OPINION: “Some good must come of this,” has been the cry after one of the worst mass killings in U.S. history at Newtown’s Sandy Hook Elementary School. Little has been done after a decade of school massacres. “We have 15 times more gun violence than any other country, and we must learn from them,” said CNN’s Fareed Zakaria. Therefore, I believe we need a holistic approach that includes the best solutions from other countries:
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg summed up the first step, calling for “Immediate action, since gun violence, turbo-charged by easy legal access to deadly (military) weapons, is a cancer eating away at the soul of America.” The kids say, “No more bad buys!” Following Australia’s similar tragedy they instituted a generous gun buyback that worked, which is snowballing across the U.S. SEE: http://newyorknetwire.com/nyc-mayor-michael-r-bloomberg-statement-in-response-to-national-rifle-association-press-conference/ .
Robbie Parker shared how his 6 yr old daughter Emilie was a role model for being the first to give love and support to anyone through drawing a picture or sending a note. Robbie also exemplified how he spiritually healed his family as can America in saying, “My heart goes out to the family of the shooter, too, and I hope it inspires us all to be more compassionate at all times to make America a safer place.”
Besides forgiveness, others said, “listen to our children and hug them daily.” Dr. Phil said to hold the victims of any violence or bullying tight for a few days so they don’t withdraw, and can heal. Learning that most of the school shooters were obsessed with violent war games, we must shift to stories and videos that celebrate life and all of its multi-cultural heroes. That could inspire positive, loving energy to ripple around the world, like Ann Curry’s 26 Acts of Kindness to honor the victims.
What else can we do to grow more peaceful, harmonious, cooper-ative students, communities and countries? And how can the U.S. make up for the missing extended families other countries still have, given our many single parents, like Adam Lanza’s mom, Nancy?
Many schools need smaller classes so teachers know the kids names and can nurture and help them develop social skills to bring them out of isolation, since one marginalized child can make a school unsafe. Kids also need quiet time during the day to process things.
Volunteerism in schools is critical and poor schools have too few because their parents have to work. Here is a golden opportunity for communities to enrich schools with their talents. I was part of Vice President Humphrey’s Youth program in 1968, where we Olympians gave fun, empowering clinics at inner city schoolyards. Our caring magically stopped the burning of 120 cities, which felt so good it transformed my life’s direction.
A century ago, Carl Jung, the Swiss “Father of Psychology”(and inspiration for AA), traveled around the world looking for a healthy psychological person to create more harmony in European society. Jung found examples of happy people living close to Nature in New Mexico thanks to staying with Chief Mountain Lake’s family at the Taos Pueblo.
Jung identified five critical keys. Translated into today’s schools he would urge us to:
1. Provide daily sports or dance, preferably outdoors.
2. If school yards don’t have trees or gardens then together plant them and meanwhile take children regularly to Parks or on hikes. U.S. Urban Forestry Dept studies found that this makes children mellow, along with raising all academic scores.
3. Provide Art classes often in Nature to help children express themselves more freely.
4. Provide children with daily opportunities to feel the joy of serving others. We each have a unique gift and a strong desire to use it for the greater good of humanity.
5. Give gratitude, including to Mother Earth and Father Sun, for all we are given.
Because Americans spend more of our federal budget on War and Defense than we all of our potential enemies combined, along with the average person paying higher taxes than billionaires, ongoing school budget cuts often deprive students from these basic rights to a good life. 30% of our schools are toxic, which causes sick bodies and depressed or angry kids. Many schools need basic security, like fences and to buzz in strangers through medal, rather than glass doors, how Adam Lanza, the 20 year old troubled youth broke into Sandy Hook Elementary.
Adam had Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of autism, along with three million others in the U.S, and up to 191 million worldwide. Bob Wright, founder of AutismSpeaks(.org) clarified on CNN “that normal kids are more apt to be violent than Asperger kids, and those on alcohol and drugs 7-10X more so.”
Said Olivia Ellis PhD, “Teacher of the year of 80,000 teachers in Los Angeles County, “No other student will be able to come near the phenomenal creativity and intelligence of Asperger kids. Most are shy, highly sensitive and intuitive so they can be misunderstood. If given love, understanding, and their creativity is welcomed into the classroom and greater community on a daily basis, they often become America’s most brilliant scientists at NASA, the National Lab and Silicon Valley. So it behooves us to put our arms around these gifted children and find natural ways to nurture them. Humanity needs their genius to help light the way into the new era.”
