December 16, 2015

Note: December 22 through January 4, there will be no blog due to my Christmas trip to North Carolina. Happy holidays to all!


News Clips For The Day


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/defense-secretary-ash-carter-iraq-leaders-fight-ramadi-isis/

Defense chief Ash Carter makes surprise visit to Iraq
AP December 16, 2015

Photograph -- United States Secretary of Defense Ash Carter prepares to testify at a Senate Armed Forces Committee hearing on "United States Strategy in the Middle East" in Washington October 27, 2015. REUTERS
Play VIDEO -- Facing ISIS' most feared weapon in Iraq
Play VIDEO -- U.S. Special Ops forces on the ground with Syrian fighters
Play VIDEO -- President Obama: U.S. hitting ISIS "harder than ever"


BAGHDAD -- Defense Secretary Ash Carter traveled to Iraq Wednesday on an unannounced war zone visit to find new ways to hasten the destruction of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Carter is planning to meet with his commanders and with Iraqi leaders, as he looks for ways to broaden the U.S. assistance to Iraq, including what will likely be discussions about America's willingness to send attack helicopters and more troops into the fight.

Because weather problems were restricting some air travel around Baghdad, it was uncertain which Iraqi leaders Carter would be able to see.

Carter has been saying he wants to identify new ways that other coalition members can contribute to the campaign. One goal is to get allies to take on some of the missions being done by some of the approximately 3,500 U.S. troops in Iraq, so that those forces can take on more specialized roles.

Carter is likely to talk to commanders and Iraqis about the new U.S. plan to deploy a new special commando force to Iraq. It would be designed to better capitalize on intelligence in order to target, capture and kill ISIS leaders. Called an "expeditionary targeting force," the special operations troops would be used to increase the pressure on the insurgents.

But details of the plan have not been disclosed, and U.S. officials haven't said when they may deploy to Iraq.

The Pentagon has also offered to send Apache helicopters to help the fight in Ramadi if Iraqi leaders request the aid. So far they have not.

Speaking to reporters traveling with him, Carter said the U.S. wants to use the Apache helicopters when they can "make a distinctive difference and have a strategic effect." He said he plans to discuss the offer with Iraqi leaders, adding that Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has said he is willing to consider it and any decision is up to the Iraqi government.

A senior U.S. official said the U.S. has been making preparations and will be ready at any moment to dispatch the Apaches when requested. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, so spoke on condition of anonymity.

Carter's trip had been planned for some time, but on Monday during a visit to the Pentagon, President Obama vowed to accelerate the campaign against ISIS, lending more urgency to the visit.

During a trip to Iraq in October, Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called for better cooperation between all the Iraqi military factions so they can better coordinate with the U.S.-led coalition. The Iraqi security forces, the Kurdish government forces known as the Peshmerga, the Sunni tribes and the popular mobilization troops are at times at odds as they try to battle ISIS.




"Carter has been saying he wants to identify new ways that other coalition members can contribute to the campaign. One goal is to get allies to take on some of the missions being done by some of the approximately 3,500 U.S. troops in Iraq, so that those forces can take on more specialized roles. Carter is likely to talk to commanders and Iraqis about the new U.S. plan to deploy a new special commando force to Iraq. It would be designed to better capitalize on intelligence in order to target, capture and kill ISIS leaders. Called an "expeditionary targeting force," the special operations troops would be used to increase the pressure on the insurgents. But details of the plan have not been disclosed, and U.S. officials haven't said when they may deploy to Iraq. .... A senior U.S. official said the U.S. has been making preparations and will be ready at any moment to dispatch the Apaches when requested. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, so spoke on condition of anonymity. Carter's trip had been planned for some time, but on Monday during a visit to the Pentagon, President Obama vowed to accelerate the campaign against ISIS, lending more urgency to the visit. During a trip to Iraq in October, Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called for better cooperation between all the Iraqi military factions so they can better coordinate with the U.S.-led coalition. The Iraqi security forces, the Kurdish government forces known as the Peshmerga, the Sunni tribes and the popular mobilization troops are at times at odds as they try to battle ISIS."



