A Muslim Terrorist Named Nidal Malik Hasan

The murders at Ft Hood have provoked all manner of response from people. Nearly everyone is united in a feeling of horror, but many have been hesitant to call this what it was; an act of terrorism. Merriam-Webster defines terrorism as: the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion. I have heard all manner of people from our Commander-in-Chief, to senior generals, to media pundits caution us to wait until we have all the facts before we rush to judgment. Well, I for one have enough information. An American Muslim, of Jordanian parents, (no he's not Palestinian, even though he listed himself as such), committed, by definition, an act of terror, while screaming Allah Akbar. That makes him an Islamic terrorist. That he did so while in uniform on an American military reservation only makes it all the more jihadist.

Hasan, the beneficiary of all that is good about the United States decided that his God was more important than his oath to defend the Constitution of his birth country. He cared not that the soldiers he gunned down were unarmed, nor that the United States military has "liberated" tens of millions of Muslims in Bosnia, Kuwait, and yes, Iraq and Afghanistan and provided humanitarian relief to hundreds of thousands more in Somalia, Indonesia and elsewhere. Hasan was apparently following a strict interpretation of the Koran, although I have my doubts that there is any other interpretation. Before anyone reads me the riot act about the Bible's viciousness, know two things, 1) I'm an agnostic at best and 2) when discussing the fire and brimstone passages the Bible details events that have happened, whereas the Koran gives instructions as to how a Muslim should act for all eternity.

I am personally acquainted with an American Marine who is Muslim and currently serving in Afghanistan. A more stellar human being one could not find. He is my personal definition of an American fighting man. He, and many like him in uniform, have gone about the business of war with honor and professionalism. I am not calling for the internment of Muslims or for them to be removed from the ranks of the military. I am saying though, that just like when several ardent white supremacists were dishonorably discharged from the Army for espousing their hatred, so too should have Hasan been similarly treated. Had the culture of the military not been so penetrated by political correctness I am certain 13 of my fellow Americans, murdered at Ft Hood, would still be alive today.

When Professor Gates had his run-in with the Cambridge Police Department, our President informed us all, without anything approximating the facts, in total, that "the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home." I didn't agree with the reasons the Cambridge Police used for arresting Professor Gates, but that does not diminish the notion that the President could not have known all the facts when he made his remarks. Somehow though, he wants the rest of us to refrain from labeling a Muslim terrorist as such, apparently less we offend any more of the followers of the religion of peace.

I am sick and tired of tip-toeing around the sensitivities of the Muslim community. They have rioted over cartoons and they danced in the streets of the West Bank after 9/11, but I cannot call into question their apparent disregard for human life. It is high time that the American Muslim community at least rallies together publicly, and in substantial numbers, to decry the acts of jihadists everywhere. I want to see Muslims in the streets carrying the American flag proudly, as opposed to burning it. Then, I will consider the notion that most Muslims simply want to live their lives peacefully.

American Muslims are not fully to blame for their startlingly sensitive natures, although CAIR and its Islamaphobia campaign are a large part. Media personalities such as MSNBC's Chris Matthews are also to blame. On his 9 November broadcast of Hardball, Matthews said, "See - we have a problem. How do we know when someone like Hasan is going to make his move and do we know he's an Islamist until he's made his move? He makes a phone call or whatever, according to Reuters right now. Apparently he tried to contact al Qaeda. Is that the point at which you say, ‘This guy is dangerous?' That's not a crime to call up al Qaeda, is it? Is it” If we have truly reached the point where the President of the United States won't immediately respond to a Muslim terrorist attack inside the United States, a TV journalist doesn't know if it's illegal to call al Qaeda, (note to Matthews: It is!) and the Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey Jr. can say, “As horrific as this tragedy was, if our diversity becomes a casualty, I think that’s worse,” then the country as a whole cannot stand.

A Muslim monster used the uniform of the United States Army to murder 13 soldiers in cold blood and to wound 30 more. Hasan became, by definition a jihadist and a Muslim terrorist. This after his parents had immigrated here to find the American dream and he benefited from our education system. I no longer care what his problems were, or that he had been picked on for his faith. When I was a child we all learned, "sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me." That is still true today and any attempt to make Hasan into a victim is not only disgusting, but beyond rational comprehension.

