(Gun Violence + Young People + Unemployment) x Little Hope = Local Newspaper Obituaries

Rockford has a horrible history of young people being dead at a very, very young age.

(Gun Violence + Young People + Unemployment) x Little Hope = Local Newspaper Obituaries.

As a sophomore in high school in 1976 I started coaching youth baseball during the summer. I went on to coach little kids in baseball for 12 years almost every summer and love each and every ball, strike and out. As a young adult I worked for a local community center in shall I say a “marginal” area of town where gang violence was sadly and tragically abundant.

I became creative and dedicated to finding solutions to the gun, gang and young people doing the wrong things at the wrong times and ending up dead. With the assistance of a local YMCA we created a “Late Night or Midnight Basketball League” targeted for “at risk” young people. The program started at 10:00 p.m. and the basketball games ended at approximately 2:30 a.m.

Proudly for the last nearly 14 years I have been teaching high school business, computers, newspaper, yearbook, accounting to a population that is represented by 85% free/reduced lunches, 7th highest city crime statistics, and 3rd most miserable city to live. Sadly, I have developed a diverse, complicated first hand knowledge of the difficulties faced in difficult times in difficult at best surroundings.

1. Was the program a success? YES
2. Did it reduce gun violence during its offering? YES
3. Did fewer young people end up Dead? YES
4. Was it a long-term program that could make a long-term impact? NO

What this program did show was that given a large, complicated problem of gang/young people having nothing to do in the evening with way to much energy solutions could be discovered.

1. Is there an easy answer to gun violence, gangs, underemployment, unemployment, companies with manufacturing operations in third world countries? NO
2. Is a solution to these impossible? NO
3. Is the solution difficult, complicated, and creative? YES
4. Do I have those answers? YES

patrickfox016@gmail.com

We Can and Should Do Better… All Americans deserve the effort….

Tears of gun violence have become a familiar refrain throughout the United States of America

We Can and Should Do Better… All Americans deserve the effort….

The time has arrived when Americans must realize that we face a new norm economically and employment growth stagnation. We (Americans) have gotten lazy. With the exception of the nearly constant media circus related to cell phones and other electronic devices. Sadly, most if not all the production of those technologies are manufactured in China, Taiwan, Japan or other Asian countries.

Americans have spoken for a second time and chosen the best man for the job of saving Americas bacon for the next 4 years as it relates to job growth and business creation that without fail tends to drive the “mood” or “happiness” feelings of Americans around the globe.

There have been tragic moments of violence in many unsuspecting locations throughout the United States. As a reflex action and in my opinion the least complicated action to be taken gun control was made a priority by our elected few. The time has arrived when “we” Americans must once again get the creative juices flowing yet again and discover a solution not to gun control entirely, but more specifically the reason that violent people need or have the opinion that they need to use a gun to get their issues into the mainstream press.

The United States of America became the incredible country it is now due to forward thinking problem and challenge solvers that were able to take adversity and create viable and inspirational industries that exist today and employee thousands of Americans. I am not blowing smoke, but rather envisioning the United States of America taking another step forward to prosperity for all whom are willing to put in the effort to live dignified existence.

Solutions can be thought of from a wide variety of people. Often times those that are closest to the problem are often blinded by the bright light that often glows from the complicated problems and issues. The solutions have not been easily discovered and formulated. The challenge that remains are for those that can and currently do control the minds and agenda of out nation take the time to contact me to in fact discover the future of our country the Great United States of America.

There is a solution to gun violence, underemployment, unemployment, teen deaths, gang violence, gang growth, mass shootings, gun control, hold ups, school violence, low graduation rates, and other difficulties that inhibit the happiness of Americans. Send an email to: patrickfox016@gmail.com to become a part of the solution rather than a member of the bucket brigade attempting to put out the gun violence by limiting the use of an innate object rather that the spark of that ignites the violence.

Chinese Workers vs American Unemployed

Chinese workers are motivated, proud and demanding of a better more dignified existance.

Americans of all colors have a commonality of being unemployed all over the USA.

Chinese Workers vs American Unemployed

Let me first say God Bless the incredibly highly motivated and proud Chinese workers that desired a better life for them and their familes that had historically been relagated to rice fields and small villages of no wages or little wages.

