Discussion has always been a central activity in our home. In these election times, it has become even more so, as I’m sure it is for many of you. We usually end up discussing the nature of people, and core beliefs. I was asked a while back to answer a few questions for another blog, and much of the discussion was centered around the concept of fear. It didn’t take long before I began to contemplate this in relationship to the election, the positions of the candidates, and what people seem to want.
People wish to retain their rights, and rightly so. Yet, I often wonder if rights are taken to such lengths that the consequences prove an inconsistency between what people say they truly desire, and what they end up with as longterm results.
If how I got from point to point here seems confusing, let me exemplify. Consider for a moment the staggering number of handguns stashed in the many homes around the country as a result of the common law right. It is not a light matter as people feel very strongly about their weapons, and the situations in which they feel they should be allowed to use them.
There is a law here in Texas that gives people permission to use force if someone should place their foot in your driveway. Not long ago, a man caught two thieves breaking into his neighbor’s home. This was a huge headliner, so I’m confident that many know of the case. This man called the police, whereby the dispatcher pleaded with the man to remain in his home until the police arrived. The man disregarded this, and eventually went out, and shot the two unarmed men in the backs while they were running away. Let it be stated that I do not condone the crime of the thieves.
Yet, if I place myself in the shoes of the officers that were dispatched, I would believe that one of the worst scenarios for them to engage in, would be a hot-headed crossfire situation. I may be wrong, but it must be a situation that is extremely difficult in which to take command. Crossfire was not the situation in the exemplified case, however, I do believe that it is an everyday reality for police officers around the country.
People have the need for security, and everyone will of course, describe this differently. Some need more security than others. Some people are more fearful than others, and some are downright more territorial than others. Yet, the need for security is a universal human need, and it needs to be satisfied. We all attempt to satisfy it in various ways.
What keeps churning in my mind is the fact that society wishes for the police to protect its citizens. Yet, we tend to approve of measures that co-create dangerous environments in which the police are expected to work. In other words, people feel that they are creating security, yet do they choose the best solutions in the desire for a safer society? Will we as individuals and society as a whole, be safer when everyone has a handgun under their bed?
As is so often the case, I usually end up with more questions than answers.
Give it a fire up vote.
Filed under: The Law?
I can already feel that this is going to be more of an article, than a quick blog.
I haven’t been in Texas all that long, yet long enough where the laws of Texas are concerned. It is not a simple task to follow along with the federal government, much less one’s individual state. I certainly understand that. I get it. You all work long hours, fight traffic all the way home, and try to relax for a couple of hours before you jump in the haystack only to begin the whole process over again in the morning. If you have children you are most likely the designated SUV-shuttle service wondering whether you are coming or going, or if you didn’t just come from there. This means that following along with new legislation is most likely a greater challenge than you have time to overcome. The amount of legislation pumping through the system is demoralizing. Right about the time you begin to understand something that affects you, they change it. I swear they have a policy to keep the people hopping so quickly that it becomes impossible to hang on. Many just give up.
In the year and a half I’ve been in Houston, I’ve seen some interesting developments. As we settled in, I opened my practice that I had relocated from Norway. Many of us practitioners that work for the well-being and good health of people have training in several modules. We view human beings as being whole, and more than a few body parts or set of symptoms. In order to work with the challenges, we need several “tools”. So, my practice at the time was in the field of Usui Reiki, as a practitioner and teacher. In Norway, Reiki is recognized by the national government as a health occupation.
I had no longer been up and running a couple months time when I received an interesting message in the month of May, 2007. State legislation once again was trying to prohibit body-work therapies. This was not the first time they had attempted this, yet the last time had resulted in failure due to the combined efforts of many to stop this legislation from going through. At the time I did not view this potential new law as anything particularly alarming. It seemed to me as an attempt to reach some kind of quality-criteria certification. As a nurse I understand that certification and registration are of a good thing, and many times necessary. The alarming part of the issue appeared shortly thereafter. The legislation was to come up six months later giving people ample time to become informed, and to organize themselves in the event of non-support. This we did. We began to organize, and we spread the message as to what was in the works. We sent letters to our local representatives and to the Governor. You know what I mean. It’s the little insignificant thing we call the democratic process. Anyway, what happened next goes like this. They pushed the legislation through real quick during Memorial Day weekend, six months early, and before anyone had time to react. Everyone was on Memorial weekend vacation. One comment regarding any certification process of which bonafide therapists would not find difficult passing. It never appeared.
