Written by Beth Cantrell
With Veteran’s Day just two days past, it is expected that we should have military on the mind. Our thoughts go to friends and family serving in the states and overseas and to those who have fallen in past battles. Sadly, our minds go also to Killeen, TX. Killeen is home to Fort Hood Military Base and the site of the Nov. 5 tragedy, in which American soldiers were cut down on home soil by one of their own.
As the country mourns, sympathetic tears are shed for the victims and their families. Prayers for the dead and the wounded are lifted. Friends, neighbors and even strangers are reaching out to do what they can to help the ones affected by this attack. These are common reactions in the wake of tragedy and lift our hearts with hope of healing in the future, but in the years following Sept. 11, 2001, we see also a new response to this particular kind of tragedy. We see fear, misdirected blame and open hate.
Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, the gunman responsible for killing 13 and wounding dozens of others, is a Muslim. Outcries immediately spread by both media and word of mouth that this must have been a planned terrorist attack. In an attempt to discourage swift and unjust backlash against the Muslim community, much media coverage rebutted the speculations of terrorism, assuring the public that the shooting was simply the psychological snap of a disturbed and lonely man.
Whether this atrocity can be attributed to a well organized terrorist group or whether these were indeed the actions of a lone gunman is not for me to presume. My current fear is for the Muslim community at large and for the Muslim soldiers who are serving our country. I fear that they are now in danger of suffering the pain of prejudice and could be forced to endure consequences of a crime they did not commit.
There are more than 3,500 Muslims serving in the armed forces today. They are serving alongside men and women of all races and religions and should benefit from the same amount of respect given to any of these other soldiers. It cannot be an easy thing to fight a war focused against people of your own religion, and it is awful to think that some of these brave men and women may now have to fight terror tactics while fighting accusations of being a terrorist themselves.
My heart goes out to the victims of this atrocity. My sympathy goes out to the family members who must now grieve the loss of a loved one. My prayers lie with Fort Hood and the entire military as it heals from this attack, but my plea goes out to you.
Do not hold a community responsible for the actions of one. Do not fan the flames of hate that led to this tragedy. But perhaps most important of all, do not stay silent. It is important not only to keep your own mind from putting the actions of one on an innocent group of people, but you must also stand up for what is right when others choose the path of hate over healing.
Do not tolerate the injustice of prejudice when you see or hear it. This is not a matter of Christianity interacting with Islam or any other religion or lack thereof. It is as simple as standing up for the rights of a person, a soldier or an American. The horror of the attack at Fort Hood is great, and it will take time for the country and military to heal, though we will never forget. I ask that you do not hinder but find a way to help this process.