The one highlight from this entire event is that this Muslim terrorist, who considered women to be so far beneath him that he would not even have his photograph taken with them at functions, was himself brought down by Sgt. Kimberly Munley, 34, a civilian Department of Defense police officer at the base. Even after being wounded by Hasan, Sgt Munley pressed the attack and stopped Hasan's murderous rampage. There are two things to say about that: 1) I hope Hasan recognized that an American woman brought him down, and 2) I only wish she had double-tapped Hasan to the head after dropping him and finished the job. That is better than any Muslim terrorist deserves, and Hasan is nothing more than that.

A Hollywood Good Guy Makes Good

Back in February I had the high honor to meet an Iraq vet who lost a
leg while serving with the 1/25 Marines in Al Anbar Province. Neither
he nor the triple amputee who accompanied him to a Fischer House
Benefit as the guests of Second Brigade and Viet Nam Vets MC exhibited
anything other than the warrior spirit. In fact, they insisted that
the first drink of the evening had to be drunk from their prosthetic
legs. Now that was a sight to see.
Several months later, that same vet approached me for an assist. He
has been fighting with the V.A. over medical bills related to his
wounds. Bills were mounting. I put him in touch with Al Gambone, an
attorney I’ve mentioned on this site to get that problem in check.
Unfortunately, he was also behind on his mortgage through no fault of
his own. I tried various avenues to come up with cash to prevent the
foreclosure, to no avail. This morning I was listening to Dennis
Miller’s radio show and he mentioned his participation with USA Cares
as a spokesman and proponent (http://www.usacares.org/). Figuring I
had nothing left to lose, I ponied up the $18.00 to join the DMZ,
Miller’s premium subscription package, so I could email him
personally.
In my email, I explained about our wounded Marine and the trials he
has been forced to withstand since returning home. I explained how we
had found an attorney, but had to prevent this Hero from losing his
home. I simply asked him to put me into contact with someone from USA
Cares and let me plead the case. If this fails I said, “We’ll have to
start selling blood,” because there’s no way I’m letting one of my
heroes lose his home, especially with a new baby on the way.
Anyway, within an hour, the retired Sgt Major who started USA Cares
called me personally. He took down our Marine’s phone number and
promised to help. The Sgt Major also insisted that in the future GoE
and USA Cares would collaborate to reach and assist more of our
heroes. Dennis Miller, who was on the air at the time, had read my
email, contacted the Sgt Major and my phone rang. While all this was
happening, Miller’s show never missed a beat. In this day and age
when we have come to expect Hollywood celebrities to kick us when
we’re down, Dennis Miller took up the colors and charged into the
fray.
I urge you to recognize both Miller and USA Cares for this wonderful
act. Our Marine’s house was set to go into foreclosure on 12 August.
Thanks to two very good men that will not happen. God bless you both
gentlemen and know that our veteran’s community owes you one for the
solid you did one of our own. That debt is payable upon demand, just
yell out. Thanks, you guys. Manchu.

On "Taking Chance"

The photo is of L Cpl. Chance Phelps who was killed by enemy fire outside Ar Ramadi, Iraq on 9 April, 2004. He is the subject of HBO's movie Taking Chance. I had resisted watching the movie for several reasons. I mainly resisted because I had absolutely no faith that HBO would treat the subject matter with the dignity it deserved. I was also afraid that HBO would take the opportunity to put in multiple anti-war digs. Then, when uniformly good reviews started coming out I resisted because I was afraid of how it would effect me. The first couple of reasons turned out to be unfounded, and the last was exactly as I knew it would be. All of which is a reason to watch it.

Kevin Bacon plays the part of real-life Lt. Col. Michael Strobl, whose account of the escort was the genesis for the movie. I freely admit that there were multiple occasions when tears literally streamed down my face as I sat watching the movie. It was a pleasant surprise to see America's warriors treated with the reverence they all deserve. It was also moving to see Col. Strobl portrayed as multi-dimensional and not some automaton. There were many times when I was moved by what, to some, would be the inner workings of the military.

In one scene Col. Strobl is told that Chance will stay over-night in a hangar and a taxi has been called to take him to a nearby hotel. Col. Strobl responds that he will spend the night in the hangar with Chance because, "I don't want him to be alone." The airline workers aren't quite sure how to respond, but they understand and do what they can to make the Colonel as comfortable as possible.

