Next Holocaust

  So I know the title sounds very pessimistic and ominous and it was designed to get some attention.  I am not stating that another Holocaust is imminent, but I think that there are some signs that are pointing that way.  I do not think that Jews will be the main target, but I do believe that Jews will get caught up in it.  I believe that Muslims will be the main target. I see the Islamaphobia that is so rampant in the US and even worse in  Europe.  I hear statements like "We need to protect our way of life from them (meaning Muslims)" and it scares the living daylights out of me.  Many of these people are labeled as extremists, but I do not see the greater population standing up and disagreeing with them.  It is the tacit agreement, the silence of the majority, that will allow them to gain greater influence and eventually drive to the next Holocaust.
  Where is the US in this?  We condemn our President as being an "Muslim President", but he is a Muslim President, and a Jewish, and Hindu, and Buddhist, and Pagan, and Christian President.  We need him to stand up and lead on this issue, but the US people don't seem to want to follow.  Do not get my intention wrong.  Militant Islam like any other extremism cannot be tolerated and must be stopped, but it shouldn't be separated from those other extremists in thought and response.
  There have recently been many articles about how US Muslim converts are being recruited to go fight with ISIS in Syria and Iraq.  We wonder how this could happen?  I tell you how this can happen, by the US people being silent all that they can hear is the extremists.  If you don't hear both sides of a story, then you believe the only side that you have heard.
  What do we have to do?  Everyday US Citizens need to stand up to this rhetoric.  This does not mean to "give in to Political Correctness."  This means to understand what the US truly means and stand up for that.  The idea that we are all equal no matter what we believe.  That our freedoms are true as long as they do not impede on others freedoms.  This means that what others do you may not like, but they can do them as long as they don't impede on you.  We don't have the thought police and we don't want them.
  I pray that I am wrong about the next Holocaust, but if I am not, I pray that the US will stand up and do the right thing from the outset because if this goes that far with Muslims, the Jews will not be far behind in the hatred and violence.  I make this appeal on both a Humanitarian Level and a personal one.

Brave Parent

We have a friend that is the parent to three kids.  We have known them for a number of years and think very highly of them as people and as parents.  A few months ago, the mother did one of the bravest things that a parents can do - too a chance. 

  Their 13 year old was having her annual school physical.  Everything seem to be fine with her and the Doctor saw nothing wrong.  Before they left, he asked if there was anything else.  At this point, the mother said that her daughter had not seemed to be acting like herself ans asked if there is anything that the doctor may help with.  Her daughter broke down saying that she had been feeling depressed and felt that there was no one who cared.  This opened up the conversation between all of them.The doctor referred the daughter to a mental health professional and now she is getting the help that she needs.

  How easy it could have been for her mother to just chalk it up to "teenage angst" or something like that.  How easy it could have been for her to let it go, to not snoop, to keep family problems within the family, but that isn't what she did.  She did what she should have done, but which isn't easy.  She was brave enough to know her daughter and ask the questions. am proud of her and hope that I and all parents have this same bravery to look objectively at our children when physical and mental health is concerned and do what is needed for them.

Leadership vs. Management

  A few months ago, I attended a presentation that pondered the difference between Leadership and Management.  This is a topic that I have heard and wrestled with for all of my Air Force career and now in my post-AF career.  I think that I might finally be able to define this difference.  Leadership involves investment of Emotional Energy, Management does not. 

  So what do I mean by Emotional Energy?  I mean caring about the mission and people on a personal level.  Carrying mission success above personal success.  Carrying others personal satisfaction as your own.  People who care about an organizations mission, put not only time, but effort and emotional energy into that mission for its success.  We have all seen it - someone who pours their heart into a project. 

  I worked for an organization whose unofficial motto was, "It is amazing what can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit".  This selflessness or investment of emotional energy in others success is leadership.

  By contrast, Management is doing things the right way.  There is some interest in success and disappointment in failure, but usually at an individual level, not an organization or emotional level.

