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Right-Wing Talkers Exploiting Ft. Hood
Over at PoliticsDaily.com, I have a column noting how right-wing TV and radio ranters have been exploiting the Fort Hood tragedy to sow division and bash political foes—while accusing liberals and Democrats of using the event to divide the nation. It's a mind-bending development. A few examples:
* Chris Plante, a Rush-wannabe with his own radio show, says that liberals are "trying desperately to convince America" that Nidal Hasan, the presumed shooter, was "just a crazy guy who spent too much time around deployed soldiers and caught [post-traumatic stress disorder] and oh he happened to be a muslim [sic], but we should ignore that. We shouldn't jump to conclusions." On his show, he has repeatedly declared that Hasan shouted "Allahu Akbar!" before firing on his comrades—even though it's not been confirmed that Hasan did so. Isn't that a bit divisive?
* Syndicated talker Laura Ingraham also claimed it was a fact that Hasan was "screaming Allah-u-Akbar" —as she argued that Hasan had been moved to kill by his "religious fervor" (read: Muslim religious fervor).
* Sean Hannity proclaimed, "There is a chance our government knew all about" Hasan and "did nothing because nobody wanted to be called an Islamophobe." Yet there's no evidence of that. And given that the US government has been arresting alleged Muslim radicals in the United States and bombing Islamic jihadists in Pakistan, it seems top officials are hardly inhibited by the fear of being branded Islamophobes. Hannity has also blasted the Obama administration for not catching Hasan before his killing spree, bellowing, "What does it say about Barack Obama and our government?" Actually, it says nothing about Obama. Two terrorism task forces learned that Hasan had been in contact with a radical imam in late 2008 and subsequently did nothing, after an analyst concluded Hasan's contacts with the imam were consistent with research he was conducting.
* Rush Limbaugh, of course, has gotten into this act. He first blamed Obama for the event, contending that Obama's policy moves had pushed Hasan to become a killer. Then he slammed Obama for not calling the Fort Hood an act of terror.
Nothing like a national discussion based on reason and evidence, right? My column on this is drawing an unusually high number of comments. I can just imagine how calm and rational they are.
You can follow my postings and media appearances via Twitter.
Well, that's what the right
Well, that's what the right wing does. On the other hand, sweeping difficult issues that run counter to good liberal sensibilities is also what liberals do.
In the argument you linked to, Cone says he doesn't think this has to do with religion. Well, given Hasan's presentation, his desire to not be deployed, that seems difficult to believe right now and a statement about official ignorance.
Would you let Cone or others get away with that regarding issues of Abu Ghraib or Gitmo or the run up to war?
And while I firmly believe everyone deserves a defense, also in that article was a surreal statement from Hasan's attorney regarding the jets that ran into the Italian ski gondola: "A decade ago Frank Spinner represented Marine Capt. Richard Ashby, accused of killing 20 people by flying his jet into an Italian gondola cable.
Ashby was acquitted of involuntary manslaughter in the 1988 incident.
One key to the defense was impeaching eyewitness testimony. Spinner raised questions about what the witnesses actually saw by showing that their minds might have been influenced by media reports after the tragedy.
In Italy, Spinner said, “we found there were a lot of witnesses that saw immediate reports about what was going on, and we were able to show that they incorporated into their memory what they saw on TV. So they might have seen the plane fly nearby, but we had testimony to show that they may have been contaminated or influenced by what they saw in media reports.”"
If I understand Spinner, he's quite an attorney, the jets didn't fly through the cable, they flew nearby and what rotten luck for the pilots, coincidentally at that time, the ski gondolas happened to fall down.
Look at Drum's posts and comments. You'll find that Hasan was the victim. The victim of an uncaring Army that mistreats muslims (though that hasn't been shown and Muslim Chaplains on NPR have said that's not so.) Hasan is a victim of PTSD (also not shown). Hasan is merely a disgruntled employee gone postal. (Also not shown). He can't possibly be called a terrorist because his targets were military and thus legitimate (skipping over many definition so of terrorist and placing Hasan as a member of Al Qaeda or the Taliban I guess.)