In a later scene, Col. Strobl is at a VFW talking to a Korean War Marine. The Colonel tells his fellow Marine of his guilt at not being in Iraq. How he is nearly ashamed that he is safe behind his desk, while men such as Chance are in the fight. The Korean vet tells him that his feelings are unfounded because he had his day for that and what he is doing now is all the more important because of it. The scene resonates with me because I have shared that feeling since both our current wars have commenced. Not a day goes by that I don't feel as if I should be in either Iraq or Afghanistan. No amount of conversation with other veterans can change my mind on that, and I'm fairly certain that Col. Strobl feels likewise. It is a version of survivor's guilt and not a little envy, at least on my part. All I ever wanted was a C.I.B. and there's no way that will ever happen.

Taking Chance made me remember another 19 year old patriot who was killed too young. He was a friend of mine and one of the sweetest people on the planet. We went to Basic and A.I.T. at Ft. Benning, GA together, caroused together and he was killed providing covering fire so that others would live. I know he believed in what he was doing, and that he loved being a soldier. I also know he would not want me to feel guilty that all these years later I am here, while he isn't. I know he would want me to live happily, secure in the knowledge that I did my part. That doesn't make me miss him any less, nor wish that I could trade places with him. I miss my fiend and think of him at least every week.

I never knew L Cpl. Phelps, and have never met Lt. Col. Strobl, but I have known them all my life. I was a soldier at five and will remain one until I die. I hope everyone who has ever worn the uniform sees this movie. I further hope that they all remember their own Chance, for it is through memories that they live on. The movie concludes with a passage that will stay with me forever, "Chance Phelps was wearing his Saint Christopher medal when he was killed on Good Friday. Eight days later, I handed the medallion to his mother. I didn't know Chance before he died. Today, I miss him." - LtCol Michael R. Strobl, USMC (Ret.) Semper Fi Sir, and for what it's worth, though I never knew Chance either I miss him too.

Nation of Cowards

In case you missed it, our newest Attorney General, Eric Holder recently spoke at an event for his staff in honor of Black History Month. In part, he said, “Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial, we have always been, and we, I believe, continue to be, in too many ways, a nation of cowards.” In case you doubt the veracity of that quote you can find the full transcript at the Department of Justice website. Of course, many will say I have taken the quote out of context, but before any of you prepare the pitchforks, proverbial rail or burning oil know that I agree with the quote; just not for the reasons the esteemed gentleman suggested.

I attached the editorial cartoon above precisely because I agree with Attorney General Holder. We have become a nation of cowards. We are afraid of charlatans like Al Sharpton who posture and preen the second there is any chance for him to display his plumage to a camera. And yes, I am well aware that I gave Mr. Sharpton no title. I've never seen him in a pulpit and in this age of you tube everything I am fairly certain something would have presented itself by now if any such footage existed. No one can say anything in the least related to race if you do not believe the way Mr. Sharpton does. I'm not certain exactly who made him the arbiter of all things concerning liberal Black America, but that is as it is.

Mr. Sharpton, in his normal style, rounded up 500 people to protest outside the offices of the The New York Post until he extracted an apology of sorts for suggesting that our new President is a chimp. That the editors of the newspaper meant nothing of the sort is besides the point. What is important is that Mr. Sharpton has once again earned his Rolex watches and $1,500 suits. Somehow I always thought men of God were supposed to be less flashy, but as an agnostic I could be mistaken. I am all but certain Mr. Sharpton knew that the Post meant no disrespect to President Obama, but intended to ridicule the United States Congress for coming up with the inanely named Stimulus Package. Unless of course Mr. Sharpton believes that President Obama sat down at his desk in the Oval Office and composed better than 1,000 pages of nonsense. Whatever I think of Mr. Sharpton I do not believe him a fool, and nor should you.

For the record, if I were on the Editorial Board of the Post I would have said this in response to the false uproar over the cartoon: In so much as we have heard the repeated race baiting epithets over our recent editorial cartoon, we would like to explain it to the rest of you. You may not know, because it was passed and signed so quickly that no one could have read it all, but Congress recently passed a bill they wishfully call a Stimulus Bill. The bill is nothing more than nearly $800,000,000,000 (looks amazing with all those zeroes doesn't it?) in pet projects and political payoffs and will do very little, if anything to stimulate new jobs. We were certain though that everyone had heard of the 200lb chimp who recently chewed the face off of an unsuspecting woman. Putting two and two together we were convinced that everyone who saw this cartoon would rightfully get the point: All the clowns in Congress who signed off on the gargantuan bill, which our grandchildren will be paying off, are nothing more than crazed primates. In fact, our mistake was in attributing that much cognitive development to the likes of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. So, too all primates everywhere we say, "We are wholly apologetic for likening you to humans who are obviously so far beneath you intellectually."

