New York Times - Nov. 9, 2009

In what might possibly be the biggest and most disastrous news story of the year, 13 soldiers at the Fort Good military base in Texas were shot and killed on Thursday by not some random terrorist, but a comrade. Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan of Virginia, who's parents immigrated to the United States from Pakistan just years before he was born, shot and killed 13 soldiers, while wounding more than 40 more, in a military medical center as what appears to be mostly a sign of protest. It was said by family members that Hasan was showing signs of disappointment and depression about being shipped overseas to Afghanistan in the next few months. But his skepticism about heading overseas wasn't the only thing that family members say probably contributed to his violent outburst. According to Hasan, before his shooting rampage, other soldiers in the military made fun of him for being Muslim by saying mean things to his face and vandalizing his property. Hasan attempted to be discharged, but to no avail, because the Army is in short supply of pshychiatrists, and desperately needed him over to help on the warfront. So, in any case, Hasan felt that he needed to kill his fellow members of the armed forces in order to prove a point, and to get some revenge. My question is: how is it that Hasan was able to kill 13 people and wound over 40 more without him being taken down within a few seconds? If he was surrounded by that many people at a military base, you'd think they would have him either completely seized on the ground, or even dead within a split of firing the first shot. Granted he was shooting people at a medical center, but that doesn't mean that no one should have a gun. It's a terribly tragic situation, and I am positive a whole lot of changes and rule enforcements will come with the overall sting this leaves the nation's burns.