On the one hand we have the reliably, willfully, self-imposed PC blindness of the mainstream media’s initial reaction- “Gee, what could his motivation possibly have been?”
On the other hand, we have those who, lacking PC blinders, note that Maj. Nidal was reported to have shouted “Alla Akbar!” before opening fire, had listed his nationality as Palestinian at a local Islamic Community Center in Maryland although he was born in the U.S., had been reprimanded for proselytizing colleagues and patients about Islam, and had blog posts praising suicide bombers. “Duh! Jihad, obviously.”
Sounds to me like this fellow was a rather weak, marginal, unstable personality. Almost every day in his work he heard soldiers relating the horrors of war, and when faced with deployment to the war zone- even a non-combat assignment as a medical officer- worked himself into a fearful and cowardly frame of mind. Going out in a blaze of jihadi glory presented itself to him as a commendable way to redeem an otherwise pathetic life.
There are millions of devout Muslims worldwide who would never seriously contemplate performing such a horrific act, or any of the many other horrific acts of terror committed around the world… so we are told. That doesn’t answer the problem of how to predict and defend against those who do. Which of today’s moderate Muslims becomes next month’s jihadi?
When a moderate Christian turns extreme fundamentalist, you get a Mother Theresa or a Brother Francis, a missionary or an aid-worker, or one of the growing number who forsake this world entirely and enter a monastery to pursue lives of prayer, contemplation, and service.
When a moderate Buddhist turns extreme fundamentalist you get another pacifist monk, most likely.
Extreme fundamentalist Muslims present a more problematic “public health” issue. And as always, the biggest barrier to finding a solution is the denial or misidentification of the problem.
Lord, have mercy. Pray for the families of the victims.
Addendum:
Mark Steyn says it better, of course, in this analysis of “The Hole at the Heart of Our Strategy”.
UPDATE: We know more about Maj. Hasan now- much more, and very depressing in it’s implications. Seems that our so-called intelligence agencies knew of attempts that Maj. Hasan made to contact al-Qaeda. And did… what?
Of course, whether or not he attempted, or even succeeded in contacting al-Qaeda is beside the point, as Robert Spencer and others have convincingly argued. If a violent and virulent ideology inspires spontaneous acts of mass violence by numerous independent operators, isn’t the effect and outcome the same?
But then again, Geraldo Rivera thinks maybe Maj. Hasan might have just had a toothache that day.
It IS discouraging. Following 9/11, I thought that at least we would finally witness the end of politically correct self-delusions about the threat of Islam. Now the knife was well and truly at our throat, and the mortal threat would spell the end of all such nonsense that we could indulge in during peaceful seasons.
Sadly, it has not turned out that way. You get used to hearing politicians speak such drivel, but now its looking like the PC virus has worked its way into our defense and intelligence agencies. And folks, if we as a society don’t find and apply a cure for it, then, I’m sorry to say- we’re screwed.