Another way to frame your claim is not that "right-wing TV and radio ranters have been exploiting the Fort Hood tragedy to sow division and bash political foes—while accusing liberals and Democrats of using the event to divide the nation." but that left wing ranters have been exploiting the Fort Hood tragedy to sow division and bash political foes -- ... blah blah blah.
I kind of think that all you guys are douchebags but that Occam's Razor at this moment points to Hasan being a religious nutcake and a domestic terrorist.
While I am sincerely
While I am sincerely saddened by the devastation of this event, I respect and admire the way in which the president has chosen to handle this situation. It demonstrates that he has learned from the errors of the past, in which the government has used the mixture of fear and anger amongst its citizens to justify the unconconstitutional mistreatment of a group of people.
Lets not forget that after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, the American government issued an order to arrest and detain thousands of Japanese-Americans (most of them american citizens) and house them in internment camps.
It is in this particular moment, just after the crime has been committed and it is still fresh in our minds, that we must maintain a level head and not allow our blind anger and fear control our rational thoughts. Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity say what they say, not because they are patriots or "good" americans, but because they know that this is the time when people are most vulneriblle and desperate for answers. Hannity and Limbaugh simply profit from the fears of our citizens. They live their cozy lives, never having to go to war because they have someone else fight for them, or knowing what its like to be a minority and struggling to be recognized as a true american citizen
We have to stop listening to these self-proclaimed patriots and stop allowing fear to determine how we live our lives and how we view others. The truth is we can form a profile for every criminal or terrorist that commits an atrocious act. Timmothy McVeigh, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Ted Bundy were not muslim or of middle eastern dissent. Yet when an act of terror or violence is committed by a member of a minority, we quickly jump to the conclusion this person is a representation of the group as a whole....come on people, I'd like to think we're not a nation that subscribes to such ignorance.
I am surprised you haven't
I am surprised you haven't pointed out how restrained the left was concerning the murder of Bill Sparkman, and how the left did not exploit Sparkman's murder to further liberal causes or to demonize or blame the right.
Hassan
Well, let's step aside Liberal Political Correctness one moment. Hassan WAS a radical muslim extremist who killed over a dozen US soldiers while shouting Allah Ahkbar. Fact. Pre 9/11 mentality will get more Americans killed. And it's on Liberal hands.
Fact: post-9/11 mentality
Fact: post-9/11 mentality *has* gotten many more Americans killed, and it is on the hands of the fearful, war-mongering Right.
Talk about "demonizing",
Talk about "demonizing", your ignorant post completely got it wrong. You animals really do make for good entertainment.
And you must believe in
And you must believe in Santa Claus as well....typical progressive. Get your head out of the sand and recognize that 911 (pre or post) has nothing to do with left or right. It’s our interventionist foreign policy- try reading a few books and learn from experts (Imperial Hubris by Michael Scheuer and Blowback by Chalmers Johnson). This is not about Hannity, Colter or other ideologues. Get over yourself!
Oh, that is right... I
Oh, that is right... I forgot that the leftists are all the sensible, rational ones (especially the Communists) and that the right are all just whacko and emotional.
Yeah...right....
Why does anyone (besides some folks in this administration) read this communist rag still??
Re: "Oh, that is right... I"
So...
Tell us- "Why does anyone (besides some folks in this administration) read this communist rag still??"
You seem to be reading this so called communist rag. Then after finding yourself just a tad bit out of sorts in trying to understand it all you have the cajones to question our choice as you deny your own actions.
What I understand is this:
Nobody knows what is in another's mind, it is impossible to reveal truths unless there is an honest effort by a person to tell all they are thinking and/or feeling about any particular subject. When and if the truth surrounding this soldier's actions are known it will probably be shown to be an amalgam of all his experiences in and outside the military, the religious beliefs he has developed over the years and the fact that he is of a religious belief that currently is questioned due to others actions of the past.
