TOOL: To help create or support any cause~~ A Timely Example

Posted:  21 Dec 12

Please note:  In addition to the following relevant effort, the fine website, "Causes.Com," enables anyone to "create a cause for any issue or organization that matters to you -- another worthwhile way to take advantage of the great human achievement -- The Internet.  To learn more and to start a cause or to join an existing one, please start here.  And, here is their Facebook page

A message from Causes Moment of Silence for Sandy Hook Victims

A cause you are a member of has reposted this: “Please take the pledge for a moment of silence for the Sandy Hook Victims.” Moment of Silence for Sandy Hook Victims on Dec. 21 It starts with you SIGN THE PLEDGE Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy has asked the nation to come together this Friday, December 21 at 9:30am ET to observe a moment of silence in tribute to the victims of the Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown, CT. The victims will be honored with 26 bells, one for each of the lives lost at the hands of a gunman. Churches across America will be ringing their bells, too. We are grieving for the precious lives that were lost in Newtown, CT last week. The heartbreaking events at Sandy Hook Elementary School remind us that together our resolve for a better nation, for a better world, is strong. We pledge to stand by the victims, the victims' families, and the community of Newtown, CT during this moment of silence. As President Obama noted earlier last week: "I am very mindful that mere words cannot match the depths of your sorrow, nor can they heal your wounded hearts. I can only hope it helps for you to know that you're not alone in your grief; that our world too has been torn apart; that all across this land of ours, we have wept with you, we've pulled our children tight... Newtown - you are not alone." This moment of silence only marks the beginning of our healing. As we look to the future, we must also look to each other: we can't be silent on the difficult conversations for how we make our nation safer for our loved ones. For those who wish to take further action now, we suggest getting engaged in one of the following efforts: Demand A Plan. A grassroots effort led by mayors to advocate for legislation to end gun violence, including mandating a criminal background check for every gun buyer, banning assault weapons, and making gun trafficking a felony. Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. The organization works to pass and enforce sensible federal and state gun laws, regulations, and public policies National Association for Mental Illness (NAMI). Advocates for access to services, treatment, support and research for the 60 million Americans who experience a mental health issue every year. These are difficult conversations, ones we wish we didn't need to have. But the victims of Sandy Hook, the Newtown community, and the world deserve a plan for how we move forward. Please share the moment of silence pledge far and wide (causes.com/sandyhooktribute) and stay posted for future action alerts. Thank you. Want to get involved? See this pledge on Causes

Address: Causes, 88 Kearny St, Suite 2100, San Francisco, CA 94108 United States | Privacy Policy To stop receiving emails, unsubscribe.

SCHOOL MASSACRES -- Toward a Better Social Strategy

Posted:  15 Dec 12

ANOTHER BIG JOB FOR 

"WE THE PEOPLE"

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America" -- Preamble to the United States Constitution.

1.  SYNOPSIS

On Friday, 14 December 2012, a horrendous thing happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, Connecticut (Official City Website) and (Wikipedia discussion).    At least 26 people, 20 of whom were children, were murdered during the innocent course of life, by a deranged, suicidal gunman.

Another senseless tragedy has befallen our complex, beloved nation -- to deeply mar the precious life experience of its people -- and to shock our world and please the enemies of humankind.  Much more than a joyous holiday season was again damaged, in an instant.

• Here are some of the news stories (Google search)
• Here is what the President has said, in general (Google search)
• Here is what the President said in a general White House email -- his personal feelings and proclamation of a national day of mourning on Tuesday, 18 December. (PCJ blog article)

2.  PURPOSES

This article attempts to gather, in one place, some early information which may prove useful to us in coming to grips with the awful, ugly phenomenon of school massacres -- and to ultimately and quickly wrestle it to the ground, once and for all.  At least we can and MUST try -- and keep trying, till there's nothing left to do.  Specifically, you will find here:

• A preliminary assessment which is offered to help get us all "on the same page," providing links to some of the current thinking on school massacre phenomena; inevitable discussions of gun control; and domestic terrorism, in general.
• A useful emailed message from WebMd, with help for us all in "finding the right words."

This article is an EARLY attempt to grapple with the issue.  These are preliminary thoughts and findings which I hope to develop and mature over the coming months and beyond.  This wasn't so high on my "to-do" list before, but it certainly is now.

