Charge in shooting is a crime, too

Charge in shooting is a crime, too

The Aug. 11 front page story “Fort Hood victims want shooting tried as terrorism” makes perfect sense because surely the charge of “workplace violence” is a terrible joke. But, incredibly, military law experts are defending the charge. Is no one in our military justice system familiar with the word treason? When Maj. Nidal Hasan says he “switched sides” and killed American soldiers in order to save the lives of the enemy, how can this not be treason? The workplace violence charge should be directed at U.S. military superiors for allowing a not-so-secretly-avowed enemy the opportunity to kill and wound American soldiers like sitting ducks.

The charge is not only a humiliating misnomer, but also denies the victims financial benefits that are due them and makes them ineligible for the Purple Heart. The wrongdoing on the part of the U.S. military is breathtaking. Where is the commander-in-chief to right this wrong?

GAIL T. LAMBERT
ROANOKE

U.S. health care isn’t the best in the world

Debbie Bennett (“Republican ticket is right for Virginia,” Aug. 9 letter) laments that President Obama is overseeing the “destruction of the best health care [system] in the world.” It has been documented that Fox News watchers are less knowledgeable than non-news watchers. Perhaps this statement is an example of that phenomenon.

Most people know that many countries have better health care systems than ours. The last credible ranking listed 36 countries that were better. The U.S. was put two spots higher than Cuba. The only superlative earned by our country was “most expensive health care in the world.” Further, it is a constant source of wonder to me that never — not once — have I heard or read of one of these conservative Republicans expressing any concern for the millions of Americans who are not covered by health care insurance.

They will rant endlessly that the U.S. is a Christian nation. But when these Christians are asked to support a program intended to help everyone get access to “the best health care system in the world,” they focus on every issue except that of concern for their neighbor.

PAUL SCOTT
ROANOKE

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