Marketed Emotionalism With Weaponized Government Agencies’– Align With Media For Control…
by John Donnelly…….
Are we really back to the some old nonsensical gibberish and gobbledygook?: “See Something, Say Something.” More murderous psychobabble, that was in effect and partly responsible for the murdering of 17 innocent students and teachers while at school.
The “See Something, Say Something” blather was not adhered to nor followed by the authors of this trite and meaningless drivel. The FBI, Broward Sheriff’s Department, School Administration, Social/Family Services and Mental Health experts promoting this pointless, ineffective and murderous twaddle never followed through with any type of effective intervention that would have stopped and prevented these killings.
The FBI and Sheriff’s Office were repeatedly contacted by responsible citizens “who saw, and said something.” Their cries and pleas for help were ignored. Law-enforcement was called to the alleged murderer’s residence 39 times, yet authorities did nothing to protect these children. Don’t be fooled, laws were broken by this alleged killer, therefore he could have been picked up immediately and taken into custody. The lives of these children and teachers would have been spared.
The brazenness to author and continue to promote this type of “empty slogan” as a solution to school violence and murder should be criminalized. I just don’t get it anymore. Such senseless, irrational and illogical remedies proffered by people who are supposed to be intelligent and compassionate.
My bad, cognitive dissonance setting in — I need to grow up and get right with the facts and face reality. It’s just like the killing of an elderly, disabled and innocent man while in police custody, after he had completely surrendered to them, laying face down on the ground with his hands extended above his head while in a prone position. Hell, accidents happen and lives are ended for no reason whatsoever; but that city has a catchy, quaint and progressive slogan: “One Human Family.” They love, care and look out for their extended family members, like there’s no tomorrow.
We’ve been incessantly lied to, deceived and manipulated by a foray of American presidents, local officials and news media outlets. Under their regimes and authorship innocent children and citizens have been murdered (both foreign and domestic), law-abiding individuals have been wrongfully killed and imprisoned and ordinary folks have been censored and harmed for their political beliefs.
I’m in dire need of a slogan. Gotta have some pleasant sounding words to get me through. Don’t care if they’re founded in fact or fiction just as long as they have a nice ring to them. Something like: “Love is never having to say you’re sorry”, “A chicken in every pot” or maybe even “Once upon a time, there was a Dream that was America”…
To disagree with my good friend John, see something say something was not the cause of nor “partly responsible” for the failures that allowed these murders.
But John’s other words do accurately identify the correct source – those notified “never followed through with any type of effective intervention “.
I support see something say something because I’ve seen first hand it works. MCSO responds, and people are safer. It is not an “empty slogan”, nor was it designed ” as a solution to school violence and murder…”
Possibly the difference is the agencies to whom the issues are reported, or the laws in place protecting peoples’ rights.
For me, instead of blaming words, attention is better spent looking forward, to change whatever policies, procedures, laws, attitudes prevented “effective intervention.”
Sue,
Thank you so very much for taking time to read and comment on the article. Your points are clearly set forth and well taken…
Putting forth and marketing a narrative that implies students will be safer, in light of the assaults and school massacres that have occurred; a “slogan” that has proven itself in these matters to be unreliable and ineffective, to me, marks an egregious offense and criminally negligent conduct by those authoring, promoting and subjecting this impotent fallacy; upon defenseless children and staff…
Slogans and quaint sayings, in many instances, are designed to avoid confronting real threats and problems, while providing a false sense of comfort and security to those impacted by such authoritarian nonsense.
Sue, I cannot deny your positive experience with “see something, say something”. I’m certain, if used legally, positively and constructively with government agencies expeditiously committed to protecting and serving children, this slogan has its advantages. However, “It most certainly Failed ‘ with “murderous consequences” in this and other instances…
No one here is blaming words (slogan) for killing those teachers and children, HOWEVER, the policies, thinking, attitudes, actions and incompetence stemming from such a stated ideology, put in play a series of events that created an environment, whereby 17 innocent students and their teachers were butchered.
Words and slogans lacking the gravitas and authenticity to “stop killers and mass murderers” must not be hoisted upon defenseless citizens and their children, under the guise of protecting them.
Sue, with deep appreciation and many thanks, I sincerely value your contribution to the discussion…
Blessings & Respect, Always…
John, your column is speaking to what we need to do– create a ‘slogan’ that helpfully motivates us to do something, anything, to stop the senseless slaughter of our children.
Let me try something very simple:
“See something DO something.”
This is learning from the young people at Stoneman Douglas. They saw something horrible. They have been doing something.
Rick,
I find your words and presence always inspiring and informative. The admiration and respect I have for you is deep rooted via the wise and generous actions naturally flowing through and from you…
“Do” is the operational imperative required of those entrusted with the care and well-being of our students. These children have been ill-served on many fronts for a very long time.
You’re correct, the student survivors of that shooting have been “doing” something. However, some of their hateful and profanity ridden statements on YouTube, laced with denigrating public insults directed at citizens who’re just as innocent as they; has done nothing but create enemies and resistance to their cause. On many levels, their irresponsible language and actions have been hurtful and damaging.
