"Walk up not walk out"

So in the wake of the Florida school shooting, a national walkout was scheduled for March 14, 2018, which was one month from shooting.

On social media, advocates were urging for students to:
WALK UP to the kid who sits ALONE and ask them to join your group.
WALK UP to the kid who never has a voluntary partner and offer to be theirs.
WALK UP to your teachers and thank them.
WALK UP to someone and just be nice.

While I do agree, to an extent that some good can come from being nicer to your fellow students and staff and not be a bully or disrespectful.

However, not every school shooter or mass shooter is a result of bullying. Adam Lanza, the shooter of Sandy Hook Elementary School, was on the Autism spectrum and his mother allowed guns in his house and him to have access.
Some of these other shooters have underlying mental illnesses.

So, yes, advocate for less bullying and disrespect BUT lets ALSO focus on mental illness and access to guns/gun control.

Nikolas Cruz, the Florida school shooter NOT ONLY had almost 18 calls to the FBI on him, because people were concerned for his posts and him "wanting to be a professional school shooter." He was able to walk into a gun store and EASILY buy an AR-15 EASIER THAN A HAND GUN.

WHY?

For all the 2nd amendment advocates and gun owners, NO I am not advocating to take your guns. I AM advocating to have people who have mental illnesses or are the subject of a restraining order or a convicted felon, should not have access to a gun of any kind. We should have nationwide comprehensive background checks.

I do support those that are protesting by walking out. I grew up and went to school in the "Post Columbine generation." We had lockdown drills preparing for an active school shooter/threat. In fact, on several occasions we were actually locked down because of bomb threats. That was just high school. When I went to college, we were locked down multiple times and heard gunfire often, and never could tell if it was on campus or not. A few students were even robbed at gunpoint. We need to lock our campuses down, especially the k-12th grade schools. Make sure no one can get into the building with ANY sort of weapon FOR ANY REASON (law enforcement and security personal aside). NO STUDENT SHOULD EVER GO TO SCHOOL AND BE AFRAID THAT THEY WON'T GO HOME AND NO PARENT SHOULD EVER FEAR THEIR CHILD(REN) WON'T COME HOME FROM SCHOOL.

What would you do if it was your kid? Would you want them safe and not afraid to go to school?

Florida School Shooting

The Valentine's Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida has left 17 dead and many others injured and traumatized.
The "salt in the wound" is that the FBI had the suspect on their radar due to threats made on his social media platforms, as well as pictures of his weapons on Instagram, and the FBI didn't do anything. There were 14 students and 3 faculty members that lost their lives on that day.

The suspect: Nikolas Cruz. He used a SEMIautomatic AR-15 rifle and even took an Uber to the school at around 2:20 pm. When he was done he fled with the rest of the students "to blend in and get away." He was subsequently caught about an hour after the shooting, according to a New York Times article.

The article states "After leaving the school, Mr. Cruz walked to a Walmart, and bought a drink at a Subway. He also stopped at a McDonald’s. He was arrested by the police without incident as he walked down a residential street at 3:41 p.m."

The article goes on to say "The F.B.I. said on Thursday it received information last year about a comment made on a YouTube channel which has been attributed to the gunman, but was unable to identify the person. In Florida, an AR-15 is easier to buy than a handgun."

Some articles state that Nikolas Cruz blamed some of his past behavior and depression on the death of his parents and the fact he was living with another family.

"The family that took him in, the Sneads, had seen signs of depression in Mr. Cruz, but nothing indicated that he was capable of this kind of violence, Jim Lewis, the family’s attorney, said. The family had allowed Mr. Cruz to bring his gun with him to their house, insisting that he keep it in a lockbox.
Mr. Lewis had encouraged Mr. Cruz to attend adult education courses, work toward his G.E.D., and take a job at a local Dollar Tree store, he said in a brief interview. The Sneads’ son, a junior, knew Mr. Cruz from Stoneman Douglas High.
On Wednesday, Mr. Cruz and the Sneads’ son were texting until 2:18 p.m., Mr. Lewis said — about five minutes before the first 911 calls about the shooting. “But there was nothing crazy in the texts,” Mr. Lewis said.""

(The New York Times article can be found here: Florida School Shooting)

Now that 11 days have passed since the tragic shooting, students are calling for a change in the country for gun control. Since there have been dozens of mass shootings in the United States alone since the Columbine school shooting. Some include: Pulse Night Club in Orlando, Virginia Tech and Sandy Hook Elementary School, just to name a few.

