I am going to keep this entry short. I'm afraid that if I write for too long on this subject the professionalism that I strive to maintain here will dissolve.
Over the last 48 hours reporters, analysts, and op-ed columnists have been making comments that are absolutely shameful. When the very first news about Fort Hood was being broadcast, the first comment from a TV News Network I heard was, "this is probably some PTSD incident." No thought of terrorism, and no thought of criminal activity. The facts are showing that the shooter had NEVER been deployed to the middle east. Therefore could NOT have PTSD. He comitted this attrocity because he did NOT want to do his job. He signed on the dotted line like every other soldier in this country and did so without a gun to his head. The reporter immediately wrote it off to, "some PTSD incident" without regard to the facts, and with no respect for our service members who actually have PTSD. I was shocked, but it has gotten so much worse.
Over the last 24 hours, every other story I see regarding the Fort Hood shootings has been that the poor shooter was misunderstood and harassed. In addition, the media would want you to believe that this is all the military's fault, since the shooter's cousin has claimed he was harassed.
I have never been more insulted. Nevermind that he shot and killed 13 people in cold blood. Nevermind the fact that he wounded another 30. Nevermind that there is only one person's comment to justify this assertion. The media have latched on to this and are running with it.
It is disgraceful, shameful, and just plain wrong. Those in the media making this assertion have shown their true colors, and what you really think about the military. The military is not always perfect, but the effort to help Soldiers and their Families is a central priority for us all. You would rather side with a mass murderer who guns people down in cold blood, than the men and women who maintain your freedom of the press.
The only news network with analysts that have actively rebuked this shameful opinion is Fox News. I say opinion because that is all that they are at this time. Thank You Fox News for being truthful and doing the right thing.
Please keep our Soldiers and Army Families at Fort Hood in your thoughts and prayers.
God Bless America
Bryan
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I agree TOTALLY with you on this one, Major! I have deliberately NOT written about Ft Hood yet. But yes, have been spitting mad at the msm...
I have been praying for all touched by this terrorist attack, and that will NOT change...
I have to agree with you completely. I worked at Fort Hood for the past 3 years and just recently moved from there. My friends whom I consider my family are still there. I know how important the health and well-being of the Soldiers, their family members and the civilian workers are to the Garrison there. The media is insulting everyone in the Army with their suppositions, that are not based in fact. Shame on them. Instead of making excuses for the actions of this monster, they should be showing some empathy for those who were victimized by his heinous actions.
I could not agree with you more.
First of all, I wish to commend you for the professionalism that you do keep, when sharing your opinions about relevant issues that should matter to "everyone" in our country. Too bad the media "E.g." reporters, analysts, and op-ed columnists do not also try to be more "professional" when stating an opinion on subjects they sometimes know very little about. Too often in their haste to get their story out, they will jump on the band wagon, with very little research, using the "hearsay" of others in an effort to get their story out first. With little regard to the "quality" of the story itself. I too am appalled and ashamed by the way this story was covered, and the lack of regard to the families and people who were hurt by this criminal. It is plain to me that he committed a senseless act of cowardly, selfishness because he was not man enough to fulfill a duty that he himself signed on to fulfill. It saddens me also that in their initial assessment of the story they would assume it to be "some PTSD incident", when many of our soldiers who have fulfilled their duties, to their country as well as to all people within their country, truly suffer from PTSD in their daily lives. God Bless you Major for sharing your opinion. God Bless the Military for all they do, and have done, to insure that we have the "Freedoms" to have an opinion, and God Bless America!
I agree. The way the media has talked & talked & talked with no facts and lots of suppositions is totally disgusting. I also agree with a commenter at another blog that our love affair with Political Correctness will continue to get people killed. The world seems upside-down to me these days.
Thank you for saying what I'm thinking.
Very well said,..Thank You !!! I have attempted to write something myself, but I am unable to keep it so professional as you have done. My heart and prayers with those families,..for I was lucky my son was about a block away.
AKA Army Infantry Mom
Thank You all very much. I greatly appreciate your comments and your support for our wonderful Men and Women in uniform. Thank You very much!