The overall message of this news article is that Very Soon Now the US will put in some of our highly trained special forces and crack Iraqi heads together to make them stop wanting to fight each other rather than their common enemy, which like Adolph Hitler have the goal of totally controlling a territory made up of sections of both Iraq and Syria. I do hope this US move does happen, and that it happens soon, as these ISIS forces are ruthless, heartless, greedy and very, very dangerous. They aren't unlike king cobras or a grizzly bear with her cubs. We gotta get a move on!




TRUMPED


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/in-republican-debate-donald-trump-ties-to-clarify-closing-the-internet/

In Republican debate, Donald Trump tries to clarify "closing" the Internet
By STEPHANIE CONDON CBS NEWS
December 15, 2015

Photograph -- Republican U.S. presidential candidate businessman Donald Trump reacts during the Republican presidential debate in Las Vegas, Nevada December 15, 2015. REUTERS/MIKE BLAKE
Play VIDEO -- Jeb Bush calls Donald Trump a "chaos candidate"
Photograph -- gettyimages-501500388.jpg, Thirteen Republican presidential candidates are participating in the fifth set of Republican presidential debates. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) ETHAN MILLER, GETTY IMAGES
Play VIDEO -- Jeb Bush and Donald Trump spar over ISIS response at Republican debate


LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 15: Republican presidential candidates (L-R) Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Carly Fiorina, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ben Carson, Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) are introduced during the CNN presidential debate at The Venetian Las Vegas on December 15, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Republican presidential front runner Donald Trump in Tuesday night's debate had an opportunity to clarify his assertion that the U.S. should consider "closing that Internet up in some way" to fight extremists, after Rand Paul brought it up at the beginning of the debate.

"Trump says we ought to close that Internet thing," Paul said. "The question really is, what does he mean by that? Like they do in North Korea? Like they do in China?"

Trump had first suggested he would talk to people like Microsoft founder Bill Gates about "closing" the Internet "in certain areas" in a speech in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina last week, during which he also proposed banning all Muslims from entering the U.S.

At the CNN debate in Las Vegas, Nevada on Tuesday, Trump said, "As far as the Internet is concerned... I'm talking about parts of Syria, parts of Iraq, where ISIS is."

As Paul inferred, China does block certain content that it considers subversive, and North Korea limits internet use to top military officials and members of the regime.

Republicans meet for fifth debate in Las Vegas

He suggested "getting our best to infiltrate their Internet, so we know exactly where they're going, where they're going to be."

Hearing boos from the audience, Trump retorted, "I just can't imagine somebody booing. You're objecting to us infiltrating their conversations? I don't think so."

At another point in the debate, Trump also said, "I want to get our brilliant people... and figure out a way that ISIS cannot do what they're doing. I don't want them using our Internet, to take our young impressionable youth."

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky was quick to criticize Trump for the suggestion. "In defending America, we cannot lose what America stands for," Paul said, suggesting that "closing" parts of the Internet would restrict Americans' freedom of speech and civil liberties.



http://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-wind-farm-scotland-golf-course-aberdeen/

U.K. court deals Donald Trump a blow with wind farm ruling
AP December 16, 2015

Photograph -- U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump takes a question from the audience at one of the New England Council's "Politics and Eggs' breakfasts in Manchester, New Hampshire November 11, 2015. REUTERS/BRIAN SNYDER


LONDON -- Britain's Supreme Court has ruled against Donald Trump in his battle to stop an offshore wind farm near his Scottish golf resort.

Trump says the 11-turbine project, approved by the Scottish government in 2013, will spoil the view from his golf course near Aberdeen in eastern Scotland.

Two Scottish courts have ruled against the contender for the U.S. Republican presidential nomination, and on Wednesday a panel of Supreme Court judges unanimously dismissed Trump's appeal.

The decision comes amid a storm of criticism in Britain over Trump's comments about Muslims.

The Scottish government has revoked Trump's status as an unpaid business ambassador with its GlobalScot network, and Robert Gordon University revoked his honorary degree.

Trump's mother was born in Scotland.



WIND FARMS -- “Britain's Supreme Court has ruled against Donald Trump in his battle to stop an offshore wind farm near his Scottish golf resort. Trump says the 11-turbine project, approved by the Scottish government in 2013, will spoil the view from his golf course near Aberdeen in eastern Scotland. …. The Scottish government has revoked Trump's status as an unpaid business ambassador with its GlobalScot network, and Robert Gordon University revoked his honorary degree.”


