Research questions about domestic terrorists

In the African American community, there is a commonly held belief that slavery, something that had roots in unfortunate events from well over 150 years ago, is the root cause of the plight of poverty in the African Americans today.

It appears that, in a small segment of this community, slavery is considered an excuse for not trying and failure. A growing middle class in the African American community contradicts this old excuse as do million of immigrants. They come to the USA with nothing and then bring themselves out of poverty with beliefs related to family values, education and work.

Let us turn to the domestic terrorists who commit terrible atrocities. When considering the mass shootings today, I would want to know more about the history of these shooters. News reports indicate that there are no definable characteristics [i.e., profiles] to forewarn us that these people might be dangerous to society.

If I were a reporter or researcher, I would want to learn who these young terrorists were growing up and who they were today.

What do we know about the history of these young domestic terrorists like the ones in Arizona, Colorado and Wisconsin.

Some of the questions I might ask of their parents, friends, teachers  and other adults around them are outlined below. They are …

• What values were they taught by their immediate family members?

• What teachers were influential in their young lives?

• What did they see and what did they know?

• What other adults were influential in their young lives?

• Did they go to church and who influenced their values?

• Who and What was influential in their lives?

• Who influenced and shaped their values system?

• Who were their friends growing up?

• Loners and outcasts have few close friends and can find themselves in trouble in school? Is that true of these people?

• Were people close to them able to spot noticeable changes in their behavior at some time?

As a researcher, I believe that it would be possible to develop more clear ideas about what went on in the lives of these people earlier, their beliefs and their values. Research like this may not stop this type of terrorism. However, it would most likely uncover information for parents and other adults that would help everyone understand how they influence on young minds. =TheRightJack on 8/7/12