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Poll: Solid Majority Worried About Backlash Against Muslims In Military

The headline on the new Rasmussen poll is this: “60% Want Fort Hood Shooting Investigated as Terrorist Act.”

But the more interesting news, buried in the internals, is that a solid majority, or 57%, is very or somewhat concerned that the shooting will trigger a backlash against Muslims in the armed forces:

5. How concerned are you that the shooting at Fort Hood will prompt a backlash against Muslims serving in the military — very concerned, somewhat concerned, not very concerned, not at all concerned?

23% Very concerned

34% Somewhat concerned

29% Not very concerned

11% Not at all concerned

2% Not sure

That finding is particularly interesting in light of the fact that a majority in the same poll wants the shooting probed as a terrorist act. And it demonstrates, once again, how extraordinarily far to the right of the mainstream conservative commentators — some of whom have worked hard to foment just this kind of backlash — have drifted.

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Posted by Greg Sargent | 11/11/2009, 10:12 AM EST | Categories: military, political media, polling

102 Responses

  1. ChuckinDenton | November 11th, 2009 at 10:19 am

    I wish that number was a helluva lot higher.

    It’ll be interesting to see how military law deals with or defines a terrorist act from within.

  2. mike from Arlington | November 11th, 2009 at 10:20 am

    This is all to build up to the big headline “First Terrorist Attack on U.S. Soil Since 9/11 Happened on Obama’s Watch”

    Wait and see. Don’t perpetuate this ****.

    I wonder who’s pushing you to post what Greg or is this something you just happened to skim across?

  3. mike from Arlington | November 11th, 2009 at 10:21 am

    Can I call the Muslim who terrorized NoVA and MD and was just executed yesterday evening a terrorist attack?

    After all, he did terrorize everyone in the region. Right?

  4. Greg Sargent | November 11th, 2009 at 10:24 am

    Mike — not sure I follow. This poll means that people aren’t buying the right wing line that the shooting means we should purge Muslims from the military

  5. sgwhiteinfla | November 11th, 2009 at 10:25 am

    Well when you have the propaganda arm of the GOP saying we should have special debriefings for every single Muslim in the military then I think most smart people SHOULD be worried.

    I wonder why nobody suggested debriefing all Christians after McVeigh set off his bombs…

    And for those people who think its entirely reasonable to treat every Muslim in the military like a terrorist I just want to ask you what you think that will do as far as putting our troops in even more harms way and also how the hell we are going to have a counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan or anywhere else if we don’t have people who can speak the language and act as translators for us in the Middle East and Asia.

    Some folks need to really REALLY think this through.

  6. Tena | November 11th, 2009 at 10:29 am

    “I wonder why nobody suggested debriefing all Christians after McVeigh set off his bombs…”

    Comment of the year!

  7. sgwhiteinfla | November 11th, 2009 at 10:29 am

    @mike from Arlington

    Uhmm I have ALWAYS said Muhammed and Malvueau were domestic terrorists. Thats part of the reason it always pissed me off when Bush or Cheney would tell that lie about preventing terrorists attacks after 9-11. That ish happened right in DC and they couldn’t stop it. The other reason being of course the anthrax.

    Not sure how that relates to this though.

  8. mike from Arlington | November 11th, 2009 at 10:32 am

    “60% Want Fort Hood Shooting Investigated as Terrorist Act.”

    Rasmussen is asking this for a reason. If you haven’t been listening to right wing radio and watching Drudge and also Sean Hannity has been pushing it, they are trying to frame via propaganda that the first terrorist attack since 9/11 happened on Obama’s watch. Hence, the meme, Obama can’t keep America safe.

    Just sayin’.

  9. quarterback | November 11th, 2009 at 10:33 am

    In what respect isn’t it a terrorist act?

    In the respect that you don’t want there to have been a terrorist attack on “Obama’s watch”? But what else?

    If it is a matter of motivation and objectives, there isn’t any doubt. He is a Muslim radical who killed based on his murderous “theology” of hate and conquest, to strike a blow against America. Is there any debate about that? NO.

    But I have not seen an conservatives calling for a purge of all Muslims. Perhaps I missed this outcry, but it appears you all are just attacking a straw man.

  10. Greg Sargent | November 11th, 2009 at 10:34 am

    Mike, that’s exactly why I highlighted the other number instead as the real news.

  11. quarterback | November 11th, 2009 at 10:35 am

    ““I wonder why nobody suggested debriefing all Christians after McVeigh set off his bombs…”

    Comment of the year!”

    Is there some evidence that McVeigh acted based on Christianity?

  12. mike from Arlington | November 11th, 2009 at 10:36 am

    qb, was the Muslim guy that terrorized NoVA and MD a few years back and got executed last night a terrorist?

  13. mike from Arlington | November 11th, 2009 at 10:41 am

    I see the headline. I see the summary at the end. I also saw the statistic that will be used no doubtingly as a confirmation to the right wingers to keep pounding their message.

    I guess I look at things differently is all. :(

  14. quarterback | November 11th, 2009 at 10:43 am

    Yes, I would say he was, a domestic terrorist who thought he was part of a greater, global cause.

    Now, is Hasan a terrorist?

    And why would Timothy McVeigh suggest that we are in danger from Christian “terrorists” when he wasn’t even close to being Christian? Why the kneejerk liberal need to find a false equivalency?

  15. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 10:50 am

    QB, why didn’t Bush stop Hasan?