Anyone can state what they think caused his atrocious act, but it will not be as he sees it. Until it is shown unequivocally that he acted in conjuction with others I will only see this as an event that occurred of his own making.
Where would your mind be if you were him and had his experiences? What would cause you to do as he did? Should we all question you before your thoughts become acts of horror?
It all depends...
“Civilizations die from suicide, not by murder.” -- Arnold J. Toynbee
Apparently, if Americans are slaughtered by the correct minority group, the worst aspect of it all is the caterwalling from the those right-wing knuckle-draggers...
Exploiting? Why the hell
Exploiting? Why the hell are you hacks on the left ALWAYS defending America's enemies. Seriously, your pathetic attempt to be "intellectual" and so smart does more harm to this country and just infuriates most of the public with your playing with facts and covering your eyes of danger. You people are so out of touch with this country.
If we are out of touch,....
If we are out of touch,.... why are the right wing nuts like you in the minority ?
Quit seeing terrorists and nuts like yourself around every corner. Not everything is a conspiracy.
What planet are you on? Ever
What planet are you on? Ever hear of Rasmussen? Liberals are significantly in the minority. Again, in typical progressive fashion you site facts that outright WRONG! Go ahead and keep telling yourself that you are in the majority...you will win the lotto next time too.
Why don't we all just wait
Why don't we all just wait and see what the Ft. Hood shooter has to say?
Hate ...
Of one thing I am convinced. Hate fosters hate. Hate speech reverberates like a stone dropped into a still pond. It amplifies with each echo and ultimately escalates into hateful action.
Whether it's bullying at Columbine, vicious pro-life rhetoric, anti-Muslim taunts, or the flat-out nastiness from the media purveyors of hate-for-profit. Sticks and stones will break your bones and names will surely hurt you. Not always, but enough vitriol spread over a crowd and there will be someone willing to carry out a heinous act.
And when that happens, we humans will retaliate. And the cycle will begin again.
Christian, Muslim, Jew, brothers in the Abrahamic religious heritage, have failed miserably to live the best in our traditions. In all of recorded history there are few examples where we humans have been able to interrupt the cycle.
We should all be ashamed of our immorality, our failure to use the brains that God/Allah/Elohim-Adonai has given us.
Hasan is a radical Islamist.
It's fairly obvious that Hasan's actions were motivated by the same tenets of Islam that motivate America's enemies in the Middle East. This, by definition, makes him a radical Islamist and little different from the insurgents with which we're at war.
This is obvious from the man's actions (proselytizing, contacting Al Qaeda, and murdering Americans). What he may or may not have yelled prior to his murderous rampage is of little consequence.
I voted for Obama and generally agree with his politics, but his administration's refusal to admit Hasan is a radical Islamist is conspicuous at best.
If Only....
How ironic that the FBI and The Army could not figure how to handle Hasan, who had been showing very radical Muslim signs.
If only Hasan had disclosed that he was a "Gay" Muslim, the Army would have KNOWN in a nanosecond what to do with him, by kicking him out of The Army - IMMEDIATELY.
Shows The Army's priorities in what to be concerned about for immediate reaction.
Hoekstra
Check out Pete Hoekstra's connections to Blackwater/Erik
Prince....they are from the same small town in Michigan....his family
(Elsa, Edgar, Betsy DeVos) has donated thousands of dollars to his
campaigns....I'll bet his source is a Backwater person....a scandal in
itself
http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=Prince%2C+Erik&state=&...
CNN Newsroom
CNN Newsroom today reported that Hasan considered the Koran to be more important than the U.S. Constitution. It reminded me of "A Few Good Men" and Kiefer Sutherland's line about respecting God, his son Jesus Christ and his commanding officer as the only persons with true authority over him.
CNN reported about the Major ranting about prejudice against Muslims. I follow Siddha Yoga and I have learned about many mystical Muslims, Jews and Christians. With the hundreds of channels on my HD TV I see little that reflects those realities.
How many years has it been since Bill Moyers hosted Joseph Campbell?
