When my children were still at home I had to limit my news viewing to morning news shows mainly for weather etc. at that time, mid 70's throughout the 80's the news was full of kidnappings and murders and other violence in the cities. A kidnapping then usually did not end well and although they are still horrific the Amber alert system increases the odds of being found alongside another phenomena non custodial parental kidnapping which for the most part does not cause physical harm (but that occasionally does happen with a distraught parent). Predator kidnappings, and deaths, are way down from the 70's, 80's and 90's. My children were very young when little Etan Patz was abducted in 1979, one photo looked so much like my Jason that it frightened me to death. Shortly after the news of this child's abduction Jason decided to take walk while I was busy doing chores, last I checked he had been fast asleep, taking a nap. He never left the block but was playing in a copse of woods at the point of our triangular block. I had taken him to play there before and he would get lost in fantasy. So lost that the people searching for him could not find him. Not until he decided to check out the police cars with their sirens and flashing lights and the dogs. Out from the dark woods came a smiling 6 yo boy with golden curls bubbling over with questions about the dogs and the cars. He had been playing Star Wars in a "fort". They radioed the policewoman who was doing her best to keep me calm as I clutched my toddler Travis for those excruciating 30 minutes. Jason didn't realize he did anything to make me worry. Fortunately he never did it again but then when we were in the front yard so they could ride their vehicles on our private road they were never out of my sight. If I had to grab something inside they all came in with me. Kidnappings and murders abounded when they were growing up. Little Adam Walsh, Johnny Gosch, Eloise Worledge, Steven Staynor who was kept in captivity and rescued little Tim White after escaping from his captor. A year before Anthony, my Gson, was born little Ben Needham was abducted and, after Anthony was born, we all watched a toddler being abducted by two young boys who later murdered him. Courtesy of mall cameras and both young boys are free today with new names and location unknown. And those are just the few I remember.
I lived in New York until August of 1980 and there were always reports of violent mugging and murders. Nashville was not so different as were other states and countries I travelled to for business in those years. I found the news was so awful that I HAD to limit myself to avert the increasing anxiety I felt regarding my childrens' safety and I did not wish to be overprotective or paranoid. The wonderful world of being a child was disappearing by the time Anthony was born - few children played outside. Playgroups were formed, playgrounds were empty and I know of a few that are now dog parks. Parents welcomed the advent of computer games and game consoles because the children were safer. And of course they came with other problems such as online pedophiles and obesity to name two.
But with vigilance a parent could do a good job of protecting their children. And a person with the same caution could protect themselves and their property as well. Constant reminders I did not need back then. Once a day was enough reinforcement.
Now crime in most cities and child abductions by predators and strangers are down significantly. My trip back home to NYC was wonderful - the city was clean and safe, relatively. And the people were friendlier as well, they no longer feared that a stranger only spoke to them to rip them off or other suspect intentions.
Back to the 70's to 90's - the is the era of some of the most horrific abductions and murders by individual US citizens with personal motivations: in some cities the worst era in their histories.
But as those horrors started to recede due to technology and tougher sentences, came Sept 11 2001. And the world watched with utter horror. I was recuperating from a recent surgery and was up very early watching from a rented hospital bed in my bedroom when one of the announcers mentioned something happening at the WTC. Then our world changed and crime took a horrible turn.
I also began leaving a news channel on at random times. Even if the sound was off while playing music, visiting with friends, reading, studying or even just for background noise. I leave it on for the dogs when I leave the house. I am no longer in fear of possible anxiety (which never was able to manifest, fortunately) due to the fear of possible harm to my children on a local level.
It is out of caution and preparedness that I have no fear of news. Forewarned is forearmed. Since the murders in France Jan 7th 2015 terrorism as been ramped up. This tragedy has spawned more tragedies and deaths and many countries and states are at their highest alert status ever. And for good reason. Brave people came out in support of their freedoms these terrorist want to annihilate but violent anti freedom protests have also reared their heads. Terrorists seem not deterred from deaths of their comrades but enabled - a reinforcement of their jihad.
So watch the news. Learn all you can and be vigilant. Do not feel safe in the rhetoric about Muslim Islamic Terrorists being just a tenth of all Muslims - or any other arbitrary numbers based on questionable statistics. There are 1.6 Muslims in the world. About 25% of the world's population. Remember this when you do the math. For example 10% is 160,000 people. The U.S. has approx. 113, 8044 Troops. Many already deployed elsewhere.