  16. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 10:51 am

    QB, why didn’t the FBI under Bush stop Hasan?

  17. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 10:52 am

    QB, why didn’t the Bush Administration fix the compartmentalization that supposedly led to the 9/11 attacks?

  18. rukidding | November 11th, 2009 at 10:53 am

    OK QB how about the ***** who murdered the Doc in Kansas…or for that matter the many heinous acts of terrorism perpetrated by Christians at abortion clinics. Are those not domestic terrorism. Why don’t they get reported as terrorism?

    Here is the hard truth that exposes what losers and scumbags the Rovian right has become. When 9/11 occurred was the first kneejerk reaction of the left to blame Bush? NO!!! Bush had a very RARE opportunity with the country actually united…and so what did he do with that opportunity….completely blew it with a trmped up war against Irag to prove he was better than Poppy and HE could take out Iraq. We ARE STILLL PAYING for Bush’s arrogance and Cheney’s paranoia and cowardice in the face of real action…something he was able to avoid with 5 deferrments.

  19. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 10:53 am

    QB, why didn’t the Bush Administration’s Homeland Security department sense the pending “terrorist attack” and take Hasan down?

  20. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 10:55 am

    QB, why didn’t the Bush Administration have more sensitivity to Muslim Americans serving with distinction in the military?

  21. mike from Arlington | November 11th, 2009 at 10:56 am

    qb. I’m just saying this.

    Right wingers are itching for some solid propaganda to paint America as unsafe under Obama, especially in light of the Cheney fiasco, where Cheney said Obama is making America less safe.

    Unless Democrats wake up at the wheel, the right wingers will win this by getting out there first as they have been heavily on the Fox propaganda channel and other news outlets.

    If people don’t make light of events such as John Allen Mohammed when these statistics are brought up, they are further perpetuating the confidence of the mis-informers.

    Maybe I’m looking into this too much.

  22. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 10:59 am

    QB, why did the Bush Administration under-resource military psychiatry?

    There were only 15 on staff at Ft Hood.

  23. Tena | November 11th, 2009 at 11:04 am

    I don’t think he was a terrorist – he was a guy who snapped. He was a lone crazy gunman. He didn’t go after a certain group to terrorize them into doing or not doing something – he wanted to commit suicide and he was a coward who decided to take out a bunch of people with him.

    That’s not really terrorism. That’s Lee Harvey Oswald territory = or Charles Whitman, the UT tower sniper = who was an ex-Marine, as was Oswald.

  24. mike from Arlington | November 11th, 2009 at 11:05 am

    I know wikipidia shouldn’t be used but I couldn’t find a better summary of what happend.

    “On November 17, 2003, by verdict of his jury, Muhammad was convicted in Virginia of all four counts in the indictment against him: capital murder for the shooting of Dean H. Meyers; a second charge of capital murder under Virginia’s antiterrorism statute, for homicide committed with an intent to terrorize the government or the public at large; conspiracy to commit murder; and the illegal use of a firearm.”

    Remember this when the meme starts to brew that no terrorism attack happened after 9/11 and it wasn’t until Obama was in office that one did.

  25. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 11:09 am

    QB, why do you refuse to answer questions about George W. Bush and the Republican Terrorist Party?

    Is it because you are a homegrown political terrorist?

  26. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 11:10 am

    QB, I’m looking forward to your answers to all of my questions about the insane, demented, terrorist Republican Party. Thanks.

  27. Joel | November 11th, 2009 at 11:11 am

    The correct question is not ““I wonder why nobody suggested debriefing all Christians after McVeigh set off his bombs…”, but why nobody suggested debriefing all Republicans after McVeigh set off his bomb. He was motivated by the same distrust and anger at the government that drives the tea party movement.

    Not all terrorists are religiously motivated.

    I would suggest that Hasan was a terrorist, but since he seems to have been acting alone, there just isn’t much more to do than fry him up and move on.

    Malvo and Muhammed seem not to have been politically motivated, and hence would not be classified as terrorism. No less horrific, but not terrorism.

  28. Michael | November 11th, 2009 at 11:12 am

    Ethan, most of your comments can be filed under badgering, and don’t really have any real substance to them. By trying to blame this on the Bush administration is just shows how much you are fawning over Obama and his administration. If you want to continue to escape reality just blame Bush for all of the problems we have right now.

  29. Tena | November 11th, 2009 at 11:12 am

    mike – it wasn’t terrorism.

    Man, that word has gotten very loose as far as application of it goes – this was one guy who went psychotic.

    That’s not terrorism dammit.

  30. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 11:12 am

    QB, I hope you answer my questions.

    Because if you don’t then you are weak on defense and a coward.

  31. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 11:13 am

    Michael, answer the questions.

    Or you are weak on defense and a coward.

  32. Tena | November 11th, 2009 at 11:14 am

    What this was was the adult equivalent of Columbine. He sounds like he had the same grievances those two boys had.

  33. Tena | November 11th, 2009 at 11:16 am

    “Ethan, most of your comments can be filed under badgering, and don’t really have any real substance to them. By trying to blame this on the Bush administration is just shows how much you are fawning over Obama and his administration. If you want to continue to escape reality just blame Bush for all of the problems we have right now.”

    That’s a nothing of a comment, to say the least. It’s a straight personal attack with no substance.

