Despite the parallels, I'm amazed at the different reactions to both Hasan & George Sodini

[MrScorpio]

Questions of any comparisons to both Hasan's and Sodini's mental states aside, it's clear to me that both incidents have more similarities than differences. So, I think that it's a good idea to bring it up.

Now, you do remember Sodini, don't you?

The lone gunman who posted all over the Internet about his love for and intent to commit violence before shooting up a health club, killing three women and wounding others.

If I remember correctly, the consensus was that Sodini NOT a terrorist, but was instead a sick, violent individual and a coward.

Of course, he was a white guy and assumed raised a Christian. These things would automatically preclude a non-terrorist status for Sodini in our present national mindset.

However, take a similar situation, move a few convenient demographics around, and, "Viola!", you have Osama Bin Laden's gun happy cousin!

I'm afraid that years and years of fear mongering and xenophobia has had far ranging and overwhelming consequences, even over a bunch of intelligent and open minded folks like ourselves.

Jus. sayin'.

[Jennicut]

1. Hasan was clearly mentally ill. Any religious issues only would get in the way of that.

He had a severe mental breakdown, it is kind of obvious to me. No one at the mosque he attended said he came off as an extremist. His religious views probably became more extreme as he became more and more unhinged. I have suffered from depression throughout my life and as the depression gets worse, your view of the world becomes more negative. Hasan could have been so severely depressed he looked at anything in his life to explain his view of the world.

[MrScorpio]

5. I agree wholeheartedly nt

[stray cat]

2. Of course you believe the guy who killed the abortion doctor was mentally ill

and not terrorism

[MrScorpio]

6. Not that I mentioned that guy

But he did have specific religious and political motivation to eliminate a specific target.

I call it an assassination.

[Romulox]

3. Was the CIA monitoring Sodini's attempts to contact Al Qaeda?

Gimmeabreak.

[MrScorpio]

4. I think that it says more about the CIA's singular perview in order to prevent harm to Americans

and the other fact that Sodini's net postings went unnoticed than anything else.

Jennicut was right on: The key thing to consider is Hasan's mental state and that effect it had on his religious and political motivation.

[Romulox]

7. The CIA has no jurisdiction to monitor domestic internet postings.

For the second time: gimmeabreak.

[MrScorpio]

9. That's exactly my point

However, it is part of the greater government.

On one hand, you've got one branch focused on a narrow aspect of a lone gunman shot up a bunch of people with a handgun and on the other, another lone gunmen who shot up a bunch of people with a handgun was completely ignored.

The fact that both were lone gunmen who shot up a bunch of people is the preeminent fact in my mind, despite one having the CIA taking a look at him. It's a moot point.

[The Straight Story]

8. Was religion brought up when the abortion dr was killed?

:shrug:

[MrScorpio]

10. I would think that political and religious targeted assassinations fall into the realm of terror nt

[merh]

11. Anyone who intentionally acts to frighten others, who uses violence to instill fear

is a terrorist.

ter⋅ror⋅ist
  /ˈtɛrərɪst/ Show Spelled Pronunciation Show IPA
Use terrorist in a Sentence
See web results for terrorist
See images of terrorist
–noun
1. a person, usually a member of a group, who uses or advocates terrorism.
2. a person who terrorizes or frightens others.
. . .

Hasan, Rodriquez, Sodini, McVeigh, Tiller's killer, the man who killed the british tourist in the shootout at a Texas bar, the man who killed the liberals are all terrorists.

The question is, were they political terrorists? McVeigh was, the Tiller killer was and it may well be that Hasan is/was.

Now, was Hasan a copy cat killer who wanted to be a member of a political terrorist group or who carried out his crimes to align himself with a political terrorist group or was he an actual, acknowledged member of the group is unknown at this time.

McVeigh, Tiller's killer, Adkisson, Rudolph are/were political terrorists.

.

[MrScorpio]

12. What did it say of the penchant not to portray Sodini as a terrorist despite the similarities?

Would it be considered a double standard?

[merh]

13. Yes, it is a double standard.

Abortion clinic bombings are seen as righteous acts and not terrorist acts by some.

McVeigh's attack was seen as the act of a mad man and not a political terrorist act by some.

Sodini targeted women, he set out to terrorize and kill the women at that gym. He targeted a specific group.

Dahmer targeted men and terrorized and murdered men.

There is a definite double standard.

All acts are criminal and horrendous.

The issue with Hasan is not "was he simply a copy cat political terrorist, wannabe political terrorist". The issue is how did he escape the scrutiny of the military, how was he allowed to remain in the military despite his known religious objection to the war and despite his efforts to get out of the military?

The military is broken, they have been using "broken" people to fill their boots for years now. That is what happens when you are fighting two wars using an all volunteer military.

.