Ft. Hood (My opinion)

Tonight's post may not be the most popular of opinions, but it's something I was thinkin about today. 

Specialist Lopez, the man who shot up Ft. Hood the other day, is one of the most talked about men in America right now. 

I have a few thoughts about the events of the other day. 

Obviously, Specialist Lopez is a man with issues. Let me start by saying that I am IN NO WAY condoning what he did. Not at all. 

Did you know that one in eight soldiers returns home from deployment now-a-days with PTSD? Think about this. One in eight people. And think about this! Do you think that every soldier that comes back from deployment that MAY have PTSD will actually admit that and go in for treatment? I don't! Anyone who knows people who serve their country should know that they are a proud people who aren't easily going to admit that they have a problem. I think that CNN's statistic of 1 in 8 is a safe guess. I think PTSD affects a lot of our military men and women. Specialist Lopez had been diagnosed with severe PTSD because he served our country in Iraq. 

Again I will say that I am not saying what he did was right or justifiable. What I AM saying is that he was a very sick man who, in serving our country and protecting our family, made a poor decision with his actions. 

I am sorry to the families of the fallen soldiers, and I am praying for those in recovery with injuries. 

But you know what? 

At the end of the day, I am praying for the Lopez family as well. Their son, brother and friend is being blasted on the news as this terribly horrible person, when what he did happened because of a disease he got protecting me and mine. 

What he did was wrong. 

Four soldiers are now dead, and more than a dozen are injured. 

Being paralyzed by PTSD does not excuse away his behavior. 

But painting him as some sort of serial killer isn't right either. 

Pray for the injured, and pray for the families of those who died. 

All of them.