Street Kill in a Home Town Newspaper

"On Friday afternoon, as employees of Keary Advertising on Rolling Mill Road readied for their annual Halloween office party, Dundalk resident Dennis McLaughlin parked his car next to the building and walked through the front door with a pistol. About three minutes later, at 12:33 p.m., McLaughlin, who had just fired five shots into owner Wayne Keary, walked outside to the front lawn, pointed the gun at his head and pulled the trigger." The Dundalk Eagle, October 30, 2009

Where I grew up, my hometown newspaper was The Dundalk Eagle. It's one of the oldest weekly newspapers you can find anywhere, publishing in a town which is really the population of a small city, located in Baltimore County, right outside the Baltimore City boundary line.

Once upon a time, the front page of the Dundalk Eagle reported on local events like parades, high school graduations, or unusual weather. I checked out The Dundalk Eagle's recent website to find out what was happening in my old home town, to discover a lot of violence reported. The above tragic story was below the newspaper's front page fold, because, another murder involving a police officer was the headline lead.

This commentary is not a nostalgic cliche, reflective of the peaceful good old days. Rather, it's like Rip Van Winkle waking up from a nightmare and wishing he were still asleep. Since when has hometown news turned into double murder stories?

Americans are, unbelievably, becoming ambivilant about murder. For some reason, we don't want to acknowledge that more people are killed by crazy people who buy guns than die in our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. So, I checked. In fact, in 2004, the number of violent murders in the USA was 16, 137. http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius_04/offenses_reported/violent_crime/murder.html

This grim statistic was reported in the context of the violent crime incidents being down from the previous year. But, in 2003, the rate was 16,528. Big deal.

Nevertheless, we have become a nation of mourners. We are now experts at creating memorial services. There are too many teddy bears in coffins.

Now, we have seen a grizzly attack by a Muslim American Army officer at Fort Hood, Texas, killing 13 people. With this horrible murderous incident, we have reached the point in America where safety is an elusive concept. If we can't be safe from terrorism and random acts of violence on a US military base, then safety itself is nowhere to be found. Three girls watching stars in North Dakota are found drowned in a lake. A man in Orlando walks into a building and shoots former co-workers. It's become a daily ritual, like the parades, high school graduations and unusual weather reports we once read about in our home town newspapers, like The Dundalk Eagle.

As a nation, we need psychoanalysis. Something is gruesomely wrong and we need to find a cure for it. Please.

Most Valuable Player - President Obama and the Nobel Peace Prize

Having just returned from a magnificent 10 day vacation in France, I observed how the United States may be loosing relevance with the European nations. In France,at least, the research and development technologies in energy, transportation and the health care industries are growing in stature. Nevertheless, the average European citizen is not necessarily more prosperous as a result. Although they enjoy an expensively high standard of living, the average worker needs a decent job to make ends meet.

Economic prosperity for Europeans means they need jobs driven by American interests - like tourism, or customers to buy the technology being developed. Therefore, research and development notwithstanding, the United States matters to Europeans. Although our neighbors in Western Europe are organizing their political and economic clout through the European Union (EU), they continue to look to the United States as their beacon for world leadership. Perhaps the memories of two devastating World Wars during the last century, with their associated cemeteries, are continual reminders of European dependence on the United States. European freedom, after all, was achieved with the blood of Americans.

Therefore, it is highly significant to learn how the Swedish Nobel Prize Committee awarded the foundation's most prestigious Peace Prize to President Barack Obama. What did he do to deserve this outstanding honor? Europeans notice the sea turn in US foreign policy. They like the stability this fresh attitude poses for their own continued growth, economic development, prosperity and peace.

One fact I learned in France is that the American tourist industry dropped off by 80 percent after the US invaded Iraq and received a snub by the French for doing so. Well, being right on the Iraq War doesn't translate into good business for the average French worker. So, Americans' willingness to spend money, matters.

As a result, I applaud the Nobel Peace Prize for President Barack Obama. He is our world's most valuable leader. He presents a peaceful face for Europeans to relate to when they think of Americans. Likewise, congratulations to all of us who support our new President, because his Nobel Peace Prize is our achievement for voting for him. Think of President Obama as receiving the Most Valuable World Player Award.

Our sincere appreciation extends to the Nobel Prize Committee for recognizing America's choice for a 21st century world leader.

