Why? Terrorism Profiling

Well, I was in the mall the other day and noticed a woman wearing a head covering(a Hijab), and a loose fitting outfit. This did flit across my my. "Did she have a bomb strapped underneath that dress?"  I had just profiled.  I believe she was totally innocent, but the issue of profiling for terrorists began to be discussed in my mind and I did a little research.

First

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States. Through advocacy and outreach to targeted constituencies, The Leadership Conference works toward the goal of a more open and just society – an America as good as its ideals.

What they say.

Why Profiling is a Flawed Anti-Terrorism Tactic

As in the street crime context, terrorism profiling is a crude substitute for behavior-based enforcement. It violates core American values, including the constitutional guarantee of equal protection. It also hinders anti-terrorism efforts because it alienates people and communities that are critical to the success of the anti-terrorism effort. 

Why Profiling Hinders the Anti-Terrorism Effort. 

Focusing on the many Arabs, South Asians, Muslims, and Sikhs who clearly pose no threat to national security detracts from the anti-terrorism effort. First, it diverts precious law enforcement resources away from investigations of individuals - including Arabs and Muslims - who have been linked to terrorist activity by specific and credible evidence. Second, it ignores the possibility that someone who does not fit the profile may be engaged in terrorism, or may be an unwitting accomplice to terrorism. 

That race is an ineffective measure of an individual's terrorist intentions was made clear in a memorandum circulated to American law enforcement agents worldwide by a group of senior U.S. law enforcement officials in October 2002. The memorandum, entitled "Assessing Behaviors," emphasized that focusing on the racial characteristics of individuals was a waste of law enforcement resources and might cause law enforcement officials to ignore suspicious behavior, past or present, by someone who did not fit a racial profile. One of the authors of the report noted: "Fundamentally, believing that you can achieve safety by looking at characteristics instead of behaviors is silly. If your goal is preventing attacks . . . you want your eyes and ears looking for pre-attack behaviors, not characteristics."

The memorandum urged investigators to focus on actual behavior involving selection of targets, recruitment and organization of members, acquisition of skills, assessing vulnerabilities of targets, acquiring financing, probing boundaries, communicating with conspirators, using insiders, maintaining secrecy, and acquiring weapons.128 An emphasis on race, the memorandum noted, distracts from the observance of potentially suspicious behavior.

The San Bernardino terrorists were Arab and practicing at a gun range for years. Is that enough cause to alert authorities.  Well in this case at least in hind sight, it should have been.  Word War III has begun.  We are all accountable to be alert for unusual activity. Is that profiling?

Why? You can't have it.

I remember reading years ago about a Third World family, poor, poor, brought to America and taken to a mall or perhaps a Walmart. The were absolutely overwhelmed. The shear "plenty", the volume of goods, the overflowing shelves, having to navigate aisles with more stacks of "plenty".  It was if they had died and gone beyond heaven.  America, the land of "plenty".
Well, coming from a Third World country is one thing, but there is a significant number of Americans who "can't have it, can't have the plenty". They live here amidst the "plenty", but do not have the means to acquire it.  The poor, the uneducated, the homeless, the list is long.
Some acquire by crime, some acquire a bit through through so called entitlements. Both methods have large issues.  Crime is rather obvious, but our criminal system has failed miserably to redeem criminals, crime recidivism is rampant.  Entitlements are economic entrapment.  The poor are given enough to survive, but not enough to thrive, to improve themselves.
The avenue for success in "having it" is lined with strong personal support systems, great, free educational systems all the way through job skill training and even college degrees.  The "can't have it" people need the ability to earn it and the beneficiary of that earning is America itself.

Why? What makes people happy?

This my first post that is not my own thinking.

"The one thing most studies on happiness agree on is this: family and relationships are the surest way to happiness.

Close behind are meaningful work, positive thinking, and the ability to forgive.

What does not seem to make people happy are money, material possessions, intelligence, education, age, gender or attractiveness.

In rough order of importance, here are the factors that make us happy and what you can do to increase happiness in your life.

THE TOP THREE…

1. Family and relationships

The happiest people spend time with those they love including family, partners or friends. Intimacy with others fulfils two basic human needs – the need for social connections with others of our kind, and the need for personal growth which makes us feel fully alive.

A simple strategy for happiness is to accept social invitations whenever possible, or to initiate social gatherings with family and friends. Face-to-face meetings make us more happy than online networking, especially because hugging and other forms of physical touch releases endorphins. So use technology to set up meetings, but get out there and hobnob the old-fashioned way.

2. Meaningful work

We are happiest when engaged in activities that make us forget ourselves and lose track of time. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls the the “flow” experience. Flow can be achieved when making music, gardening, playing with children, practising sports, writing, or even pouring over a spreadsheet. According to Csikszentmihalyi, doing what you do best is the best way to achieve flow. 

Abraham Maslow defines “self-actualisation” as the innate human motivation that each of us has to achieve our potential. We experience a sense of fulfilment when using and developing our skills, talents and abilities. When we complete a challenge or task that we are pleased with, we achieve a peak experience of self-realisation and are happy with our achievement. For that short time we have achieved self-actualisation.

