Bridging the Gap: What Fort Hood Has in Common with the Buffalo Beheading
When Americans first heard of Islamic extremism, most didn’t consider homegrown terrorists. Even further removed from our imagination was any idea that a Pakistani man working to change Muslim stereotypes, or that a Palestinian-American Army psychiatrist, would make national news for their acts of extremism against American citizens.
Earlier this year, Buffalo, New York’s Muzzamil Hassan was charged with beheading his wife, and Fort Hood’s Hasan went on a murderous shooting rampage on November 5, 2009, killing 13 and injuring over 30 servicemen.
Sitting face to face in a prison cell, what would these two men say to each other? What commonalities or a shared ideology exists between these two American Muslims who were both pillars in their community. Moreover, would these two men defend each other’s behavior? What common ground do these two men share that could shed light onto a widening definition of terrorist and extremism than the narrow perception that views ‘extremist’ as a bomb-strapped militant Muslims.
The Buffalo Beheading
Founder of the first television station aimed to counteract negative Muslim stereotypes, on February 12, 2009, Muzzamil Hassan was arrested and charged with stabbing and beheading his wife, Aasiya Zubair.
The Muslim community, in denial about the beheading, focused the core issue on marital problems rather than the murder itself. Despite two failed marriages, a string of domestic violence calls, and community members acknowledging a failing marriage between Hassan and Zubair, Hassan’s legal team is now citing insanity as a pretext for the beheading.
Fort Hood Shares Insanity Plea Defense
The insanity plea is the same defense argument being used by Fort Hood Shooter Nidal Malik Hasan. Hasan, who despite his radical beliefs and documented communication with Anwar al-Awlaki, an accused senior Al-Qaeda recruiter, is now also seeking the insanity plea.
An army psychiatrist scheduled for a deployment to Iraq, Hasan posted online messages in defense of suicide bombers. And while it can be argued that he is both lone gunman and a domestic terrorist motivated by extremist ideology, the public argument regarding Hasan is shifting away from terrorism and toward the sympathy of psychological disorders faced by soldiers returning from war.
The fact that Hasan had voluntary enlisted in the U.S. Army, reaped the benefits of a military-funded education, and had not witnessed war, makes psychological trauma of warfare a very poor argument; it also draws attention away from a larger issue. The insanity argument lends sympathy to intentional acts of violence that highlight a very real tangent of Islamism and its use of rhetorical manipulation. However, insanity as a defense for the acts committed by Hassan and Hasan faces considerable obstacles if viewed from a legal perspective.
Why the Insanity Plea Doesn’t Work
The “insanity” plea is a legal term that acts as an umbrella for any number of psychological disturbances, ranging from psychosis to depression. Islamism witnessed a considerable shift in methodology in the legal aftermath of crimes committed by Muzzamil Hassan and U.S. Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan. Islamist use of the insanity plea fails because of the long list of intentional behavior and interests, which reflect the state of mind of both Hassan and Hasan. Their intentional behavior negates use of an insanity plea, which is only justifiable when an individual's judgment is impaired by psychological factors beyond their intention.
The Foggy Media Lens
The legal parameters in this case continue to be publicly dismissed as media fails to report on these incidences with objective reasoning. Media coverage was scarce on Hass and excusing of Hassan, citing that individuals were not representative of a larger Muslim demographic. While not indicative of a greater Muslim community, the activity is reflective of an Islamist mindset that subjugates an outside party to the preferences of the individual; in other words, a perceived Islamic ideology is forced upon others with no regard for an individual’s free will.
How Islamism Factors In
Although Islamism is normally viewed as political in nature, it is in essence a “lawfare” waged through a judicial system. It is also not outside the realm of possibility for Islamists to become violent if the acting individual perceives violence as the only measure for recourse. The notion of recourse comes into effect when an individual feels that his or her environment is beyond their control and outside the scope of (their) acceptable norms. An individual with an Islamist agenda does not have to be part of a larger niche group to be considered Islamist, which is a mindset analogous to terrorism where popular opinion dictates that such activities are only carried out by organized groups.
Evidence of a Failing Islamic Culture?
