I am, like many Americans, wondering why it had to happen. What led a young man to open fire on a group of fellow human beings, fellow Americans? Was Jared Loughner angry at a single individual, the government, the country or was he trying to get noticed, become famous, make a statement of some kind? What was the motive to take so many lives and what can we blame this on?
It seems that there are many people out there already pointing the finger before all the facts are in. Fingers are being pointed at gun makers, sporting goods stores, peoples political views and statements all in an attempt to explain this tragedy. What amazes me is the lack of reason or logic that some statements or conclusions have within them. I want to believe that there is serious critical thinking happening around me and yet, once again, I am disappointed by what I have seen and heard in the media.
One of the first ideas I heard was that it was the fault of Sarah Palin. I know that people either love or hate her but lets get serious for a moment. Political rhetoric has been around since the beginning of politics, as has the love/hate relationship we have with most politicians. The using of metaphors and imagery is nothing new in politics and certainly not new within the last twenty years. I have heard a few say that rhetoric has been very toxic as of late. These people obviously were asleep during the Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush II years. Political speech has always been full of inflammatory language and will continue to be so. Can we blame the Sarah Palin's of the world. I don't believe so...lets continue to look for our answer elsewhere.
Gun makers. Once again the finger is pointed at gun makers and gun owners. Calls will be made for new gun laws and possible bans on ownership of hand guns. I challenge one and all to take a look and see how many laws we currently have on the books, both state and federal. It will amaze you. Gun makers did NOT send this Mr. Loughner a letter inviting him to come into a nearby store and purchase a Glock. He made the choice to go to a store and purchase the weapon. Had he been declined after the MANDATORY background check are we to believe that he would have just shrugged his shoulders and abandoned his plan? Most likely not. Chances are that he would have tried to obtain the weapon thru other means or use a different weapon, such as a knife or possibly a home made bomb, to accomplish his plan. Can we blame the gun makers? No, we can not. It is a cliche but it is true. A gun is an inanimate object until someone picks it up and decides to use it. The gun did not kill, the person holding it did.
If we eliminate these two arguments, the picture becomes clearer and more understandable. Now lets look at what we do know as fact. Jared Loughners' writings were most definitely on the unusual side. He had been suspended by his school for unusual behavior and asked to get a mental evaluation in order to determine whether he was a risk to the schools faculty or students. Students at the school had complained of his inappropriate behavior and usually avoided him. His friends have said that he had become different as of late and they also avoided him more. He posted remarks on facebook that some thought unusual even for him. Some of these remarks were of the anti government and conspiracy type. If you add all this up do you come to the conclusion that he was mentally unstable or , at the very least, in need of help?
If you consider the proximity of his house to that Safeway, the fact that Rep. Giffords would be there as a Representative of a government that he railed against, that there would be little to no security and that the act would bring a light onto his thoughts and his world view, then it is easy to see why this all happened. It could have been any Senator, Representative or other high ranking government official, Republican or Democrat. This was not personal. It was a statement. It is not Sarah Palins fault, not the gun makers and not Rep. Giffords fault either. It is no ones fault other than the man who pulled the trigger.
It is Jared Loughners fault and no one else. So lets stop playing the blame game ( especially if your trying to make political hay ), as it cheapens the loss of life and their memory, and place the blame where it squarely belongs. Upon the shoulders of the man who committed this crime... Jared Loughner.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
What we do....
As I was driving around today I paid very close attention to all that was happening around me. A thought occurred to me and it was this, What if that job didn't exist or there was no one that would do that job? This led to a second question.... Should everyone go to college? I realized that the answer to the first was somewhat long but not very complicated and the answer to the second is a resounding "NO"! I think that I will start by explaining the answer to the second question first.
We, here in this most prosperous nation, have told ourselves that an education is everything. That we will have no future if we don't go to college. That only losers do not go to college. Well I don't believe this and I take issue with the idea that somehow we are less valuable if we don't get a degree. I know that many of you are shaking your heads right now and believe otherwise. Well. please allow me to explain my position.