Bryan
i to am disgusted b this countries media and how the don't get the facts and only go by here say, the man is a coward plain and simple nothing more to be said by it.. my heart goes out to those families that lost someone to this coward. i say it again many times.. this country needs to grow up and get it's values back or we will continue to see things like this. God Bless Our Troops!
well, then you should all read Ralph Peters today in the New York Post... he calls this Ft. Hood's 9/11 -- and says it is time to call Islamist terrorists just that. terrorists. and stop pussyfootin' and pc-ing around the topic. it is an excellent opinion piece. FINALLY. someone in the media is calling a spade a spade (we can still say that, right??)
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/fort_hood_xjP9yGrJN7gl7zdsJ31vnJ
The media using "Secondary Trauma" as a free pass for murder is, as I've come to expect from the MSM, ignorant. Professionals are responsible for knowing their limitations and maintaining their own mental health, thus clinical efficacy. It is obscenely malicious to infer that a therapist's hearing "the horrors of war" legitimizes mass murder. I cringe to contemplate how veterans interpret this irresponsible spin. Now their burden is toxic to others and can only be borne alone? Now the "experts" are incapable of serving them because they'll become contaminated with secondary trauma? Now the Combat Stress Teams who embed with them in theater might shoot them all? Hasan has done more than murder and maim. A jihadist couldn't have been more effective in sabotaging the fabric and strength of our culture. Major, as always, you transcend professionalism. I find myself leaning on the Serenity Prayer and sheltering myself from ANY MSM. My heart goes out to you and to all military. *************fly
I'd have to agree with you, Major. And this is coming from someone who can't stand the conservative pundits on Fox- like Glen Beck and Bill O'Reilly. Here's the issue from my perspective: When I watched CNN or MSNBC, they use the same set of professional military analysts over and over again - whether it's the Iraq war, Afghanistan war, military families or whatever. They know nothing about their particular subject material. So while Fox was interviewing directly with ER doctors and retired Fort Hood officials, CNN and MSNBC analysts were arguing whether Fort Hood residents should or shouldn't carry weapons on post. Or making politically incorrect statements about Muslims. Instead of actually searching for news, they try to make an issue of out something that isn't. It's really more from laziness than an agenda.
If it makes you feel better, many print and web-based news sources do not operate this way because they have less pressure to gain ratings. For this reason, most people below age 30 stopped watching TV news a long time ago and get their news exclusively from the Internet - and sources like A Major's Perspective!
Agree with all of you and thank you very much for your comments. LTC (R) Peters was on OReilly last night, and I greatly appreciated his comments. I saw his Op-Ed and thought it was very well done.
Thank You all very much and I hope you are having a good Saturday night!
Bryan
Major,
Extremely well said. We have your back as well as every other Soldier, Sailor, Marine, AF and Coastie!
Col(ret) Peters was RIGHT ON..
Keep the Faith, Our Soldier, you have a long way to go.
Salute and a heartfelt thankful for former President Bush and Former First Lady Laura Bush.
Excellent commentary. I agree with you.
Now if we can just get the major news networks to run with your comments! Very tired of sensational journalism.
The day that Gen George Patton was forced to apologise, everything began to go to hell.
You are 100% right!
This amorphous creature we call the media has become a self flagellating monster.
Edgar R. Murow must be spinning in his grave.
What idiot allowed this SOB to treat brave fighting men and women anyway? Rumor seems to be he got a bad OER at Walter Reed and his purgatory was Hood!
The Army paid for ALL of his medical education and some bean counter probably said "we" need a return on our investment!
All of those most vulnerable to this maddness must be allowed to shape future policy(s).
Carry on ...
If it walks like a 'duck', quacks like a 'duck', we have a 'duck', folks. THIS Ft. Hood 'duck' is a TERRORIST and nothing else. His 'quacking behavior' spoke loud and clear. Thanks, Major, for calling THIS 'quack' a "DUCK"!! I am with you all the way AND I am with our troops and their families in spirit, love, pride and prayers. Thanks Fox news for giving us the truth.
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