In fact, paired with a refined understanding of Islamism, the acts committed by Hassan and Hasan highlight a larger problem within Islamic culture. Islamic culture, through scripture that promotes acts of violence rather than compassion and understanding, fosters an environment that makes it easy for followers to deflect accountability from both the individual and from the community.
It is possible for individuals to come from background that makes them weaker in character. However, there are communities that create weak individual and communities which cradle negative traits, giving them strength, importance and justification to develop into cemented personalities.
Who’s Responsible for the Culture?
A differentiation between religion and culture can also argued, but ultimately Islamic culture is carved by followers of the faith; followers are to be held accountable for the direction of the faith. For example, in the case of Aasiya Zubair, her death is seen by many as an honor killing – but while honor killings are not part of Islamic faith, they have become an associated with Islamic culture that has failed to evolve and adapt to a growing number of issues pressing upon it. Through manipulation of religion, Islam’s followers breed a culture that gives a “green light” to act out against perceived transgressors.
Is Islamic Culture a Gateway to Extremism?
Traditional Islamic culture, saturated in verses of aggression and a history seeped in violence, allows not only the development of negative traits but allows them to grow rather than be marginalized through corrective attitudes that emphasize understanding and tolerance. A static Islamic culture readily acts as a gateway to extremism. It remains a dominant characteristic despite differences in demographics, educational background and ethnicity.
Hassan, a first generation Pakistani executive in New York, and Hasan an American born Palestinian military psychiatrist in Texas, both ultimately arrived at the same destination where they acted out in brutal violence against others who they felt frustrations against. Both Hassan and Hasan viewed outside factors as the problem rather than working to understand what shortcomings they may have carried.
Fort Hood and the Buffalo Beheading Point to a Dangerous Problem with Muslim Americans
Hassan and Hasan are two Muslims out of millions of Muslims in America. The Muslims community reaction to the Buffalo Beheading and Fort Hood Shooting is equally as important as understanding the motives of the accused. In both cases a larger Islamic community shifted the burden by (a) ignoring the problem, (b) deflecting the issue, and (c) shifting the blame to outside sources. The dual atrocities show an emerging trend of patterned aggression among diverse Muslim community groups that will grow in frequency if there is no accountability for the extremism in our Muslim communities.
For centuries, Muslim communities have targeted women and ‘outsiders’ labeled as non-Muslims. And Americans are still seen as outsiders by a number of Muslims living in the United States. Yet how can Americans be seen as outsider by someone who is also living in America?
Viewed from the perspective of an Islamic culture that treats non-Muslims with xenophobic caution, where ultimately the only accepted people or ideology is an Islamic one, it’s easy to see how modern Muslim communities, seeped in ancient Islamic culture, view themselves as separate from a larger American community. Exclusionary in nature, Islamic culture does not tolerate differences; it promotes psychological imbalances by protecting and emboldening a mind that recognizes differences and shelters Muslim paranoia against non-Muslims.
Who’s to Blame?
In the case of an insanity plea, the real culprit is an Islamic culture that enables extremism, resulting in an extremist culture that is sheltered from truth and critical examination by a larger Muslim community. In Buffalo and Texas, a larger Muslim community failed to show the same vigilance and outcry that is demonstrated when they perceive an attack on Islam. In the case of Hassan and Hasan, Muslims as individuals and Muslim organizations both looked the other way or treated the situation with a degree of caution that showed their reservation at identifying with the Muslim ‘Ummah’.
A Muslim Ummah, the idea of a larger Muslim community and a principle tenet in Islam, is conveniently shied away at the exact moments where it is critical that it’s emphasized and utilized to attack the problem of extremism in Islamic culture. Failed accountability for extremism from within the Muslim community is the main reason for the misogyny and murder in the case of Hasan and the prolonged psychological imbalances of Army psychiatrist Hasan, leading to extremism and violently ending the lives of 14 innocent people.
And so while Islamic culture may be the culprit, the culture is theoretical in nature and can exist only within vessels willing to give it life. Ultimately the fault lies with those Muslims who refuse to see 21st century Islam for the cultural virus that is has become. Unwilling to see, these Muslims propagate a culture that has very little resemblance to the originally intended message.
Yet, giving them slight yet receding breathing ground, they have the shoddy defense of citing they were born into such a system. But what about the media and our present administration - what's their excuse?
