Ft. Hood Massacre

Upon hearing that massive shooting had occurred on a military base, my fist thought was that I hoped it wasn't a crazy Iraq or Afghanistan vet. In my imagination the shooter was a young, disgruntled, alienated, loner, enlisted soldier who had seen to much hell in the middle east and for whatever reason wasn't finding Ft. Hood Texas to be much better. I hate it when these things happen. Because as a former Marine infantryman and Iraq vet, these type of crazy veterans ruin it for the rest of us upstanding vets who contribute and function in society as well as anyone else, often better. People associate you unconsciously with these type of unstable dangerous characters because that is how vets, particularly young infantryman are depicted on T.V. and in movies. But to my surprise all my worries were set aside when I found out the truth. The shooter was not a war veteran, enlisted, young, or even had a dangerous job. He was a pencil pushing psychiatrist who ironically enough counseled people who were having mental issues. Everyone now wants to know why he did it? It is so easy for everyone to take the Islamic extremist angle, I mean he is Muslim in the U.S. military and represents a minority in the service so small it is invisible. While a marine in Camp Lejeune, NC I never served with or knew a Muslim marine in my entire enlistment for four years. So of course it is so easy to say he was a Muslim terrorist in uniform. I don't think this is the case. From what I've heard he was a loner, an outcast who had trouble maintaining relationships. He probably felt rejected by both the military and in his personal relationships. In this view he has more in common with the Virginia Tech shooter than with a Islamic extremist, this is further reinforced when it came out that the guy would frequent strip clubs. I mean if your 39 years old, have no girlfriend/wife, and you're hanging out at strip clubs regularly you have got to be frustrated sexually as well. Dr. Money would have probably said that even this guy would have been castrated like a farm animal none of this would have happened. I agree that he would have a point, because when was the last time a guy that was a ladies man, or in a happy and healthy marriage ever did something like this. Never, because outside of work these better adjusted individuals have more going for them.

Initial impressions

I decided that chapter six would be a good time to take a moment and reflect on "As Nature Made Him." This story is truly as captivating as it is tragic. I really felt for David's parents, the dilemma they faced was immense. No matter what decision they made David was going to eventually going to have to face the hard hand he was dealt. This was further complicated by a doctor who's "expert" advice was corrupted by egotistical aspirations to promote his gender theories. Looking back after so many years it is incredible how a vindictive, and insane man like Dr. Money could possibly be considered the highest authority on sex research in the world. It really makes you cynical about the medical community when a respected man from both Harvard and Johns Hopkins was responsible for a sex change caused not only tremendous suffering, but also actively participated in sexually and emotionally abusing David and his brother throughout their childhood. I find the fact he was taken seriously worthy of its own story which I'm sure would be quite fascinating.