Take Care of Yourself

Take care of yourself and others. Our government can't, and won't do it. Neither will the rest of the world. Look at what happened in New Orleans during Katrina. It's happening again in Haiti. Those people need our help, and if at all possible we should help the. Our government and the world's governments aren't going to do it, and can't.

The U.N. has pledged to give $10 million dollars in relief to Haiti. The text this number and give $10 has already raised over $35 million dollars. President Obama pledged $100 million, people have given over $150 million to the Red Cross alone to help in Haiti.

These are just the numbers we can keep track of. There is a lot of organizations that are just putting things together and sending it over. My sister does medical billing for a doctor's office in California. Her firm sent over

Law Enforcement Persistence

When I was 17 I worked as a soccer referee to earn money in high school. I witnessed child abuse on the field. A coach threw a 12 year-old player against a fence during a game, held him off the ground, and shouted at him. Then repeated it a couple times. I almost stopped the game, but second-guessed myself because there were parents around seeing the same thing, and no one did anything.

I found out that the coach was the player’s father, and decided to talk to a police officer friend of mine. I went to the local police station, told him what I saw and thought, he gave me a phone and number to call CPS. I called them, and a case officer said it wasn’t a big deal, but if I had names, addresses, phone numbers, school attended, and a lot of other info he’d look into it.

I went back and talked to my friend, and he was pissed. He made me call back. I got another officer. She was much more receptive. All I had was the father and players full names, and area the team was from. She asked me if I could get any other info, and I told her I would call her back.

The next day I found out what school they went to and that other players on the team said this was normal. I called the CPS Officer back, and she had already found the coach in the system and that this was an ongoing problem. He was coaching a small boy’s soccer team and abusing his son. I wondered if any of the other parents knew, or cared?

CPS spilled the beans on who called and I ended up having to write a report to the soccer league about what happened. Even got a threat from the coach to sue me through the league. Never heard anything else, but I hope the father got the help he needed and wasn’t a coach anymore.

Help when and where you can.

Stay Safe,

Ben

Defending Children

The 16 year-old mother who left a dead baby at a fire station a couple months ago is being tried as an adult (http://www.ksat.com/news/22188839/detail.html). The teen-age parents left it on the doorstep late at night wrung the bell and left. A fireman looked out the window and didn’t see anything. The baby wasn’t discovered until hours later, dead.

This entire story is sad, but my heart always lies with small children. There was a probation officer involved that found out the baby was being beaten by the father, but nothing was done. No one stepped in to help. The system failed, and will now pick up the pieces, as it always does.

The mother, a long time drug addict, didn’t know what to do. I challenge everyone out there to help when, and where they can. Ask questions if you think neglect or abuse is going on and report it. Be persistent and patient with law enforcement, they are overwhelmed with cases. Your questions or reports could save a child’s life. Imagine if someone would have stepped in for this baby.

If you suspect child abuse or neglect call CPS at 800-252-5400 or www.txabusehotline.org.

Stay Safe,

Ben

Danish Cartoonist Attacked, Again

The Danish Cartoonist who drew a cartoon of the Muslim Profit Mohammed with a bomb for a turban was attacked, again (http://abcnews.go.com/WN/muhammad-cartoonist-fled-panic-room-escape-intruder-ax/story?id=9465442). This time by a Somali man that has ties to different terrorist groups. The Somali man went after the Cartoonist with an axe at his home. The cartoonist ran to his panic room, locked the door, and called police. The police showed up and shot the attacker twice.

Two things of note in this case: 1) The cartoonist had a panic room to go to. 2) Everyone seems to be linked to Al Qaeda.

Good on the cartoonist for doing things right (he’s 74) and no one was hurt but the attacker/terrorist. The police shot the attacker twice while arresting him. He was charged with two counts of attempted murder, one on the cartoonist and one on a police officer.

Why is everyone linked to the terrorist group Al Qaeda? It’s like the 6 degrees of separation theory. Next the news will say local gangs have links to Al Qaeda. Not every terrorist group is linked to Al Qaeda.

Be like the cartoonist in this story. Prepare in advance and have a plan. It will help you stay alive.

Stay Safe,

Ben

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! I'm thinking about resolutions and decided not to do any this year. I'm going to set goals and reach them. Check out my buddy's thoughts, Cadillac Zak. I challenge you to make a goal, write it down, write down the steps to make it happen, and set a date to have it done.

Happy New Year,

Ben

Failure to Render Aid

Back in November a San Antonio man was convicted of failing to render aid to a friend. This story was pretty sad. Their car was re-ended on the freeway and the driver went home, leaving his passenger there to die.

This is setting a bad precedence. A Police Officer isn’t forced by law to help anyone, why should a normal person? Could this go from calling for help, to rendering first aid, to failing to help in a fight? I hope not. It’s my choice to help or not help someone. I carry a first aid kit and will help if I can. If it’s a robbery or worst, my family’s safety comes first. Once they are safe, I’ll help anyone else I can. The family comes first, always.

Have you put your life’s priorities in order? Do you know what comes first? I have mine, and it’s really simple; God, family, friends, country. Sit down, put yours in order, and then live by it.

Stay Safe,

Ben

www.ModernSelfProtection.com

Seasons Greeting

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! May you have a blessed and safe season.