  34. mike from Arlington | November 11th, 2009 at 11:16 am

    Ethan, lol. Are you asking me that?

  35. Michael | November 11th, 2009 at 11:17 am

    Joel, generalizing comments about other groups (christian, republican, muslim, atheist, democrat, or otherwise) is irresponsible and ignorant. You are committing the same error of those who think muslims need to be “monitored”.

  36. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 11:17 am

    “Ethan, lol. Are you asking me that?”

    Hahaha, no silly, that was to: Michael | November 11th, 2009 at 11:12 am

  37. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 11:18 am

    Michael, are you going to answer my questions or prove that you are a coward? Looking forward to your replies. Thanks.

  38. Michael | November 11th, 2009 at 11:21 am

    Ethan, you already have your own answers and are not looking for a conversation or debate. I don’t answer to you, I don’t need to justify my opinions to you no more than you need to justify yours to me. Cowardice has nothing to do with responding to a faceless post.

  39. Joel | November 11th, 2009 at 11:22 am

    No. I’m pointing out the fallacy. I don’t think we should be watching just Muslims, or just Right Wing Crazies, or just PETA, or just anybody. The government needs to act on any reasonable threat, and dig up those threats wherever they occur. They seem to have dropped the ball on this Hasan case.

    I’ve been saying to anyone who will listen, the minute we turn this into a crusade against the muslims, you justify all of the extremist’s actions.

  40. quarterback | November 11th, 2009 at 11:25 am

    “this was one guy who went psychotic”

    What is the evidence of that? As opposed to all the evidence that he is a radical Islamist and murdered for the same reason his fellow jihadists do?

  41. quarterback | November 11th, 2009 at 11:28 am

    Ethan,

    No, I won’t be answering your moronic questions, because they are . . . moronic.

    Why are you a moron?

    Blaming Bush for terrorism under Obama, though, wow that’s original and ingenious.

  42. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 11:28 am

    I don’t have answers, I have facts.

    What do you have to prove your point?

    Oh, that’s right, NOTHING.

    And the fact of the matter is that you refuse to answer these questions NOT because of me, but because of YOU. Your party has NEVER ANSWERED THESE QUESTIONS GOING ON 10 YEARS.

    So, I hope you enjoy being a pathetic coward. That’s great for you. But it’s horrible for the United States of America.

  43. paperbackroddy | November 11th, 2009 at 11:29 am

    There definately should not be a purge in the ranks but a light should have went off when someone as a mental health professional needed to be supervised..and being the rank of major. By the time you reach that rank there should be no question to your level of professionalism and competency..he should have been put under a strict review and probed on his capabilities..you would have dismissed him a long time ago.

  44. Joel | November 11th, 2009 at 11:31 am

    Hasan served 2 years under Bush. His administration could have starting investigating this guy when he was contacting radical muslim clerics in 2007. They didn’t. Bush’s administration might not be completely culpable, but they are partially responsibility. OTOH, to claim that any president is responsible for this attack is insane.

  45. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 11:31 am

    Thank you for proving my point YET AGAIN, QB.

    QB, do you REALLY THINK that these questions are “MORONIC”??????????

    why did the Bush Administration under-resource military psychiatry?

    why didn’t the Bush Administration fix the compartmentalization that supposedly led to the 9/11 attacks?

    why didn’t the Bush Administration have more sensitivity to Muslim Americans serving with distinction in the military?

    Are those questions REALLY “moronic”??????

    Why are they moronic, QB?

    Please answer why you think that under-resourcing military psychiatry DURING YEARS OF WAR AND MOUNTING CASUALTIES is “moronic”??????

    I’d like to know your answer to that one. Thanks.

  46. Michael | November 11th, 2009 at 11:32 am

    I can agree with some of that. IMO, leaving the responsibility of identifying threats on human life solely to the gov’t is a mistake. There were citizens who were concerned about Hasan (Imam near Ft. Hood, students in master’s program) but out of fear or lack of action, decided not to blow a whistle or raise a flag. I agree that we should not turn this into a crusade.

  47. American Citizen | November 11th, 2009 at 11:32 am

    conservatives want so desperately to blame this on President Obama that they can’t contain themselves. But if you did have to look at it from a Governments at fault stand point, this would turn out to be another thing that started long before his time. So it truly doesn’t profit them nothing. But the GOP practices just say it and apologize for it later no matter how irresponsible we are in spreading false hoods we just want our people to believe it and run with it.
    We still continue to have the issue with White Supremacy group member being looked over and allowed to serve in the military.
    There are a number of issues to deal with here not just muslims in the military.

  48. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 11:38 am

    Michael, simple question.

    Do you think the anti-Muslim atmosphere in the military contributed to Hasan’s attack?

  49. sbj | November 11th, 2009 at 11:40 am

    “A solid majority, or 57%, is very or somewhat concerned that the shooting will trigger a backlash against Muslims in the armed forces.”

    Who are these people? I, for one, have more faith in our military than to think they will suddenly “go off” on Muslims.

    If this tragedy could have been averted then we should find out what went wrong and fix it so that it doesn’t happen again. That’s all there is to it. Pay no attention to the talking heads on either side.

  50. Tena | November 11th, 2009 at 11:40 am

    “Please answer why you think that under-resourcing military psychiatry DURING YEARS OF WAR AND MOUNTING CASUALTIES is “moronic”??????”

    It’s especially moronic considering that since January of this year, 10 soldiers have killed themselves at Ft. Hood.

