It appalls me to think that FReepers are trivializing the Purple Heart. Sickening, actually.
Given that John Kerry got one, I don’t think the people who are suggesting the Ft. Hood victims deserve it are “trivializing” it.
I'm thinking that if we took a poll, most of these folks have not served in the armed forces.
I suspect the order of the PH could be justified to be awarded to all persons so involved, and it could also be justified to be withheld.
FWIW, I have known some Marines from WWII and Korea and Vietnam who found the PH to be more of an insult than complement, because in order to have received one, means one was a loser regardless the cause of the wound, yet their duty is to not be a loser or get wounded in the first place and prevail in armed conflict regardless.
I suspect there have been enough wounded from the last 8 years that many do not take that view nor look upon it disparagingly.