Thank you, Scotland.


INTERNET -- “Republican presidential front runner Donald Trump in Tuesday night's debate had an opportunity to clarify his assertion that the U.S. should consider "closing that Internet up in some way" to fight extremists, after Rand Paul brought it up at the beginning of the debate. "Trump says we ought to close that Internet thing," Paul said. "The question really is, what does he mean by that? Like they do in North Korea? Like they do in China?" Trump had first suggested he would talk to people like Microsoft founder Bill Gates about "closing" the Internet "in certain areas" in a speech in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina last week, during which he also proposed banning all Muslims from entering the U.S. …. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky was quick to criticize Trump for the suggestion. "In defending America, we cannot lose what America stands for," Paul said, suggesting that "closing" parts of the Internet would restrict Americans' freedom of speech and civil liberties. …. As Paul inferred, China does block certain content that it considers subversive, and North Korea limits internet use to top military officials and members of the regime. …. He suggested "getting our best to infiltrate their Internet, so we know exactly where they're going, where they're going to be." Hearing boos from the audience, Trump retorted, "I just can't imagine somebody booing. You're objecting to us infiltrating their conversations? I don't think so."


Trump’s basic problem is that he doesn’t think about what he is going to say and soften it. That is a basic personal skill for politicians. There is a problem with the freedom of our Internet when a threat like ISIS and al Qaeda are using it for recruiting young and not very bright young men, but I wouldn’t make it any different in structure, unless to go into websites that are broadcasting propaganda and identify the owners of the site, arresting them if they are in the US and planting viruses on them if they aren’t. The group Anonymous has already started this, only their tool is to flood the sites with input until they crash.

Rand Paul is right that if we “close” portions of the Internet we will be using a much hated technique. It is interesting that two of the more frequent viewers of this news blog are China and Russia! Is it possible that they can’t get CNN, CBS, etc. because they are blocked there? Trying to block a site makes the would-be readers go to ever more devious lengths to get what they want.

There is already a hidden set of Internet sites where various illegal products are being sold, called alternatively the “Deep Web” or “Dark Web.” If any attempt were made in this country to censor or block access to the Open Internet, the outcry would be instantaneous and very angry. If the hardcore rightwingers do succeed in taking over and gutting the core of our Constitution, there really could be a new revolution by all types of liberal thinkers here. It’s interesting how Trump’s comments have been producing some surprisingly liberal, or at any rate moderate, statements from a number of his competitors for the Republican candidacy. I’m relieved to see that. It gives me hope.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hillary-clinton-outlines-360-degree-strategy-on-homeland-security/

Hillary Clinton outlines "360-degree" strategy on homeland security
By HANNAH FRASER-CHANPONG CBS NEWS
December 15, 2015

Play VIDEO -- Search continues for clues in San Bernardino shooting


MINNEAPOLIS -- Hillary Clinton laid out a five-part plan to combat the growing threat of domestic radicalization in the United States on Tuesday and reiterated her commitment to fighting, and defeating, the Islamic State.

Clinton's remarks, at the University of Minnesota's campus in Minneapolis, come two weeks after the fatal shooting in San Bernardino, carried out by a husband and wife that were inspired by ISIS.

"San Bernardino felt different," Clinton said. "Maybe it was the timing, coming so soon after the Paris attacks. Maybe it was how random it seemed."

She added: "It made us all feel it could have been anywhere at any time."

At the heart of Clinton's strategy is shutting down the online recruiting and training systems used by ISIS, through stepped up intelligence sharing and careful scrutinizing of social media, and the prevention of potential jihadists from traveling to the United States.

"Our security professionals need to track and analyze ISIS social media posts and map jihadist networks," Clinton said, directly addressing a hole in one of the San Bernardino shooter's vetting process, referring to the fact that Tashfeen Malik had posted about her support of violent jihad on Facebook. "Companies should double their efforts to maintain and enforce their own service agreements and other necessary policies to police their networks, identify extremist content and remove it."

Clinton also said that she was "glad" that the U.S. is taking a closer look at visa security and suggested that the Department of Homeland Security should dispatch agents to "high risk countries" to "better investigate" visa applicants.