As parents, everyone wants their child to have a degree. It is a proud moment to watch your son or daughter, dressed in cap and gown, accept their degree. It is a feeling , that I am sure, of relief. You tell yourself that, now, everything will be o.k.. Your child will enter the workforce and make a boatload of money, right? Well, maybe and maybe not!
If everyone has a degree in_____insert major here____ then I, as an employer, have a large pool to pull from and the laws of supply and demand now take hold. Not to mention that college graduates have little to no work experience. Even with a degree, most will have to take an entry level position at a low rate of pay. Sure, over their life, they may make more than a non degree worker but there is no guarantee. Then there is the cost of repaying the loans that were taken out to achieve the degree. The number can be mind numbing. This can cause problems with future credit purchases such as buying a home or a car.
Last is that careers seem to be chosen not because we want to do what we love.Instead, we would rather make as much money as possible. While making money is a good thing it is, most definitely, not the only consideration one should be making when choosing a career. To do a great job one needs to love what they do. There is nothing worse than having to get up and go to a job we hate doing no matter what the pay is.
When looking at careers we should really consider what we love in life. What is it that we are passionate about? That is where we should look for work. Let me highlight a few people I have come across in my life's journey. People who have no college education in the field they chose but are exceptional at what they do because they LOVE what they do. Because they love what they do, they are both happy and constantly busy with work.
Frank. He is an auto detailer. I met him one day while I was at the barber and decided to have him detail my car while I was getting my haircut. It took him and his crew about 30 minutes and when I saw my car I was amazed. It looked like it just rolled of the showroom floor. Keep in mind, I have a black car and there are always little scratches on the car. I call them spiderweb scratches......there wasn't one scratch to be seen anywhere. He took pride in what he did and he liked his job. I asked if he was always busy and he told me that he could barely keep up with the calls. Look, I know this is anecdotal, but my point is that he didn't need a degree, he ran his own business and is successful. Plus, he has no student loans to pay off! And there is this, without Frank, I would have had to spend hours to achieve almost the same outcome with my car.
Tim. Tim is a great mechanic. He started his own shop right out of high school. His shop was specialized and he worked on VW's. He even had a few cars that he raced. Tim is one of the best I have ever watched( and I say watch because that's how I learn from him ) turn a wrench. He LOVES cars. He has owned countless classic muscle cars and has even built a few from the ground up. He is so precise with his work that if I put a real 69 Chevelle SS against one he built from a Malibu, you would be unable to tell the difference unless you looked at the VIN#. Why is it that he is so good? It is his talent.... it is what he has always loved. It is his passion.
Paul. Paul is many things. He went to college for computers. Mostly web design and so on. He has worked in that field on and off. Mostly in a free lance capacity. What is his passion? Skydiving! Not long after he got his degree and started his related career he discovered skydiving after meeting a couple of neighbors who introduced him to the sport. He has fallen in LOVE with the sport and has made it a career. First it was jumping for fun. He then bought a camera and started doing videos for those who "just want to try it once". He then worked on getting his Cert so that he could be an instructor/ tandem skydiver. Why was he able to achieve this so quickly? Because he LOVES it and that has made him very good at it.
Look, we need detailers and skydivers and mechanics and janitors and truck drivers and countless other professions that we take for granted or that we don't even think about. What we should really be asking ourselves is" are they happier than me and if so, how much value does that add to their life?" The answer may amaze you and even make you a bit envious.
Best wishes in this New Year and I hope that you are doing what you LOVE!
We, here in this most prosperous nation, have told ourselves that an education is everything. That we will have no future if we don't go to college. That only losers do not go to college. Well I don't believe this and I take issue with the idea that somehow we are less valuable if we don't get a degree. I know that many of you are shaking your heads right now and believe otherwise. Well. please allow me to explain my position.
