David Seaton's Blog

David Seaton Commented on The Fort Hood Massacre by David Seaton

2009-11-08T17:09:18Z

Hasan, if he lives, is toast: traitor-smaitor, killer-smiller, the important thing is how something this predictable could be allowed to transpire in the midst of the US Army.

I think the main thing is to determine the negligence of the authorities in allowing such and obviously dangerous situation to develop.

David Seaton Commented on The Fort Hood Massacre by David Seaton

2009-11-08T17:05:04Z

My paternal great-grandfather, a conservative, Catholic emigrated to Saint Louis, MO from Paderborn, Germany in 1845 and was immediately welcomed into the establishment. The only thing I remember a little bit "ethnic", was my Grandfather changing the family last name from Vennewitz to Vennewitte during the depression because Vennewitz sounded Jewish. My father always said that "Hitler scared the 'witz'" out of my grandfather.

David Seaton Commented on The Fort Hood Massacre by David Seaton

2009-11-08T16:59:25Z

I don't think it really matters that he bears "primary responsibility" or if it does matter, it is of little interest. The real question is how this situation arose, because it was predictable to anyone with any sense.

It is so dumb as to be fascinating... How could the army be so stupid. If the federal government has no idea of what is happening inside its own organizations, how are they supposed to protect the rest of the population?

David Seaton Commented on The Fort Hood Massacre by David Seaton

2009-11-08T15:44:47Z

I think that as a Palestinian, as an Arab and as a Muslim he had joined the "enemy" in his heart and that his was a military action, just like a suicide bomber. I think he was crazed, not crazy. So far he holds some sort of record for American soldiers killed by a Muslim terrorist.

David Seaton Commented on The Fort Hood Massacre by David Seaton

2009-11-08T15:40:54Z

German-Americans were quickly assimilated into the WASP elite, just as soon as they learned English. This is not, repeat NOT true of any other immigrant ethnic group... certainly not Arab or Muslim-Americans.

David Seaton Commented on The Fort Hood Massacre by David Seaton

2009-11-08T11:05:21Z

I don't think Hasan was crazy in a clinical sense, I think he was "crazed" by a crazy situation. A situation that I consider pure sadism on the army's part.

During WWII the Japanese-American, Nisei battalion, fought heroically against... the Germans ... nobody asked them to fight the Japanese. I think this showed plain common sense.

David Seaton Commented on The Fort Hood Massacre by David Seaton

2009-11-07T19:14:13Z

If I were Hasan's lawyer I would enter a plea of temporary insanity and I would encourage victims to bring charges of negligence against the US Army for placing both Hasan and the soldiers he was treating in this situation.

It is not only that Hasan is a Muslim, he is also a first generation Palestinian, with all the baggage that carries. Palestinian is not the same as the "prosperous South-Asians" that Tom's Huffington Post article talks about. And being an Arab in the USA since 9-11 has got to be a wrenching experience: certainly a huge number of the world's Muslims, probably most of them, think that the USA is at war with Islam and almost all Palestinians think of the USA as their enemy's number one enabler, protector and best friend.
The army should have given Hasan an honorable discharge and sent him on his way years ago.

My dad was an officer in the US Army for 12 years, before and during WWII and he often regaled me with stories of the army's boundless, mind bending stupidity... This entire affair brings his stories all to life for me .

David Seaton Commented on The Fort Hood Massacre by David Seaton

2009-11-07T18:54:14Z

I think the problem was one of a therapist, not a soldier.
Imagine that as a therapist you had been abused as a child and as a psychiatrist for the penal system you were forced to treat child abusers. Or an African-American shrink forced to treat KKK activists or a Jewish one forced to treat nazi-skinheads... it might drive you around the bend. I think Hasan was forced in his work to hear too many ghastly stories too much hate directed toward his religion and ethnic group.

It would be tough enough to be a US Muslim on the American side of the "Long War" without having to hear the outpouring of these mentally disturbed soldiers.

David Seaton recommended The Fort Hood Massacre by David Seaton

2009-11-07T16:49:00Z

David Seaton Commented on Another Bush video, just for Dickday by David Seaton

2009-11-06T06:33:30Z

Wait till you see the next one it is really gross... I'll put it up on Saturday. Will link the trio.

David Seaton recommended Another Bush video, just for Dickday by David Seaton

2009-11-05T14:36:02Z

David Seaton Commented on A reminder for gloating Republicans by David Seaton

2009-11-05T13:56:12Z

I got a couple a more that I made back then that you'll like, I'll post them for you later.

David Seaton recommended A reminder for gloating Republicans by David Seaton

2009-11-04T15:53:44Z

David Seaton Commented on A Republic, if you can keep it by David Seaton

2009-11-02T16:39:55Z

Just a footnote:
What exactly would I suggest?

total political financing reform
radical transparency
forbid out of state contributions to congressional campaigns
spending limits
much, much, much shorter campaigns
limits on TV time
anything you can think of that would actually force candidates to run on their actual merits, not their ability to finance their campaigns

David Seaton Commented on A Republic, if you can keep it by David Seaton

2009-11-02T07:12:11Z

he keeps the whores and bums out of Times Square.

People have gotten to be president of the US with much less concrete achievement than that. I am not saying that Bloomberg would be a bad president, I'm saying it would be bad for him to be president, which isn't the same thing.

David Seaton recommended A Republic, if you can keep it by David Seaton

2009-11-01T19:41:29Z