Many want to disregard what the young people have to say about new gun control "since they were the generation that was eating tide pods" or "it won't stop a criminal from finding a way, since they don't follow laws." But my question is where does it stop? We need to address gun control AND mental health. Adam Lanza, the one responsible for the Sandy Hook School shooting, KILLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS, the guns legally belonged to his family. He was on the spectrum for Autism. Nikolas Cruz LEGALLY bought his gun AND buying the AR-15 WAS EASIER TO BUY THAN A HANDGUN under Florida law.
No student should go to school in fear that they may never come home.


These are some of the scared messages parents and loved ones get. Imagine if it was your child, your sibling or your parents in that building? Wouldn't you want change to save one more family from going through this?

Tensions with North Korea grow

President Donald J. Trumps’ comments both on and off Twitter have sparked new and heightened tensions with North Korea.

But what’s next? War?

War is always a scary thought, especially when nuclear war is on the line. And for the last few months, North Korea not only has been testing nuclear weapons and missiles, but they have been “bragging” how their missiles can reach the United States.

However, the USA did “show some muscle” and flew close to North Korea.

North Korea hasn’t expressed interest in talks with the USA to de-escalate the situation in the past. However, a new report released by CBS on 1/6/2018, President Donald J. Trump is open to speaking to North Korea. This is after boasting on both sides that they “have the nuclear buttons sitting on their desk, that they can use any time.”

(You can read more about that here: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-says-he-s-open-talking-north-korea-s-kim-n835291).

Nodong, Musudan, and two different Hwasongs. These are the missiles North Korea has tested and that function, according to a BBC article. According to the same article, North Korea has two under development, a KN-14 and a KN-08.

Now what kind of damage could they do?

According to the BBC article “In May 2017, North Korea test fired a Hwasong 12 missile, which analysts believe could have a range of up to 4,500km, putting US military bases on the Pacific island of Guam well within in striking distance.

But two tests in July of the Hwasong-14 missile demonstrated even greater potential, possibly giving North Korea its first truly intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

Analysts believe this missile could be a two-stage version of the Hwasong-12. Initial estimates suggested a range of about 8,000km, but later studies suggested that it could travel as far as 10,000km if fired on a maximising trajectory, allowing it to potentially hit New York.

In August 2017 the second missile test of the Hwasong 12 travelled over Japan, the first time a ballistic missile has flown over the territory and was described as an "unprecedented threat".

This was repeated on 15 September with a missile that flew a greater distance and reached a higher altitude than the August test, demonstrating an improvement in range for the missile.

Then came the Hwasong 15 test on 29 November, which saw a missile fired to an estimated altitude of 4,500km above the Earth.

Experts suggest that this missile, if fired on a more conventional lower trajectory, could have a maximum range of some 13,000km, putting all of the continental United States in North Korea's sights.”

(You can read those articles here: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41356973 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41174689)

Personally speaking, I think that we will end up in war with North Korea, tensions have been building between the USA and North Korea and North Korea and other nations since before President Trump took office. Then President Trump sparks up more tension with his rhetoric, to the media and on Twitter.

Some high profile murders in America

One of the first was the shooting of Trevon Martin by George Zimmerman. Zimmerman was found not guilty of the charges due to Florida's stand your ground laws. Which took up a national debate on racial profiling and the murdering of unarmed blacks.

Then we have Officer Peter Liang. He was apart of NYPD. He also recieved no jail time, because the judge thought he didn't mean to shoot and kill the person. He was also a black man shot by police. According to the LA Times "A Brooklyn judge on Tuesday ordered Liang to serve five years’ probation and complete 800 hours of community service, saying the Chinese American rookie cop never intended to shoot, let alone kill, Akai Gurley while patrolling a dark stairwell in a Brooklyn housing project with his gun drawn. Liang was convicted in February of manslaughter and official misconduct for firing a shot that ricocheted off a wall and struck Gurley, standing a floor below, in the heart. Liang faced up to 15 years in prison, but a Brooklyn prosecutor requested that the former officer receive no prison time, and on Tuesday, Judge Danny Chun called the shooting an accident." You can read the full article here: http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-liang-sentencing-20160419-story.html

Another took place in Bridgeport, CT on May 9, 2017. According to several news articles, Bridgeport police allegedly tried to stop a stolen car, 15 year old Jayson Negron supposedly stole. Cops allege that upon approaching the car, the Jayson put the car in gear and tried speeding off and ended up striking another officer thus the police shot and ended up killing Jayson. Other articles claim "there was a brief pursuit." According to news articles, Jayson was a black teen and after being taken from the car, handcuffed and his body wasn't moved for several hours while police investigated.

