I interrupt this week’s planned program of Jewish Book Fair book reviews to do what I’ve never before done with this column: get political.
I’m way past sick and tired of the folks who want to sugarcoat Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan’s murderous rampage with their PC veneer of his stress, deployment anxiety, and disenchantment with the U.S. military for whom he worked.
The guy’s last words before he massacred thirteen American citizens weren’t, “Forgive me, I’m lonely.” Or even a vindictive retaliatory, “I’m gonna make you all pay.” His last words before destroying thirteen American lives, thirteen worlds that will never come into being were, “Allahu akbar,” or “God is great.” This is the rallying murder cry of Muslim extremist terrorists.
Because Hasan supposedly “acted alone” doesn’t make it one damn bit less than what it was — an act of terror perpetrated upon American citizens. This was September 11, 2001 in microcosm. That it was thirteen deaths not three thousand plus or one man with a gun instead of nineteen with four airplanes is irrelevant. America, can’t you say “terrorist”? Come on. Sure you can. Wake up and give it a try.
I’ll be back soon with a review of Johanna Reiss’ most recent memoir. Now in her 70’s, Reiss she was a “hidden child,” her life saved by Dutch farmer and his wife during the Shoah (Holocaust). Another mass annihilation of human beings launched by a lonely misfit whom no one wanted to take seriously until it was too late.
I debated before including the following. Did I want this site to host violence? But I recognized angst and anger in the writer’s voice. Fellow Jews experienced similar outrage in Madoff’s wake (though I heard no calls for his execution.) So to did the South Korean community after the Virginia Tech massacres. It’s unease when one of “our own” profanes our good name. So, with all that as preface…..
MASH message for Islamic terrorist Nidal Malik Hasan:
Mr. Hasan,
May you be swiftly executed, may you rot in Hell for eternity, and may your family be ashamed of you for as long as they shall live.
With utmost contempt,
Muslims Against Sharia
Ah Deborah- perhaps not a popular opinion, but I agree with you. I wonder if the military courts will be harder on him? It is good to see you climb on your soap box, do you need a bigger one?
Deborah, I agree with you completely. My stepson is an Army Reservist, having served 1 year in Iraq and now working as a civilian on a base near his home in Alabama. My first thought was, “Oh my God; what about all the other bases? Is Tommy safe? Is his base secure?” After 9-11 many of us were worried about terrorist attacks all over the coutnry, and this has not helped. I can’t imagine why this wouldn’t be considered terrorism. How strange that this happened so close to Veterans Day, when we remember and honor the service of our military men and women. And, how fitting that you would be reflecting on one of the “hidden children,” too. I had the privilege of meeting and interviewing two of the “hidden children” and one of their “siblings,” who was a young girl when her widowed mother took in a child in Belgium. These fine women were panelists here in New Orleans at the National World War II Museum when the Anna Frank exhibit was on display. They were so gracious and generous to share their most terrible memories, all with the goal of making sure that it could never happen again. They visit schools thoughout the South to share their message of tolerance and peace. I daresay the men and women who were killed or injured at Ft. Hood have the same motive – to make sure that such things are not possible in our world. We must be steadfast in our resolve. Hasan deserves to be punished for what he did and for the fear he has reignited in so many hearts.
Hi Debra… I’m checking in on some of my fav bloggers… I’m a bit behind in writing as well as reading.
I found that whole thing so harrowing. It’s interesting and disturbing how issues of being PC have affected this whole case. I agree he’s technically innocent until proven guilty but clearly, his actions were more than a mental breakdown out of the blue.
I even felt bad for him after reading an LA Times or Washington Post article just a couple of days ago on how he was sort of laughed at and alienated at his apt complex. There was no mention of his final words there.