What Were You Doing on September 11th 2001?

My daughter-in-law Cheryl Grabowski L'Heureux posted this living September 11th memory on facebook. I've cut and pasted the story into this blog because her experience is a compelling and living reminder of the horror Americans witnessed on September 11, 2001 when thousands of innocent people were murdered by an act of terrorism.

On 9/11/2001 I was on a train on my way into NYC. I was going to the WTC to meet up with a few employees...Nichole Gonzales was one of them. We were going to look at the site where my company was building a new store in the mall (not sure if ya'll know, but there was a really nice mall in the bottom of WTC.

That morning, I lingered in bed, not really wanting to get up. I was now running late and needed to leave. Roger dropped me off at the train station and kissed me goodbye. The train ride into NYC is always quite, business men and women going to work.

At 8:48 am my cell phone rang. My store manager of my South Street Seaport store, who lives in Battery Park, called and screamed "a plane just hit the WTC!" I repeated back to her, "a plane hit the WTC?". Sounding alarmed others looked up over at me and started asking "what happened?" I said "a plane just hit WTC".

I hung up with her and immeditaly called Roger. He had not heard about it yet and he turned on the radio. While we were talking he screamed "another plane just hit the other tower". I yelled out on the train "another plane just hit the other tower".

At this point, every single person is on their cell phone with family, work, friends, trying to find out what was going on. Roger said "get off the train at the next stop and I'll come get you". I got off the train and waited for Roger. I called my Mom, crying, and getting her anwering machine. I told her I was OK and did not make it into NYC that day. I called my Father,Grandmother, and friends as well.

Roger picked me up and as we were driving on the NJ Turnpike we saw a huge plume of smoke. We looked at eachother, horrifed, and said OMG, the towers just fell. I was numb at this point. I could not believe what was happening. It felt so surreal, it was unimaginable that this was happening here, in the USA.

At home, I could not take my eyes off of the tv set. I needed to know why this happened.

Fate has a funny way of showing herself...if I would have gone to work earlier, I would have wanted to meet with the mall marketing manager before the mall became busy. This means I would have been on a higher floor, not sure which, and would have experienced the tragic nightmare firsthand.

For all of those who lost someone on 9/11, I pray for you and for them. For those who have loved ones fighting for our country, I pray for them and their families.

Congressman Mike Michaud Health Care Forum in Bangor Maine

In the absence of Town Hall screamers, the health care forum hosted by Maine's Second District Congressman Mike Michaud was a thoughtful presentation from multiple health care providers about the current issue of health care reform.

Thank you Congressman Michaud for hosting this civilized and informative forum in Bangor. Too bad there weren't any big network news anchors attending to cover the issues. Following is the report of the forum by the Maine Medical Association and a copy of my own testimony on behalf of mental health parity:


Report From the Maine Medical Association Newsletter:
Congressman Michaud Hosts Forum on Health Care Reform


Congressman Mike Michaud (D-2nd District) held a forum on the national health care reform debate from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday, August 28, 2009 at the Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor. For more than 3 1/2 hours Congressman Michaud and members of his staff listened to members of Maine's health care provider community express their views about the national health care reform debate generally and H.R. 3200, the one bill voted out of committee in the House so far, specifically. Most speakers seemed supportive of health care reform in concept, but many expressed concern that Congress not act hastily and mentioned concerns specific to a particular provider type. Physicians were well represented in the list of 25 or so witnesses and the following testified:

Gary Palman, D.O., Maine Society of Anesthesiologists
Stephanie Lash, M.D., MMA
Jon Fanburg, M.D., Maine Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Julie Balaban, M.D., Maine Association of Psychiatric Physicians/Maine Association of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Joel Kase, D.O., Maine Osteopathic Association
Larry Piazza, M.D., Maine Society of Eye Physicians & Surgeons
Larry Mutty, M.D., M.P.H.
Charles Pattavina, M.D., St. Joseph Hospital
Congressman Michaud and his Health Legislative Assistant, Jill Brimmer, also heard testimony from representatives of hospitals, community health centers, nursing homes, pharmacists, nurses, psychologists, physical therapists, dental hygienists, ambulance companies, community mental health centers, chiropractors, and hospice providers.

