I just don't buy that the sole reason this man committed these murders was his impending deployment. Every military member(that *I* know, at least) knows that deployment, especially to Iraq or Afghanistan, is more than just a possibility these days-it's pretty much inevitable. This man was/is an O4, which means he most likely did join before the wars started; however, I don't know of any circumstances that would lock somebody into serving as an officer for all of the eight years since the wars began. If this guy had issues with what our military has been doing, he most likely also had plenty of opportunities to get out of the army. I just don't believe that this is a case of somebody snapping and going on a rampage. I don't really have an opinion as to whether or not he acted on his own, but I have very little doubt that he didn't plan on this for quite some time and that his upcoming deployment became an excuse for his actions.
This is such a terrible, terrible tragedy. The families of these soldiers were already preparing for the emotional turmoil that is a deployment. I can't even imagine what they're going through now.
This story on CNN may be of interest.... any you wonder why people have a bad attitude towards Muslims? (don't even get me started, cause I current live in a semi-muslim country, and I just moved from the middle east (ie a muslim country)). If you read the story, note the Jewish convert!
Stories like this are ridiculous. We see groups like this (religious extremists shouting on street corners) less often these days, but the only people that pay any attention to these crazies are tourists. Seriously. And, BTW, I've been to this mosque, back in 1997, for a college project. They were very nice to me and gave me a tour. The extremists outside do not represent the views of the members inside.
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Originally Posted by Linnybubbles
I think what some people are missing in this is that like it or not, we live in a post 9/11 America.
And this. 9/11 attacks were in NYC and DC. Somehow, though, the rest of America seems to be a hell of a lot more worried about Muslims than we are here. I quite literally interact with Muslims every day. If I worried that any one of them could be a terrorist, I'd walk around shaking all the time.
And, by the way, not all Muslims "look" Muslim and not everyone who "looks" Muslim is. Many Middle Easterners are Jewish or Ba'hai or, as pointed out before, Eastern Orthodox. And, many Muslims are Serbs, Russians, or African American.
As to the shooting itself, I'm with those of you who feel heartbroken for the families who lost loved ones in this tragedy. I was touched when listening to a press conference where one of the officers talking referred to Ft. Hood as their home, pointing out that the soldiers are supposed to feel safe there, and that was shattered by the shooting.
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Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society. Mark Twain LJ
This is OT but may I mention the awesome female police officer that bravely put her life on the line to stop the murderer even though she was shot/wounded 4 times! My husband is a former Dallas Police officer and he said that often times the female cops were harrassed, and many people didn't give them the respect they deserved. Well America, here is one FEMALE cop that is absolutely, positively deserving of what she and so many female cops fight for on a daily basis. Thank you so much Sgt. Kimberly Munley we are so greatful for you. My thoughts go out to all those effected by this tragedy, as I had some fellow Texans that were directly effected and it makes my heart ache.
Stories like this are ridiculous. We see groups like this (religious extremists shouting on street corners) less often these days, but the only people that pay any attention to these crazies are tourists. Seriously. And, BTW, I've been to this mosque, back in 1997, for a college project. They were very nice to me and gave me a tour. The extremists outside do not represent the views of the members inside.
I am pretty sure the point of the article was to show that there are different types of Muslims, those like the ones inside, and those like the ones outside. I got that the crux of the article was not to label all Muslims like the extremists and vice versa. Another point is that these extremists do take action sometimes, so it is not like they are just harmless crazies.
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And this. 9/11 attacks were in NYC and DC. Somehow, though, the rest of America seems to be a hell of a lot more worried about Muslims than we are here. I quite literally interact with Muslims every day. If I worried that any one of them could be a terrorist, I'd walk around shaking all the time.
And, by the way, not all Muslims "look" Muslim and not everyone who "looks" Muslim is. Many Middle Easterners are Jewish or Ba'hai or, as pointed out before, Eastern Orthodox. And, many Muslims are Serbs, Russians, or African American.