When Americans first heard of Islamic extremism, most didn’t consider homegrown terrorists. Even further removed from our imagination was any idea that a Pakistani man working to change Muslim stereotypes, or that a Palestinian-American Army psychiatrist, would make national news for their acts of extremism against American citizens.
Earlier this year, Buffalo, New York’s Muzzamil Hassan was charged with beheading his wife, and Fort Hood’s Hasan went on a murderous shooting rampage on November 5, 2009, killing 13 and injuring over 30 servicemen.
Sitting face to face in a prison cell, what would these two men say to each other? What commonalities or a shared ideology exists between these two American Muslims who were both pillars in their community. Moreover, would these two men defend each other’s behavior? What common ground do these two men share that could shed light onto a widening definition of terrorist and extremism than the narrow perception that views ‘extremist’ as a bomb-strapped militant Muslims.
The Buffalo Beheading
Founder of the first television station aimed to counteract negative Muslim stereotypes, on February 12, 2009, Muzzamil Hassan was arrested and charged with stabbing and beheading his wife, Aasiya Zubair.
The Muslim community, in denial about the beheading, focused the core issue on marital problems rather than the murder itself. Despite two failed marriages, a string of domestic violence calls, and community members acknowledging a failing marriage between Hassan and Zubair, Hassan’s legal team is now citing insanity as a pretext for the beheading.
Fort Hood Shares Insanity Plea Defense
The insanity plea is the same defense argument being used by Fort Hood Shooter Nidal Malik Hasan. Hasan, who despite his radical beliefs and documented communication with Anwar al-Awlaki, an accused senior Al-Qaeda recruiter, is now also seeking the insanity plea.
An army psychiatrist scheduled for a deployment to Iraq, Hasan posted online messages in defense of suicide bombers. And while it can be argued that he is both lone gunman and a domestic terrorist motivated by extremist ideology, the public argument regarding Hasan is shifting away from terrorism and toward the sympathy of psychological disorders faced by soldiers returning from war.
The fact that Hasan had voluntary enlisted in the U.S. Army, reaped the benefits of a military-funded education, and had not witnessed war, makes psychological trauma of warfare a very poor argument; it also draws attention away from a larger issue. The insanity argument lends sympathy to intentional acts of violence that highlight a very real tangent of Islamism and its use of rhetorical manipulation. However, insanity as a defense for the acts committed by Hassan and Hasan faces considerable obstacles if viewed from a legal perspective.
Why the Insanity Plea Doesn’t Work
The “insanity” plea is a legal term that acts as an umbrella for any number of psychological disturbances, ranging from psychosis to depression. Islamism witnessed a considerable shift in methodology in the legal aftermath of crimes committed by Muzzamil Hassan and U.S. Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan. Islamist use of the insanity plea fails because of the long list of intentional behavior and interests, which reflect the state of mind of both Hassan and Hasan. Their intentional behavior negates use of an insanity plea, which is only justifiable when an individual's judgment is impaired by psychological factors beyond their intention.
The Foggy Media Lens
The legal parameters in this case continue to be publicly dismissed as media fails to report on these incidences with objective reasoning. Media coverage was scarce on Hass and excusing of Hassan, citing that individuals were not representative of a larger Muslim demographic. While not indicative of a greater Muslim community, the activity is reflective of an Islamist mindset that subjugates an outside party to the preferences of the individual; in other words, a perceived Islamic ideology is forced upon others with no regard for an individual’s free will.
How Islamism Factors In
Although Islamism is normally viewed as political in nature, it is in essence a “lawfare” waged through a judicial system. It is also not outside the realm of possibility for Islamists to become violent if the acting individual perceives violence as the only measure for recourse. The notion of recourse comes into effect when an individual feels that his or her environment is beyond their control and outside the scope of (their) acceptable norms. An individual with an Islamist agenda does not have to be part of a larger niche group to be considered Islamist, which is a mindset analogous to terrorism where popular opinion dictates that such activities are only carried out by organized groups.
Evidence of a Failing Islamic Culture?
In fact, paired with a refined understanding of Islamism, the acts committed by Hassan and Hasan highlight a larger problem within Islamic culture. Islamic culture, through scripture that promotes acts of violence rather than compassion and understanding, fosters an environment that makes it easy for followers to deflect accountability from both the individual and from the community.