“Wouldn’t it be wonderful and raise the bar for all students, if there was enough budget to train teachers and counselors to fully access the gifts of students that are infinitely more intelligent than we are,” said Dr. Ellis.
“Yet most schools can’t even afford to hire enough counselors to handle the backlog of average kids needing help. It isn’t the counselors fault; they would have it be otherwise. They would love to be free to give one-on-one time to each student on their caseload,” said Olivia. “But school districts have had to cut counselors, as well as art, music and P.E. teachers, replacing them with aides who often have no training in those fields. Out the window went every vestige of a classical education which was based on music, art, astronomy, dance, healing movement, and a very sophisticated understanding of what physical education is and does.”
For example, the trajectory of a baseball, gymnast or ski aerialist makes geometry fascinating. And certain exercises relieve stress and dramatically increase memory retention.
Parents say some School Districts should be broken up because they are so huge and use a cookie cutter approach that does not meet the needs of diverse communities and individuals.
Instead of receiving nurturing, many students are given prescribed drugs, sometimes one after another, or several at a time. Several professionals interviewed about Newtown said the first step to making sense of this tragedy is to go directly to Adam’s doctor and asked him how many meds he prescribed and what they were. A study found that “82.6% of those who attempted suicide were under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”
This may be the greatest chance for outraged parents and leaders to protect America’s students from these quick fixes, and provide an enlightened safe education for generations. Insist that our Congressmen shift a huge chunk of our defense monies to community needs, like President Obama said he wanted to do in his final debate. Many retired top military leaders agree that it would make America safer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sOIe5Ql0v8 Here is General-President Eisenhower pleading that we hold in check our powerful military and arms and gun makers on his last day in office. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_II0H7X5O4
Therefore, insist this budget shift be a part of the Fiscal Cliff solution.
Another huge cost-effective way to reduce school violence is through diet. After a Mexican-American teacher heroicly got sugary soda machines banned from the L.A. School District in 2003, NPR Radio reported that the ban also surprisingly “reduced violence in the schools by 65%.”
National Geographic found that the U.S. and Mexico consume the most sodas, especially colas, and each soda has 40 grams of sugar. Rachael Ray revealed that “the recommended healthy amount of sugar a day is 15 grams, or four teaspoons (including healthier honey, maple syrup and raw sugars). Yet the average American consumes 168 grams of sugar per day.” That adds up to “150 pounds of sugar a year.”(American Diabetes Association)
TV hosts like Martha and Cathy Lee have used Stevia in recipes to stay lean and youthful and responsibly demonstrate how to reduce the sugar grams in delicious desserts and drinks. The Ritz-Carlton, top spas, and more and more cafes worldwide offer Stevia as a healthy alternative.
Stevia is an extraordinary rainforest herb, discovered by the South American tribes, with leaves they used for 1,500 years to sweeten their medicinals and teas. The Spanish then spread it to other countries. “The rebaudiana extract from Stevia is the only known natural sweetener with zero calories, zero carbohydrates, and a zero glycemic index, which gives you zero fluctuations in blood glucose and zero contributions to any disease,” said my advisor, Olivia(Cherokee), also a Master Gardener. Those are some of the reasons why on Good Morning America, Stevia was called the “Holy Grail of Sweeteners.”
Dr. Gupte said that Japan is one of the lowest countries in gun violence. Could it be because they are the biggest users of Stevia since the 70s, when Japan banned the toxic sweeteners Aspartame, Sweet & Low, Equal, and then Splenda. Thanks to using Stevia to sweeten 40% of their foods from yogurts to baked goods to colas, they reduced their diabetes and obesity and made their schools world renowned for their high standards of learning not violence. And China is the biggest grower of Stevia.
To combat having the highest children’s diabetes rate in the world, Mexico banned the sale of anything sugary in and around schools, and Puerto Vallarta’s schools are starting to grow organic fruit trees, and some teachers are exploring providing Stevia packets for a peso/8 cents to pay for itself.
