Massacre at Fort Hood

Michael Balter 11/06/2009 07:15:00 AM Politics
Americans have choices about how they react to the terrible, tragic massacre that took place yesterday. They can simply condemn it and feel morally superior that they would never do such a thing; or they can try to understand why it might have happened.

Those in the second category might begin by reading this story in today's Washington Post. And possibly also this one about the high suicide rate at Fort Hood.

More shooting. This time in Orlando, Florida. Looks bad. I wonder when anyone will publicly raise the issue of gun control, or rather how guns are out of control. Don't hold your breath.

Michael Balter

Posted by Michael Balter

I have been a working journalist for more than 40 years, beginning in Los Angeles as an investigative reporter and then in Paris as a travel, food, and science writer. For more than 20 years I have covered anthropology and archaeology writer for Science, Audubon, Scientific American, SAPIENS, and other publications. I have also covered sexual misconduct for The Verge, Scientific American, and others; I write about mental health, especially schizophrenia; and I engage in occasional media criticism. I returned to the USA in October 2017 after 30 years in Paris, and now live in the New York City area, where I currently teach journalism at City College of New York (I previously taught journalism at Boston University and New York University.) For more about me and what I do, copies of my articles, information about my book, and other goodies, please visit MY WEB SITE

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4 Comments

Joanna Bryson said…
AFP says that if the Army's suicide rate stays on its current course this year it will be its highest in recent history -- and for the first time, higher than for the general population.

I hadn't realized before reading that that it wasn't already higher than the normal population's. Funny what articles don't mention. Not that increasing suicide rates (and murder and domestic abuse) aren't cause for concern anyway.
November 6, 2009 at 8:35 AM
Anne Gilbert said…
I don't exactly know how to respond to this horrible tragedy. The man was clearly troubled; the way the Washington Post describes him, he was really reserved and kind of a loner. Being a Muslim isn't going to help him any. But it really sounds like he was holding something inside, for a very long time. And finally, it all just blew up. Why didn't the military recognize this? Why didn't they just let himg tet a discharge? I wish I knew. Because f they had, this could all have been averted. I hope they know that now.
November 6, 2009 at 6:05 PM
Richard Parker said…
"Being a Muslim isn't going to help him any."

Won't help other Muslims much, either

Coiuldn't he have been a Jehovah's Witness?
November 6, 2009 at 8:17 PM
Richard Parker said…
Anne, you should understand that the American military/industrial complex is very over-stretched in its recruitment of cannon fodder.

Most Americans now know what cannon fodder means, and don't want to be part of it.

And, I think, this was this man's problem, after a few years of dealing with returned soldiers with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders.

All the psychiatry in the world can't fix those things.

At the end, the day before he was to be deployed, he broke.

In the circumstances, I might have done so too. But I would have targetted the Fort Hood HQ.

Blowing out a few fat-slappy colonels would get better press coverage.
November 6, 2009 at 9:02 PM
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