It is possible for individuals to come from background that makes them weaker in character. However, there are communities that create weak individual and communities which cradle negative traits, giving them strength, importance and justification to develop into cemented personalities.
Who’s Responsible for the Culture?
A differentiation between religion and culture can also argued, but ultimately Islamic culture is carved by followers of the faith; followers are to be held accountable for the direction of the faith. For example, in the case of Aasiya Zubair, her death is seen by many as an honor killing – but while honor killings are not part of Islamic faith, they have become an associated with Islamic culture that has failed to evolve and adapt to a growing number of issues pressing upon it. Through manipulation of religion, Islam’s followers breed a culture that gives a “green light” to act out against perceived transgressors.
Is Islamic Culture a Gateway to Extremism?
Traditional Islamic culture, saturated in verses of aggression and a history seeped in violence, allows not only the development of negative traits but allows them to grow rather than be marginalized through corrective attitudes that emphasize understanding and tolerance. A static Islamic culture readily acts as a gateway to extremism. It remains a dominant characteristic despite differences in demographics, educational background and ethnicity.
Hassan, a first generation Pakistani executive in New York, and Hasan an American born Palestinian military psychiatrist in Texas, both ultimately arrived at the same destination where they acted out in brutal violence against others who they felt frustrations against. Both Hassan and Hasan viewed outside factors as the problem rather than working to understand what shortcomings they may have carried.
Fort Hood and the Buffalo Beheading Point to a Dangerous Problem with Muslim Americans
Hassan and Hasan are two Muslims out of millions of Muslims in America. The Muslims community reaction to the Buffalo Beheading and Fort Hood Shooting is equally as important as understanding the motives of the accused. In both cases a larger Islamic community shifted the burden by (a) ignoring the problem, (b) deflecting the issue, and (c) shifting the blame to outside sources. The dual atrocities show an emerging trend of patterned aggression among diverse Muslim community groups that will grow in frequency if there is no accountability for the extremism in our Muslim communities.
For centuries, Muslim communities have targeted women and ‘outsiders’ labeled as non-Muslims. And Americans are still seen as outsiders by a number of Muslims living in the United States. Yet how can Americans be seen as outsider by someone who is also living in America?
Viewed from the perspective of an Islamic culture that treats non-Muslims with xenophobic caution, where ultimately the only accepted people or ideology is an Islamic one, it’s easy to see how modern Muslim communities, seeped in ancient Islamic culture, view themselves as separate from a larger American community. Exclusionary in nature, Islamic culture does not tolerate differences; it promotes psychological imbalances by protecting and emboldening a mind that recognizes differences and shelters Muslim paranoia against non-Muslims.
Who’s to Blame?
In the case of an insanity plea, the real culprit is an Islamic culture that enables extremism, resulting in an extremist culture that is sheltered from truth and critical examination by a larger Muslim community. In Buffalo and Texas, a larger Muslim community failed to show the same vigilance and outcry that is demonstrated when they perceive an attack on Islam. In the case of Hassan and Hasan, Muslims as individuals and Muslim organizations both looked the other way or treated the situation with a degree of caution that showed their reservation at identifying with the Muslim ‘Ummah’.
A Muslim Ummah, the idea of a larger Muslim community and a principle tenet in Islam, is conveniently shied away at the exact moments where it is critical that it’s emphasized and utilized to attack the problem of extremism in Islamic culture. Failed accountability for extremism from within the Muslim community is the main reason for the misogyny and murder in the case of Hasan and the prolonged psychological imbalances of Army psychiatrist Hasan, leading to extremism and violently ending the lives of 14 innocent people.
And so while Islamic culture may be the culprit, the culture is theoretical in nature and can exist only within vessels willing to give it life. Ultimately the fault lies with those Muslims who refuse to see 21st century Islam for the cultural virus that is has become. Unwilling to see, these Muslims propagate a culture that has very little resemblance to the originally intended message.
Yet, giving them slight yet receding breathing ground, they have the shoddy defense of citing they were born into such a system. But what about the media and our present administration - what's their excuse?
109 Comments
DeeDee
And so while FASCIST culture may be the culprit, the NAZI culture is theoretical in nature and can exist only within vessels willing to give it life.
