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Fort Hood attack was act of terrorism
To the editor:
Nov. 5, 2009. As you may or may not remember, that was the day that Maj. Nidal Hasan killed 13 and wounded 31 at Fort Hood, Texas. During this attack, he yelled the same words that terrorists all over the world have during their attacks and deliberately went about targeting military personnel.
Hasan had more than 20 communications with Anwar al-Awlaki an American turned terrorist and head of Al-qaeda on the Arabian Peninsula, who was eventually killed in a drone attack. In some of these communications, Hasan asked al-Awlaki when jihad is appropriate, and whether it is permissible if innocents are killed in a suicide attack.
Yet, the Obama administration and the president as its head, refuses to call this attack a terrorist attack. Instead, they call it workplace violence, like when an ex-husband goes to his former wife's employment and shoots her and others. Clearly, he had moral support and unknown other help and encouragement from known terrorists to perform these acts.
Now you may wonder why does this matter? He's obviously guilty and there is no way that considering the numbers of witnesses and amounts of other evidence that he will be convicted and either get the death penalty or life in prison. That's not the problem. The problem is the workplace violence designation instead of combat-related.
The victims cannot get a Purple Heart medal for being wounded, and the benefits are not the same either. The administration claims it would make it more difficult for the defense in the trial if Hasan was called a terrorist. Who cares? That's what he is. These were brave men and women who joined our military to protect us and our freedoms. In a way, it is worse to be wounded or killed by a terrorist on American soil than it is overseas. They deserve this medal and all the benefits they can get and should get.
What do I want you to do? Contact the president of the United States at the White House in Washington, D.C. I believe that would be all the address needed. Do not send an email. They do not have the same effect as a letter. Ever Google anything and see the first 10 or so hits? Ever notice it was 10 out of 27 million or something like that? Didn't mean much did it? How about if that 27 million hits landed in your living room on separate sheets of paper? Bet you would notice then. So, invest in a stamp, write a short note, mail it (help the post office in the process) and let stacks and stack of letters show up to give a visual appreciation of the numbers supporting this position. Help get these service people what they deserve.