This is supposed to be the kickoff to the Christmas season, a season of which I am especially fond. With the last name of Christmas, how could I not be? But, this Christmas feels different to me. Too much has recently happened to our nation, to make me want to jump into a celebratory mode. I want to take a pause to dissect a new breed of “men,” who have turned out to be a “pox on our house.” They are threatening us once again. This time the threat is self-inflicted, or more accurately “politician-inflicted.” Suddenly, we are left to wonder if these “men,” have been granted our rights of citizenship, without the burden of citizenship.

On September 11, 2001, I became aware of a new species that I am labeling "homo terrorticus," quite distinct from homo sapiens (wise men). “Wisdom” is not a characteristic of which the members of this new fraternity of terror, can be found guilty. I don't see wise men killing other human beings for the promise of unlimited sex with 72 nubile virgins in the afterlife. This orgy after death is really alien to my visions of the afterlife. I envision an afterlife where I would be welcomed into Heaven by a merciful, gracious and wise God, not ushered into a palace with a stud in every room. Speaking of studs, virgins and terror, I am presuming that female homicide bombers get studs instead of nubile virgins, but I could be wrong. There is no equality in the world of the “homo terrorticus,” where women are little more than chattel.

We recently commemorated the eight anniversary of 9/11/01, with no large scale terrorist attacks on our soil. We probably all breathed a sigh of relief – until November 5, 2009. We learned how to protect our homeland from planes turned into missiles. So, how are those wishing to set up camp orgy in the afterlife, going to achieve their goal of killing innocents in order to get to those virgins? What is a horny, strip joint-loving “religious fanatic” to do, in order to ascend to paradise to frolic in the hereafter, after a pit stop at a favorite strip joint? Voila! Here comes the IED (Improvised Explosive Device). This weapon is used as an “equal opportunity” killer. Fellow Muslims, especially women and children are not immune from barbecuing by IED, but death by IED has been especially reserved for troops from non-Muslim countries.

The murder by IED spree kicked into full force, since the bombs on plane and even the bomb in shoes strategies were apparently no longer effective, the element of surprise having been lost. To be factual, the bomb in sneaker attack mode, never really got off the ground, although bomber boy was already on board an airplane, where he ran into a force stronger than himself, in the form of engaged passengers. As Flight 93 proved, airline passengers are not so docile anymore.

Recently in Afghanistan, the IED efforts have been stepped up. Could the supposed new US Military rules of engagement, about taking terrorists out to tea, and/or reading them their Miranda Rights, have anything to do with the newfound boldness and success of the “IED-ers”? In August 2009, over 1,000 IEDs went off or were discovered. US and NATO forces have found out the power of those devices to kill and maim. In just the period from August 2009 to present, more US troops have been killed by IEDs than in all the rest of the struggle there.

However, the third front in the war on the infidels appears to be to infiltrate, pretend to assimilate, “snap,” and kill, beginning at Fort Hood? I slipped up there. We are not supposed to “jump to conclusions.” Neither is Congress to investigate this “walks like a duck, shoots like a duck,” Fort Hood massacre. Prior incidents of “snap and kill, or maim,” by apparent jihadists, here in the US, have so far been dismissed as “acts of mental illness.” We shall see whether they were true incidents of mental impairment, or 72 virgin lust. Maybe they are one and the same. While the rest of us are not to jump to conclusions, the press and other “experts” are not shy about jumping to excuses for the alleged murderer at Fort Hood. Some of those making decisions about this situation involving M. Hasan, are behaving as if they are psychically paralyzed from the neck up, specifically in the area of the skull that houses the brain!

The laundry list of excuses goes like this. M. Hasan was suffering, not from post stress traumatic disorder, but pre stress traumatic disorder? Let me see if I understand this. If the already exposed to battle conditions stress does not work, not yet exposed to battle conditions will work? He was not counseling soldiers returning from battle, but those going into battle? Someone needs to debrief those he counseled – pronto. One theory that was floated is that he “snapped.” He was in such a state of “snapsation” that he had time to say his goodbyes, give away his possessions, including copies of his holy book, get his Starbucks, and then begin shooting methodically – allegedly?

I have tremendous respect for the troops and their leaders, but I beg to differ with General Casey on his assessment of the Fort Hood slaughter, when he stated:

“Again, I think that's something else we need to be very careful about, and I think the speculation could potentially heighten backlash against some of our Muslim soldiers. And what happened at Fort Hood was a tragedy, but I believe it would be an even greater tragedy if our diversity becomes a casualty here, I think that’s worse.”