In June 2011, a study found that “processed sugar causes brain damage, memory loss, depression, and other mental health challenges” – the “Sugar Blues.” http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/sugar.htm
The soda machine ban then spread to many schools across America. It was thanks to parents wanting to protect their children and teachers from threats or distractions from kids bouncing off walls from sugar-related ADD or ADHT (attention deficit with hyperactivity). As a result kids were able learn more in a relaxed, fun atmosphere.
The ban also reduced schools pressuring gifted kids to take the mind-dulling toxic drug Ritalin. Michael Phelps and Tom Cruise had ADHD, but their moms fiercely resisted. Singer Will I Am said, “Fortunately my mom couldn’t afford the meds.” These gifted children may be messengers at this transitional time, say Native American Elders. As the people of Newtown say, “A child shall lead us.” Their angels are uniting us to finally act. Children throughout the world are demonstrating their ability to point adults in a wiser direction. Here’s an example of that: https://enewschannels.com/2012/12/07/enc15675_140159.php
Stevia prevents energy and emotion swings and chemical imbalances from sugar overdosing that can exacerbate dangerous behavior in abnormal, as well as normal kids. That is why this diet shift could reduce bullying and shooting cycles by 65%. By following other countries, the U.S. could soon have more people in colleges than prisons.
Here is another diet breakthrough exemplified by a mom whose Asperger’s son was asked to leave a school because of his disruptions. By simply eliminating his wheat and dairy products, he was so amazingly transformed that he was invited back. I was shocked to learn that wheat products, like most breads, raise the blood sugar higher than a 40 gram sugar soda! Fortunately, gluten-free breads and pastas are now available at healthfood stores. Soda. http://www.livingwithout.com/issues/2_2/special_child_special_diet-1314-1.html
Stevia sweeteners can be found almost everywhere now, with the organic ones at healthfood stores and online. Since Stevia is an amazing healing medicinal the purer organic versions maximize health. NOW Foods Better Stevia Organic 100 packets (with Chromium), shakers, liquid, drinks…are the purest with the best prices, along with a few of the healthiest other brands.
Healthfood stores also carry the healthiest Stevia beverages with zero carbs like: Zevia includingcolas,(also in Canada and Mexico)and Steiz. In Mexico Bonafant has Stevia teas and fruit juices and Vallarta’s Organic Superfoods has organic stevias and drinks. (organiclogistic.com)
The bans resulted in Coke and Pepsi launching their more processed Stevia sweetener called Truvia, and PepsiCo PureVia in a tabletop sweetener and their new zero carb or reduced carb drinks in U.S. and many countries: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122955049250715515.html
Websites may have store locations. But ALWAYS check the type of sweetener and number of sugar/carb grams in “Ingredients.”
Any school can easily be turned into soothing, safer gardens of Eden. Dr. Ellis shared that students can get FREE organic fruit trees from each state’s Forestry Department in the U.S., which also prevents erosion. And Junior Master Gardeners (JMG), Master Gardeners and 4H gladly help for FREE! Commonvision.org’s California “Fruit Tree Tour” is the ultimate rockin model of how students and teachers in a matter of a few hours can create orchards that “feed 1,000 children for 100 years!”
Rachael Ray launched 100 school gardens to help First Lady Michelle’s campaign to reduce obesity and diabetes, while also helping kick hunger in 17 million U.S. children, inspired by Malia and Sasha’s White House Organic Garden.
Some Native Elders say that these youngest of all children in the Newtown shooting agreed to come here to open the hearts of our Earth Family and shift to natural solutions at this pivotal 2012 time.
Special thanks to Colorado’s visionary Ute Mountain Tribe and Maine’s Mt Abram Ski Area and for helping us make this message possible.
Bless President Obama for saying at the Newtown Children’s Farewell Ceremony that “I will do whatever is in my power to prevent tragedies like this.” Let us together make their passing bring in a compassionate joyful dawn.
Article is Copr. © 2012 by Suzy Chaffee and originally published on eNewsChannels.com – all commercial and reprint rights reserved. Content has not been revised by ENC editorial staff and is presented as provided by the author. To contact Ms. Chaffee: Contact: suzynativevoices@aol.com, naotf.org.
