I turned on the TV this morning and found Hulk Hogan, wearing a pink doo rag, promoting his new book telling all about his recent depression and near suicide. Jesus Christ Almighty, is nothing sacred? What’s next, "T'he Navy Seal Diet" book? Dick Butkus coming out of the closet on Oprah? Why can’t people just shut up and keep a little tiny part of their lives to themselves? I don’t want to know.F&LinR Update: I’ve been retired a month now. The farewell tour seems to be over. I kept my monthly train pass and Manhattan gym membership through October, but now I plan to visit the city only upon special invitation. I nearly went in yesterday for the Yankee parade, but came to my senses in time to spare myself the agony of being surrounded by 2-3 million blue-clad loud mouths who think they are special because they root for a team that can afford to spend unlimited dough to get the best players. My last “Canyon of Heroes” event was in ’81 when the Iran hostages got their parade; I’m glad I left it at that.
So I joined a new gym in Westchester and the contrast is interesting. In Manhattan the male/female ratio was about 50-50 and we all wore the same bland, baggy uniforms of blue shorts and gray tees. In Westchester it is a woman’s world. I’ve been one of only two men among 25 women in the spin classes, and there are no uniforms. These woman have a definite look. It would be a great setting for “The Housewives of Westchester County” should they make one. One should never judge a book by the cover, but where’s the fun in that? Let me try: good schools, a few years with prime jobs while living on the Upper West Side or Tribeca, then off to the suburbs once the kiddies arrived. They are nothing if not tasteful, and their typical gym outfit cost more than I used to spend on a suit. Whatever happened to natural fibers? It’s all high-tech, super-wicking microfiber and $150 shoes. I look like the pool man.
I like the suburban spin music better though. In the city the instructors were all sophistos, and the music had to represent their personal brand. We got a lot of Euro-Techno, Broadway show tunes, and indie-rock. The suburban instructors are more middle-of-the-road musically, but their selections are based on driving the class over displaying their artistic taste. Neither style is what I’d listen to for fun, but if you want something to help you sprint for a few minutes it’s hard to beat the last half of “Dueling Banjos.” Doo doo doot doot doo! We also get some country. Best lyric: “Cheater, cheater, where did you meet her, your low class, white trash whore.”
Great moments in political correctness: Have you noticed how hard the media is working to make sure we know that the Fort Hood murderer, Nidal Malik Hasan, was born and raised in the United States? When do you suppose we are going to stop pretending that it is some kind of coincidence that so many Muslims are killing Americans wherever they can find them? I really believe that the majority of us are capable of resisting the idea that this makes all Muslims bad, and the those who can’t only get more pissed off when they hear the media siding with the fairy tale that they comprise a tiny, random group of fanatics. Let’s keep searching the old ladies at the airport while the three young Yemeni men in turbans are given jobs in the airport.
I’m off to Florida Monday to scout for a new home.
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Another elephant in the room: how the military let this guy keep moving down the line towards his deployment while he was obviously going nuts.
Is this a sign that the military is generally not with the program, or a local issue? In the first case, are they doing the Vietnam lemming march off the cliff where there is no recognition of failure? Or is it the later, where superiors, peers and underlings don't say anything about the emperor being naked? Is the status quo one where troops regularly act out on their way to the Middle East, so it's no big deal when they morph into weirdos?
This is part of the genie that you can't put back in the bottle when war plays out. We have this link to radical ideas in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq with its head in those countries and its tail back here in the home front. It picks up negativity and deposits dead, mentally and physically wounded soldiers and unbalanced ideas in the US, leaving families broken and lives shattered in as sea of unintended consequences. Where is the accountability for those who sold us this adjustable rate mortgage?
Why D I had no idea you were a hulkamaniac brother. The Hulkster fell on bad times. I can't figure out how he is going sell books to his fan base that can't read.Love the take on surburbia gym set.I think you need to break out an old WGH Panther sweatshirt and really make a statement. And the sad reality of our current media as you and Hank eloquently remarked,leaves me wondering where is the way out. I guess since healthcare is here.Since, I am on the front line.My job then is to figure out if that is the hope or the change that I have been promised.
At my gym only the perfect girls and gay boys spin.
Why have we not heard from Lorenzo in months?
My sister has a place in Fla. Her husband, who is 58, is dominating the softball and touch football leagues. He is outdriving his fellow golfers by 50 yards(his average drive is @ 180 yards). My advice is to start on Prozac now so you have a therapeutic blood level when you move.