    That’s not the highest number this year, either. Ft. Leavenworth, KS has had 17 suicides.

    We have record high numbers of military suicides and have since 2004.

    We do have a big problem that has nothing to do with religion.

    I’m out – later.

  51. Michael | November 11th, 2009 at 11:42 am

    IMO this situation has more to do with the policies and standards in place within the U.S. Military, CIA, FBI, and NSA. Granted, culpability ultimately lies with the President for how these organizations are run, but these policies and standards have been in place for some time. We have seen example of how poor communication is between these organizations. There are military members who were too afraid to say anything, because they didn’t want to be perceived as a racist.

  52. ytorch | November 11th, 2009 at 11:50 am

    The Ras Poll? Gas.

    It’s financed by the right to push disinformation – fear, uncertainty, doubt (FUD).

    The nutjobs always turn to this one poll to make their points.

    Having said that, I hope Hasan fries.

  53. Michael | November 11th, 2009 at 11:53 am

    Ethan. You are insinuating that there is a Anti-Muslim atmosphere in the military. I recently served in the military, and worked in the mental health field. I have not seen this atmosphere. Unfortunately, we are fighting wars in two Muslim countries right now. When a soldier is injured or killed in those situations, there is an tendency for uninformed people to blame everyone in those countries, and everyone who is of that faith.
    That being said, I know and have worked with many muslims in our military. They love their country, and find no conflict fighting against Al-Quida members who are radial muslims at best.

  54. quarterback | November 11th, 2009 at 11:54 am

    Yeah, sure, Ethan,

    It is the fault of our country’s and the military’s “anti-Muslim sentiment” that he had to murder people. You’re totally right, it’s our fault, not his.

    Can you even hear yourself?

  55. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 11:54 am

    Michael, thank you for a civil response to my question.

    And thank you for the “IMO” in your comment at 11:32am. I am sick and tired of blind, fraudulent assertions from Republicans that have no basis in fact and yet are presented as such. QB, are you listening? See how he said “IMO”? You could learn a thing or two from your friend here.

    In response to your comment, Michael:

    I agree that the President sets the tone for the defense and intel apparatus. It is quite clear in my mind, my opinion, that the Bush Administration’s approach to the U.S. military not only inflamed opposition to American foreign operations, but encouraged — or at minimum failed to prevent — anti-Muslim sentiment in our own national security system.

    Quite clearly, again imho, President Obama has done an excellent job at changing the tone from the sort of cowboy diplomacy at the end of a gun to a more thoughtful approach that is INCLUSIVE of the moderate Muslim community both in the USA and outside our borders.

    It is unfortunate, in my opinion, that the Republican Party and Neoconservatives would rather continue to force our troops into the meat grinder while denying them needed services at home.

  56. Mom | November 11th, 2009 at 11:56 am

    Don’t you guys get it? It’s only terrorism if a person of Middle-Eastern ethnicity commits an act of mass murder. For everyone else, especially WASPs, it’s a dispicable crime of passion!

  57. Michael | November 11th, 2009 at 11:56 am

    Sorry, *radical* muslims at best

  58. NOBAMA | November 11th, 2009 at 12:01 pm

    THE ‘BACKLASH’ THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT IS MORE TERRORIST ACTS BY RADICAL MUSLIMS IN THE MILITARY!

  59. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 12:03 pm

    “You are insinuating that there is a Anti-Muslim atmosphere in the military. I recently served in the military, and worked in the mental health field. I have not seen this atmosphere.”

    Yes, that is what I am insinuating. I appreciate your anecdotal evidence, but I think it is almost delusional not to admit that there is — at least to SOME DEGREE — severe anti-Muslim bias in the military. I mean, just look at the Republican Party. They are convinced that our PRESIDENT is a Muslim! Don’t you think that Republicans serving in the military might hold the same beliefs? Again, it would be delusional to ignore the reality that there is a strong anti-Muslim bias both in the USA generally and in the military specifically.

    QB said: “It is the fault of our country’s and the military’s “anti-Muslim sentiment” that he had to murder people. You’re totally right, it’s our fault, not his.”

    CLEARLY anti-Muslim sentiment in the USA and in the military was a contributing factor to his insanity and thus to his attack.

    Do you disagree, QB?

    If not, please tell me your opinion as to why he did what he did.

  60. amk | November 11th, 2009 at 12:03 pm

    “23% very concerned” = self-identified repugs.

    End of story. Nothing to see here. Move along people.

  61. Michael | November 11th, 2009 at 12:04 pm

    Tena, I will agree with you here. There is not enough being done for our troops who are deploying every other year. Death/Injured/Suicide numbers are tragic and immediate. Over the next decades we will see the long term effect of these wars on our service members.

  62. quarterback | November 11th, 2009 at 12:10 pm

    “CLEARLY anti-Muslim sentiment in the USA and in the military was a contributing factor to his insanity and thus to his attack.

    Do you disagree, QB?

    If not, please tell me your opinion as to why he did what he did.”

    My opinion is that he murdered for the reason all the evidence tells us — he is a radical Islamist who acted based on a theology of murder and conquest. Like all the jihadists.

    Where is the evidence that he was insane?

  63. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 12:11 pm

    So, just for clarity’s sake, you DISAGREE that anti-Muslim sentiment was a contributing factor in his rampage.

    Right?