Another thing, is consider your source. Glen Beck and Fox are not the source you want to believe, they put radical Islamics at 10%. CNN’s Fareed Zakaria says approx 6%. Or 96,000 radical extremist Muslims but this does not mean they are all Islamic terrorists. This will be covered in the upcoming State of the Union address. Watch it. All those statements I just said are reasons why one should read and watch the news, from various sources. Check your sources as well. Of course you do not have to be glued to the media - and despite what I said I am not lol. I live my life as everyone should theirs but I want to remain well informed.
If you had not seen it I suggest you watch "This Week with George Stephanopoulis" - the one that aired today. You can catch it online at ABC.com or on YouTube. It is an eye opener.
This Week With George Stephanopoulos 2015-01/18 US, Europe Cracks Down On Terror Suspects
I lived in New York until August of 1980 and there were always reports of violent mugging and murders. Nashville was not so different as were other states and countries I travelled to for business in those years. I found the news was so awful that I HAD to limit myself to avert the increasing anxiety I felt regarding my childrens' safety and I did not wish to be overprotective or paranoid. The wonderful world of being a child was disappearing by the time Anthony was born - few children played outside. Playgroups were formed, playgrounds were empty and I know of a few that are now dog parks. Parents welcomed the advent of computer games and game consoles because the children were safer. And of course they came with other problems such as online pedophiles and obesity to name two.
But with vigilance a parent could do a good job of protecting their children. And a person with the same caution could protect themselves and their property as well. Constant reminders I did not need back then. Once a day was enough reinforcement.
Now crime in most cities and child abductions by predators and strangers are down significantly. My trip back home to NYC was wonderful - the city was clean and safe, relatively. And the people were friendlier as well, they no longer feared that a stranger only spoke to them to rip them off or other suspect intentions.
Back to the 70's to 90's - the is the era of some of the most horrific abductions and murders by individual US citizens with personal motivations: in some cities the worst era in their histories.
But as those horrors started to recede due to technology and tougher sentences, came Sept 11 2001. And the world watched with utter horror. I was recuperating from a recent surgery and was up very early watching from a rented hospital bed in my bedroom when one of the announcers mentioned something happening at the WTC. Then our world changed and crime took a horrible turn.
I also began leaving a news channel on at random times. Even if the sound was off while playing music, visiting with friends, reading, studying or even just for background noise. I leave it on for the dogs when I leave the house. I am no longer in fear of possible anxiety (which never was able to manifest, fortunately) due to the fear of possible harm to my children on a local level.
It is out of caution and preparedness that I have no fear of news. Forewarned is forearmed. Since the murders in France Jan 7th 2015 terrorism as been ramped up. This tragedy has spawned more tragedies and deaths and many countries and states are at their highest alert status ever. And for good reason. Brave people came out in support of their freedoms these terrorist want to annihilate but violent anti freedom protests have also reared their heads. Terrorists seem not deterred from deaths of their comrades but enabled - a reinforcement of their jihad.
So watch the news. Learn all you can and be vigilant. Do not feel safe in the rhetoric about Muslim Islamic Terrorists being just a tenth of all Muslims - or any other arbitrary numbers based on questionable statistics. There are 1.6 Muslims in the world. About 25% of the world's population. Remember this when you do the math. For example 10% is 160,000 people. The U.S. has approx. 113, 8044 Troops. Many already deployed elsewhere.
Another thing, is consider your source. Glen Beck and Fox are not the source you want to believe, they put radical Islamics at 10%. CNN’s Fareed Zakaria says approx 6%. Or 96,000 radical extremist Muslims but this does not mean they are all Islamic terrorists. This will be covered in the upcoming State of the Union address. Watch it. All those statements I just said are reasons why one should read and watch the news, from various sources. Check your sources as well. Of course you do not have to be glued to the media - and despite what I said I am not lol. I live my life as everyone should theirs but I want to remain well informed.
If you had not seen it I suggest you watch "This Week with George Stephanopoulis" - the one that aired today. You can catch it online at ABC.com or on YouTube. It is an eye opener.
This Week With George Stephanopoulos 2015-01/18 US, Europe Cracks Down On Terror Suspects
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