I got another impression of the Fort Hood event. It seemed the media wasted no time in getting the latest Hasan name out there. I figured by day two he d be labeled Al Qaeda. The first man on the street comment I heard was, that f"##% Muslim shot up our boys b4 they had a chance to fight.
SPIN CLASS? If that is what I have to live for when I retire, then just shoot me.
Dennis -
Thanks for your sanity regarding the Fort Hood shootings. I've come to realize, after reading your blog for months, that by the time you have, yourself, come to the point of making (very) reasonable comments about a subject that some (a few of your commenters for instance) view differently, that your views have become a commonplace among the wider population.
I'm not demeaning you for that. Rather, as in this case, I take heart from it. I endorse especially your comment " I really believe that the majority of us are capable of resisting the idea that this makes all Muslims bad..." Personally, I don't even have the necessity to resist that idea: the "idea" that all muslims are bad is just a non starter.
But, it is imperative that following horrific acts such as these, that all of the guilty be identified and dealt with harshly, if not summarily. Those poor PC besotted souls who foolishly insist that demonization (and that is exactly the word I mean) of guys like Hasan and the reasons that he performed his acts (including religious reasons) is bigotry, hasten the day when the response of the nation will indeed be horrible, irrational and indescriminate.
A christian terrorist, Timothy McVeigh, killed dozens of innocents. Without delay, the federal government found, tried and killed him. That should serve as a template in this circumstance.
After 9/11, my sweet old Aunt said we ought to put all Muslims in camps like we did with the "Japs" in WWII. She then went into a rant about how we cannot trust them and that all of them are trying to destroy Christianity and America.
We have a couple of Muslim women employees and they quit wearing scarves for a time after 9/11 because they were harassed by their fellow inside the beltway brethren.
An old friend from College believes Americans are just naive and that we need to accept that Islam has declare war on the US and we should isolate Muslims.
I am not so sanguine that most Americans can separate an act like this from the religion of the man who carried it out.
KGwhit: After 9-11, as we all did, I heard many of the same things, including much of which good taste prevents quotation. Not only today, at the remove of 8 years, but shortly, in many cases before the invasion of Iraq, many of the folks who spoke so intemperately, had recognized that fact, and made (and continue to make) clear that they would never, in the real world support inhuman or criminal tactics against muslims on the basis of religion alone. How do we know how this would shake out with a majority of the American public? We don't probably, and will just have to wait and see together.
Nevertheless, it seems clear from what we know already (the preparation, the dress of the shooter, his choice of weapons, his acts of muslim piety just before the shooting - including the salute to Allah, the deliverance of Korans to his neighbors, and the reports from his co workers at Walter Reed) that this was an act of jihad, a personal act of war, and above all treason. His guilt in the matter of treason alone is without doubt.
The key point that I made in a comment above remains: this outrage must be addressed forthrightly and promptly, and he must be held to account, as all of his motives are examined and published unsentimentally. Moreover, what a comment above referred to as the elephant in the room must also have light shined on it. The conduct of the military, including individuals, as they managed this officer over the recent and not so recent past must be sunlighted. To do otherwise will dishonor the dead, as well as ourselves, and will outrage a substantial portion of the public. Those in the media and elsewhere who want to look away from his background and motivations, or even from the form of his actions, will move closer to the present the day when americans, instead of justly punishing muslim and other traitors for their actions (and coincidently for their abuse of religion) will take indiscriminate revenge with heavy bombers and the other more terrible weapons that can be fielded.
He may be sick. He may be misunderstood. He may have become convinced that he was doing the work of God. (And if that is the case, he should not be prevented from saying so as he is held to account.) It doesn't make any difference. His fate must become an object lesson for others who would immulate his behavior, regardless of their motives and backgrounds. That lesson will explain to his acolytes what they may expect, and what we are, and what our committment to justice is. If we are irresolute, regardless of what some think of the goodness of our own motives (and others, no doubt, view as PC run wild,) we, and the world, including all of its truly pious and peaceful muslims, will pay a heavy cost.
Islam has not declared war on us. But some muslims have, indeed just as some christians have. Whatever the source, murderous acts of war must be treated as such. To do otherwise will hasten the anarchy that will preceed the end, or at least the suspension, of civilization.
Good comments.