  64. quarterback | November 11th, 2009 at 12:13 pm

    “See how he said “IMO”? You could learn a thing or two from your friend here.”

    Just can the condescending bull, little boy. I know the difference between fact an opinion. You apparently don’t. That’s your handicap, not mine.

  65. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 12:15 pm

    A lesson in how to be a hypocrite in a single sentence, by QB:

    “Just can the condescending bull, little boy”

  66. Michael | November 11th, 2009 at 12:16 pm

    Ethan. Too many sweeping generalities. How far down the military rabbit hole do you want to go? While I’m sure there are anti-muslim soldiers in the military, there are many more who know, work with, and trust muslims (whether in our military or another). You have to understand that being deployed to and immersed in muslim countries many soldiers reach some level of understanding and appreciation of the muslim culture. They have much more interaction with muslims than the average american, and also receive cultural/religious training.

  67. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 12:19 pm

    Michael, okay, let me try again.

    Do you think that whatever anti-muslim sentiment there is that exists in the military is HARMFUL to the military (and thus national security)?

  68. Adrian | November 11th, 2009 at 12:50 pm

    Silly hairsplitters. Zoom out to the larger context.

    Hasan was one of a small group of people who had to deal daily with – not just unsanitized but super-concentrated – data about the real impact of our warcrimes on Iraqi and Afghani civilians. From the people acting as the actual instruments of those criminal policies.

    He was hearing – day after day after day – vivid indisputable eyewitness participant perspectives on the misdirected fire, the stray bombs, the accidental shooting of innocent men, women and children; and the random bursts of murder, rape and savagery all armies commit in wars.

    Plus he was hearing the Dominionist/Xtianist horsesh*t rhetoric and anti-Muslim paranoia that are rife Stateside (especially in the military) too, which just exacerbated the same reality that has been radicalizing thousands of Middle Easterners: “the West” has repeatedly f*cked over Muslim societies for not just decades but centuries: over oil, “noble” Xtian Crusades, strategic superpower jockeying, the imposition of Israel, etc etc. And the US is the clear central power of “the West.”

    And like the rest of the world, he could see – from close up – that our society and political system is utterly unwilling to investigate and prosecute our chief war criminals: the prior Bush regime. So any return to justice and rule of law will take years (and rivers of innocent blood) more to come – only either when the rest of the international community gives up on our corruption and launches prosecutions in the Hague, or when we are forced to stop because we’ve finally spent ourselves into bankruptcy too far beyond even the already-stretched tolerance of our various foreign lenders.

    So, when the Army refused to spare him the additional stress of parking him at the actual crime-scene, he broke.

    Hasan was no sleeper agent in any infiltrating cell. He was just a guy who the US Army, as the neocon’s favorite tool of US policy, finally drove to the same levels of overwhelming anger, humiliation and desperation as the people driven to fight back against their latest foreign occupiers in the streets of Baghdad, Fallujah, Kabul, Takhar, Zabul, etc.

    It’s not “our freedoms” that “they” are motivated to attack, as [dis]articulated by BushCo re Beirut 1983, World Trade 1993, USS Cole 2000, World Trade 2001, or this event.

    It’s our arrogant, corrupt, contemptuous and murderous foreign policies that keep causing people to give up their own lives in last-ditch personal stands. Why is this so hard for us to recognize?

    After all, when we see our own troops disregard personal safety and charge seemingly impregnable positions with motivations along the lines of “I may be up against overwhelming odds, but at least I’ll take a few more of the ******** down with me to avenge my brothers (and sisters),” if against all expectation they survive, we give them medals and call them heroes.

  69. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 12:52 pm

    hmmm… the trolls have vanished. maybe they went back to freeperville to re-up on lies since they seem to have expended their supply on this thread.

  70. David | November 11th, 2009 at 12:57 pm

    Under U.S. law, terrorist acts are by definition against civilian targets. http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode22/usc_sec_22_00002656—f000-.html#d_2

  71. Dan | November 11th, 2009 at 12:59 pm

    To all dumbasses,

    No matter how much you would like to believe the contrary, America is most at danger from Christian radicals. We are most at danger from crazy white men (not always in the name of God) than we will ever be by Muslims.

    The Ku Klux Klan is a Christian organization that has been responsible for an innumerable amount of deaths. Just because they didn’t victimize whites, doesn’t mean they aren’t terrorists.

    Eric Robert Rudolph, who was tied to the Army of God and Christian Identity, killed 2 people and injured 150 others by bombings. A terrorist.

    The bombing of the LA Times building – killed 21 people. Carried out by two white Irish-Americans.

    Bombing of Wall Street. Killed 38, injured 200. Carried out by followers of an Italian-American anarchist.

    Unabomber. Crazy white dude in the forest.

    McVeigh and Nichols – right-wing extremists who killed 168 in the Oklahoma City bombing.

    Anthrax attacks in 2001 – crazy white scientist dude.

    Holocaust museum attack – crazy racist white dude.

    According to NAF, since 1977 in the United States and Canada, property crimes committed against abortion providers have included 41 bombings, 173 arsons, 91 attempted bombings or arsons, 619 bomb threats, 1630 incidents of trespassing, 1264 incidents of vandalism, and 100 attacks with butyric acid (”stink bombs”). These carried out by predominantly whites, all Christians.

    Now some of you idiots might use the Major Hasan case to think you’re at risk from a terrorist attack from a radical Muslim.