These students avoid identifying those agencies and officials that refused to acknowledge the many citizens that “said something” and were ignored. It appears that some of these student survivors have been hijacked by politicians eager to use them for their own political agenda.
At the end of the day, authorities and officials constructed a “sweet sounding tune” (slogan), while ignoring the pleas and cries from students for a safe and secure school setting.
Those hijacking this tragedy for the purpose of politics, will never take bold and constructive action that will develop strategies and tactics bringing peace, harmony and stability back into our classroom. It seems to be in their best interest to politicize tragedies like this, for there are clear and present solutions available, yet never implemented by them.
Last night I sat with several elementary and middle school students and had an extended conversation. I attempted to create a light mood for them. They are terrified by the non-stop coverage of the school murders. They feel unsafe and have no confidence in their school officials to protect them from harm. We might be beyond words, slogans and talking right now.
Another point I forgot to include in my response to Sue; “laws”, “plenty of laws” were broken by this alleged mass murderer prior to the killings at school. On any number of occasions he could have been arrested. None of his “constitutional rights” were in jeopardy of being violated.
Rick, I want our students to see that we are “doing something”. That their lives and well-being are very important to us. A highly trained “School Marshal” with an “Expertly Trained Scout Dog” (K-9), patrolling in a stealth like manner at every risked assessed location in the school, will do much to make that fact known to them.
I’m not hard-headed or unable to adopt a better idea on this very serious matter. I’m certain that if there’s to be a change of mind, it would come from an esteemed and distinguished leader, such as yourself….
With Love, Blessings & Respect
“We’ve been incessantly lied to, deceived and manipulated by a foray of American presidents, local officials and news media outlets. Under their regimes and authorship innocent children and citizens have been murdered (both foreign and domestic), law-abiding individuals have been wrongfully killed and imprisoned and ordinary folks have been censored and harmed for their political beliefs.”
and yet you would entrust these same reprobates to put machine gun totting jackboots with attack dogs into our schools and around our kids without impugning their motives..
you are an interesting man John Donnelly.
Keysbum,
Thank you for engaging me on this topic. I value your questions and penetrating insight. I will do my best to dig within myself and address your concerns. Perhaps, during the process, I will arrive at a new awareness and different understanding….
Yes… the quote extracted from the article has been unfortunately accurate, to one degree or another, for too long a time.
However, the “dissonance” occurs because “not everyone within the identified organization” is crooked, corrupt and lacking integrity. How do I know this? My experience has been such that it negates a mass condemnation of all individuals in places of authority. “Organizations don’t have lives of their own”, they’re composed of and made operational by individuals.
In fact, if it were not for some extremely courageous members within law-enforcement, who placed their lives, careers and the well-being of their families in jeopardy, to spare the life and grant freedom to a disenfranchised innocent Black man, he and all who had worked to secure his release, would have lost everything.
There are many other circumstances that I can go into, however, please accept what I’ve shared with you… So you must see how I can have a co-existing, yet separate, experiences with an organization/agency… I will not allow myself to go against an entire group of individuals, because of the “bad apples” and “criminal actions” of a few. I understand, the powerful fund and control government. However, they don’t control me, nor do they control each and every individual within their operation.
My personal and shared experience with the Marines I served with in combat is similar to the law-enforcement example. A lot of valor and sacrificing of themselves to lend comfort to the innocent village children and their families on our journey through “the war”. War is a horrifying nightmare with real time destruction and killing. It’s the ultimate insanity and sign of our species’ baser instincts, unwilling to share resources, preferring control and domination.
I know now of the My Lai Massacre, mistaken napalm drops on the innocent and the questionable circumstances that brought the “civilian leadership” of this nation to involve themselves in that war. Please let me reiterate again, I’m not an omnipotent being capable of understanding all of the geo-political nuances during that time, which brought myself and others onto the battlefield. Once there, a whole different set of priorities and circumstances occupied our minds.
During my time in Vietnam, not once did I witness any of my Marines engage in any type of atrocity. We weren’t in the business of creating enemies, shedding more blood and engaging in needless violence. We had our stomachs filled with battle and butchery, we sought no more of it… Enough said…
Right now a former student of mine, who I had the honor and privilege of teaching on and off for 8 years, has just retired from the United States Marine Corps as a Major, with a Master Degree in Business. He’s an extremely intelligent and well-adjusted individual, trained in all the ways I’ve identified for our “School Marshal”. He has children in the school system and would volunteer to assume the duties I set forth.
Would you not trust me, and move forward with this candidate, allowing this “pilot program” to take shape and be evaluated???
We are going to place the “right individuals” into the “School Marshal” program. They will be intensely screened, regularly inspected and continuously monitored. We’ll start small and smart, get it right and build upon a successful and time-tested template.
Please try and get over this “armored thugs with attack dogs” business. This is not what I, nor this program is about. You know that…
Again, thank you for the exchange. I value your challenges and perspectives…
With Love, Blessings & Respect…