Ultimately the fault lies with those FASCISTS who refuse to see 21st century FASCISM for the cultural virus that is has become.
Unwilling to see, these FASCISTS propagate a NAZI culture.
Yet, giving them slight yet receding breathing ground, they have the shoddy defense of citing they were born into such a system.
But what about the media and our present administration - what's their excuse?
StuckInNJ
Great article!
"In Buffalo and Texas, a larger Muslim community failed to show the same vigilance and outcry that is demonstrated when they perceive an attack on Islam.
It's not just Buffalo or Texas. The phenomena exists WHENEVER two or more muslims congregate. ANYTHING and EVERYTHING can and IS perceived to be an attack on Islam. All Christians and all of Christiany IS an offense to Islam. All Jews and all of Judaism IS an offense to Islam. All Buddhists and all of Buddhism IS an offense to Islam.
Their entire mindset is black & white --- if you are not one of us ... you are against us. And murder is justified.
There is NO such thing as a moderate muslim ... unless that person is a 100% secular muslim
-----.
"Ultimately the fault lies with those Muslims who refuse to see 21st century Islam for the cultural virus that is has become."
And that happens to be about 95% or more of all muslims.
Stop ALL muslim immigration to America NOW ... before it's too late.
JasonRines
Islam needs to evolve and so does every other government that does not provide representation in the money supply. America should let as many LEGAL immigrants in it wants when you go through an entire screening process, learn English and be felony free for three years while not asking the public for anything else besides the English language course to pass the citizenship exam.
Neocon
Comment Flagged as Inappropriate
ShireenQudosi
DeeDee
Physicist Jim Al-Khalili travels through Syria, Iran, Tunisia and Spain to tell the story of the great leap in scientific knowledge that took place in the Islamic world between the 8th and 14th centuries.
Its legacy is tangible, with terms like algebra, algorithm and alkali all being Arabic in origin and at the very heart of modern science – there would be no modern mathematics or physics without algebra, no computers without algorithms and no chemistry without alkalis.
For Baghdad-born Al-Khalili this is also a personal journey and on his travels he uncovers a diverse and outward-looking culture, fascinated by learning and obsessed with science.
From the great mathematician Al-Khwarizmi, who did much to establish the mathematical tradition we now know as algebra, to Ibn Sina, a pioneer of early medicine whose Canon of Medicine was still in use as recently as the 19th century, he pieces together a remarkable story of the often-overlooked achievements of the early medieval Islamic scientists.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-n2BoPE2GE
sq:
Viewed from the perspective of an AMERICAN ONLY culture that treats non-CHRISTIANS with EXTREME xenophobic caution, where ultimately the only accepted people or ideology is an AMERICAN one, it’s easy to see how modern AMERICAN communities, seeped in ancient CHRISTIAN culture, view themselves as separate from a larger WORLD community.
Exclusionary in nature, AMERICAN culture does not tolerate differences; it promotes psychological imbalances by protecting and emboldening a mind that recognizes differences and shelters CHRISTIAN paranoia against non-CHRISTIANS.
* I only changed your labels...dd
SSS
@ShireenQudosi: Don't reply. "Neocon" is an American deserter, David Pierre, who fled to British Colombia during the Vietnam War. He spams this site all the time and steals other peoples' screen name.
neocon
So- called "deserters" were given a full pardon by the freely elected President of the United States, Jimmy Carter. Those so-called deserters fled an unconstitutional war that was illegal, immoral, and unjust. Tough shit if you don't like it.
SSS
Something about Shireen Qudosi and the Qudosi Chronicles, in case you're interested. Chuleta! Note ustedes las idiomas en el fin de la articula!
(Check out her language proficiencies. Add English.)
QUDOSI CHRONICLES | www.Qudosi.com
Shireen Qudosi’s Specialties:Working in any capacity to further help both Muslims and non-Muslims understand Islam became a resolute goal soon after reading the Quran for myself, at a time where beheadings were a near weekly occurrence.
Partly due to my Eastern heritage and Western education, I was and continue to be fascinated by the psychology the faith instills within its followers - a psychology that fails to be scrutinized effectively.
I've worked with a number of groups and agencies, including the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, the Afghan Consulate, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's MCA Unit.