One article on this shooting can be read here: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/16/us/jayson-negron-police-shooting.html

Another can be found here: http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Autopsy-Teen-died-from-chest-wounds-11138912.php

A third can be found here: http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/State-Police-Investigate-Officer-Involved-Shooting-in-Bridgeport-421806093.html

Then lets not forget Dylann Roof who in 2015 went into a black church and murdered the 9 parishioners there to worship in a bible study session. It was in Charelston, SC., and he made a manifesto, told investigators he wanted a race war, as well as, toting the Rebel Flag in some pictures. Not only did the murders make national headlines but it also started a national debate on race and the flag.
Roof was caught and was convicted on over 30 federal charges including some with the hate charges attached to them. He was also brought up on 13 state charges. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. Roof was convicted and sentenced to death by lethal injection.

A now former North Charelston police officer, Michael Slager, shot an unarmed black man during a traffic stop. Slager shot 50 year old Walter Scott in the back 8 times as he tried to run. Slager was fired and brought up on charges. He pleaded guilty and took a plea agreement. According to CNN.com he took a plea agreement for 2nd degree murder, which carries up to 25 years in jail. The article can be found here: http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/02/us/michael-slager-federal-plea/index.html

Some other high profile cases can be found here: http://www.theroot.com/seeking-justice-6-high-profile-cases-to-watch-this-yea-1790853826

In the end, no matter where we turn, be it the TV news, newspaper or online sources we see murders and other violent crimes worldwide, not just in The United State. My only question is when will it stop?

August Protests In Charlottesville

As we all have heard, we have the protests in Virginia where those in the "alt-right" or the "neo-nazis" even called "white nationalist," walking around with Nazi flags and Confederate Battle Flags as well as carrying tiki torches. However, all of this is covered under the First Amendment.

Many protesters are being identified by named and outted on the internet as White Supremacists and those that are employed seem to find themselves now unemployed.

Now, these protests seem to be over the the removal of the Robert E. Lee statue.

Everyone does have the First Amendment right to free speech, including hate speech. However, there are some limitations. Such as, you can't yell fire in a crowded theater. We also have the right to PEACEFULLY assemble or protest. So, where do we draw the lines between what we allow and what we don't?

One of the counter protests, someone drove their car into the crowd, killing one and injuring many others. So, while reading countless news articles on the subject, I came across one where a local Grand Master said he is GLAD a woman died!

The article was from The Charlotte Observer. (You can read the full article here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article167303682.html) 

The article in part says:
Monday night, Justin Moore, the Grand Dragon for the Loyal White Knights of Ku Klux Klan, said he was glad Heyer died in the attack.

“I’m sorta glad that them people got hit and I’m glad that girl died,” Moore said in a voicemail to WBTV. “They were a bunch of Communists out there protesting against somebody’s freedom of speech, so it doesn’t bother me that they got hurt at all.”

“I think we’re going to see more stuff like this happening at white nationalist events,” Moore warned.

The Trump family and the Vice President all condemned the protests and the behavior. While many disagree on what and when President Trump made his statements.

So where do we draw the line?

We should draw the line at hate speech and hateful actions. So, no Nazi/any confederate flags (battle or "main" flags), no racial slurs/comments/or jokes, no antisemitic slurs/comments/or jokes or anything similar.

I do believe that such history should still be taught in schools, museums and/or historical societies. And up to each historical society/museum if they want artifacts or flags in their displays about that time period or event in history. Because, after all, it IS apart of history, but shouldn't be "promoted" by any form of government (local, state or federal), such as, Confederate Battle Flags flown from government buildings or on public property (for example, the town green/town center).

I don't mind people having pride of where they are from, such as, being proud of their Irish heritage and join clubs or organizations for those that are Irish, as long as they aren't promoting hate. Or being proud to be an American or anything similar to these examples. As long as NO hate or violence is being promoted or accepted.

So in conclusion, I DO NOT agree with these Neo-Nazis, Alt-Left, KKK or any other hate group. I believe these have no place in society. At the end of the day, in the words of my great-grandmother "you rip away our skin and we are all red." We all the same. Pigmentation of ones skin is only skin deep, beauty is skin deep. Lets all learn from each other, ACTUALLY LISTEN to each other and learn from our past and move forward united not divided.

Domestic Violence

Tonight I wanted to touch on domestic violence, a topic very near and dear to my heart.
But what exactly is domestic violence?

