Is Nidal Malik Hasan’s Religion Important?
I am sure that most of you have by now heard about the shootings at the American base in Foot Hood, Texas. An American soldier, Major Nidal Malik Hasan shot and killed 13 soldiers before he was shot down himself (he is currently recovering in a nearby hospital). The moment the media started releasing the name of the suspect I knew how many in the American media (particularly the conservative media) would react. It was very clear from the early reports that Major Hasan’s religion and his religious beliefs would play a major role in the reporting and not the fact that he was an American citizen (born and brought up), a doctor and a Major in the United States Army.
The American government is engaged in a war on terrorism since 2001. Not surprisingly the government is yet to define what it means by terrorism. There is no international consensus on the definition of terrorism either. A common definition of terrorism refers to a violent act that is intended to create fear. But this is a very open-ended definition. Is it terrorism if the violent act is committed by an individual and not an organization or on behalf of an organization? Are violent acts like spousal abuse and rape also considered a terrorist act? What is the difference between terrorism and a freedom struggle?
Most members of the media have been very critical of President Obama for not using the word terrorism or Islamic terrorism during the Memorial Service speech he delivered at Fort Hood on Tuesday. They accuse the President and the Democratic Party for trying to be politically correct. So far everything points to the fact that Major Hasan acted alone. Although there are many reports indicating that he was unhappy with the war on terror, according to the Army he did not submit a request to leave the Army for good (the army paid for his education and he has to serve the army for a certain period of time before he can leave).
In May of 2009 Sergeant John Russell shot and killed five soldiers at Camp Liberty in Baghdad. Not a single person in the media or otherwise talked about John Russell’s religious beliefs. On September 8, 2008 Specialist Jody Michael Wirawan killed Lieutenant Robert Bartlett Fletcher at Fort Hood and then committed suicide. Everyone blamed combat stress as the key factor. But why is it different for Hasan? The reaction to the killings at Fort Hood shows how some Americans still view the Muslim community and the double standards that are being applied. Many Americans still associate Islam with a few fundamentalist groups that operate predominantly in the Middle-East (more Muslims live in countries like India and Indonesia than the whole Middle-East combined). They confuse issues like the war in Iraq (regime change) with the war in Afghanistan (Taliban and Al Qaeda) and what is going on between Iran and the United States and between Israel and the Palestinians.
I am fine with categorizing this incident as a Muslim terrorist act (the act was committed by an American who happens to be a Muslim and it did cause terror and death). But then we have to be consistent. What should we call Scott Roeder who killed Dr. George Tiller (father of four and grandfather of ten) inside a Church because he performed abortions? Is it fair to call him a Christian terrorist? And how do we categorize the killings at the National Holocaust Museum by James von Brunn? Conservative commentator Michelle Malkin said at the time that James von Brunn was “just plain loony”. So James von Brunn is loony but Malik Hasan is an Islamic terrorist?
As I pointed out there are many unresolved issues in the Middle East today and very few of them are terrorism related. It is extremely important that the American public knows the differences between these issues. This understanding is needed to resolve these issues. Lumping all of this together as a problem in the Middle-East or a Muslim problem or a terrorist problem will not help anyone. Lack of understanding coupled with arrogance is what led America to the snake pit called Iraq.
Related posts:
- Terrorists Have No Caste, Creed or Religion?
- Christian Hospitality More Important Than Multiculturalism
- Sonia Gandhi Destroying Indian Religion, Culture and Traditions
- India Using Koran Burning Pastor to Clamp Down on Freedom
- Obama wrong About a Just and Loving God
Category: Culture & Religion