    Me? I play the numbers and facts. And the facts say that I have a greater chance of being victimized by some crazy, right-wing white male Christian than by anyone else.

    You have about as much chance of being victimized by a radical Muslim as you do of being victmized by the boogeyman, a vampire, a zombie, or being struck by lightning.

    Stop the culture of stupidity. Arm yourself with facts.

  72. Dan | November 11th, 2009 at 01:01 pm

    And don’t forget the crazy white suburban kids who are always shooting up their schools.

    Yes, so even your kids stand a greater chance of being victimized by crazy white kids as they do from some crazy Muslim who misinterprets his religion.

  73. amk | November 11th, 2009 at 01:12 pm

    Dan – A star for you.

  74. nellpost | November 11th, 2009 at 01:12 pm

    I’m old enough to let you all know that we white “entitled” folks have certainly threatened and worse any/all others who were not just like us: white. For example, Catholics, Italians, Baptists, Methodists, African Americans, anyone! History repeats itself. And I’m sure my grandparents and their friends, sat around the kitchen table, fearing the Eye-tal-ians, Germans, Chinks, Jews, and God know who else (since there were MANY) were going to kill us all! Hate is hate. Stay above it, please!

  75. News Reference | November 11th, 2009 at 01:14 pm

    There are 1.4 BILLION law-abiding Muslims.

    Yes, there is a tiny fraction of extremists that kill people and do crazy things.

    But right wing Christianists need to take the plank out of their own eye before they start throwing stones at a stranger’s religion.

    Right wing Christians have regularly committed terrorist acts in the US for decades, most recently the assassination of a Medical Doctor.

    Right wing extremist television hosts on FOX regularly incite violence against Americans. The Doctor that was murdered was repeatedly targeted by Fox host Bill O’Reilly.

    Fox host O’Reilly even encouraged terrorists to attack an American city. Fox host Glenn Beck has repeatedly fantasized about murdering Americans. Fox guests are even worse in their terrorist advocacy.

    Rupert Murdoch’s Fox propaganda is no worse than a crazy radical Imam or Hezbollah tv, at least crazy radical Imams and Hezbollah tv are marginalized as extremists. Murdoch’s Fox hosts brag about how popular they are and are still defended by corporate-media entertainers.

    If ‘profiling’ is watching who listens to advocates of terrorism than Fox watchers who listen to terrorist advocates like Bill O’Reilly or the murdering fantasy’s of Glenn Beck would need to be on the short list.

    Right wingers need to take the plank out of their own eye before they start advocating for “profiling” (something that right wingers freak out about when it’s THEM that are profiled).

  76. amk | November 11th, 2009 at 01:18 pm

    Amen News Reference. :)

  77. gbox | November 11th, 2009 at 01:43 pm

    Stop with the idiotic comparisons of McVeigh and Hasan. McVeigh never claimed to be Christian. In fact he wasn’t sure there was a God. He was anti-government. And for the record, Christianity does not command followers to kill non-believers. Can anybody point to a church teaching followers that they will enter Paradise by killing infidels?

  78. oddjob | November 11th, 2009 at 01:49 pm

    Christianity’s holy book is replete with commands from God to slaughter entire populations of other ethnic groups.

  79. Soliel | November 11th, 2009 at 01:52 pm

    Unbelievable! 13 victims of Muslim intolerance/hate and violence and we are worried about a Muslim backlash?

    I’ll tell you what should be done. Anyone in the military who expresses Islamic hate/killing/violence should be ousted and watched once put back in regular life.

    I don’t call that “backlash”…I call that having enough esteem and common sense to protect more innocents.

  80. Jay | November 11th, 2009 at 01:53 pm

    I don’t understand!!! You hear about acts of violence, in the name of Islam, everyday! Then, a Muslim terrorist guns down over 30 people in Texas and people worry about other Muslims!!! Our own president won’t even say the word terrorist. He goes on an apology tour to all Muslim countries… He selects a legal defender of terrorists to be our Attorney General… This same person, Eric Holder, then goes on to try and discredit our CIA, which tries to keep us safe from these very same Muslim terrorists… The president orders his administration not to call a terrorist a terrorist! Our Homeland Security director rushes to assure Muslim countries that we are working hard to ensure that there won’t be a backlash against Muslims, instead of assuring the American population that they are working hard to ensure another terrorist attack doesn’t happen here!!!! One of B.O.’s priorities is to close GITMO, where we send terrorists. Now, these prisoners are provided with Qur’ans and allowed to pray five times a day, when they perpetrated their violence in the name of the very same religion??? Now, we even read Miranda rights to captured enemy Muslim combatants! I don’t understand!!!

    Whose side is our president on????

    Would you please…? Take the time to read the Qur’an yourself! Learn who the enemies to Islam are, who the non-believers are, what is allowed to convert them to Islam, what awaits someone who dies in the name of Islam… The Qur’an is so violent as to be almost non-believable!!!

    The truth is that we are the enemy of Islam, for many reasons, we are mostly a Christian country, but as a society our values are completely different than those taught by the Qur’an (We are referred to as the Great Satan). We support Israel, their sworn enemy. We fight Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan and even though we defeated a dictator and liberated the people in one case and tried to root out terrorists in the other, we still support democratically elected governments in those countries, not a religious one. I’m afraid that the only way we could reverse this course, would be to change the whole fabric of our country. That is, submit to Islam and Allah, institute Sharia law, give up our wealth, and give up our freedoms, especially the ones that our liberals find so dear!

