It wasn’t until shortly before I left work earlier this evening that I saw Internet reports about today’s tragic attack at Fort Hood, Texas.

Initial reports identify the attacker as Maj. Nidal Hasan, a Muslim.

As I drove home, the radio updated the story and you barely had time to react to the numbers – 12 dead, 31 wounded – before the reporter segued into the Muslim Public Affairs Council’s concern that the fact that a Muslim was behind the attack might cause a backlash against the Muslim community.

In a separate statement, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, based in Los Angeles, California, condemned what it called the "heinous incident."

"We are in contact with law enforcement and U.S. federal government officials to gain more facts from this tragic incident and work together in dealing with its aftermath," the group said.

Its statement called on "all members of American Muslim communities to be in contact with local law enforcement for the safety and security of their communities and their institutions."

Just who’s the victim here?

The most amazing thing that’s occurred over the past eight years since nearly 3,000 were killed on 9/11 is that there has been no substantial violence against any Muslim communities anywhere in the United States. (For evidence, I point you to this ancient Hoystory blog post on a civil rights “report” released in May 2002.)

Yet every time we another Muslim snaps and goes on a rampage, whether it’s at Fort Hood or at the El Al ticket counter at Los Angeles International Airport, Muslim civil rights groups are quick to half-heartedly decry the violence and even quicker to cast themselves in the victim role.

They would be well-advised to issue their predictable denunciations of “violence” and stop at that point, because I can guarantee one thing right now: Not a single mosque, Muslim community center or hijab-wearing woman will suffer so much as a scratch from anyone seeking retribution for today’s evil attacks.

So stop pretending they will.