3. Positive thinking

One attitude contributing to happiness is the refusal to compare yourself with others. Be content that the house you have is “enough house” instead of envying your neighbour’s bigger house. If you really have to compare, compare down and not up. For example, Olympic bronze medallists who consider themselves lucky to get a medal are happier than silver medallists who feel that they missed the gold medal.

Another useful attitude is to choose to believe the better option. For example, if your partner often works late, accept that he is overwhelmed with deadlines instead of telling yourself that he just doesn’t care enough to spend time with you.

THE REST OF THE LIST…

4. Gratitude

Perhaps this is a subset of positive thinking, yet it is such an important aspect that it deserves a place all by itself. Grateful people are happy people. Gratitude is best expressed in writing or talking. Keeping a gratitude journal or saying prayers aloud every night is a surefire way to increase your happiness.

Further reading: Keep a gratitude journal

5. Forgiveness

Those who cannot forgive become angry and depressed over time, and suffer poorer health due to the physical reactions to these negative emotions. Let go of these toxic feelings, and you increase your happiness.

Further reading: The gift of forgiveness

6. Giving to others

Many people testify that what lifted them from depression was helping others. Whether by volunteering at a homeless shelter, holding the hand of a terminally ill patient, raising funds for charity, or tutoring children from poor families, all forms of giving take us out of ourselves and set us back on the path to normalcy and happiness.

7. Religion

A person’s specific religions belief or denomination does not seem to matter as much as the fact that she beliefs in something. Religion provides a personal creed, a direction in life, and this sense of purpose contributes to a person’s well-being and happiness.

Further reading: Have a personal creed

8. Personal freedom

While everybody needs freedom to varying degrees, some people simply cannot be happy unless they determine their own fate and are left to make their own choices. For such people, choosing to quit a job in order to freelance or start their own business is a great contributor to happiness.

9. Good health

Surprisingly, health does not contribute much to happiness. Health, like money, is a hygiene factor. This means that its absence makes us unhappy but its presence tends to be taken for granted without any further increase in happiness. So keep yourself in reasonably good health so that you can enjoy life, but do not obsess over it thinking that more health brings more happiness.

10. Watching TV

This one goes against conventional wisdom. Yet studies by psychologists and economists confirm that this simple activity increases our enjoyment and happiness in the moment. While excessive TV may reduce our quality of life by taking away time from other important things, a little TV is harmless and may even be good for you" 

Sources:

Psychologists now know what makes people happy

Psychology 101: What makes people happy?

Survey reveals what makes people happy

What makes people happy based on cross-cultural studies

Happiness: What makes people happy?

What makes people happy? TV, study says

Why? The value of the Political Spectrum

Spectrum, "a broad range of conditions or behaviors grouped together and studied under a single title for ease of discussion"(wikipedia). The Political Spectrum is framed by the Far left and Far Right. Actually, it could be said "framed by violence and dogma".  On the extreme Far Left, revolution against the Haves by the Have Nots and on the extreme Far Right, total control by the Haves over the Have Nots. Strangely, in between is a spectrum of freedom.  The ultimate revelation of this freedom spectrum is that as you move to the right, freedom is lost.  "I once had a momentary vision of the future and it was totalitarian."  No freedom, total control by a Tea Party like group. No compromise, only their "truth".  History is full of examples of such dictatorships. They were ended by war and revolution.  Keep your powder dry.

Why? the Gift of gifts

In my life I have had many gifts. When I was born, my insides were on the out side. My insides were put back in and I survived with a three inch long belly button, being a 1 in 10,000 baby. 

My greatest gift was my mother. After my father was killed in a head on train collision, my mother raised three children by herself. She worked 2 jobs to provide for us and when my time for college came, she sold our house in Smith Center, Kansas and moved  the entire family to Manhattan, Kansas.  I graduated from Kansas State University in 1964.

The gift of motivation, I really don't know why, but I have always been driven to succeed, to have focus and with a competitive nature I believe unequaled by anyone, anywhere at any time. Of course many others have had that same feeling, but sadly many do not. I don't know why I have had this gift, but it has served me well. "You may beat me, but I am not beaten. I cannot be defeated or beaten by anything or anyone. I will never,ever give in or give up. Even in death I am not defeated". 

The gift of athletics and hand-eye coordination, holding my high school discus record, admittedly for a brief period of time, elected captain of my high school football team, holding the high series bowling score for 15 years in Pratt, Kansas, placing 7th in the nation for a three games series in Reno, Nevada. Selected as the Pratt High School Girls and Boys golf coach because I had become a self taught and very good golfer.

The gift of coaching in a range of sports to include football, wrestling,basketball, track and golf. 

The gift on experiencing the "thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" on the field and on the sideline.

The gift of serving as a city commissioner and even as mayor  of the finest small city in America, Pratt, Kansas

And in the end, the gift of life itself, of marriage and family, of children, grandchildren, and true friends. 

We all have gifts of some kind, recognize them, appreciate them and use them. They will make your gift of life worth living.