I don't think people are afraid encountering Muslims daily. I used to live in Maine (until 4 months ago) and we have a large Somali/Sudanese population, of which many are Muslim. I was never afraid of any of them (worked with a lot of them), nor was anyone I knew. The point of saying we live in a post 9/11 world is that when someone who is identified as Muslim commits a terrible act, we cannot help but wonder if his/her religion was the reason.
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This is OT but may I mention the awesome female police officer that bravely put her life on the line to stop the murderer even though she was shot/wounded 4 times! My husband is a former Dallas Police officer and he said that often times the female cops were harrassed, and many people didn't give them the respect they deserved. Well America, here is one FEMALE cop that is absolutely, positively deserving of what she and so many female cops fight for on a daily basis. Thank you so much Sgt. Kimberly Munley we are so greatful for you.
Seriously, how badass is she? What she did was pretty amazing, and I bet a lot of lives were spared because of it.
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"The greater part of our happiness depends on our disposition and not our circumstances."
-Martha Washington
My husband is a former Dallas Police officer and he said that often times the female cops were harrassed, and many people didn't give them the respect they deserved.
It would be so nice if people would give female officers the respect they deserve. I co-authored a presentation for a conference about female officers, and the way they are treated is appalling! Anyway, it is really nice to see a female officer getting credit for doing something amazing. Now if this sentiment could just trickle down into individual agencies, that would be great!
Sorry for my OT rant, this subject just hits a nerve.
__________________ Why do people kill people who kill people to show people that to kill people - is bad?
This is OT but may I mention the awesome female police officer that bravely put her life on the line to stop the murderer even though she was shot/wounded 4 times! My husband is a former Dallas Police officer and he said that often times the female cops were harrassed, and many people didn't give them the respect they deserved. Well America, here is one FEMALE cop that is absolutely, positively deserving of what she and so many female cops fight for on a daily basis. Thank you so much Sgt. Kimberly Munley we are so greatful for you. My thoughts go out to all those effected by this tragedy, as I had some fellow Texans that were directly effected and it makes my heart ache.
A story on CNN.com had some quotes from neighbors in it that I thought were bad ass!
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"I just felt more protected knowing she was on my street," neighbor Erin Houston said.
Munley, the mother of a 3-year-old girl, lives on a street where a lot of homes are vacant because so many residents are deployed at war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"We sleep a lot safer knowing she's on the block," said Sgt. William Barbrow, another neighbor.
That's awesome! She sounds like one tough woman. I'm so glad she is doing okay.
__________________ Why do people kill people who kill people to show people that to kill people - is bad?
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Arrena Ruth 08.07.05 Julian Mitchell 08.01.08 America is the only country to go from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between ~ Oscar Wilde
Has anyone read about the victims? I was reading a brief bio of some of them and it is really heartbreaking: grandparents, mom to be, fathers, immigrants to the US, etc. I was also reading some of the eyewitness accounts, and these people are truly heroes. This one struck me, how awful it must have been for this man to see bloodied people after suffering from PTSD:
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Sgt. Howard Appleby, 31, was at the hospital for his regular meeting with a psychiatrist. Appleby, who was born in Jamaica and grew up in New York City, sustained a traumatic brain injury and has post-traumatic stress disorder from a roadside bomb blast during a tour in Iraq.
His appointment canceled, Appleby found himself pulling the dead and wounded from ambulances. In combat, he was used to one or two casualties a day. "This," he thought, "is crazy."
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"The greater part of our happiness depends on our disposition and not our circumstances."
-Martha Washington
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Arrena Ruth 08.07.05 Julian Mitchell 08.01.08 America is the only country to go from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between ~ Oscar Wilde
(don't even get me started, cause I current live in a semi-muslim country, and I just moved from the middle east (ie a muslim country)). If you read the story, note the Jewish convert!