"Anyone who has traveled in the past five years to a country facing serious problems with terrorism foreign fighters should have to go through a full visa investigation," Clinton said, "no matter where they're from."

Ahead of her speech, Clinton met with a group of Muslim community leaders from the area and, according to a campaign aide, "enlisted their input on best ways to partner in counter-radicalization efforts." Much of Clinton's strategy depends on Muslim-Americans, who she called the "first, last and best defense" against homegrown terrorist threats.

She praised local law enforcement's partnership with members of the Muslim community here and said more federal resources should be put toward programs like it.

"To all our Muslim-American brothers and sisters," she said, "This is your country, too, and I am proud to be your fellow American."

Clinton criticized the "shallow slogans" of Republicans, without mentioning any candidates by name, and criticized the language they have used in light of the recent attacks.

"Promising to carpet bomb until the desert glows doesn't make you sound strong," she said. "It makes you sound like you're in over your head."

She also slammed Republicans' refusal to pass legislation that would ban those on the no-fly list from buying firearms, saying it "defies common sense." Clinton has been arguing for stronger gun control measures.

"You'll probably hear it tonight," she said, alluding to the Republican presidential debate in Las Vegas. "They will say that guns are a totally separate issue and have nothing to do with terrorism. Well, I have news for them: terrorists use guns to kill Americans, and I think we should make it a lot harder for them to do that ever again."



“Hillary Clinton laid out a five-part plan to combat the growing threat of domestic radicalization in the United States on Tuesday and reiterated her commitment to fighting, and defeating, the Islamic State. …. "San Bernardino felt different," Clinton said. "Maybe it was the timing, coming so soon after the Paris attacks. Maybe it was how random it seemed." She added: "It made us all feel it could have been anywhere at any time." …. At the heart of Clinton's strategy is shutting down the online recruiting and training systems used by ISIS, through stepped up intelligence sharing and careful scrutinizing of social media, and the prevention of potential jihadists from traveling to the United States. …. "Companies should double their efforts to maintain and enforce their own service agreements and other necessary policies to police their networks, identify extremist content and remove it." …. the U.S. is taking a closer look at visa security and suggested that the Department of Homeland Security should dispatch agents to "high risk countries" to "better investigate" visa applicants. …. who has traveled in the past five years to a country facing serious problems with terrorism foreign fighters should have to go through a full visa investigation …. Clinton met with a group of Muslim community leaders from the area and, according to a campaign aide, "enlisted their input on best ways to partner in counter-radicalization efforts." …. She praised local law enforcement's partnership with members of the Muslim community here …. criticized the "shallow slogans" of Republicans, without mentioning any candidates by name, and criticized the language they have used in light of the recent attacks. …. Republicans' refusal to pass legislation that would ban those on the no-fly list from buying firearms, saying it "defies common sense." …. : terrorists use guns to kill Americans, and I think we should make it a lot harder for them to do that ever again."


Hillary proves herself, time after time, to be a very smart lady, her home email system aside, that is. She has shown a thorough and well-thought out plan, and it includes the three points that I had said were needed, the most obvious being the Visa Waiver policy. That was rational up to al Qaeda’s attack on the Twin Towers, but it no longer is. I know it’s troublesome and expensive to do the checking, especially if agents are sent abroad to check them out at home, but that is exactly the kind of information we need before we let them into the country.

The situation of massive numbers of refugees flooding European cities was especially frightening, given the possibilities and indeed the likelihood that some of them are spies or jihadists for ISIS. There have been a small number of Islamic individuals who came illegally across the Rio Grande as Trump has been so excited over, but most of them come through American airports with that Visa Waiver plan, which should be stopped immediately. And as for jihadists being able to buy guns in this country, that should be stopped for sure. Not to do so is totally irresponsible on the part of the Republicans, but that’s their sacred cow.

I think her comment that Internet companies should police their own service agreements to see whether or not there is ISIS involvement is “spot on” as the British say. It is true that in that massive and boring bunch of inscrutable language that we all have to say we read and sign, there are rules about how a site may be used, and the threat of shutting it down if that agreement is breached. That same thing should be true about the sickening “Kiddie Porn” sites, prostitution sites and the White Power sites. Sites like that are no use whatsoever to the average Internet user who has no desire at all to have sex with children, and they do considerable harm. If ISIS sites are to be stifled, so should the radical rightists in this country. Both are enemies of a democratic country and operate in an illegal way.

