Immediately after Major Nidal Malik Hasan murdered 13 U.S. soldiers November 5, major news networks and publication bent over backwards to omit Hasan's Islamic identity or to excuse the killing of 13 soldiers as a result of stress or psychosis.
Report after report, interview after interview, and press conference after press conference, reporters, politicians, and government officials warned against jumping to conclusions - in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
Among the Globe's conclusions from the investigation:
- extremists views spouted by the Major were clear grounds for discharge;
- superiors overlooked Hasan's radical views due to fear of losing diversity;
- in a clear act of insubordination Hasan gave a presentation about Islam that was "shut down" by the instructor, without any disciplinary action - or counsel;
- from 2003, Hasan repeatedly broke regulatory standards his superiors were informed of;
- the Army's investigation concludes "he exhibited a single-minded fascination with religion" leading to noticeable decline in job-performance;
- increased distress, isolation, and intensification of extremist views over time by Hasan;
- statements by Hasan proclaiming the precedence of Sharia law over the U.S. constitution;
- instructors informed investigators about a risk of psychosis in Hasan.
In short, the Boston Globe concluded that Hasan's Army superiors were reluctant to take action despite "careful documentation and of individual episodes dating back to 2005" because of diversity or fears of being labeled "insensitive."
The Culture and Media Institute released a report on November 11, documenting 85 percent of broadcast stories refrained from using the word "terror," and only 29 percent of evening news even mentioned Hasan was Muslim (half of which felt the need to either defend or include experts to defend Islam).
Many reporters like CBS' Bob Schieffer are addicted to pointing out Islam does not have a monopoly on terrorism, while in equally impulsive and irrational manner, many individuals fallaciously resort to labeling any convicted white male of being Christian terrorists (i.e. Timothy McVeigh).
During an interview with Schieffer shortly after the massacre, Congressmen Ike Skelton - chairman of the Armed Services Committee - urged everyone to refrain from jumping to any conclusion, assuring Americans an investigation would reveal the nature of Maj. Hasan's motives.
Congratulations to the liberal Boston Globe for belatedly reaching the conclusion conservatives had immediately. Meanwhile, 3 1/2 months later, the rest of the media remains uninterested.
