Y&R Discussion Group

Topic: Maybe there should be periodic background checks on our military personnel.

After learning about some of the background checks my nephew has gone through to become a police officer; maybe if our military personnel were checked out like our police officers are, this tragedy might not have happened.

I have been COMPLETELY out of the loop for the past week or so, so I have no idea what the story is that everyone has been talking about. Since I am in the military, I think having routine background checks may be more trouble than they're worth. We have to have one to get into the military in the first place, and we are constantly monitored by having random drug tests and every shot known to man. Because of what a lot of our guys experience at war, someone can flip out after an experience like that if they don't get help, but the background check won't make a difference.

Now, I'm sure if I knew what the story was about, maybe I would have a different answer. Anyone care to fill me in?

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Camochick, if you haven't found out by now, it happened at Ft. Hood Thursday, I think. A psych doctor who was going to be deployed killed many soldiers. / Sapphire

No wonder I knew nothing about it. Usually I am up to date on the latest news, especially involving the military, but Thursday I was in the throes of my flu and sleeping all day long. I wasn't even remotely alert until Saturday, so it must have been considered old news by then.

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Posted by: Or
Date posted: Sat Nov 7 9:03:50 2009
Message:
I think that it is possible, just because he's a psychatrist, that he slipped through the cracks, and no one was there to recognize he's under mental/emotional distress, whether it is because of the council he gave to must have been hundered of people coming back from the horrors of war in Iraq, or because of his complicated personal background, who knows.
The guy had been in the army for years, he volunteered into the service, I'd be amazed to find out he's a part of any group, I think the guy just cracked - whether the reasons he cracked had to do with his complicated family history (he has a cousin living in the west back, who described him as a a quiet, not social guy, but one who loved his work)

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Posted by: farmer brown
Date posted: Fri Nov 6 15:06:13 2009
Message:
The bottom line: There are unstable people under a lot of pressure out loose in the world just waiting to crack, and there are tons of easily available weapons for them to get their hands on. It's a bad combination, and I'm not sure background checks will solve the problem.

On the other hand, if more frequent and thorough background checks prevented even a few of the depressingly high number of mass shootings we seem to be plagued with on an almost daily basis, maybe they'd be worth it.

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Posted by: bbyr
Date posted: Fri Nov 6 12:38:40 2009
Message:
What I heard on the radio is that he was going to be deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan soon and did not want to go. Also, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks he was harassed by other military personnel because he's Muslim. Since then he had been trying to get out of the military but was unsuccessful.

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OH! Well that explains it. No wonder the poor man took out so many people. I just knew there was a good excuse, especially since he is a Muslim. Those people are SO misunderstood and can't catch a break.

I'm not defending what he did or saying that he had an excuse, I'm just passing on what I heard on the radio and what various news outlets are reporting. eom/bbyr

If you were judged just because of your ethnic, religious background and harrassed, it just might wear on you, especially if you had to deal with the pychological horrors of war. He didn't have to do what he did but to condemn him because of his religion, ethnic background is just plain WRONG. We did that to innocent Japanese Americans in WW2 and it wasn't right then. Elaine

No amount of judgement for a person's religious or ethnic background should constitute a mass murder, I don't care how much such judgement ''wears on you''! He chose this profession to counsel soldiers returning from war, so it was his choice to hear the war stories. And anyone who is so opposed to war has NO business being in the military!! War is part of the job they willingly enlisted to do. Lastly, I don't feel bad condemning Muslims as long as they continue to preach hate towards Americans and while most all terrorist attacks are carried out by Muslims! When some idiot yells out ''Allahu Akbar'' before murdering people, I do not feel WRONG for assuming it has something to do with Muslims!

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Posted by: serialmom
Date posted: Fri Nov 6 11:36:45 2009
Message:
The most frightening thing I heard is he was a psychiatrist!

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I know what you mean. Well if he manages to live, his career won't. In the video he looked as calm as that one 9/11 terrorist that they kept showing in that video at the airport.

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Posted by: ingyandbert
Date posted: Fri Nov 6 11:23:32 2009
Message:
I heard just the opposite on the news this morning, that the shooter is not identified with any radical or terroristic groups.  So who knows? 

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Posted by: Cassies grandma
Date posted: Fri Nov 6 10:05:23 2009
Message:
I have not heard that. My prayers go out to the families and friends of all affected by this tragedy.

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