  The other place to see this play out is when people decide to get involved in something outside of work.  They more often than not have an emotional investment in these ideas, ideals, and activities.  We have all seen people who are more depressed about their football team losing a game than they are if a company fails at some project.  They have emotional invesment in their team, but not their company.

  A leader makes and emotional investment in their organization, its mission, and its people.  An effective leader can then convince others to make that emotional investment using a variety of motivational tools and techniques.

  Do not be afraid to make that emotional investment.

What Are you going to do with your Second?

  Last year during the Iron Bowl (For those of you that don't know what this is, it is when Auburn University plays the University of Alabama in football - a very big thing in the Southeast US).  There was a play where Alabama used a challenge to put 1 second back on the clock.  In that 1 second Auburn won the game.  One of the themes for Auburn that has come out of it is "What will you do with your second?"

  There are infinite possibilities and what you use your second for now may be different than what you use your second for later.  The thought is that even in one second you can make a difference if you want to.  If you can make a difference with one second, what kind of difference can you make with a minute, hour, day, week, month, or year?

  We all need to realize the power that we have to make a difference in our and others lives.  Now we just need to remember that one second and make it happen.

Medical Marijuana

So this week, Florida voted down a Medical Marijuana Amendment.  I am wondering how many of those that voted against the Amendment every needed Morphine or Codeine or Vicodin or any other opioid for pain?  How can we deny people the use of a legitimate medical treatment due to some twist of history?  I am not advocating for the complete legalization of marijuana, but I do believe that its use for medicinal purposes with a doctor's prescription should definitely be legal.  There is such a stigma attached to marijuana that blinds people to this legitimate use.  I think of the people that could benefit from having it available and not being able to have access to it.  I wish those that voted "No" on the amendment, would have to look at those that are sick and their families and explain to them why they voted "No".

Elections

Today I voted!  Even stranger this was the first time that I voted at a  polling place.  For every election before today, I was out of my voting area so I voted via absentee ballot.  Today I actually got to stand in line and vote at a polling place.  Although kind of cool, it was also a bit of a let down.  We had to fill in a bubble sheet while hiding our ballot behind cardboard screens.  It reminded me of High School.

  I ask myself, we don't we not vote via the internet?  I can do all of my banking on the internet.  I can make all kinds of changes to my personal status for the military on the internet, but I can't vote.  This really seems like a missed opportunity.  Everything I hear about the mid-term election is the poor voter turn out.  Imagine if I could vote via an app.  How would that boost voter turn out and citizen engagement.  I beleive that there are some states that allow this, but it should be more widespread.

  Finally, why do we still have the Electoral College.  I understand why it was put in place.  When population was widespread with low density and getting ballots in and counted could take weeks if not months.  We don't have these problems anymore.  Why not make it a true popular vote.  Let everyone vote and just add them up.  The only people that I can see who still benefits from the Electoral College are the political parties.  They can concentrate their money and effort in the "swing" states and those with large Electoral College numbers while small and leaning states get mostly ignored.  Having a truly popular vote would help even this out.  I know that it won't happen anytime soon because just like campaign finance, the people who benefit are the ones that have to change it.  Not likely.

  So once again SIS/ISIL is on my mind.  13 years ago the US was devising a strategy to take on the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.  One of the key parts of this strategy, beyond the quick and brutal end to those who wanted to immediately do harm to the US and its citizens, was an investment in young Muslims to prevent the next generation from taking up the radical views that led to the rise of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. That was 13 years ago.  Those children that were 10-15 are now 23-28.  Those children are now the backbone for ISIS/ISIL.  What did do wrong?  What was ineffective in changing their minds?  What can we do differently now to help steer the next generation away from these radical, violent desires?  Until we figure this out, this will be a very long war indeed.  In fact one, without an end short of complete annihilation which even if a true National Goal is unobtainable.

  We focus significant energy in trying to understand why people convert to radical Islam and join that movement in the Middle East or carry out that agenda in the West.  What about trying to understand the Muslims that don't believe in this radial, violent agenda and then trying to spread that?  Why do the Muslim Nations not realize that it is in their best interests to do this through freedom and education?  If they don't understand this, then why does the US feel the need to continue to ally ourselves with them?