Hillary’s plan is for the owners of the websites to “police their networks, identify extremist content and remove it," rather than for the US government to do it. Of course, that might not be enough, but it would still be better if “Big Brother” doesn’t do it. Perhaps the best suggestion of all is for the US to partner with Muslim Community leaders as she mentioned in the article above to get their input, advice and perhaps a pledge to intervene with would-be recruits to change their minds and modify the overall climate of the Islamic communities as a whole if it verges into political radicalism. That’s the gist of ISIS. It isn’t religion, but a singularly ruthless form of politics.




http://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-plumber-i-didnt-sell-my-truck-to-isis/

Texas plumber: I didn't sell my truck to ISIS
By ANNA WERNER CBS NEWS
December 15, 2015


When Houston-area plumbing company owner Mark Oberholtzer sold his truck to a local dealer in October of 2013, he had no idea it would wind up on Syria's front lines being used by ISIS fighters -- with his plumbing company name and phone number still on the side.

"You know, it hurts my feelings, that anyone could possibly thing [sic] that we were connected to terrorism in any way," Oberholtzer told CBS News.

He says he was assured by the dealership that it would remove his information before selling the truck. But there it was in the photo -- which then went viral.

It was featured on the last episode of "The Colbert Report," seen by millions of people earlier this year. Since then, Oberholtzer says he's had threats and thousands of phone calls like this one.

"What the f--- is going on?" one message said. "Are you selling your truck to ISIS? Who did that? That's not right!"

Here's how the truck left the country: Oberholtzer sold the truck to an AutoNation dealership in Houston, which sent it to an auction near Dallas.

Then a used car dealer, Maz Auto, bought the truck, the manager confirms, with the lettering still on it, and advertised it for sale on their website.

Manager Mohamed Alkhawam told CBS News someone called from an international phone number and arranged to buy the truck for use in Turkey.

"He wired the money, and he arranged for shipping ... and that was it. The car ended up being shipped to Turkey," Alkhawam said.

It's not known exactly how the truck then made its way from Mersin, Turkey to Syria.

"You used to have 'Mark-1 Plumbing Inc.' would come up on the Internet," Oberholtzer says. "Now it comes up 'Mark-1 Plumbing Inc. ISIS."

He's now suing the AutoNation dealership that sold the truck for $1 million.

AutoNation did not respond to CBS News' request for comment, but an executive told CBS affiliate KHOU that they thought the auction company was removing the decals.

The auction house could not confirm for CBS News that it sold the truck.




“Here's how the truck left the country: Oberholtzer sold the truck to an AutoNation dealership in Houston, which sent it to an auction near Dallas. Then a used car dealer, Maz Auto, bought the truck, the manager confirms, with the lettering still on it, and advertised it for sale on their website. …. He says he was assured by the dealership that it would remove his information before selling the truck. But there it was in the photo -- which then went viral. …. "You used to have 'Mark-1 Plumbing Inc.' would come up on the Internet," Oberholtzer says. "Now it comes up 'Mark-1 Plumbing Inc. ISIS." …. The auction house could not confirm for CBS News that it sold the truck.


I hate to mention it, but it may be suspicious that Maz Auto is owned by an Islamic man by the name of Mohamed Alkhawam. The good news is that Oberholtzer is suing AutoNation for $1,000,000 for not doing the job of removing the poor owner’s business information themselves. They promised to do that. It's not difficult. It could have simply been sent through a paint sprayer to cover up all writing. I’ll bet they won’t do that again!




http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/12/16/460013435/judge-declares-mistrial-in-baltimore-police-case-after-jury-deadlocks

Judge Declares Mistrial In Baltimore Police Case After Jury Deadlocks
Bill Chappell
Updated December 16, 2015


One day after jurors in the trial of Baltimore police officer William Porter announced they were deadlocked, the judge in the case has declared a mistrial. The jury couldn't reach a verdict on involuntary manslaughter and three other charges Porter faced over the death of Freddie Gray last April.

On Tuesday, Judge Barry G. Williams had urged jurors to reach a compromise without abandoning their own judgment, after they sent a note saying they couldn't reach a verdict.