Physicians who wish to communicate with Congressman Michaud's office about the national health care reform debate may reach out to Jill Brimmer at jill.brimmer@mail.house.gov


Testimony of Maine Association of Mental Health Services
Memorandum: Friday August 28, 2009

From: Juliana L’Heureux, BS, RN, MHSA
To: Congressman Mike Michaud

Ref: Testimony on Health Care Reform – Public Hearing in Bangor

Good morning. My name is Juliana L’Heureux. I am a registered nurse and the Executive Director of the Maine Association of Mental Health in Services (MAMHS) in Augusta.

MAMHS represents 27 Community Behavioral Health Centers throughout Maine.

Thank you for including mental health care to participate in this forum. Mental health providers truly appreciate your remarkable support for quality mental health care, especially for Veterans.

I also want to acknowledge the eloquent remarks from the psychiatrists who spoke before me, about the need to improve access to mental health care.

Our MAMHS members understand the complexities involved in health care reform. We are here to be a clear voice for mental health parity to be included in whatever public policy is ultimately passed. As you know, health care policy specialists worked hard for many years to achieve mental health insurance parity. Therefore, I speak for all health care providers and the clients and families we care for when we speak in support of providing mental health parity in health care reform, especially, providing for covering the cost of providing quality care. Moreover, I support the testimony from Eastern Maine Medical Center about the importance of providers being able to negotiate rates with payers. Negotiating rates is, likewise, important for community behavioral health care providers, as well.

We also seek your support for funding Community Behavioral Health Care to obtain electronic medical records.

Mental health care predisposes many physical health issues, which we know is the concept put forth in integrated care and medical home models. Certainly, we support all models of care where people are cared for out of institutions and as close to home as possible, whenever possible.

Therefore, please continue to be our advocate for protecting mental health parity in any health care reform regardless of where care is provided, including the appropriate use of tele health services.

Thank you again for your generous allocation of time to host this forum.

Juliana L'Heureux BS, RN, MHSA, Executive Director
Maine Association of Mental Health Services
45 Memorial Circle Suite 103 Augusta, Maine 04330
Telephone - (207) 621-4111 Fax - (207) 621-4999

David Gregory's Tribute to Senator Edward M. Kennedy: Meet the Press

Today's August 30 episode of Meet the Press with David Gregory was one of the best tributes to an ordinary US Senator I have witnessed in my lifetime. Senator Kennedy's eulogy lived on in today's program.

Thank you to Mr. Gregory and to NBC for the extended coverage of Edward Kennedy's death and funeral. Viewers appreciated this poignant moment in American history where, as a nation, we voluntarily paused to reflect on our tumultuous past while lamenting about the future, absent the Kennedy family's beneficial influence.

Maria Kennedy Shriver was particularly eloquent in Gregory's interview.

Yet, the personal testimony and reflection of Kathleen Kennedy Townsend captured what I felt to be spiritually true. Townsend spoke about Senator Kennedy's Roman Catholic faith. She explained the meaning of Roman Catholicism's position on forgiveness, from a personally spiritual perspective.

Like the Kennedy's generational ups and downs, the Roman Catholic faith has overcome thousands of years of scandals and corruption. Most recently, of course, Catholics have been challenged learning about the years of inexcusable cover ups of priests who were protected from sexual abuse charges.

Townsend transcended those horrible black spots of abuse. Inadvertently, I suppose, Townsend put yet another dimension on the Kennedy family's legacy. Their personal family tragedies, triumphs, failings, shortcomings and victories in the face of extraordinary adversities are as tumultuous as the history of Roman Catholicism itself. Obviously, the Kennedy's don't need yet another burdensome torch to carry, but the connection does lead to philosophical thought about the nature and power of forgiveness.

Certainly, I'm neither a philosopher or politician, so this mighty thought about the parallel between being a Kennedy and a Catholic is certainly out of my comfort zone. But, as a blogger...oh well (!), I can bring up the subject for others to criticize or consider.

Meanwhile, the purpose of this blog is simply to say Thank You to Meet the Press, to NBC and to those who appeared on today's show. We prayerfully want to continue the dream, so hope, can, indeed, live on. May Senator Kennedy Rest in Peace.

Slan go foill - Gaelic Farewell to Senator Edward M. Kennedy

We mourn Senator Kennedy's death in August 2009, because his passing marks the end of a generation of events intertwined with our own lives.