Why? the portal to the future

I was watching a movie with my grandson(age 10) and in it was a scene with a circular, watery looking portal that took people to the future or the past or at least somewhere.  And while riding home yesterday from the final day of summer camp I said, "Jack, next week you are going to enter a portal to the future".  Jack was a bit confused and I said, "Jack your portal to the future is school. It's not what you learn, but knowing how to learn. It always doing your best to the point that someday in the future your teachers will remember you and say, "I remember Jack, he was a great student".  "Jack, the most import thing you will ever do is school. It prepares you for life".

Why? Paying it forward

The origin of my "paying it forwardness" was my mother.  My father was killed in a head on train collision in 1945. My mother was left alone to raise three children ages 2, 5 and 8.  Actually I wasn't quite 5 only 4 years 8 months old.  The railroad gave in my view a paltry $3000 dollars for the death of a family man.  My mother eventually spent $1500 for a small house in Smith Center, Kansas, never remarried, worked two jobs and sometimes three jobs to care for her children.  Time passed and I was a senior in high school and the talk was of college.
In retrospect I now know what an extraordinary person my mother was.  I had a little money from working in the summers and my mother had virtually none.  How was I to get and eduction?  The answer was to uproot her family from a 13 year existence in Smith Center.  She sold the house, got a job at the Fort Riley Army Base and bought a small house in  Manhattan, Kansas home of Kansas State University. Thus I attended Kansas State University.  It took me 6 years to graduate because I ran out of money and dropped out of school and worked for the Manhattan Tree Department for 2 years.  Times were always tough and I will tell you a telling truth.  It concerns the Sewing Machine.  My mother had a reasonably good sewing machine. I remember going with her to the local pawn shop on more that one occasion with that machine in hand. Pawning it for a few dollars to be able to make it to the next pay day.  In the end her sacrifice was well worth it.  I had a 38 year teaching career, was elected city commissioner and even served as city mayor(my mother suffered a life ending stoke a that time and she was told of my election. I can only hope she understood and I do know she would have been very proud.}
I paid it forward the other day to my oldest grandson.  Aged 19 and forced to be on his own with really no financial support, a car that had broken down and the rent coming due.  He was distraught.  I put a few thousand dollars in his bank account, drove my decent 2002 Honda down to his place in Hutchinson, Kansas and gave him the keys.  I told him I was "paying it forward".  I told him what my mother had done for me and that some day in the future there would come a day when someone he knew would need help and he would "pay it forward".  He is doing OK.

Why? All answers have value

An email exchange with Dr. Loren Pennington, Professor at Emporia State University and my Master Degree advisor

From: "Loren Pennington" 

Date: January 27, 2010 at 6:00:24 PM CST

To: 

Subject: Re: A thank you from an old student

Wednesday

Dear Mr. Heaton

I was delighted to hear from you.  While I do not remember your face, I do remember your name very well.  I presume you were with at the local high school in Pratt or at the Community College.  At age 83 I haven't taught class at ESU since the 1990s, but I am still holding forth at the University as an adjunct professor in a variety of projects and am working on a couple of books which  may or may not get done.  

I much appreciated your email, which was a real tonic for my day.

Loren Pennington  

kurt heaton 

Dear Doctor Pennington,

I attended Emporia state in the Summer Of 1968 on a nation grant. I began serious pursuit of a Masters Degree in the summer of 1970. You were my advisor and I wanted to relate to you an experience I had in my very first class that summer. I believe It was held in your office. There were 6 or 8 of us there. I was nervous and somewhat unsure of my self. You asked a question and remember part of my answer "sort of scientific". A fellow student, quite sure of himself, jumped in and put down my answer. An you did something that affected me for the rest of my teaching career. You defended my answer. Now I suspect that my answer was not that good, but I learned something that day that I applied to my teaching for 38 years. All answers have value. So I just want to thank you for that very small moment. It helped shape my teaching philosophy.  Kurt Heaton Emporia 1968-1972- Master Degree Social Science( I know they don't offer this degree any more, but I wanted to have a broad appeal in the Social Science area. I taught Economics and World History for 38 year in Pratt and loved every minute of It.)  again, thank you

Why? "Slip Sliden Away"

Slip
I try to stay positive, but one thing I really dislike is filling my weekly pill box. MY WEEKLY PILL BOX!  I remember, long ago, perhaps age 10 or 12 thinking what would my life be like if I lived to be 60.  Well, one thing I never imagined was medications.  I currently have four prescriptions and take a few supplements

Sliden
At age 63, I was still coaching golf. I had a van full of girls golfers in east Wichita one evening following a tournament. We had eaten and I pulled out into the wrong lane. Traffic was light and I quickly corrected the situation. I will tell you that I was always aware of how precious the cargo was when driving kids in a school van and I knew at that moment that it was time to retire from coaching.

Away
With the death  of my son-in-law and my son in the same year,  I  knew that I must do my best to survive as long as possible for the grandchildren.  That was seven years ago and I carefully fill my pill box every week,take all my medications, and walk three miles a day, every single day.  I will turn 75 in May. My life is filled with family and I am grateful. I still play golf, shot my age last year(ok, from the "up" tees)  So slippen and sliden but not ready for the away part and am going to fight it as long as I can. Love to all.