It's a pattern of or reoccurring behavior establishing power and control over another person through fear and intimidation, often including the threat or use of violence (sexual and/or physical). There is also a sub-section of mental and emotional abuse. Or in other words "you a worthless, I don't know why I'm with you! No one else will love you. You're fat and ugly!" Also "it's your fault I'm like this. If you had/hadn't (insert whatever here) I wouldn't have to act this!"

Who does domestic violence impact?

Domestic violence impacts men, woman and children. Men can be victims of domestic violence, too.
In America some domestic violence statistics include:

• Every 9 seconds in the US a woman is assaulted or beaten.
  

• Around the world, at least one in every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused during her lifetime. Most often, the abuser is a member of her own family.
  

• Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women—more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined.
  

• Studies suggest that up to 10 million children witness some form of domestic violence annually.
  

• Nearly 1 in 5 teenage girls who have been in a relationship said a boyfriend threatened violence or self-harm if presented with a breakup.
  

• Everyday in the US, more than three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends.
  

• Ninety-two percent of women surveyed listed reducing domestic violence and sexual assault as their top concern.
  

• Domestic violence victims lose nearly 8 million days of paid work per year in the US alone—the equivalent of 32,000 full-time jobs.
  

• Based on reports from 10 countries, between 55 percent and 95 percent of women who had been physically abused by their partners had never contacted non-governmental organizations, shelters, or the police for help.
  

• The costs of intimate partner violence in the US alone exceed $5.8 billion per year: $4.1 billion are for direct medical and health care services, while productivity losses account for nearly $1.8 billion.
  

• Men who as children witnessed their parents’ domestic violence were twice as likely to abuse their own wives than sons of nonviolent parents.
   

Other statistics include:

• Domestic violence is most likely to take place between 6 pm and 6 am.
• More than 60% of domestic violence incidents happen at home.
  

But what happens to domestic violence victims?

• Domestic violence is the third leading cause of homelessness among families, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
• At least 1/3 of the families using New York City’s family shelter system are homeless due to domestic violence.
  

Why Does Domestic Abuse Happen?

• No victim is to blame for any occurrence of domestic abuse or violence.
• While there is no direct cause or explanation why domestic violence happens, it is caused by the abuser or perpetrator.
  

Who is Most Likely to Suffer from Domestic Abuse or Become a Victim of Domestic Violence?

• Domestic violence and abuse can happen to anyone, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, income, or other factors.
• Women and men can be victims of domestic violence.
  

But for households with children, domestic violence can have an impact on them, too.

• More than 3 million children witness domestic violence in their homes every year. 
• Children who live in homes where there is domestic violence also suffer abuse or neglect at high rates (30% to 60%). Children exposed to domestic violence at home are more likely to have health problems, including becoming sick more often, having frequent headaches or stomachaches, and being more tired and lethargic.
• Children are more likely to intervene when they witness severe violence against a parent – which can place a child at great risk for injury or even death.
• 1 in 15 children are exposed to intimate partner violence each year, and 90% of these children are eyewitnesses to this violence.
  

• 1 in 15 children are exposed to intimate partner violence each year, and 90% of these children are eyewitnesses to this violence.

 Domestic violence can have a physical and mental impact.

• Women abused by their intimate partners are more vulnerable to contracting HIV or other STI’s due to forced intercourse or prolonged exposure to stress.
• Studies suggest that there is a relationship between intimate partner violence and depression and suicidal behavior.
• Physical, mental, and sexual and reproductive health effects have been linked with intimate partner violence including adolescent pregnancy, unintended pregnancy in general, miscarriage, stillbirth, intrauterine hemorrhage, nutritional deficiency, abdominal pain and other gastrointestinal problems, neurological disorders, chronic pain, disability, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as noncommunicable diseases such as hypertension, cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Victims of domestic violence are also at higher risk for developing addictions to alcohol, tobacco, or drugs.
  

Can this lead to Rape? Yes, it can.

• 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men in the United States has been raped in their lifetime
• Almost half of female (46.7%) and male (44.9%) victims of rape in the United States were raped by an acquaintance. Of these, 45.4% of female rape victims and 29% of male rape victims were raped by an intimate partner.
  

Can it be linked to stalking and homicide. Again, yes.

• 19.3 million women and 5.1 million men in the United States have been stalked in their lifetime. 60.8% of female stalking victims and 43.5% men reported being stalked by a current or former intimate partner.

• A study of intimate partner homicides found that 20% of victims were not the intimate partners themselves, but family members, friends, neighbors, persons who intervened, law enforcement responders, or bystanders.
• 72% of all murder-suicides involve an intimate partner; 94% of the victims of these murder suicides are female.
  

A trait may also include "outting" you to the public or to friends and family if you're gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered or anyone who identifies within the LGBT comunity.