Unfortunately, the newspaper chose not to publish my apology as written, or anything close to it because Mr. Sharpton, once again used the bullying tactics which keep him in such nice attire. There have been all manner of truly offensive editorial cartoons suggesting that former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice was nothing more than an Aunt Jemima caricature or that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is an Uncle Tom. Of course those cartoons are not truly offensive because neither Secretary Rice nor Justice Clarence believe as Mr. Sharpton does. You have to be "down with the struggle," (read his struggle) to be worthy of Mr. Sharpton's outrage on your behalf. If you are in any way at odds with what Mr. Sharpton believes concerning the plight of Black Americans then you are simply part of the problem. Remember, Free Speech is only a guaranteed right if you spout the ultra-left party line. Otherwise, you are an imbecile, just don't get it, or a racist.

All that leads me back to my initial comment agreeing with Attorney General Holder. We have become a nation of cowards regarding race because we allow sham artists like Mr. Sharpton to dictate the parameters of any discussion regarding race. Black men are still being incarcerated at a rate higher than their numbers in the population would dictate. In all our nations' cities, black men are more likely to die violently and ever younger at the hands of other black men. Black females are having more and more children out of wedlock, with less and less men around to provide any means of support. That means more and more black children are suffering below the poverty line and the cycle repeats. Mr. Sharpton doesn't care about that though. What he cares about is face time in front of network cameras and we are all too cowardly to call him on it because we don't want to be called racist. Well, since I am certain I am not a racist I will call him on it. Mr. Sharpton you are a fraud who is making a very comfortable living off those you pretend to defend. You are intentionally keeping people ignorant to benefit your own selfish ends. You do not have any one's best interests, besides your own at heart. You sir are part of the reason, a very large part why we cannot come together as a nation in the greatest country on Earth. Shame on you Mr. Sharpton, and those who knowingly assist you in this travesty. The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr must be rolling over in his grave at the way you have perverted The Dream of many of us, both black and white.

Farewell to A Good Man

I have just finished watching President George W. Bush's final address to the nation. I have not always agreed with his decisions; most noticeably on illegal immigration and the failure to control government spending. I have though, always thought him to be a good man who was doing what he thought was right. I was honored to meet him on the White House lawn and felt like a kid at Christmas when he knew my name. He shook my hand and thanked me for my service as an infantryman and as a veteran's advocate. I was cheered to see him defend himself, finally, last night for the things he did get right. Whatever else the Bush haters will say, we have not suffered another terrorist attack on U.S. soil in 2,684 days.

That is absolutely not a coincidence. Should the veracity of the statement be called into question I would suggest that we simply listen to the President-Elect's current positions. He has decided to keep SecDef Robert Gates. He has said it will take time to close Gitmo and that we need to move cautiously in Iraq and Afghanistan. Those are all positions maintained by President Bush. Gone is President Elect Obama's rhetoric concerning a precipitous withdrawal from Iraq. Why? Because he has finally seen the intelligence reports that President Bush has been privy to for all these years.

I did not vote for President Elect Obama. In fact, I worked hard for his opponent, Sen. John McCain. I, like most American citizens, though will be proud and cheered to see President Obama sworn in next week. It will, indeed, be a good day for the country to have a black man become President. It will go a long way to soothing wounds that have long festered. I can only hope that the smooth transition, which has been solely because of the outgoing President, gives our new President pause for thought.

I know President Elect Obama is a bright man, and I believe he will be thoughtful. I only ask that as his days get ever harder that he look back on the man he replaced and realize that the tough decisions will have to be made, regardless of public opinion. I am certain W has told our incoming President to call and I hope he will. I am hopeful for the country because I am on our team: the United States of America's team and I support my Commander in Chief. On the day after the election, I got up and saluted the Flag as I do every other day. Next Tuesday will be no different. So, as one President goes home to resume his life and another begins the hardest task on Earth I say to them both: Thank you for shouldering the responsibilities gentlemen. Goodbye Mr. Bush, private American citizen, and Hello President Obama. Remember our brave men and women in uniform because they belong to you both now.