Given the challenge of trying to get consensus where there has been very little about gun control, I am including some biographical information on myself. Hopefully, my mixture of political, hunting, negotiating, urban/rural experience, and general resume type of information will increase your confidence in why I believe we can successfully meet this challenge.
Today, I am a husband, father, stepfather and 79-year-old grandfather to 10. Long before I reached this stage of life, I was a defiant youth at age 13. I had a gang, carried a stiletto knife in my pocket, thought I was tough and had a couple of run ins with the police. After my Democratic father died at age 14, my grandfather Robert Carlisle and high school coach, Charles Spewack, took it upon themselves to try and turn me into a responsible man. I was the oldest child in the family and needed an epiphany.
In later years, my stepfather and mother were strong Republicans. Like my background, I vote on both sides of the aisle. My stepfather's favorite picture, proudly displayed in the living room, was one of him and Richard Nixon. My birth father was a captain in World War Two. My uncles served in the Navy and were with the Army during the Battle of The Bulge, Okinawa, and Korea. They fought those wars and won carrying M1 bolt action rifles. I hunt with a shot gun and a bolt action rifle. I support the second amendment. To maintain my "both sides of the aisle approach", I recently became an NRA member. For many years, my children's primary source of protein was deer meat.
I joined the US Marine Corps Reserves during college between 1965 and 1968. I graduated from their platoon leaders' program at Quantico, Virginia in 1967. In addition, I served my country for $2 \frac{1}{2}$ years in Botswana, Africa with the Peace Corps. I totally support any Vet who has fought in any war, including Vietnam. I have lived in urban New Jersey, rural Pennsylvania, rural Wisconsin, rural Botswana, Africa, and urban Minnesota. In addition, I have hunted in New Jersey, outside Siren, Wisconsin, outside Brainerd, Minnesota, and on land my children own near Silver Bay, Minnesota.
I have learned several things over these years. The important ones don't usually pop up on a resume. In Africa, the first important thing I learned was an appreciation for their greeting of "dumela". It literally translates to "Let Us Agree". The second important thing I learned was to thread the needle with conflicting political people. The Board of Directors for the Kanye Youth Training Center, now Ravos Technical College, included two ex-officio members that worked together for the benefit of the school but fought politically. Chief Bathoen (Presidential Candidate from the Botswana National Front) and Vice-President Quett Masire (Botswana Democratic Party & later longest serving President of Botswana) were ex-officio members of my Board of Directors. They supplied the land at Ramatlea, called the tribe out for a barn raising type of school building and continuous political support for me. It was easier than getting Trump and Biden to work together. The school that had included six areas of study/work, when I left, has grown and is still growing to help the youth of the Bangwaketse tribe. At Honeywell, as Manager of Financial Systems across Canada and The United States, I learned change management. Basically, most of us react to change with anxiety and suspicion. Successful change requires threading the needle in the middle, good timing, and honest communication.
Undergraduate degrees & equivalents in Economics, Accounting & Management, St Peters University and University of Wisconsin.
Undergraduate Minors in Theology and Philosophy, St Peters University and University of Wisconsin.
Master's in Business Administration, University of Wisconsin.
Master's in Computer Science, St Thomas University.
Honeywell Certified in Six Sigma Problem Solving (Retired).
Certified Management Accountant (Retired).
Ignatian Associate (Retired).
Author: Journal to Gratitude™ ISBN 978-1456507367.
My contact information and communication warrants explanation. Thus far, I am doing this on my own nickel and time. Going forward, I may need your help. I will be having some back surgery in the next couple of months. Given that my family is my primary passion, this proposal is secondary. I am, however, doing everything I can to make this research and survey available to you ASAP. By Christmas, I will have spent over 750 hours on Stop School Shootings USA. Until additional resources are available, please be patient as we go forward.
Signed Grand Pa David
I sign the survey material as Grand Pa David for two reasons. First, almost everyone helping with this pilot effort is a grandparent. Like the elders who helped me when I was young, our children need our collective grandparenting wisdom, leadership and involvement. Second,, this is about our children, not me personally. Hence, I am just using my first name. I would love to add your Grand Pa and Grand Ma names to post pilot communications.
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