that other people, less biologically connected people than myself, will be handling the defense and prosecution of this soldier. I know I can't trust myself to stay unbiased throughout this whole process. I realize this blog entry is a vent; thanks for reading. God, help the people he injured and destroyed in this shooting; comfort their families and friends. Look favorably on the court proceedings; see that a fair trial is held, and that justice is done. Please show me how to forgive.
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