Let me follow up by saying it is about time that “WE” proud Americans tear out a chapter from the Chinese motivational manual and get the desire for a more proud and motivated lifestyle. We Americans need to stop bitching and moaning about the bad rich guys and the liberal or conservative government officials that are being blamed and GET A LIFE.

The time has arrived for Round 2 in the Match of the 20th Century for Jobs, Dignity and Family strength via earning a dignified and respectable wage. Sadly, “We” Americans have gotten our butts kicked in Round 1 but the good news is that Round 2 could be a Game Changer for the once Proud American team.

I am not rich, I did not attend Harvard, Yale or a Big Ten University or even been elected to a political office. That being said, I do have viable, doable solutions for our high crime rates, low high school graduation rates, high foreclosure rates, high underemployment rates, high unemployment rates, low college education rates that can be directly impacted by a comprehensive, innovative, and entreprenurial effort that very well may mean “We Americans” could win the next several Rounds of the Match of the Century.

How To Fix Detroit, Michigan and Rockford, Illinois…. They are broken

Rockford, Illinois once a fiancial star of prosperity in the upper midwest is now on the brink of being the Bedroom Community of the Midwest.

The once proud City of Detroit reflects where so many once Proud American Cities are destine unless “WE” wake up and smell the roses.

How To Fix Detroit, Michigan and Rockford, Illinois…. They are broken.

First of all, I must applaud Detroit, Michigan as they have acknowledged they are in need of repair. Rockford on the other hand continues to stick its head in the sand attempting to make jokes of other peoples opinions of just how horrible it is in Rockford, Illinois.

Much like Detroit, Michigan in its history Rockford, Illinois is a dead city that have had many people with the best of intentions try to save the city from is current “3rd Most Miserable City in the USA” award as judged by Fortune Magazine. However, along the way regardless of blame or unlucky outcomes both Detroit and Rockford share more in common than Rockford is willing to admit.

Some I am sure will say that I am a debbie downer or a buzz kill regarding Rockford, Illinois, but I have solutions for both dead cities that can and will make a difference before it is to late. It is time that both cities stop complaining about the high crime, low education levels, lack of jobs, lack of tax base, lack of hope and begin to disect the causes of each difficulty to have any solution.

The solutions are possible. Detroit has acknowelged a desire to find the answers to save their city. I can help.

patrickfox016@gmail.com

The New Norm demands New Entreprenuers… NOW

The New Norm demands New Entreprenuers… NOW

It is time to wake up and smell the roses everyone. The recovery is here and sadly this is a jobless or mostly jobless recovery. I know that reality rather sucks, but sometimes as much as we hate to acknowledge reality it is time to man up and dip a toe in the real world.

The United States of America is the most powerful, influential country in the world for one reason and one reason alone. We were the best and creating solutions to the needs and wants of the population over the last 150 years. The challenge we face now is that “WE MUST” essentially forget about our trophies, accolades and other awards and get entreprenueral hungry once again like we did coming out of the 1800’s.

We have lost two incredible innovators Walter E. Disney and Steven Jobs. They have had detractors and copycats, but they were the best at transforming the world into a better place.

Help me get the word out and make the United States stonger for everyone within its boundaries not just the 10%.

Why Gun Violence? Lets take one state and build a wall around it for those…

Why Gun Violence? Let’s take one state and build a wall around it for those…

It’s been said by some that guns are the reason for gun violence. I would propose the idea that people are responsible for gun violence. It is truly sad that some in our population lack the education, social graces, motivation, mental capacity, or just luck. Some say that these limitations or obstructions to success are self inflicted, thus the blame falls squarely on those that tend to shoot their self in their foot.

I would argue that unless we completely build a wall around an entire state and ship all those covered under the previous categories to live out their lives in chaos within the walls then we need a viable solution to correcting their status.

The time has arrived for innovation, creativity, genius, open-mindedness, and an understanding that until we respect, accept that their exist a major problem within our population gun violence and or violence in our communities, schools, theaters, work places, and homes will not subside but rather heighten in occurrence.