    The goal of Islam is the world domination of their religion! Read the Qur’an yourself… It is perfectly acceptable, even a duty in the Qur’an to convert people to Islam using violence. This conflict has been going on for centuries! Study the history yourself!

    Don’t you ever wonder why you don’t get more outrage from the Muslim world when there is a terrorist attack here? Don’t you wonder why you can hear about some kind of violence, in the name of Islam, in the news every single day? Don’t you wonder why whole countries cheer when something bad happens to America? Have you not seen what is going on with C.A.I.R right now, the largest Muslim group in America? How many ties to radical Islam they have… How they say one thing in public trying to deceive us, then saying and doing another in private… How they always come to the defense of radical Islamics here!

    There are peaceful Muslims… These are the ones who aren’t religious and don’t really know what the Qur’an says, are able to ignore large sections of their religion or somehow convince themselves that the Qur’an can’t actually mean these things…

    Please find out for yourself!!! Read the Qur’an, study history, and find out what is really going on… In the mean time, stop helping them!!!

    Wake up America!!!

  81. Ethan | November 11th, 2009 at 01:55 pm

    “Can anybody point to a church teaching followers that they will enter Paradise by killing infidels?”

    Rapture much?

    Freaking hypocrite.

  82. Dan | November 11th, 2009 at 01:56 pm

    gbox, I’m not getting paid so I won’t play teacher and attempt to fill in the gaps in your very shallow valley of knowledge.

    Instead, I’ll simply suggest that you actually read the Quran.

    Perhaps you skimmed by the following parts of the KJV Bible.

    1) In Leviticus 25:44-46, the Lord tells the Israelites it’s OK to own slaves, provided they are strangers or heathens.

    2) In Samuel 15:2-3, the Lord orders Saul to kill all the Amalekite men, women and infants.

    3) In Exodus 15:3, the Bible tells us the Lord is a man of war.

    4) In Numbers 31, the Lord tells Moses to kill all the Midianites, sparing only the virgins.

    5) In Deuteronomy 13:6-16, the Lord instructs Israel to kill anyone who worships a different god or who worships the Lord differently.

    6) In Mark 7:9, Jesus is critical of the Jews for not killing their disobedient children as prescribed by Old Testament law.

    7) In Luke 19:22-27, Jesus orders killed anyone who refuses to be ruled by him.

    Now any radical Christian could read those passages and interpret them as god sanctioning violence against Christians.

    Just like radical Muslims misinterpret some parts of the Quran as a sanctioning of violence.

    As NewsReference said though, the vast majority of people in both religions DO NOT misinterpret their respective holy texts.

    You may have also skimmed over the whole Crusades thing. You know, where Christian Europeans invaded the Middle East and killed Muslims in the name of God.

    Your ignorance is staggering gbox. Try reading a book. But this time, one that has more words than pictures.

  83. Desertstraw | November 11th, 2009 at 02:11 pm

    Being liberal does not mean being stupid. The majority of people killed by Muslim terrorists around the world are fellow Muslims. It is not unreasonable to ask why? Important Muslim clerics say that terror killings are anti-Islam. Obviously an unknown, but not insignificant number of Muslims disagree.

    It is wrong to make a great fuss about the Fort Hood massacre, people around here flew flags at half staff, while ignoring the almost daily killing of a hundred innocent civilians in Pakistan.

  84. amk | November 11th, 2009 at 02:13 pm

    Dan – You must post here often. I insist :) .

    News Reference – That goes for you too.

  85. oddjob | November 11th, 2009 at 02:17 pm

    I don’t call that “backlash”…I call that having enough esteem and common sense to protect more innocents.

    I nominate you for membership in the Committee for State Security.

  86. Pat Walter | November 11th, 2009 at 02:26 pm

    I cannot believe the blogs on this site. Is it so hard to call it what it is? It was a lone Muslim jhadist who did not want to be deployed to Afghanistan and wanted to slaughter as many military as possible before he went to meet those virgins. I don’t blame Obama (I don’t even think the president is that concerned about the victims/families) I blame the army, the FBI, the CIA and anyone who was being PC about hurting Hasan’s feelings. God help us if that is the military mindset.

  87. kevin sang | November 11th, 2009 at 02:30 pm

    lets call columbus, illinoi state and VT shootings terrorist acts as well, commited by christians

  88. libertyville | November 11th, 2009 at 02:49 pm

    What the poll suggests is that people are concerned about Islamic terrorists, not concern for Islamic terrorists. I get upset when pollsters try to spin a PC result to meet their sponsors wants.

  89. Thabit | November 11th, 2009 at 02:57 pm

    Ok Why didnt we debrief all christians in government when Timothy McVeigh blew up the government building in Oklahoma ? Christians commit terrorist acts all the time but get no special attention. How do you “Win” a war on terror by using terror in the middle east ? If everyone freaks out every time something happens , you already lost the war on terror

  90. News Reference | November 11th, 2009 at 03:05 pm

    Democratic President Obama gave an extraordinarily compassionate eulogy to those murdered.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/10/obama-ft-hood-speech-full_n_352633.html

    That right wingers would politicize this tragedy is repulsive.