Today, Williams "thanked them for their time and dismissed them," NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports, hours after the judge denied the jurors' request to see a witness transcript.

Five other officers are slated to go on trial in the Gray case next month, on charges that include murder.

As we reported Tuesday, "Officer Porter, 26, is a two-year veteran of the Baltimore police force. Prosecutors say he neglected to put a seatbelt on Gray when he was arrested and didn't call for medical help for Gray — who broke his neck while in police custody and later died."

Memories of the fires and looting that accompanied street protests over the case last spring have forced Baltimore's community leaders to brace for potential reactions to a verdict in the case.

Rep. Elijah Cummings called for calm, with member station WYPR quoting Cummings telling the people of Baltimore "our future as a more just community will depend more on our actions than it will upon the decision of Officer Porter's jury, …."




“Today, Williams "thanked them for their time and dismissed them," NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports, hours after the judge denied the jurors' request to see a witness transcript. Five other officers are slated to go on trial in the Gray case next month, on charges that include murder. …. have forced Baltimore's community leaders to brace for potential reactions to a verdict in the case. Rep. Elijah Cummings called for calm, with member station WYPR quoting Cummings telling the people of Baltimore "our future as a more just community will depend more on our actions than it will upon the decision of Officer Porter's jury…."


The one thing that stands out in my mind is the question of WHY the judge refused to give the jurors the transcript when they asked for it. It’s a very rational and simple request. They obviously wanted to clarify something which would very likely have allowed them to come to an agreement on a verdict. They need to do better than that on these trials. The horrid police practice of punishing suspects with a “rough ride” should certainly be illegal, and probably is! I hope Rev. Cummings will pursue that. It’s my understanding that a mistrial automatically triggers a new trial. Hopefully that will happen in this case. The whole incident is shocking.



http://www.cbsnews.com/news/meet-the-77-year-old-grandma-scaring-away-milwaukees-criminals/

Meet the 77-year-old grandma scaring away trouble in Milwaukee
By DON DAHLER CBS NEWS
December 15, 2015

Photograph -- EN DAHLER MILWAUKEE 121515 2, Mama prays with April Bentley CBS NEWS
Photograph -- EN DAHLER MILWAUKEE GMA, Martha Freeman, aka "Mama" CBS NEWS
Photograph -- EN DAHLER MILWAUKEE 121515, Mama confronts a group of young men on a Milwaukee street CBS NEWS


MILWAUKEE -- Her name is Martha Freeman, but on the tough streets of Milwaukee, everyone calls her Mama.

By night, this 77-year-old mother of five looks for trouble -- and stops it. The former corrections officer wields only two weapons: kindness and grit.

"I don't see them as bad people. I see them as needing help."

She says no one has hurt here when she confronts them on the streets, and she can handle herself.

"I think it's the respect, you know? Not the fear," Freeman continued.

"Give you an example: most boys nowadays walk around with their pants half way down. And what I usually say is 'Hey I like the color of those underwear!' And they will pull their pants up."

By day, Freeman delivers donated bread. She's kind of adopted the people in this neighborhood. "Either that, or they adopted me."

Behind the bluster, Freeman says, are young people who crave guidance.

April Bentley says she was a prostitute until she met Mama Freeman.

"She said you don't have to live that life. She planted a seed that no one had planted before."

A seed of hope, and the realization that no matter how bad things are, there's always someone -- even on the tough streets of Milwaukee -- who cares.




“By night, this 77-year-old mother of five looks for trouble -- and stops it. The former corrections officer wields only two weapons: kindness and grit. "I don't see them as bad people. I see them as needing help." …. "I think it's the respect, you know? Not the fear," Freeman continued. "Give you an example: most boys nowadays walk around with their pants half way down. And what I usually say is 'Hey I like the color of those underwear!' And they will pull their pants up."


This is obviously a very strong and wise woman with a desire to help others, even outside her own family. She had been a corrections officer and is used to dealing with rebellious and misguided people. It’s interesting that young black men still love to wear their pants falling off. I hadn’t seen it in a while and thought maybe the trend had become passe by now.