Two months after this happened I received another notice. This one was about the interests of strong-armed lobbying to put the category of “supplements” back into the drug administration halls of the FDA. Most of us know that this would only lead to hopeless unnecessary regulation. I personally started to get a little irked right about that time, yet professionally I know how essential it is to not get too fired up. When people get all wound up, it becomes all too easy to see correlation and conspiracy everywhere. This is dangerous as people tend to lose clear perspective. Many of you out there aren’t aware of all of these happenings; however, there are many individuals diligently working to counteract many of these legislation proposals. It is not because they want everyone to take supplements. It is because they feel that it is important for Americans to maintain their rights of free consumer choice, and health-care options. They are, after all, very personal decisions.
Five months has passed, and I just received another interesting letter in the mail. For those of you that have read my bio, you probably noticed that I am in the process of taking my Master of Science degree in Holistic Nutrition. The letter was from my grad. school. stating that a new law passed in Texas prohibits consultants from using their M.S. and PhD titles in their consultancy businesses. Ouch. This graduate school is out of state, and is therefore not regionally accredited in the State of Texas. Never mind the fact that this particular graduate school is Internationally accredited, and has high approval from the Canadian government. I may just move to Canada and sit in on the national board exams. They seem to be more concerned with the good health of their population.
Many thoughts have entered my mind since receiving that letter. There may be several reasons as to why this has happened. Perhaps Texas wants to keep Texan money in-state, and in Texan Universities. Perhaps they want more control regarding the quality of the health-occupations. However, this is absolutely accomplished by demanding that individuals take regional board-exams. Yet, you can’t take those if your school isn’t accredited. Catch 22. As my thoughts raced reading that letter, one particular thing stuck out like a sore thumb. The incredible thing about that law is that consultants can continue their practices and businesses. They just cannot use their academic titles. Go figure. Are they worried that people are going to understand how intelligent and educated we are? Again, I’m going to have to once more throw out the fact that I am a Nurse. I know very well the difference between quality and non-quality health education.
It is amazing. Yet, I can understand why our field of work may make a few industries more than a little nervous. In dissatisfaction, millions of Americans annually are turning towards other health-services for their health and lifestyle challenges. Moreover, the numbers are increasing each year. The majority of general conditions and ailments found in the American society can be helped by natural health and nutrition consultants. Clients understand very quickly that these types of consultants have time to listen, time to educate them about their bodies, knowledge to help create a concrete plan, and time to support and empower. Not many people know that a minute minority of medical doctors have adequate knowledge of nutrition. It’s hopped over quite effortlessly in medical school, and doctors themselves admit it. It would be a terrible thing for the American people to gain knowledge of how their bodies work, wouldn’t it? It would no longer be the easy task of certain industries to convince people to buy and pop the many types of “lifestyle-miracle-pills” that are not necessary. It would, of course, not be in “our best interests” if the American people should take back control of their lives.
I’m not exactly in a spinning dive about all of this, and I suppose it is due to the fact that I won’t be in Texas for the rest of my life. I do feel very badly for the rest of you that will continue to be bombarded with further constraints, each and every single year. I’m concerned on behalf of the citizens of this society, and their rights to free-choice being stolen away. I really have to ask the question, “how many more rules and regulations do ya’ll need”?
Americans have always been good at mobilizing and moving. If their jobs tell them to relocate, they do it. If they have to move to get the job, they do it. I predict that if the political system is not soon restored and put back into the hands of the people, then Americans are going to have to become more diligent in considering which states they can stand to live in. The words “can stand” are chosen deliberately as this is where the road seems to be heading for some states. People will need to choose those states that do not constrain them unnecessarily. As immigrants once journeyed to a better place, we may start to see increasing national migration in search for more freedom.
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What you don’t know can hurt you
