White House counter-terror chief: "confrontational" children could be terrorists

[rangerrebew]

White House Counter-Terror Chief: “Confrontational” Children Could be Terrorists

18 April 2014 / 165 Comments


White House counterterrorism and Homeland Security adviser Lisa Monaco gave a speech this week in which she urged parents to watch their children for signs of “confrontational” behavior which could be an indication of them becoming terrorists.

During the speech at at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government on Tuesday night, Monaco, who replaced John Brennan last year in overseeing the executive branch’s homeland-security activities, said that parents need to be suspicious of “sudden personality changes in their children at home.”

“What kinds of behaviors are we talking about?” she asked. “For the most part, they’re not related directly to plotting attacks. They’re more subtle. For instance, parents might see sudden personality changes in their children at home—becoming confrontational.”

Monaco lamented the fact that, “The government is rarely in a position to observe these early signals,” encouraging parents to act as watchdogs to detect radicalization in line with President Obama’s goal of combating homegrown extremism.

Read more at http://minutemennews.com/2014/04/white-house-counter-terror-chief-confrontational-children-terrorists/#r1LyEk2OZ8GAeytY.99

[EC]

I hate to admit it - but she's right.

Radicalisation, like all other mental illnesses, doesn't happen over night and family are in the best position to notice it. They are also the ones most likely to deny what they are seeing.

[mountaineer]

parents might see sudden personality changes in their children at home—becoming confrontational

Otherwise known as the teen-age years.

[rangerrebew]

I hate to admit it - but she's right.

Radicalisation, like all other mental illnesses, doesn't happen over night and family are in the best position to notice it. They are also the ones most likely to deny what they are seeing.

In my decades of teaching, over 90% of students would fall in this category since rebellion is a of  phase of growing up as children separate from their parents and strike out on their own.  The other 10% are too wimpy to be a concern.  The government's position on this, in my not so humble opinion, makes all children "potential" domestic terrorists and justifies government intrusion into their lives.

[EC]

In my decades of teaching, over 90% of students would fall in this category since rebellion is a of  phase of growing up as children separate from their parents and strike out on their own.  The other 10% are too wimpy to be a concern.  The government's position on this, in my not so humble opinion, makes all children "potential" domestic terrorists and justifies government intrusion into their lives.

Rebellion is normal. If they don't it's a warning sign.

It's those 10% (or so) that are the problem. Obviously not all of them, but I'd recall that most domestic terrorists/shooters are almost invariably described by friends and neighbors as "quiet, polite, bit of a loner."

[musiclady]

Rebellion is normal. If they don't it's a warning sign.

It's those 10% (or so) that are the problem. Obviously not all of them, but I'd recall that most domestic terrorists/shooters are almost invariably described by friends and neighbors as "quiet, polite, bit of a loner."

We have four grown children.  Only one of them rebelled, and she only mildly, and never in school.

And they are now all productive, responsible adults.

Generalizations are a bit dangerous, EC.

[EC]

We have four grown children.  Only one of them rebelled, and she only mildly, and never in school.

And they are now all productive, responsible adults.

Generalizations are a bit dangerous, EC.

Then you were rather exceptional parents.

[musiclady]

Then you were rather exceptional parents.

Then so were my parents and my husband's parents.

Generalizations have many exceptions.

[happyg]

I always joked I hated my kids between the ages of 14 and 17, then all of a sudden, I fell in love with them again. Teens rebel, some more than others, and they are normal. I'm one of 10 kids and the only one to rebel. I imagine my parents and siblings hated me at times. As it turned out, I grew up, and we are all close again. Mom always said she hoped I had one kid like me. I did have that son, and we are the closest of the three now. I didn't wish that on my kids, but have one rebellious granddaughter who is doing exactly what I did.

Who's to say who of us are raising criminals and terrorists. Mom always said to watch out for the quiet ones...

[sinkspur]

Monaco lamented the fact that, “The government is rarely in a position to observe these early signals,” encouraging parents to act as watchdogs to detect radicalization in line with President Obama’s goal of combating homegrown extremism.

The irony of this statement is obviously lost on Ms. Monaco, as she works for a government that observed radicalism right out in the open with Nidal Hassan, yet did nothing to prevent the murder of 13 Army personnel at Ft. Hood.]

Now, these nanny-staters want to spook parents whose children exhibit normal behaviors into believing they're fostering nascent terrorists.

Control, control, control.  That's all this bunch wants to do, yet they stand around with their hands in their pockets when a radical Muslim tells them exactly what he's going to do.

[musiclady]

The irony of this statement is obviously lost on Ms. Monaco, as she works for a government that observed radicalism right out in the open with Nidal Hassan, yet did nothing to prevent the murder of 13 Army personnel at Ft. Hood.]

Now, these nanny-staters want to spook parents whose children exhibit normal behaviors into believing they're fostering nascent terrorists.

Control, control, control.  That's all this bunch wants to do, yet they stand around with their hands in their pockets when a radical Muslim tells them exactly what he's going to do.

Nailed it.