In 2006-2007, I traveled to Tokyo and had the opportunity to study migrant Muslim communities, with a particular interest in the psychology of reversion among Japanese women.
In 2008 I took an interest in comparative studies between the Quran and the Bible. In 2009, I focused primarily on extensive networking to broaden my resource base and began collaborating with national think tanks. 2009 also saw the launch of the Qudosi Chronicles and Revolution Islam.
When it comes to Islam, the issues and sub-issues are endless. My emphasis here is to not abide by allegiances that are forced upon us at birth. As such, I have no problem speaking without bias or predisposed notions of loyalty to culture and religion - a combination that is critical if we are to overcome radicalism within Islam.
Fluent to Conversational in:
Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi, Farsi, Spanish, and Italian
BlackRockBurner
Comment Flagged as Inappropriate
Anonymous
This site is fast turning into a real piece of crap. Neocon hits on a new poster, Shireen, tells her he's hung like an elephant and he gets FOUR thumbs UP! Russo CORRECTLY calls the guy a scumbag and he gets FIVE thumbs DOWN!! People are getting multiple thumbs down for even the most innocent of comments. People come here and flame and troll and incite and Mr. Quinn doesn't do a damn thing about it. What a huge waste of time coming here is.
JasonRines
Anonymous
Whippet
@Anonymous: Christians don't worship a Moon God without one begotten Son with a holy meteorite idol in the desert. Jews don't either.
Islam is a 1300 year old CULT. Its "scripture" is based upon poorly plagiarized passages from the Torah and Prophets, with added plagiarized bullshit from the Gnostic Gospels, and topped off with the rabid chantings of a wifebeating pedophile murderous Lunatic. (may he burn in Hell.)
dholsop
Christianity and Islam are not even in the same ball park.
When Christians get mad at each other, they point fingers and feel bad.
When Muslims get mad at each other, they point AK47s at each other or send little children with bombs in back packs.
When Christians get radical, they "turn the other cheek".
When Muslims get radical, they blow every ones cheeks off.
To put them in the same class is sort of like kicking the puppy instead of going out and fixing the real problem.
SSS
I'm a bit embarrassed by some of the comments to Shireen's discussion post. Neocon (David) got booted, and DeeDee weighed in with a bunch of irrelevant blather on Nazis and fascism. There are other examples. This is not the way to impress a newcomer to the site, has provided some excellent food for thought, and get carpetbombed. My guess is that is the last time we will hear from her.
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
DP laughs at you
And all the other morons.
on www.thestinkingpile.com
Hate will destroy the haters.
Blog away
Sleep while
9/11 redux is being planned by your masters
Anonymous
StuckInNJ
Open Apology to DeeDee;
I've been off-line for about 8 hours, ... to cool off and think.
I said things that I should not have said. I am sorry that I said them, and it won't happen again.
I have certain two hot buttons that set me off. One is the potential Islamization of America. You may be right .. I am a bigot and not very tolerant of the Muslim religion, except for those cases where they are secular believers. The second is where I perceive a bashing of America. I won't go into detail except to say I remember the scorn I received wearing my uniform in public when I had to back in the early 70's.
These are NOT excuses. I know it's OK to believe what I want.I still disagree with your own viewpoints. However, the way I express my feelings in such a hotheaded and vulagar way towards you was totally uncalled for.
You may or may not accept my apology. Nevertheless, again, I am sorry for talking to you in the way I did.
Stuck
PeteB
I find the prejudice masquerading as scholarship on the topic of islam shameful.
I find the preference to speak of christianity or judaism as inherently more merciful or civilized to be particularly galling.
Nothing that is spoken here has anything to do with a benevolent, merciful god. It has everything to do with the base desires of naked apes.
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.
rennerstump
Men are polygamous! Women are monogamous! This genetic problem leads men to polygamistic religions and women towards monogamistic religions.? The chinese prefer to listen to the debate and practice capitalistic communism on earth. The two sexes should go to separate churches, temples, etc. The end timers believe they are all suffering needlessly from word overload!! RS
Anonymous
No matter our various positions, we should congratulate ShireenQudosi for inciting one of the most activate and lengthy debates we seen on RagingDebate with, what I believe, was her very first article.
Anonymous
x