3.  RATIONALE

We need to understand why.  We can't sit idly by and "let" this repulsive, destructive behavior continue without trying, our utmost, to stop it -- these acts of DOMESTIC TERRORISM.  How can our nation become the best that it can be (our prime social task), if the mentally troubled can hold such arbitrary power over the rest of us?  How can we fully develop the beauty of the brief life experience, which we all crave, when such ugliness is "permitted" to exist?    What is wrong with our social strategy?  How do we "fix" it, forever?  Should we not try our utmost?

How do we explain these insane episodes to our children?  Even to ourselves?  Surely, all within hearing are deeply affected, when we are so brutally reminded that the world can be a fearful, hazardous, unpredictable place.  Children (and, indeed, we all) need to know how to interpret these events so that our world and life views don't become distorted and lead us into error and other complications -- and so we can maximize our defenses against their recurrence.

I am dead serious in my belief that we must, can, and will fix such as this (and, I know I am far from alone in this determination) -- but it's going to take all of us working hard and smart, to figure out what to do and then to do it.  

Gathering and understanding the information is a good place to start.  And we must keep going back to the drawing board, until the job is done.  What else can we do?  Who else is there to do it, if not we citizens -- the ultimate arbiters of all things national?  When, if not soon?  

OUR JOB #1  is to leave this world far, far better than we found it.

4.  A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT

THE PHENOMENON

Naturally, sensibly, the burning desire to "fix" our society, so that such a repulsive thing can and will never happen again,  revisits the same old questions -- how do we keep guns out of the wrong hands? -- is there a way to detect/predict this behavior so as to anticipate/avoid it? -- if so, how do we avoid it?  If unavoidable, is there nothing we can do to mitigate/neutralize it?

• Here is a general discussion of the phenomenon of "School Massacres," itself (Wikipedia discussion) and (Google search)
• Here is some of the cumulative thinking on "Preventing School Massacres" (Google search)

GUN CONTROL

Inevitably, the intractable topic of "GUN CONTROL" enters into the discussion.  For it is obvious to all, that if the perpetrator didn't have this efficient and convenient tool on hand, it would have been far more difficult (but not impossible) to accomplish such wide destruction.  Yet, this "genie" cannot and will not go back into his bottle, for many reasons.   But, as always, everything gets urgent re-examination in the search for answers and solutions -- until the press of life submerges it from view, once again.

• Here is a general discussion of "Gun Control" (Wikipedia discussion) and (Google search)
• Here is a general discussion of "Gun Politics" -- World & US (Wikipedia discussion) and (Google search)
• Here is some of the cumulative thinking on "The PRO's & CONS of Gun Control" (Google search)

OTHER ASPECTS OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM

Guns are not the only efficient means of mass destruction available to the vicious

• Here is a general discussion of "Domestic Terrorism in the U.S." (Wikipedia discussion) and (Google search)

5.  A HELPFUL MESSAGE FROM WebMD

On Sat, Dec 15, 2012 at 4:03 AM, WebMD <health@messages.webmd.com> wrote:

Featured: Helping Kids Manage Grief

WebMD Daily Saturday, December 15, 2012   School Shooting Tragedy: Finding the Right Words Experts offer guidance on how parents can comfort their children in the wake of the Connecticut school shooting. Read Article ›   • PTSD and Your Family   • Helping Kids Manage Grief   • ‘How Do I Help a Friend Who’s Having an Anxiety Attack?’                     Top News of the Week • Health Risk of Recreational Marijuana • Brown Fat Transplants for Weight Loss • New Benefit of Coffee • The Flu: Facts for Cancer Patients • Distress Tied to Higher Stroke Risk Featured • Quiz: Origins of Holiday Traditions • Burping and Burning? Check Symptoms • See Our Diet and Fitness Guide • Foods for Beautiful Skin ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT From Our Sponsor • Need Help Managing Your Child’s Diabetes? Learn about Insulin Pumps From the WebMD Network • Depression Treatments • 14 Ways to Lower Triglycerides • Parenting Tips WebMD Privacy Policy WebMD Office of Privacy | 1201 Peachtree Street, NE | 400 Colony Square, Suite 2100 | Atlanta, GA 30361 © 2012 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

WE CAN FIX THIS, FRIENDS.  

WE'VE GOT TO BELIEVE THAT.  

I CERTAINLY DO.

David Nelson

All Original Content © 2012 , The MENTOR Enterprises / ELMS, All Rights Reserved -- BUT, I hereby suspend those rights, to this extent: You may freely copy and pass this along, if you think it will do some good -- as long as it's free of charge, unchanged, and you include this statement.