Wouldn't you?

Submitted by Sholom Landy (Israel), Nov 9, 2009 at 04:31

After a weekend of thinking about the Fort Hood shooter, I got to fit into his shoes. Except for his spotty history.

Consider any minority member, who has strong feelings for other members of that minority, in his position. Let's say, a doctor of the Apache tribe is told that his next tour of duty will be in Apache territory, in an outfit that will fight, with bombs and machine guns, other Apache members. An Orthodox Jewish chaplain being sent with a unit that is to fight Israeli Jews.

How would you feel if YOU were told to aid those who would kill your brother tribesmen or co-religionists?

Commentary on the Tora tells you your choice of action if confronted with a similar scenario: If Reuven is handed a weapon by Ahmad and ordered to kill Shimon or be killed himself, Reuven has two choices ONLY: to forfeit his own life, or to kill Ahmad. If he were to kill a fellow Jew he would be forever branded a murderer. Because why should Reuven think his own blood is more precious than Shimon's?

That was the mindset of the Fort Hood shooter. He felt that we shouldn't be fighting against his relatives, and he asked not to be sent to such a unit. He was between a rock and a hard place. He acted his conscience.

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