Fort Hood Shooter: Crazy, Cranky, Creepy–and Unmarried November 6, 2009
Posted by Onely in As If!.Tags: fort hood shooting, hasan nadal single, npr fort hood, single men stereotypes, washington post fort hood
4 comments
US Army Major Malik Nadal Hasan was obviously insane. He may have been isolated. He was rumored to be a possible religious fanatic who may have posted inflammatory remarks on the internet. At best, he’s been remembered as an unlikeable man. Nidal Hasan seems to have had many, many black marks on him. But when the news media list his flaws–his two dozen victims, his lack of friends, his FBI investigation, his supposedly dour personality, his general unhappiness–they always mention “unmarried” in there too. Or maybe “unmarried, with no children.”
When The Washington Post quotes his aunt, they have to stick in a mention of unmarriedness because the aunt didn’t do it for them:
Hasan “did not make many friends” and “did not make friends fast,” his aunt said. He had no girlfriend and was not married. “He would tell us the military was his life,” she said.
An NPR broadcast this evening said that Hasan “. . . was not happy. He was unmarried. . .” and then went on to describe his quest to find an appropriate wife. (His dating life was somewhat thwarted as he searched for a wife who prayed five times a day.)
His single status is being given as much weight as his discontent with the U.S.’ military policy in Afghanistan and Iraq; as much weight as his exposure to traumatized patients’ terrible stories; and as much weight as his general non-sympaticoness. That is cheap, wrong, and disrespectful to the Fort Hood victims and their loved ones.
–Christina
P.S. Lisa points out that in the Extrapolation Mania, the fact that he’s Muslim (not just the rumors of his extremism) is being touted as an indicative factor too, which makes about as much sense as touting his unmarriedness: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8347586.stm
P.P.S. Here’s another example of people adding his unmarried status to a list of (ostensible) negative traits. It’s in response to a Psychology Today post by Dr. Mark Goulston, where he says (and I agree) that Hasan was not inherently evil–he was sick and therefore did an evil thing:
Submitted by Anonymous on November 10, 2009 – 10:04pm.
While you are formulating your thoughts on the Fort Hood Killer this Dr. Goulston, spend some thoughts on this–Nidal Hasan probably had Asperger’s syndrome!
He was a loner. He couldn’t even get married though his culture has been known to arrange marriages. Very low on Social skills.
He claims he was bullied.
His need for routine led him to a military career.
He was judgmental and quick to criticize others who break “the rules”.
HIS obsession with his religion was probably like some Asperger’s syndrome patients’ fascination with bus schedules, small machines, etc..
When his military rules ( obey your superiors) came crashing into his religious rules ( you do not go to a Muslim country and kill other muslims on behalf of the “infidels”), he could not handle it and exploded with violence.
CALLING ALL SINGLE MEN! August 28, 2009
Posted by Onely in Everyday Happenings, Food for Thought, Guest Bloggers, Guest Posts.Tags: happy single men, single man blog, single men, single men stereotypes
25 comments
Ok, well not ALL single men. We want to hear from single-and-fine-with-it men. Please tell us: Why do you like being single (or why do you not dislike it)? How do people react to your single status? What difficulties do you have being a single man in a couple’s world (if any)? And most important–where do you go for information about being Onely and male? I ask because Lisa and I received an astute email from a male reader, who said:
I came across your website recently, and while I do find what you have written to be quite interesting it seems to be written by women for women. I was wondering if you know of any blogs that take a similar intellectual tone, like the one found in your blog but focus on both a man and a woman’s perspective on being single. Any links you could send me would be greatly appreciated.
Yay, he called us intellectual! (Obviously he has not been reading our series of nutsucking posts.)
Onely does try to write about issues affecting both sexes–usually in the form of gripes about legal discrimination against unmarried people. We would love to cover more single men’s issues, but unfortunately Lisa and I just don’t know what it’s like to be a single man, and we haven’t been able to find a lot of (non-heteronormative) information on the topic. As our regular readers are no doubt aware, there is a dearth of writings by empowered, Onely single males–not only on this site, but throughout media and literature. A recent search on Amazon.com for [happy single men] returned: (more…)
Onely.Org 