If you or someone you know is in a violent relationship there are options. 911 or your local police/emergency department may be able to help if someone is immediate danger. Other options include:

Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline

Support, resources and advice for your safety

1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

• Available: 24/7, 365 days a year. Bilingual advocates on hand.
• Resources: http://www.thehotline.org/
• Chat now: M-F, 10am-8pm ET

Helplines for advice and support:

In the US: call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE).
UK: call Women’s Aid at 0808 2000 247.
Australia: call 1800RESPECT at 1800 737 732.  

Worldwide: visit Worldwide: visit International Directory of Domestic Violence Agencies for a global list of helplines, shelters, and crisis centers. for a global list of helplines, shelters, and crisis centers.

or a safe place to stay:

In the US: visit Womenslaw.org for a state-by-state directory of domestic violence shelters in the U.S.

For men:
Abused men can also reach out to the following organizations for help:

• U.S. and Canada: 1-800-799-7233 The National Domestic Violence Hotline
• UK: 01823 334244 – ManKind Initiative 
• Australia: One in Three Campaign offers a number of crisis hotlines

World Wide Terrorism

In light of the Paris terror attacks over the weekend (Paris and all those affected continue to be in my prayers). I thought I would touch on terrorism and ISIS. (Click on the linked words to bring you to where I got my information).

Who is ISIS? (According to Wikipedia)

ISIS originated as Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad in 1999 and pledged allegiance to al-Queda in 2004. The group participated in the Iraqi Insurgency that followed the March 2003 invasion of Iraq by the USA and all other Western forces.

And according to The Guardian:

Isis is led by an Iraqi called Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Isis was originally an al-Qaida group in Iraq, the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI). As the Syrian civil war intensified, its involvement in the conflict was indirect at first. Abu Muhammad al-Joulani, an ISI member, established Jabhat al-Jabhat al-Nusra in mid-2011, which became the main jihadi group in the Syrian war.

Isis is claiming responsibility for a downed Jet and Paris. There was also terror attacks in Beirut as well as a suicide bombing at a funeral in Iraq.

In 2013, alone, (world wide) The U.S Dept. Of State says:

A total of 9,707 terrorist attacks occurred worldwide, resulting in more than 17,800 deaths and more than 32,500 injuries. In addition, more than 2,990 people were kidnapped or taken hostage. In this report we describe patterns of worldwide terrorist activity with respect to changes during the year, geographic concentration, casualties, perpetrator organizations, tactics, weapons, and targets.

On average, there were 808.91 attacks, 1,490.92 deaths, and 2,714.75 injuries per month in 2013. There were 1.84 fatalities and 3.36 injuries per attack, including perpetrator casualties.

• The high number of hostages in January (986) was primarily due to a single extended hostage/barricade attack near In Amenas, Algeria in which approximately 800 people were held hostage at a British Petroleum (BP) gas complex. Al-Muwaqqi'un bil-Dima (Those Who Sign with Blood), a sub-battalion of the al-Mulathamun Battalion, claimed responsibility for the attack, which lasted three days.
• Global patterns of terrorism throughout the year were particularly influenced by trends in several key locations. In particular, terrorist violence increased coinciding with the onset of spring “fighting season” in Afghanistan. Between February and July 2013, the number of attacks in Afghanistan increased 128% and the number killed increased 253%.
• Pakistan and Iraq experienced similar increases in attacks during this time period. Although the number of attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan subsequently declined, the number of attacks and fatalities reported in Iraq continued to increase throughout the rest of 2013.

But according to the USA, what defines an act of terrorism over seas?

The FBI defines terrorism (off US soil) as:

"International terrorism" means activities with the following three characteristics:

• Involve violent acts or acts dangerous to human life that violate federal or state law;
• Appear to be intended (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and
• Occur primarily outside the territorial jurisdiction of the U.S., or transcend national boundaries in terms of the means by which they are accomplished, the persons they appear intended to intimidate or coerce, or the locale in which their perpetrators operate or seek asylum.*
  * FISA defines "international terrorism" in a nearly identical way, replacing "primarily" outside the U.S. with "totally" outside the U.S. 50 U.S.C. § 1801(c). 

But all this does NOT mean all Muslims or those from the middle east are terrorists. Just like not all Catholics support the Westbro Baptist Church and not all white people are apart/support the KKK. We as a people need to stop putting labels on people out of fear and mistrust. We should all be unified to fight terrorism and extremists not point fingers and blame whole groups of people. So with that being said, with a rising number of terror attacks world wide, we all should try and stay safe, wherever we are.