The plan I have created and desire its implementation will do the following:

1. Increase educational levels for undereducated
2. Increase working wage jobs
3. Increase home sales
4. Increase economic activity via taxes derived from employment
5. Decrease Drug Use
6. Decrease Gun Violence
7. Decrease Violence
8. Decrease Domestic Violence
9. Student discipline issues in schools
10. Decrease unemployment
11. Decrease veterans unemployment
12. Decrease baby boomer unemployment
13. Increase industrial tax base for local and state governments
14. Increase skill based education levels
15. Decrease home foreclosures
16. Decrease personal bankruptcies
17. Decrease teen and young adult deaths due to gun violence

Dead is gaining… we need to slow it down.

It seems that every day when I log into my computer before classes start and my teacher responsibilities begin at Jefferson High School in Rockford, Illinois that CNN.Com highlights or news flashes yet another mass shooting. Early on often the reason or motive appears to be non-existent or missing all together. Sometimes however the media outlet does convey a motive that might include a thin but real motive similar to the magnitude of a property line disagreement, or perhaps a person seeking their 15 minutes of fame. The sad thing is that the list of dead has grown yet again and CNN.com is passing on the grim details for all to read or watch.

It is time that our elected officials focus on the cause or motivation of what exists in the persons mind to make the conscious decision to pick up the gun or knife and commit the deadly life ending crime. As a teacher at an inner city school I recently posed to my students the same question/thought.

It would be simple to propose all sorts of legislation to limit our Constitutional Rights, propose larger jails, employ more police, employ more judges, give money away to not for profits to fix the problem, and/or propose ill advised economic development projects using tax payer money in areas that are predisposed to high crime.

While these solutions make for great NEWS at 5:00 Political ribbon cuttings and the like… they are only a small band-aid on the cut or a cup of water on an already raging fire. The better solution is to determine what created the cut and what ignited the fire.

Lower Class or Middle Class should NOT Equal Poverty Existance & Crime

In the city of Rockford, IL., during the last census I discovered with great disapointment but not surprised that only 20% of the adult populuation of 160,000 had a post high school education. Sadly that calculated number is a miserale 32,000 people probably live a day to day existance above economic poverty level.

Currently at the high school I teach the “free or reduced” lunch rate (those that are considered poverty) is 85% which closely equates to the post high school education census rate for the population of Rockford, Illinois. While this may not be a scientific connection, it appears as though there is a strong connection.

Murders, Parking Lot Muggings, Home Break-ins, Burglaries, Purse Snatching and other violent and non violent crimes are on the increase in alarming proportions. I would argue that Rockford, Illinois is not unlike many cities in the United States.

I am asking The President of the United States to use his full Presidential influence and power to propose and champion a legislative initiative. This bill is entitled Jobs and Education for Americas’ Youth that would begin to provide a comprehensive solution for the raging fire that would act as not only a solution to reduce gun violence and other violence in our American cities, but provide to several generations with a renewed dignity of life that many Americans have long searched.

The Jobs and Education for Americas’ Youth legislative bill does and will provide a palatable framework for a public – private partnership that will inspire and motivate via financial incentives the return of manufacturing jobs to the USA.

New Proposed Legislation regard gun violence

This is the partial text of a letter I recently sent to President Barrack Obama regarding violence, schools, education and gun violence.

While I understand the need to discuss gun control and perhaps the type of gun, number of bullets and background checks, these steps sadly represent only buckets of water thrown on the already complicated and controversial reasons for the raging fire.

Painfully, the end result of this raging fire has been the loss of many young lives. While trying to put out the fire is a necessary and admirable goal, the bigger question and objective is to how and why the fire ignited in the first place.

I am asking your Presidential power and influence to propose and champion a legislative initiative entitled Jobs and Education for Americas’ Youth that would begin to provide a comprehensive solution for the raging fire that would act as not only a solution to reduce gun violence and other violence in our American cities, but provide to several generations with a renewed dignity of life that many Americans have long searched.

Hand Gun solution innovation is not exclusive to politicians and the rich.

As a dedicated teacher we emotionally adopt for better or worse each and every student as our essentially our own children. Day-in and day-out we laugh and empathize with our students while listening and regaling in their academic, athletic and personal triumphs during the school year. During my teaching career I have experienced on several instances the unenviable devastation of the empty seat or students emotionally devastated and distraught at the death of a classmate or a loved one as a result of gun violence the night prior. That painful and heart wrenching reality is my personal motivation for this effort`.