Aren't you curious to know just how we, America, is portrayed in those circles, which fan the flames? Isn't it important for us to know the word of the street? Obviously something is touching some nerves. How can we defend our society if we do not hear the other side? I get the feeling that broaching the subject can be construed to some as treason.
Hank, we have 730 military bases overseas. How many foreign military bases are in this country Wake up every morning with an American gun pointed at you and you might start to get abit grumpy
"Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort." U.S. Constitution, Article 3, Section 3.
Otherwise, I generally agree with Hankster. But, I am only curious about "the other side" and it's views, in these matters to the extent that the knowledge might be used to defeat these acts or otherwise protect US citizens. In this case, if what we are reading is true about Hasan's words and actions over several years, more than enough was known about him to take action to seperate him from the service, or take other action that may have prevented this. Moreover, if he survives and is able (and willing) to give testimony, then that testimony, in addition to whatever the FBI and the uniformed services can discover about him would be exactly the kind of information you are talking about. In that regard every interested person should pay close attention to it.
It seems to me (again if what we know about what Hasan was doing and saying is true)there was a shocking lack of curiosity by the Army command, and that we have arrived at this point in part because of it. As I said above, if that is the case, it is imperative that such be sunlighted in whatever process follows.
I don't know how to insert a link, but the following is from someone else: "Maybe one of these days people will realize that hating one’s country, whether for religious reasons or otherwise, is more than adding another colour thread to society’s rich tapestry but wicked, warped, and very, very dangerous." I don't know that I entirely agree with the full thrust of this quote as an unequivocal principle, but it underlines perhaps the most important real fact, other than the death of innocents, about this act: Hasan is an American. We must squeeze him like a lemon to find out how this evil hatched. We must identify and punish if appropriate any misfeasance in the chain of command that left undone anything which could have stopped him in advance. And we must remain vigilant, in view of all that we learn.
What passes for political punditry in this country borders on the absurd. It is true that almost none of the chattering class ever served in the military so maybe they should be cut some slack, but this is absurd. The Monday morning quarterbacking over PC run amok would be funny if it was not so lacking.
Dr. Hasan came to the attention of the military because he expressed that he didn’t think we should be at war with Islam. We are now shocked that he was not drummed out. Why are we shocked? If you had put out of the military all the men who thought we shouldn’t have been fighting in Vietnam, there would have been millions discharged including alot of guys I served with.
He was also a shrink, not a frontline company commander. It wasn’t as if you needed to worry that he was going to frag his commanding officer while in battle. He also was in the medical corps and the military always needs medical personnel.
As to warning signs that he might be capable of something like this, give me a break. We forgave the last Administration for ignoring warnings from our intelligence community that Al Qaeda wanted to attack the US. We also overlooked it when the National Security Advisor said that nobody could expect terrorists to fly planes into buildings even though memos had been written warning of that very thing.
The need for competent medical staff is pretty damn evident when you realize one of those killed was a 56 year old new enlistee in the medical corps. Germany started enlisting old men and children as it was on its last legs at the end of the war. We are so desperate for competent medical folks that we are allowing old farts like me to enlist.
I cannot imagine what a young marine would feel when the shout went out, "Corpsman up" and the guy running to save his life would be his grandfather's age.
Brooks was very good on this topic today since he agreed with my central point. Also, I'm not writing any more posts until KG apologizes for slandering spin class.
On Veterans Day I feel the need to apologize to the spin Doctors who have kept this country safe throughout the ages.
I raise up my oxycontin cocktail to salute them.
that's close enough.
"Comment deleted" ?
DT said...
"Comment deleted" ?
A flame ad for Viagra. It appears this blog is getting a wider audience. Or perhaps, market research his found fertile ground for the product by posters here.
Living in Florida. Say it ain't so. All the crazies seem to tip either there or Don't Mess With Texas. Where?
If I start blogging about either the weather or my health please track me down and kill me.
you better not start chewing tobacco and rock in a chair on the front porch in a green t-shirt either.
Fenway - you forgot to mention the state of your birth. South Carolina. Seems to me they have have a fair number of crazies there as well. Although I must admit they tend to grow their own rather than import them. Was just in the Holy City for nice 5-day weekend. Still gorgeous and still have really good restaurants. Your house is still there.
DB, forget the weather or your health you should be shot for spin classes & Florida. As Daff used to say,"the difference between Florida & yogurt is an active culture. As far as turning on the TV in the morning,one day its Headline news ,the next its Woopie & the girls. Hello to Mickey please!
i have a plan.
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