Twelve people mostly service members are confirmed dead in a shooting on a US military base. It has been reported that 31 others have been wounded and there were three perpetrators that are thought to be military. I believe, this is no time to push political agendas or say we saw this coming with the right wing fervor out there because it would not be appropriate and disrespectful to the victims including their families. We don’t even know who the perpetrators are and the motivations behind the shootings yet. However it is a time to look within ourselves as a people and understand uncivil talk usually leads to deadly actions.
Adlib and I wrote a couple articles early about the explosive elements within our our society today.
Here’s an interesting article about Major Hasan and the rightwing response.
http://www.alternet.org/media/143779/focusing_on_ft._hood_killer%27s_beliefs_are_an_easy_out_to_avoid_the_deeper_reasons_for_the_massacre
Good article. Thanks lot for the link.
This is what I am talking about. Who gives a shit about the right wing response when it comes to this?
This was a serious incident and all you want to do is drag up lefty/righty bullshit.
I wonder how many broken souls Major Assad had to council before his soul broke as well.
Lone shooter alive according to CNN.
“Alleged Fort Hood lone gunman — U.S. Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan — is alive and in custody, said Lt. Gen. Robert Cone.”
Obviously a tragedy. Not unpredictable considering the stress the Army and Marines have experienced over the last seven years.
The incidence of violence by soldiers toward their families is way off the charts, the last few years.
Prediction: more than one of the reactionary AM talk show hosts is going to blame liberalism. Or is going to tell his audience that liberals are happy about this.
Just watch MediaMatters.com, they will have it first.
The problem is wars that last decades instead of just a few years at most. We still have forces in Kosovo for fucksake.
I heard the other two people taken into custody were released.
The latest that is being reported on NBC is that the shooter was an Army major, a psychiatrist, who had been stationed at Walter Reed and recently reassigned to Fort Hood, after being promoted to major. He was scheduled to ship out to the middle east soon. Supposedly he was voicing opposition to going. His specialty was treating soldiers with PTSD. Two handguns (not military issue) were used. The report should be saying 13 are dead since he was killed while attempting to be apprehended.
I can tell you that listening to other peoples high stress issues for long periods of time results in high stress of your own. Whether this is the cause or something else, he had the tools to find another solution to his own demons rather than lashing out at others.
Thank you for the update; I imagine as the evening progresses we’ll get more info. HP has a fully mod page on this, yet letting through comments that are insinuating it was a result of the shooter’s islamic beliefs?!! I find that site becoming more & more sensationalistic & only the good people that post there keep me returning.
He had a middle eastern name. That means nothing to me as an indicator of anything. I don’t judge people by Irish names, either, no matter the stereotypes we give to them.
He was an American soldier. A professional. And most of the Muslims I’ve known do not fit the mold of what many choose to believe about them.
I’m sure there will be spin but I’m waiting for the conclusive facts.
Seems that whatever his religion, he lost his mind in a pretty universal fashion.
I can’t imagine having to carry the burden of the other soldiers’ pain as he must have had to.
I can. I have. Not soldiers, but others. If you are compassionate it is very dangerous for yourself. Experience.
(I’m working on the other thing, dey)
Caring for my mother is killing me. Literally, I think.
Multiply that by the number of his patients, and the only surprise is that he functioned at all.
It’s very hard to be the caretaker of older parents, my girlfriend is doing that…Her Mom has lived with her for the pas 5 yrs, after her Dad passed away..she’s at her wit’s end…I see how stressful it is for her and what a toll it has taken on her…I feel for you.
In December 2004 my mother, at age 92, finally came to stay with us. She was healthy as normal. She died in the 3rd week in January 2005, congestive heart failure and associative issues.
Let us just say it took a lot out of me.
We’ll talk about mothers…
Hey Strega!
My first thought that came to me when I heard this story after registering how tragic it was was “please, please, don’t let him be Muslim!”
Khirad: Are you at Raytheon? Possibly former Boeing? Just wondering.
No. Nothing of the sort. It was an educated guess though, considering they employ how much of Tucson?!
Hearing on the radio: Shooters — two soldiers in custody and one dead.
I just read that and wonder if the two soldiers in custody could have possibly been shooting at the gunman.
This is such an unbelievable tragedy.
The gunman that was killed was Army Major Malik Nadal Hasan, who they say was an Army mental health professional.
“A law enforcement official said Hasan, believed to be in his late 30s, was killed after opening fire at the base. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case publicly.
A defense official speaking on condition of anonymity says Hasan was a mental health professional
“Mental health professional?” Looks like he slipped through the cracks himself. Tragic for all concerned.
Maybe this is too early, maybe this isn’t appropriate, but what I can’t help but remember is that when the guy shot up Virginia Tech, all the gun nuts saying, “Well, if guns had been allowed on campus, this would’ve never happened.”
This was a military base. Lots of guns. Doesn’t help…
Good point Pepe.
Strega! 🙂
I believe they said the shooter was a graduate of Virginia Tech, also. Just a fact, no other implications guys.
That is very weird, though.
It’s just a coincidence, but that is so weird.
Very interesting. I’m sure if there is a connection we’ll be seeing it beaten like a dead horse on cable news for a week.
There are SO many people out there who are truly ‘ready to blow.’ I see it in my work. I’m sure many of you do, too.
The following was in our newspaper today:
Michigan Social Workers Fear Threats Over Delays
Michigan social workers struggling with mounting welfare, food stamp and Medicaid caseloads said yesterday they fear for their lives after being assaulted or threatened by recipients frustrated by delays in state aid.
Employees of the Department of Human Services said at a legislative hearing that they are overwhelmed with bulging caseloads and people seeking help are taking out their frustration on workers. …
…a client frustrated by the wait threw a chunk of concrete through a window. The office has been broken into three times. The computer server was stolen for scrap metal. …
…more than 20 percent of Michigan’s residents get some type of government assistance–400,000 more than a year ago.
People are desperate.
Exactly that’s what the popping like popcorn article is all about. We already have enough economic pressures on society but the added political angst is something we can help stop.
Exactly.
Well, just got called in to the hospital, so I’ll see y’all later.
Peace.
Godspeed.
Take care.
The latest report is that possibly 9 are dead and at least 30 wounded.
They supposedly have one shooter in custody.
Very sad and tragic.
I just heard that they are not sure if the suspects are actually soldiers or just someone wearing a uniform for cover.
I’m wondering, who would shoot up a military base? What is this about? We need more information.
Whatever the facts turn out to be, this kind of incident is always unjustifiable. And terribly, terribly tragic.
That’s why I did not want to overreact to the situation but now 12 people have been reported killed and up to thirty wounded.
Whoever it is and for whatever motive, their actions are wrong and stupid. I know there are thousands of families concerned that the victims may be their loved ones. It is so sad.