I wanted to express my deepest sympathy to everyone at Fort Hood. They have been through a horrific tragedy and they will need our prayers and support for a long time.
While at breakfast this morning, I overheard a conversation where the man said the shooter at Ft. Hood should not have been allowed to be in the military because he was not an American. His theory was that if we lived in Japan, we would not be allowed in their military.
Its my understanding that the shooter WAS born in America. Just because he believed in a different religion doesn't mean he couldn't be a good officer in our military. Are we going to throw out everyone who believes differently or who is a first generation American?
The man at breakfast was suggesting that we should throw all muslins and people from the Middle East out of our military. Why should THEY be penalized because ONE person went crazy? I am sure that there are many muslins in our military who are mentally stable and assets to our military. Removing them from their positions would be discrimination and that is not what America is about.
To my knowledge, America is the land of the free. Everyone is free to practice the religion and belief system they want. That's why SO many of our ancestors immigrated here. And probably why the shooters parents came to America, religious freedom as well as the local Mini Mart on the corner.
It is obvious that the shooter had mental problems and probably should not have been an officer but he could be one in a million. I have a friend who is a first generation American, who spent many years in the Air Force and Air National Guard. He went to the Middle East twice and is now disabled do to his service for America's freedom.
YOUR freedom to express YOUR opinions on whether the shooter and others like him should be in the military. MY freedom to tell you how stupid that is.
You have a freedom to comment but I ask that you be respectful and remember this is MY opinion and I am free to express it.
Veterans Day is Wednesday. Remember all the service men and women who are currently working to protect your freedoms and remember the ones who have given their very lives to protect you.
I fully agree with you. In a country like ours, England, we have had years of it from the Irish. Now I am by no means anyway racist or anything at all, and I believe in the freedom of speech, but even we have had some really bad terrorist attacks over the years too. I can remember the Lockerbie Air disaster, and picking up pieces of wreckage right where I live. This military man at Fort Hood, had previously had a brilliant career, and from what is being said here, he worked with post-traumatic stress patients.
ReplyDeleteThat's the second shooting rampage in that area during my lifetime. I was at Fort Hood when the Luby's Massacre occurred.
ReplyDeleteNicely said. I am not judging the man on his religious beliefs but I AM wondering how his collegues didnt see that he had serious issues. That doesnt say much about them.
ReplyDeleteI am sad and horrified with you about this tragedy. And I DO value your opinion very much, and would fight to the death against any forces that ever tried to take away our freedom of speech in this, while still having its many faults, still the greatest free country in the history of man.
ReplyDeleteGood post, Amy.
Marvin D Wilson
I agree - I get so mad when I hear people say things like that. While this particular man may have had problems, the people expressing those bigoted opinions are not talking about this one man, but about entire races, religions, etc.
ReplyDeleteAnd the assumption that he is not American based on his religious or ethnic background is appalling. Especially since - unless they were Native Americans - they technically could be considered "not American"