If black kids would just realize that playing with good kids and not running with a gang, dressing like a logical and decent human being, studying in school so that they will be able to get into a college somewhere are all much higher goals than merely shocking all reasonable adults, and will be a step up out of the ghetto. They should care about that, I feel, and not call such things “acting white!”

It is commonly said that in many American black households the woman is the boss, and not the man. It is the woman who rears the children often with no help from the man, and may have to protect the kids from him if he is a chronic alcoholic or addict, a sexual or physical abuser. The woman is often even the only one in the family who has a job. Women are respected in their neighborhoods, and are often strong individuals. They also do the most “parenting” in terms of proper discipline and encouragement toward the kids forming a positive life for themselves. Some have stated that this removal of the man from the home, often due to his incarceration, amounts to his emasculation, but there is another potential cause. Welfare programs such as Medicaid and government food help may give less in terms of money to the woman-led family if the man is in the household and has a job. I just got on Medicaid and food aid after using up almost all of my savings, which had disqualified me formerly. Sometimes black people’s jobs are so poorly paid that they still need Medicaid, etc., and perhaps some husbands stay away so the woman can get more. It’s what my economics course calls a Hobson’s choice. It’s very sad.

I am really glad that this woman is soldiering on in her work with the community, because ever strong and sane individual that is in a race-based housing situation like that, will inevitably make a change for the good. Hopelessness and decay feed on a lack of positive thinking which simply keeps an individual down rather than allowing him to make progress. This woman, with her commitment to helping others is a kind of saint, though she will never be canonized. I’m glad to see this news article featuring her life and community work. It’s a very hopeful thing.




http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-psychology-behind-our-fear-of-terrorism/

The psychology behind our fear of terrorism
CBS NEWS
December 15, 2015

Photograph -- EN LAPOOK TERROR FEAR, Dr. Justin Sinclair CBS NEWS
Gallery -- evening-news-air-record-20151215-net03mdc-1frame20058.png
Play VIDEO -- Is Obama's tough talk on ISIS strategy reassuring Americans?


President Obama and law enforcement have been telling us not to let fear of terror control our lives. CBS News' Dr. Jon LaPook talked to an expert on the impact of fear on our health, clinical psychologist Dr. Justin Sinclair.

Dr. Sinclair: One of the things I think is different about this threat is that it's on-going, people can't know when or where or how it's going to happen. It's this thing that never ends. And it's ubiquitous. It's everywhere.

Dr. LaPook: How does that affect their lives?

Dr. Sinclair: They tend to avoid different aspects of their lives. They fly less, they ride on public transportation less. They go into public settings less. There's been research that's shown they have a tendency to engage people from different cultural backgrounds less. They even consume media less, ironically.

Dr. LaPook: What have you learned over the last 10 years of studying this that might surprise people?

Dr. Sinclair: How potent fear can be in terms of altering people's lives. And the impact that it can have in different aspects of life, whether it's making decisions about a president, whether it's supporting different policies that are important socially, or even down to how people live their everyday lives.

Dr. LaPook: Is there a danger to society of people incrementally changing their behavior over time because of terrorism?

Dr. Sinclair: Yeah, I think it sort of changes the structure of our country. It changes the structure of our government. I think fear can maybe even change things in ways that weren't consistent with how the country was founded originally.

Dr. LaPook: As a psychologist, is there some insight into that?

Dr. Sinclair: I think fear moves people to become much more polarized in their viewpoints and I think that fear motivates people to go to further lengths to feel safe.


In small doses, fear can be a lifesaver, prompting us to react to danger. But in large doses, it can cause fatigue, depression -- even a heart attack or stroke. Dr. Sinclair says it's important to continue with a normal routine if possible.

If fear starts taking over and you find yourself anxious and avoiding things, he says it may be time to get professional help.




“Dr. Sinclair: One of the things I think is different about this threat is that it's on-going, people can't know when or where or how it's going to happen. It's this thing that never ends. And it's ubiquitous. It's everywhere. …. They tend to avoid different aspects of their lives. They fly less, they ride on public transportation less. They go into public settings less. There's been research that's shown they have a tendency to engage people from different cultural backgrounds less. They even consume media less, ironically. …. And the impact that it can have in different aspects of life, whether it's making decisions about a president, whether it's supporting different policies that are important socially, or even down to how people live their everyday lives. …. I think fear moves people to become much more polarized in their viewpoints and I think that fear motivates people to go to further lengths to feel safe. …. Dr. Sinclair says it's important to continue with a normal routine if possible. If fear starts taking over and you find yourself anxious and avoiding things, he says it may be time to get professional help.