What happened at Fort Hood was a slaughter and a betrayal of trust. A “tragedy” is when a mountain collapses and wipes out a village. I hope that I am misunderstanding the apparent emphasis that “diversity” should be paramount, ahead of the lives of 14 murdered US citizens. Somehow I think that “cohesiveness” and unity of purpose, to defend this US of A, are paramount. Cohesiveness will not be maintained if the message is that “some animals (troops) are more equal than others.” This country deserves to have the best troops to do the job, regardless of the outward manifestations of diversity. “Diversity” should be the cherry on top, not the main course.

I fully realize that General Casey has to be circumspect and not appear to be biased. From my vantage point, Non-Muslims, who were the ones killed, did not appear to receive the requisite concern in his talk. The first order of business should have been the welfare of all soldiers.

The reports are pouring in about M. Hasan, all of the alleged “in your face” actions that he took, that were ignored by the “bureaucracy.” He contacted Al Qaeda. He attempted to contact Pakistan. He did a “show and tell” presentation about the glories of suicide bombers. He made no secret that the US was dead last in his affections. He was born in the US. Was his truly an accident of birth, and he should have been born where his loyalties apparently lie? Two e-mail friends placed his current situation in perspective.

HGT wrote: “Instead of being a martyr, think of his shame in being taken down by a woman. And no virgins.”

Sheila continued with the “taken down by woman” theme: “To be fair, he was shot on sight! By an American WOMAN. Isn’t irony delicious?”

Maybe I should have called this article “When Muslim religious fanatics met IEDs…..a love story.” The wielders of IEDs are going to find out that the only “virgins” they are going to have a relationship with in the afterlife, is the IED that they cradled just before “blast off.” M Hasan, who is now paralyzed from the chest down, is going to find out that there will not be frolicking with any virgins, in current life or after. Maybe as part of an “outreach and tolerance” gesture, he could have the strippers of whom he is apparently so fond, brought in to aid in his “recuperation.” In this politically correct atmosphere, this idea made in jest, could very well be under consideration in order to provide him “aid and comfort!”

In all of this “snapping to kill,” I would like to know why on a base of soldiers, that the wait was on for civilian police officers to arrive to rescue those soldiers. OK, I found out. The soldiers were unarmed and therefore sitting ducks because of a policy by the 42nd president of the US, a policy that mandated that military bases should be “gun free zones.” Isn’t he the same one who is reported to have “loathed” the military? Maybe we should return to the times of George Washington, when the C-I-C led the troops on the battlefield!

Fort Hood was “gun free,” and became Virginia Tech. The rest of the world must be really shaking their heads at the idea that the US could be foolish enough to disarm its soldiers and leave them nicely lined up for target practice, on their own base. It is difficult to accept that some members of the finest military in the world, were rendered impotent by the stroke of a pen. Imagine if the alleged shooter M Hasan was a better marksman….He could have gone for triple digit kills.

There is at least one other “person,” who bears responsibility for this carnage. It is that guy called “political correctness.” “He” is also apparently raising his ugly head in another troop persecution story that is just breaking. Capture a known terrorist. Known terrorist plays the abuse “violin.” Untrained and very politically correct “musicians” buy the tune and more troops find out that their “all” is not enough. They are expected to lose portions of their lives, behind bars, put there by representatives of “we the people.” SEALs Matthew McCabe, Jonathan Keefe and Julio Huertas are going to find out what the troops of Haditha, ILT Michael Behenna and many of the Leavenworth Ten found out. Sometimes it does not pay to do your job “to the best of your ability.” I am proud of these three latest victims of “persecution by country,” that they turned down a “backroom deal” to plead guilty, and asked for a court martial.

Sheila reminded me of this warning by Cicero, to the Roman Empire:

“A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. ...He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist.” -- Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 BC-43 BC)

We are rotting from within and treasonous actions are being flaunted in our faces. The ball is in our court. We can continue to allow ourselves to be misled by hideous political correctness, ineptitude and corruption, or we can demand to be governed by commonsense, wisdom and bravery. The lives of all of us, including those Muslims who do want to be part of US society, the America of the Founding Fathers’ vision, are in all of our hands. Our survival is dependent on a cohesive partnership, not a diverse agenda.

The perfect ending to this narrative was provided by Sheila, as she tried to comfort me in my rage over the news of the persecution of the 3 SEALs:

“Non illigitamus carborundum - Don't let the bastards grind you down ...”

America, will you let them?