There seems to be a middle way between asserting that the Fort Hood massacre was the product of a religious fanatic and claiming that it was the product of a deranged mind. A fanatic is often deranged or slightly so. That does not usually excuse the individual from the consequences of his actions. Osama bin Laden in an American uniform probably might well have done the same as Major Nidal Malik Hasan.
David Klinghoffer points out that atheist evangelizers want the Fort Hood killings to be laid at the foot of Islam almost as badly as some right wingers do. They are not wrong about the way the religious thinking of Dr. Hasan was turned to violence. And it is certainly correct to notice that Islam these days does seem to provide a great many violent agitators. But, as I have said before, there are many Muslims who are fighting and dying against just such fanatics around the world, whether their foe is Al Qaeda in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan or the oppressive regime in Iran. Please make clear, then, that the danger comes from Islamic extremists.
And, meanwhile, as Klinghoffer says, if you want to trace the works of ideas in our civilization, let's bring in the parade of secularists. (Shall I mention North Korea?)
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