Here's an easy question

[base2final]

On the eve of his military trial, accused Fort Hood shooter Maj. Nidal Hasan  released seven pages of handwritten and typed documents to Fox News in which he  appears to renounce his U.S. citizenship, abandons his military oath as a  commissioned officer, and explains his relationship with radical cleric Anwar  al-Awlaki -- the first American targeted for death by the CIA

The question is do you think that this was work place violence or was it an act of a terrorist?

[Snagg]

It's only an "easy question" if you're expecting - or desiring - an easy answer.

Hasan acted alone, without any sanction or assistance from any recognized terrorist organizations. The definitions concerning whether or not this qualifies it as an act of terrorism are still murky; The Unabomber appeared to act alone as well, yet he is referred to as a "terrorist" - And both he and Hasan showed classic signs of mental illness and stress-related derangement that not only may have had profound effects on their abilities to make rational decisions about their actions, but may have to be taken into consideration by the judge doing the sentencing...

Should religious affiliation be the sole benchmark for whether or not an act of violence is an act of terrorism ? Then can we call the Westboro Baptist Church terrorists ?

A real problem is that the word "terrorism" has become a handy catch-all word for when people are wanting to make an emotion-based comment or judgment about a bad person - A grade-school bully who's never heard of al Queda or Fred Phelps can still be called a "terrorist" by the angry parents of his victim, which I think cheapens and dilutes the word "terrorist" in the same way that calling millionaire sports figures and Martha Stewart "heroes" cheapens and dilutes THAT word.

Few people or organizations on earth have worked as hard to turn the word "terrorist" into a make-you-shit-your-pants "BOO !!!" phrase, aimed at gullible rubes, than FAUXNews and the current cadre of GOP congressmen - Obama's a "terrorist", environmental activists are "terrorists", anybody who disagrees with them and publicly says so is a "terrorist"...And I think it's contemptible the way FAUX and the Far Right has diminished the suffering of the victims of 9/11 by so eagerly and cynically using that word just to score cheap emotional and political points...

[ProblemAgain]

gee does it matter what you 'call' him? try him by military tribunal...and if found guilty impose whatever the sentence is for the crimes. easypeasy...unless someone just NEEDS to label stuff...in that case you need the dymolabeler and a lot of tape

[exedir]

Actually you end up with the law.  Murder is done in degrees, and it isn't based on, I know it when I see it.  Currently there is an issue of who and what is a reporter as to how the Attorney General can justify that doing that job can be a criminal act in the course of a reporter doing their story investigation.

Of course, the entire labeling and profiling issue is one of the most talked about items of not just the law, but society and culture, and words, how they are used and what they mean.  

Example, cracker, is not just a food item but it can be a denotative, dismissive and derogatory description for some individuals, a racial epitaph for others.   Or the N-word can be, a friendly, brotherly greeting, or highly charged sign of discrimination and disrespect, a word that can cost someone their life and not just a matter of word play and misuse.

[base2final]

"gee does it matter what you 'call' him?" It does if you think the victims deserve to get benefits. If it's called work place violence they get nothing. What do you think now Problem?

[ProblemAgain]

the victims are or were in the military. they get benefits because it is linked to their service. or weren't you aware of how the military operates? someone might be giving you false information...come over from the dark side...get the facts before you pontificate

[LoveLife&Laughter]

 

Victims of the shooting rampage filed a lawsuit last year over the administration’s decision to treat the incident as workplace violence. They say that designation has robbed them of benefits and made them ineligible to receive the Purple Heart, awarded to service members wounded in battle.

They really don’t have an option He was an active-duty officer. The crime occurred on a military installation.  It was obvious he was going to face a court-martial, and the Uniform Code of Military Justice does not have a punitive article for “terrorism”.

A Purple Heart Medal qualifies one for a lifetime 10-point government job preference for many federal and state agency jobs

[Woody Woods]

I thought Timothy McVeigh was a terrorist and I believe this guy is a terrorist. If he aligns himself with a terrorist group, in my mind he's a terrorist. Don't care if he's an American or not. Timothy McVeigh's bombing was a political act, supposedly against the government. Maj. Nidal Hasan's act seemed to be against the government. The KKK was considered a terrorist organization because their aim was to terrorize....and eliminate...a whole race of people. They used 'terror' to keep people from fighting for their rights, voting, existing. I believe that a person can act alone and be called a 'terrorist'. His act is to kill and cause terror, panic and chaos. Disrupt, confuse and prevent are other words that come to mind too. Seriel killers are a different breed. They seem to kill randomly and in many cases...for sexual gratification. And they seem to be more mentally disabled than a terrorist. Terrorist seem to have a religious or political agenda.  I've always believed that politics and religion can and will breed fanatics. Fanatics who will kill because of their beliefs. Do I think these people are mentally disturbed??? No. I think they are perfectly sane in what they do, they are just evil. There's a fine line that most of us won't cross when it comes to killing someone. Most of us won't do it because we know it's morally wrong. But  there are some of us....although sane....will cross that thin line in the name of a particular religion or political belief......or in some cases, because of pure hate....evil. They know full well what they are doing...they just don't care. I don't see that as a mental disorder.............

[LoveLife&Laughter]

"His act is to kill and cause terror, panic and chaos"

This could be about the "Stand Your Ground" laws.

[base2final]

Do you really think that Laughter?

[LoveLife&Laughter]

Are you a slow reader lol...