How Quick We are to Judge

No one is even sure what led Major Nidal Malik Hasan, a Jordanian-American serving in the military, to go on a rampage at Ft. Hood.  Yet, he's got a Muslim name, so it must have been terrorism, or something...  Some exerpts from a recent article on the subject:

"Earl Ofari Hutchinson, at The Huffington Post wrote: "The instant the news broke that a soldier with a Muslim name shot up the base at Fort Hood the Council on American-Islamic Relations wasted no time and issued a loud and vigorous denunciation of the mass murders. The Council didn't know whether Major Nidal Malik Hasan, the alleged shooter, was a Muslim by birth, a converted Muslim, or even a Muslim at all. The name and the horrific murder spree was enough to drive the group to quickly distance itself from the rampage. Other Muslim organisations instantly followed suit and issued their own equally strong disavowal of Hasan. "

"They were wise to do so. Though anti-Muslim hate crimes and anti-Muslim hysteria have leveled off somewhat since the September 11 terror attacks, Muslims still routinely get the blame for anything that even remotely smacks of a terrorism act."

"Hasan's alleged Fort Hood bloodbath is no different. The pack of shrill rightist bloggers and talk radio chatterers jumped all over the shooting and gleefully fanned anti-Muslim passions. It didn't take much to get the anti-Muslim hate juices flowing. A legion of writers on web sites spewed the ritual anti-Muslim slurs, profanities, and insults at Hasan and Muslims."

"In Washington, Chicago and elsewhere, mosques asked police for extra patrols. In Garden Grove, California, officers stood watch outside a mosque as a precaution."

"Muslim leaders warned people to be vigilant and avoid exposing themselves unnecessarily - including walking alone, said Hussam Ayloush, director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Southern California."