Nora Stockhausen – 3/8/18

 


This page was last updated on April 20, 2018.


We need to support end to gun violence; Nora Stockhausen (NS); Beaver County Times; March 8, 2018.

NS is Executive Director of Americas Operations at Calgon Carbon Corporation.

Below is a review of the subject letter.


“Gun violence in schools is not a political issue.  I can’t find any reasons why it’s not black and white.”

[RWC] When someone declares something “is not a political issue,” it’s “a political issue.”

“I am an engineer.  I like order, structure and quantification, so it is my nature to see issues as black or white.  But I am also 52 and I have learned that there is almost always some gray.  I am not finding gray here.”

[RWC] I’m grateful NS is not a mechanical engineer and didn’t get her degree from Penn State.

“On March 14, there will be a 17-minute nationwide school walkout inspired by the school shooting in Parkland, Fla., where 17 students were killed by a gunman last month.”

[RWC] A better description would be a group of adults exploiting children for political gain.

“The nationwide event March 14 is a way for students, teachers, administrators, parents and other community members to unite with this message: “We want students to be safe and to feel safe at school.  We oppose gun violence in schools.”

 [RWC] Who doesn’t “want students to be safe and to feel safe at school” and who doesn’t “oppose gun violence in schools?”

Readers will likely notice NS chose not to identify the event’s organizers.  According to CNN, “Women’s March organizers are planning a national student walkout to protest gun violence.”  Specifically, the organizer is “Women’s March Youth Empower,” complete with the left’s obligatory clenched fist in the logo.

“For the life of me, I can’t find a reason why anyone would not support eliminating gun violence in our schools.  Students across America are feeling vulnerable.  They want to know that their communities stand against gun violence in schools.  It seems to be a no-brainer.

“I have read that critics of the event feel that it threatens their Second Amendment rights.  This is not about the Second Amendment; it is about ending gun violence in schools.  Let’s all, for 17 minutes, be genuine patriots and stand united as a country to support safe schools.”

[RWC] “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” - Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

When someone declares something “is not about the Second Amendment,” it’s “about the Second Amendment.”

The trick is to figure out how to deal with “gun violence in schools” within the confines of the Second Amendment.

We can’t “be genuine patriots” unless we do as NS wants?

“It’s back to black and white: You are either opposed to gun violence in schools, or you are in favor of gun violence in schools.”

[RWC] I don’t know NS’ ideology, but wasn’t then-President George W. Bush excoriated by the left when he said, “You’re either with us or against us in the fight against terror?”

Other than the crazy killers who want to murder large groups of people, everyone asked if they “oppose gun violence in schools” will answer “yes.”  So why did NS make this comment?

Here’s why.  “Gun violence in schools” can’t be wished or hash-tagged away; specific actions must be taken and NS was careful not to describe what she thinks those actions should be.  A self-described engineer, NS is likely familiar with the “if then else” statement in various computer programming languages.  In this case, if you truly “oppose gun violence in schools,” then you must take NS’ undefined actions.  If you don’t take NS’ undefined actions, then “you are in favor of gun violence in schools.” 

Finally, NS used the phrase “gun violence in schools” six times in this short letter to drill it into a reader’s mind.  That’s marketing 101 (possibly from her Pitt EMBA), not engineering 101.


© 2004-2018 Robert W. Cox, all rights reserved.