  91. Cool Breeze | November 11th, 2009 at 04:57 pm

    A tip of the hat to Dan, News Reference and Adrian. Unfortunately it the rather ignorant perspective of Jay, Rush Limbaugh, The American Family Association, Sean Hannity etc. whose attitudes and perspectives stimulate hate at home and create mistrust against Americans overseas.

  92. GZ | November 11th, 2009 at 06:51 pm

    Much of this thread is the perfect example of JDS – Jihadi Denial Syndrome.

  93. oddjob | November 11th, 2009 at 08:46 pm

    Acknowledging that jihadis are a tiny minority of Islam is not denial of the existence of jihadis.

    Learn to logic………

  94. quarterback | November 11th, 2009 at 10:14 pm

    I’ve seen a lot of liberal insanity and irresponsible rhetoric on this site, but some of the stuff above goes beyond any final boundary of lunacy and anti-Americanism.

    Some of you like Adrian are literally defending and praising this mass murderer and blaming his atrocious crimes on America and even his victims. I don’t think I’ve ever said this to anyone here, but you are advocating and praising treason. You are a danger to the country and should not be walking free. You are truly a traitor to the country.

  95. DeDe | November 12th, 2009 at 12:03 am

    Minimizing the strength of the jihadi movement – how many posts here describe it as just a “tiny little minority of Islam.” Maybe you need to characterize it as some quirky little fringe group to make yourselves feel powerful and secure. Feeling all morally superior as the Great Defenders of the downtrodden. Very last century thinking…the white man’s burden, etc. You underestimate the threat to the U.S. We are not invincible. Radical Islam does not need your sympathy. For them, an infidel is an infidel is an infidel..so Dan, the “whole Crusades thing” is over- its the whole Islamist thing now, and you, like every American, are their target.

  96. quarterback | November 12th, 2009 at 06:53 am

    Dan,

    Unlike the Koran, the Christian Bible contains no injunctions to Christians for violence, murder, and conquest.

    I don’t know where you got the Bible you are reading, but your claim that “In Luke 19:22-27, Jesus orders killed anyone who refuses to be ruled by him” is simply untrue.

    Similarly, in Mark 7, Jesus was responding to mischievous questions and criticisms of the Pharisees — responding as He often did, by using irony to point out their hypocrisy. You are not just misinterpreting but misrepresenting what the passage says.

    The rest of the passages you cite are descriptions of historical events in the conquest of Canaan by the nation of Israel.

    You really need to stop misrepresenting the text. There is no equivalency to the injunctions to violence and conquest in the Koran and interpretive texts accepted as authoritative by Muslims.

  97. quarterback | November 12th, 2009 at 07:21 am

    Here is an informed perspective on whether Muslim terror is a recent aberration based on misinterpretation.

    http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=M2ZlOWU2ODVjMmU4YjA3YjBiZGQ4ZGE3MWUwOWI3Mjk=

  98. quarterback | November 12th, 2009 at 07:45 am

    And here is a nice primer on the truth about the “religion of peace.”

    http://www.jihadwatch.org/islam-101.html

    There is no equivalency between Islam, which explicitly and unequivocally commands perpetual war against and violent subjugation of “infidels,” and Christianity, nor between the Koran and the Bible.

  99. quarterback | November 12th, 2009 at 08:06 am

    And, Obama misquotes Koran, citing part of passage commanding murder of infidels:

    http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/islamist-perfidy-and-western-naivety-which-is-more-lethal/

    Of course, what Obama said was doubly untrue in that the Koran also explicitly teaches that Muslims need NOT always be truthful but in fact are permitted and required as necessary to lie and dissemble — particularly where necessary to trick infidels about their intentions so as to be able to kill them.

    Religion of peace.

  100. News Reference | November 14th, 2009 at 02:55 am

    It’s sad listening to right wing misinformation try to demonize 1.4 billion law-abiding Muslims.

    Even the whacky right wing thug Bill O’Reilly recognizes that the only military strategy that could possibly be a success is to work with those 1.4 billion law-abiding Muslims.

    And it’s clear that many right wingers cowardice in the face of terrorism leaves them paralyzed and unable to make rational decisions.

    Our American troops need Muslim allies, and yet an astonishing number of fearful right wingers wants to antagonize all of the 1.4 billion law-abiding Muslims who are our natural allies against militant extremists.

    What’s even more bizarre than right wingers false characterization of the Muslim religion is that those same right wingers have clearly NEVER read the Bible. The Bible is filled with horrific violence against those that believed different than what was dictated in the Bible.

    While the vast majority of Christians don’t use violence in the Bible as an excuse to commit acts of terrorism, there are still far too many Christians whose literal interpretation of violent passages of the Bible are interpreted by them as being directions by God to commit horrific acts of violence.

    But smearing all Christians because of the handful of violent Christian terrorists is as absurd as smearing all of Islam because of violent Muslim terrorists.

    But instead of recognizing that, many right wingers have been actively smearing all Muslims, even the 1.4 billion law-abiding Muslims.

    And then they wonder why we don’t have more allies in the Middle East.

    Well, it’s because right wingers keep spitting on those that would ally with US.

  101. v racer | November 16th, 2009 at 09:38 am

    Ethan, because you post a lot doesn’t make you right. In fact it only emphasizes your ignorance over and over.

  102. Tom | November 18th, 2009 at 10:02 pm

    The media described people being in ‘terror’ after the gunman was in custody, but the President doesn’t want to call this ‘terrorism’??? Political Correctness on this matter is not only stupid, but will result in more deaths.

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