Q & A Talking Points

How does the threat of terrorism affect people in their daily routines?

The body does not distinguish the difference between a real attack and a perceived attack. The mere threat of terror can produce the same damaging neurochemical response as experiencing a direct attack by releasing toxic chemicals into the blood stream. That's why worry and fear can be so damaging to the body.
Fear is the emotional energy that is released from the threat of terrorism that inhibits productivity and performance. And in a tough job market, none of us can afford to allow stress to negatively affect our job performance. Furthermore, as a nation we must not allow terrorism to negatively impact our economy.

How does the threat of terrorism negatively affect America's economy?

Wall Street is fueled by perceptions. The perceived threats to the security of America impacts the public's perception of the strength of our economy. This ripple affect can be devastating…not only to the American economy but also to the world economy…and don't think that the terrorists don't know that. They understand that they can not win the war technologically, so they choose to fight in a different way. It is my duty as a crisis consultant and those of you in the media to make sure all Americans understand that the ongoing threat of fear is not only the strategy of terrorists, it is their most devastating and crippling weapon.
When individuals feel secure, they spend hard earned dollars, which stimulates the economy. However, when fear creates paralysis for enough people, terrorism succeeds in weakening the very foundation of our economy and thus weakens our nation. Thus, we need to equip all Americans with the necessary tools to prevent terrorism from succeeding. Education and awareness are the weapons we should fight back with and why I believe this type of training should be a major component of Homeland Security.

How does the threat of terrorism influence the American family?

Parents that are emotionally and physically secure will tend to raise children with that same confidence and optimism. However, parents who demonstrate fear and apprehension, will condition that same response in their children which are the future leaders of our country.
No one over the age of ten years old will ever forget where they were and what they were doing on 9/11 2001. That event will influence the psychological makeup of our society for years to come. It has taken us from innocence to maturity through the evil eye of terrorism. However, this legacy of violence that was forced upon us, can either propel us forward and strengthen the family unit or cripple and weaken it. The event is over. Its effects are ongoing. How we as parents react to it will shape the future of the family unit in America.
Since children have long memories, and short tolerance, their questions should be answered on the level of the question asked, with only enough detail to satisfy their level of maturity.

Are comments on Bioterrorism threats damaging everyday life?

Perception is the fine line between fiction and reality, therefore unmonitored overexposure to the threats of Bioterrorism is debilitating to both young and old. Its possible we could find ourselves proliferating the message for terrorists to millions, through over exposure of the actual perceived danger to hundreds, or thousands from a real Bioterrorism attack.

Is crisis management necessary because of this new threat of global terrorism?

Crisis Response Training (CRT) is essential to equip front line police, fire and emergency rescue teams to properly navigate through life's uncertainties in this new age of terrorism.
Strong effective Crisis Response Training (CRT) that began at Ground Zero and South Florida must be taught to our front line officials and emergency response personnel. Furthermore, research must be done to determine the effectiveness of existing plans.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; what is it and is it triggered by terrorism?

PTSD is triggered by experiencing an event that is outside the "normal" range of human experiences and that would be distressing to almost anyone, e.g., serious threat to one's life or a significant person in ones life, sudden destruction of one's home or community; or seeing another person who has recently been, or is being, seriously injured or killed as the result of an accident or physical violence (DSM-IV).
As a result of 9/11 and future potential acts of violence and terrorism, America has received a formal warning and been put on notice. This raises peoples tension and creates a foundation of fear that manifests in many different ways. This residual fear must be harnessed and converted into a positive force to prepare us to fight a different kind of war; one that calls on all Americans to participate in. For if we do not, we will become more vulnerable to attacks in the future.

How should we prepare for future acts of terrorism?

Preparing for the future with the new threat of terrorism must be coupled with a healthy balance of faith, fact recognition (i.e. you are less likely to be a victim of terrorism than you are to be struck by lightning), and group observation. We, all of us, must participate in this war by doing the following things. We must learn how to observe people and situations without becoming paranoid and filled with hate or prejudice. We must also enact training protocols at the national, state, and local community levels, to ensure that we as American's are poised to respond to any threat of terrorism.
Heroes, such as Todd Beamer, are not special people from birth, they are ordinary people doing extraordinary things as a result of converting their fear response into courage to run into harms way to further health, happiness, and the pursuit of liberty for every American.