As parents, everyone wants their child to have a degree. It is a proud moment to watch your son or daughter, dressed in cap and gown, accept their degree. It is a feeling , that I am sure, of relief. You tell yourself that, now, everything will be o.k.. Your child will enter the workforce and make a boatload of money, right? Well, maybe and maybe not!
If everyone has a degree in_____insert major here____ then I, as an employer, have a large pool to pull from and the laws of supply and demand now take hold. Not to mention that college graduates have little to no work experience. Even with a degree, most will have to take an entry level position at a low rate of pay. Sure, over their life, they may make more than a non degree worker but there is no guarantee. Then there is the cost of repaying the loans that were taken out to achieve the degree. The number can be mind numbing. This can cause problems with future credit purchases such as buying a home or a car.
Last is that careers seem to be chosen not because we want to do what we love.Instead, we would rather make as much money as possible. While making money is a good thing it is, most definitely, not the only consideration one should be making when choosing a career. To do a great job one needs to love what they do. There is nothing worse than having to get up and go to a job we hate doing no matter what the pay is.
When looking at careers we should really consider what we love in life. What is it that we are passionate about? That is where we should look for work. Let me highlight a few people I have come across in my life's journey. People who have no college education in the field they chose but are exceptional at what they do because they LOVE what they do. Because they love what they do, they are both happy and constantly busy with work.
Frank. He is an auto detailer. I met him one day while I was at the barber and decided to have him detail my car while I was getting my haircut. It took him and his crew about 30 minutes and when I saw my car I was amazed. It looked like it just rolled of the showroom floor. Keep in mind, I have a black car and there are always little scratches on the car. I call them spiderweb scratches......there wasn't one scratch to be seen anywhere. He took pride in what he did and he liked his job. I asked if he was always busy and he told me that he could barely keep up with the calls. Look, I know this is anecdotal, but my point is that he didn't need a degree, he ran his own business and is successful. Plus, he has no student loans to pay off! And there is this, without Frank, I would have had to spend hours to achieve almost the same outcome with my car.
Tim. Tim is a great mechanic. He started his own shop right out of high school. His shop was specialized and he worked on VW's. He even had a few cars that he raced. Tim is one of the best I have ever watched( and I say watch because that's how I learn from him ) turn a wrench. He LOVES cars. He has owned countless classic muscle cars and has even built a few from the ground up. He is so precise with his work that if I put a real 69 Chevelle SS against one he built from a Malibu, you would be unable to tell the difference unless you looked at the VIN#. Why is it that he is so good? It is his talent.... it is what he has always loved. It is his passion.
Paul. Paul is many things. He went to college for computers. Mostly web design and so on. He has worked in that field on and off. Mostly in a free lance capacity. What is his passion? Skydiving! Not long after he got his degree and started his related career he discovered skydiving after meeting a couple of neighbors who introduced him to the sport. He has fallen in LOVE with the sport and has made it a career. First it was jumping for fun. He then bought a camera and started doing videos for those who "just want to try it once". He then worked on getting his Cert so that he could be an instructor/ tandem skydiver. Why was he able to achieve this so quickly? Because he LOVES it and that has made him very good at it.
Look, we need detailers and skydivers and mechanics and janitors and truck drivers and countless other professions that we take for granted or that we don't even think about. What we should really be asking ourselves is" are they happier than me and if so, how much value does that add to their life?" The answer may amaze you and even make you a bit envious.
Best wishes in this New Year and I hope that you are doing what you LOVE!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
A New Year...
....and a new set of resolutions. Right now, many people worldwide are putting pen to paper, dry erase marker to white board( the smart ones ), post it notes to calenders and other places.. We set out every year to do what we didn't do the year before all done in hopes of reaching goals and dreams. The only other time we reflect and decide change is needed is on our birthdays.