Sadgurunath Maharaj ki jay!
Hassan
I hate to break it to the ignorant but vicarious traumatization is an all too real phenomenon. Mental health care professionals suffer from some of the worst suicide rates for any profession. Working in this feel unlike other areas of health-care requires that the care provider use their empathy and it is impossible to do this with out soaking up some of the punishment yourself. In Hassan's case this was complicated greatly by the extreme professional frustration that is often entailed with being an Army doctor. He listened day in and day out to an endless parade of young patriots with immensely wounded souls and psyches who were damaged by being forced to participate in an ongoing crime against humanity. Not only this but he was not allowed to properly treat or many cases to even accurately diagnose his patients by an Army command that does not care about anything but maintaining an illusion of deployability. I served in this nations army before most commenters were born (78-82) and am a retired counselor. Unlike the shallow minded commenters who merely want to demonize Muslims and even that most American of principles, religious tolerance, I actually know what I am talking about. Labeling this tragedy as terrorism is a pitiful attempt by the intellectually challenged to make it something simple enough for their limited understanding.
Vicarious traumatization?
Vicarious traumatization? Seriously? Vicarious traumatization makes a man contact Al Qaeda, buy ammo and extra clips, practice at gun ranges for hours, cash out his bank accounts, then murder 13 people? I'm not sure you can find a better definition of terrorism than this.
But you can excuse all of this because "He listened day in and day out to an endless parade of young patriots with immensely wounded souls."
Give me a break.
It's this type of weak-minded, apologetic, heart-bleeding that is ruining the left and makes us all look ridiculous.
Why make excuses for this man? Why grasp at every far-off straw in hopes of proving HE was the victim? What has he done to earn such incredible lattitude?
I'm not a doctor, but I think those who seek to make excuses for mass-murderers are the ones who are "intellectually challenged."
Hassan
I hate to break it to the ignorant but vicarious traumatization is an all too real phenomenon. Mental health care professionals suffer from some of the worst suicide rates for any profession. working in this feel unlike other areas of healthcare requires that the care provider use their empathy and it is impossible to do this with out soaking up some of the punishment yourself. In Hassan’s case this was complicated greatly by the extreme professional frustration that is often entailed with being an Army doctor. He listen day in and day out to an endless parade of young patriots with immensely wounded souls and psyches who were damaged by being forced to participate in an ongoing crime against humanity. Not only this but he was not allowed to properly treat or in many cases to even accurately diagnose his patients by an Army command that does not care about anything but maintaining an illusion of deployability. I served in this nation’s army before most of you were born and am a retired counselor. Unlike the shallow minded commentators who merely want to demonize Muslims and even that most American of principles, religious tolerance, I actually know what I am talking about. Labeling this tragedy as terrorism is a pitiful attempt by the intellectually challenged to make it simple enough for the pitifully limited understanding.
It doesn't matter, right or left
tagged as:- solution
It doesn't matter if you are on the right or on the left on this one. If a radical muslim has the chance he is going to kill you, me, children, wives, your parents, grandparents, strangers just anybody. Your life has no meaning to them. You are nothing, just an animal. Your death just brings them closer to their heaven. As long as you guys continue to blame each other, fight among yourselves, blame bush, blame obama, blame your feelings the muslims will have you running from them. One day you will all have to stop running and for most of you your backs will be against the wall. When that happens you will have to decide if you will fight back or curl up in a ball. Just think how you will be feeling at that point. Scared, alone and wondering why these animals were not stopped before this.....we tried but your stopped us from stopping them..again....haha!
Hey...
It's not like they're trying to downplay it, like it's really no big deal. Never mind that the Army and the FBI had prior knowledge that Hasan was getting ready to snap. Never mind that he managed to kill 13 people. Nah, if he didn't mow down somebody else's kids, they probably would've committed suicide anyway, right? Or they might've been killed by a roadside bomb a month after they got over there, right?
I grew up a liberal and I always despised conservatives, but now liberals are really starting to suck just as bad.