Clearly, in the wake of the Ft. Hood handgun massacre we've been lots of predictably hateful, angry rhetoric from the right-wing media about the inherent dangers of having Muslims serves in the U.S. military. Conservatives commentators continue to focus in on the military and raise all kinds of warnings about Muslim American soldiers (or, "Muslim Soldiers with Attitude") and how “special debriefings” might be needed to prevent future attacks.
Or as Fox News' Fox & Friends, Brian Kilmeade put it:
“Because if I'm going to be deployed in a foxhole, if I'm going to be sitting in an outpost, I've got to know that the guy next to me is not going to want to kill me.”
I guess all you can say in times like this is thank goodness Fox News, or a national conservative media voice like it, did not exist many decades ago and wasn't able to influence U.S. history at its critical junctures. Imagine the 1960's battle over civil rights if Fox News had a daily say in that debate? And, of course, imagine the mad hysteria it would have spread after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
And specifically, imagine what that right-wing media reaction would have been to the news of the creation of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, comprised of Japanese American soldiers, many of whom came from families that had been forced into internment by the U.S. government [emphasis added]:
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the loyalty of all Japanese Americans were questioned. When they were finally allowed to enlist for military service, they were placed in segregated units. The 100th Battalion became the first battalion of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, but was allowed to keep its name, “100th Battalion (Separate)” due to the renowned records in its first year of service overseas.
...
The Japanese American soldiers of WWII proved their loyalty through the sacrifices they made in service to their country, the United States. The decorations and awards they earned are a permanent and indisputable record of their bravery and their patriotism.
For its size and length of service, the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team was the most decorated US military unit. The Military Intelligence Service (MIS) was credited as having “saved countless lives and shortened the war by two years” by Major General Willoughby, General McArthur's Intelligence Chief.
UPDATED: It's interesting that, according to new polling, a majority of Americans, 57 percent, seem more concerned, post-Ft. Hood, about the backlash against Muslim American soldiers, than they do about the supposed danger of having any of them serve in the military.
UPDATED: A note about the Rasmussen poll and how just how poorly it's worded. (Surprise!) Especially this question, which is getting most of the attention:
2* Should the shooting incident be investigated by military authorities as a terrorist act or by civilian authorities as a criminal act?
60% Military authorities as a terrorist act
27% Civilian authorities as a criminal act13% Not sure
Why is it an either/or question? Why are respondents forced to pick between a “military” terrorist investigation and “civilian” criminal investigation? It literally makes no sense, since of course, the FBI (i.e. a “civilian” authority) has been investigating “terrorists acts” in this country for generations. Civilian authorities launch terrorist investigations all the time, so why does Rasmussen pretend that only “military authorities” do that?
Why would Rasmussen formulate a question that makes no sense?