The goals are mostly universal. You know the list by now, don't you? Lose weight/ go to the gym, quit smoking, get a better job, get my finances under control, etc...etc. Well, I would like to take this opportunity to make a few suggestions. To some, these may sound a touch preachy, but it is most definitely not intended to be that way. These are just a few ideas that may have a positive impact on your life and make you a bit happier not to mention the impact it may have on those around you or your community.
Lets start with the acknowledgement that for the past few years things have been bad.....real bad for some. Many Mom and Pop stores have been struggling or even closing due to the poor economy. How about this...Lets resolve to shop at these stores and support these small businesses. They are usually family owned and operated. By buying from them you will keep their store open, keep food on their table and a roof over their heads. Remember, they are the backbone of the community and if they are healthy then so is our economy.
My second idea comes from a discussion between two friends( if your reading this, you know who you are!) about what they could do on Christmas day to make someone's life better. They went back and forth and all the ideas were great but one really took hold. Our seniors spend much time alone. We have widely forgotten them and put them in storage facilities that we like to call "Retirement Homes". These "seniors" are our Mothers, Fathers, Grand Parents, WWII Veterans, Korean War Vets. These special people deserve so much more than what we give them. They, their sacrifice and hard work are why we have what we have and enjoy the freedoms we enjoy. To the children of these incredible individuals....go see them more often. Show that you love and care about them not by making phone calls but by going to them and spending some time with them. Forget not what they have given you. They gave you much and you have a debt to pay and should pay that debt willingly. To the rest of you( including me ), even if you don't have a relative in a "home", why not drop in and spend some time with someone who would really appreciate it. It will put a smile on a face and that is always a good thing.
Donate to charity! What if you gave a dollar a day to charity? What if we all did that? Do the math...the number is mind boggling. Most of us can more than afford $365.00 a year and it is tax deductible. So how about it? Care enough to make it a resolution?
There are so many more but why should I have to come up with all the ideas? Sit down and think of something other than yourself and DO IT
Happy New Year to you all! May it be the best ever!
The goals are mostly universal. You know the list by now, don't you? Lose weight/ go to the gym, quit smoking, get a better job, get my finances under control, etc...etc. Well, I would like to take this opportunity to make a few suggestions. To some, these may sound a touch preachy, but it is most definitely not intended to be that way. These are just a few ideas that may have a positive impact on your life and make you a bit happier not to mention the impact it may have on those around you or your community.
Lets start with the acknowledgement that for the past few years things have been bad.....real bad for some. Many Mom and Pop stores have been struggling or even closing due to the poor economy. How about this...Lets resolve to shop at these stores and support these small businesses. They are usually family owned and operated. By buying from them you will keep their store open, keep food on their table and a roof over their heads. Remember, they are the backbone of the community and if they are healthy then so is our economy.
My second idea comes from a discussion between two friends( if your reading this, you know who you are!) about what they could do on Christmas day to make someone's life better. They went back and forth and all the ideas were great but one really took hold. Our seniors spend much time alone. We have widely forgotten them and put them in storage facilities that we like to call "Retirement Homes". These "seniors" are our Mothers, Fathers, Grand Parents, WWII Veterans, Korean War Vets. These special people deserve so much more than what we give them. They, their sacrifice and hard work are why we have what we have and enjoy the freedoms we enjoy. To the children of these incredible individuals....go see them more often. Show that you love and care about them not by making phone calls but by going to them and spending some time with them. Forget not what they have given you. They gave you much and you have a debt to pay and should pay that debt willingly. To the rest of you( including me ), even if you don't have a relative in a "home", why not drop in and spend some time with someone who would really appreciate it. It will put a smile on a face and that is always a good thing.
Donate to charity! What if you gave a dollar a day to charity? What if we all did that? Do the math...the number is mind boggling. Most of us can more than afford $365.00 a year and it is tax deductible. So how about it? Care enough to make it a resolution?
There are so many more but why should I have to come up with all the ideas? Sit down and think of something other than yourself and DO IT
Happy New Year to you all! May it be the best ever!
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