Although the Lion of the Senate was a superb statesman representing the state of Massachusetts and our nation, his death is personally touching for those of us who grew up with the tragic events in the Kennedy family having a profound impact on our own lives. For example, I met my husband Richard in Baltimore, Maryland in November 1963, precisely because he was home from his job with the Navy and I was home from attending nursing school due to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. We all watched the assassinations of the Kennedy brothers and their deeply touching funerals. And, sadly, so on....

Senator Kennedy's death is a reminder of our own mortality as it forces us to recall how his life impacted our time on earth. Mourning his death is sadly nostalgic. It's like we are experiencing a collective Don MacLean deja vu, and "Bye Bye Miss American Pie" is not just a song but a prophesy. It's a prediction about how we need to live and improve our lives because, after all, "them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye; Singin', this'll be the day that I die".

Yes, it will be our turn one of these days.

So, what do we learn from the lives of the Kennedy's? To me their lives signify redemption because, regardless of all the terrible, awful, hurtful and vitriolic information circulated about them, they persevered. In spite of it all, they proved how much they cared about America.

Each Kennedy, every one to a person, worked hard to improve the human condition through a dedication to public service. They could have purchased an island in the Caribbean and given up on America, but they didn't. For their love of our country and their collective passion for helping others, I give a heartfelt thank you to every Kennedy in America's enduring politcal family.

For Ted Kennedy, I say "Slan go foill", which, I found in Gaelic means, "See you soon". It's an important phrase because, as we know by the calendar, my generation are the American Pie good old boys.

I can only pray another generation is lined up behind us American Pie folks, inspired by liberal thinking and with a passion for good works, in the same way the Kennedy's positively affected me.

Paying Senator Coburn with Our Tax Dollars to say whaaaa?

Meet the Press with David Gregory -the forum was Health Care on Sunday August 16, 2009. Senator Coburn (R) of Oklahoma responds to Mr. Gregory's question about the nasty tone of the health care reform debate. Senator Coburn says "we've earned" the nasty tone....referencing violence akin to Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh who murdered people to show his opposition to government. Our tax dollars are paying Senator Coburn. Our outrage should be directed towards the money wasted in our obligation to pay his Senate expenses and salary.

I say Senator Coburn is instigating sedition by suggesting a civilized health care debate should be allowed as an excuse to become a debacle against our government. Even more surprising, Senator Coburn says he is a medical doctor. Using his physician's title, he says the quality of health care in the US is fine, just like it is. Well, Dr. Coburn must not read public health data. Americans, on average, have a shorter life expectancy than our European counterparts, where health care is expected as a right rather than privilege. Senator Coburn should have deplored the violence and, rather, supported civilized debate.

Following is the transcript from
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32420049/ns/meet_the_press/

I am calling for Senator Coburn to be recalled as a US Senator based upon his lack of opposition to violence against the government.

MR. GREGORY: All right. But let’s talk about the tone of the debate. There have been death threats against members of Congress, there are Nazi references to members of Congress and to the president. Here are some of the images. The president being called a Nazi, his reform effort being called Nazi-like, referring to Nazi Germany, members of Congress being called the same. And then there was this image this week outside of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, a town hall event that the president had, this man with a gun strapped to his leg held that sign, “It is time to water the tree of liberty.” It was a reference to that famous Thomas Jefferson quote, “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” That has become a motto for violence against the government. Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber, had that very quote on his shirt the day of the bombing of the Murrah building when 168 people were killed.

Senator Coburn, you are from Oklahoma. When this element comes out in larger numbers because of this debate, what, what troubles you about that?

SEN. TOM COBURN (R-OK): Well, I’m, I’m troubled anytime when we, we stop having confidence in, in our government. But we’ve earned it. You know, this debate isn’t about health care. Health care’s the symptom. The debate is an uncontrolled federal government that’s going to run--50 percent of everything we’re spending this year we’re borrowing from the next generation. You...

MR. GREGORY: That’s—but wait, hold on, I want to stop you there. I’m talking about the tone. I am talking about violence against the government. That’s what this is synonymous with.

SEN. COBURN: The, the—but the tone is based on fear of loss of control of their own government. What, what is the genesis behind people going to such extreme statements? What is it? We, we have lost the confidence, to a certain degree, and it’s much worse than when Tom was the, the, the leader of the Senate.