“I think it sort of changes the structure of our country. It changes the structure of our government. I think fear can maybe even change things in ways that weren't consistent with how the country was founded originally.”

There are several articles I have seen on the psychological differences between liberals and conservatives. Two of them specifically mention the prevailing negativity of the conservative turn of mind. It shows up as hate and fear, but it is based on societal judgmentalism and status seeking. I think it is no accident that most of the extremely radical rightists in this country are not the wealthy whites, but the lower middle class or the poor. Poor white folks in this country have had to struggle to get any feeling of personal virtue and achievement. They simply can’t compete with the wealthy and in almost every case, at some times of their childhood at least, have themselves been treated scornfully. They have a great need for the black and “brown” peoples to be BELOW them, so they participate in the mistreatment of racial and religious minorities, rather than trying to help them.

In my opinion they have usually been brought up to treat such people despitefully, and they just don’t, in so many cases, repair their poor logic. They believe the big lie that their financial and societal positions are 1) unavoidable and 2) just and righteous. It’s a lot like the Stockholm syndrome in which a person who has been kidnapped and held against his or her will come around to the viewpoint that the kidnapper is their friend. It’s really sick. Likewise too many women whose husband beats or otherwise treats her terribly begins to believe it’s really her fault. If she hadn’t burned the biscuits he wouldn’t have knocked her up against the wall. How much worse a sin it must be, therefore, to “talk back” to him or go to the police department and report him. A woman like that will bring up children who also have no self-confidence or hope. These people are often poor and uneducated, but not always. Donald Trump and most of the other Republicans are not poor, but they may be very hidebound in their social viewpoints and relatively speaking without empathy, a sense of justice and just some basic gentleness. It’s a complex of sick thoughts that reinforce each other.

I am worried about our future as a just society. There is still hope, though. Jeb Bush is partly a liberal and partly a conservative. He believes in struggling to remain a rich man, but he is married to an Hispanic woman. He’s one of those Republicans who show some promise if he is elected president. I still don’t believe that Trump will be elected president, though he’s still close to the top in the polls right now. I think if he becomes the candidate for president the flood of unregistered people of color, gays and lesbians, and of all unusual religions will show up to the polls and vote for whatever Democrat is running.

An explanation and a defense of my use of “an” before the word “Hispanic” woman is found in the McIntyre article below. I’m a Southerner and my father was a Southerner born in the first decade of the 1900s. He said “umble” rather than a hard h. It was natural, therefore to precede it with “an.” If you don’t believe me, see the very interesting explanation below of the practice. It is no longer commonplace, but it isn’t really bad phraseology either.


http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/mcintyre/blog/2008/06/the_h_you_say.html

The Baltimore Sun -- “You Don’t Say”
By John E. McIntyre

The 'h' you say
The a vs. an issue doesn’t want to go away. Here’s a recent inquiry from a reader:

An Hispanic? A hispanic? An historic moment or a historic moment? It seems older folks go with an while younger ones use a.

There’s no problem with a used before certain words: a hat, a history, a hood. The h is sounded, or aspirated.

There is no problem with an used before certain words: an heir, an honor, an hour. The h is not aspirated.

The problem comes with words beginning with an h* in which the consonant is aspirated weakly, particularly if the stress is on the second syllable rather than the first. Thus the reason that many people have preferred an hotel, because they do not pronounce the word as HO-tel.

Here’s advice from the late R.L. Trask in Say what you mean!:

Should we write a historical event or an historical event? The second derives from the days when many people pronounced these words with no h; that is, they really said an ’istorical event, and so that’s what they wrote. Today, though, almost everyone pronounces an h in such words, and you are firmly advised to prefer a historical event. The other now looks strange or worse to most readers. The same goes for a hotel, which is better than an hotel.

So going with a Hispanic is consistent with what most readers and writers would expect. An hotel, despite a respectable pedigree, now smells of affectation.

* Of course it’s an h because an is used before words beginning with vowel sounds even if the spelling presents a consonant; the letter h is pronounced aitch.