Terrorism

Lolita Harper NEWPORT BEACH -- On a clear, crisp Tuesday night, lightning struck at Temple Bat Yam.Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak -- whose last name means lightning in Hebrew -- enlightened a captive audience with his views on security against terrorism and the state of affairs in the Middle East. More than 600 people gave their undivided attention to the former military hero turned world leader. Israel's 10th prime minister led the country from 1999 to 2001.

Steven Hendlin It's been three years since the devastation and horror of Sept. 11, 2001. We've had three years to grieve and to recover. And, at least outwardly, we've done a pretty good job of it. But how has our jarring wake-up call to terrorism affected us emotionally? As a clinical psychologist in private practice for 30 years, here's what I notice, not only in my consulting room, but in my community and culture at large. I see many of us having become more hardened and desensitized to one another than we were three years ago. The world around us seems to be getting tougher, not kinder and gentler.

Marisa O'Neil and Andrew Edwards Thursday's terrorist attacks in London prompted increased security on local buses and trains, but otherwise had little effect on local agencies' already-vigilant stances, authorities said. The Department of Homeland Security raised the terrorism-alert level to orange -- the government's second-highest level -- only for public transportation, following explosions on subway trains and a bus in London that killed at least 37 people and injured hundreds more.

Is the threat of terrorism equal to Cold War era fears of superpower attacks? Do global cartels engender hostility and give rise to acts of violence? Do you feel less secure than ever before? Do you feel powerless in the face of world events? These questions can't be resolved to everyone's satisfaction, but there is something you can do when they present themselves. You can resolve to be informed. Gen. Anthony Zinni, a retired Marine four-star general, will be making two appearances at the Newport Beach Public Library as a speaker in the 7th annual Martin Witte Distinguished Lecture Series presented by the Newport Beach Public Library Foundation April 16 and 17. Zinni has served as head of central command for U.S. forces in the Middle East and is a Vietnam War veteran with extensive background in special operations and counter-terrorism.

Bryce Alderton Shouts in support of Israel filled the air around South Coast Plaza Sunday afternoon as advocates against terrorism gathered in what Costa Mesa police deemed a peaceful rally. About 1,000 supporters, some waving American and Israeli flags, joined together to support Israel in its latest battle with the Palestinians, the United States' war on terrorism and the continued relationship between the U.S. and Israel. "We need to support the Bush doctrine to root out the evil of terrorism and the evil taking place in the world," said Nurite Grunfeld, referring to President Bush's notion that one sides with either the U.S. or with the terrorists.

What are the goals of terrorism? To break down the rule of law into tyranny — usually controlled by an absolutism as espoused by a particular form of radical religious or political doctrine. To have this absolutism take control of governments. To stifle free dissent against and even discussion about the views and tenets of this absolutist doctrine. What are the methods of terrorism? Employ fear as a tactic by using random violence against government institutions and civilians.

Americans may be getting sicker because of stress and fear linked to 9/11, according to a study led by UCI researchers. More than three years after 9/11, UCI scientists surveyed 2,000 adults from across the country tracking their health. The study showed a 53% increase in cardiovascular ailments in that period linked to 9/11. The link was particularly strong for people who reported continued anxiety about terrorism. They were three to four times as likely to have doctor-diagnosed heart problems years after the attacks.

In the aftermath of Sept. 11, numerous recently published works about terrorism provide a lens through which a glimmer of insight might come. There's provocative analysis of violent backlash to CIA actions in "Blowback." Using the term the CIA uses to describe unintended consequences of its actions as his title, East Asia scholar John Chalmers probes implications of American global expansion and the repercussions of Cold War victory in this astute volume.

War on terrorism has its supporters, as well Unfortunately, Joseph Bell gets published in the Daily Pilot ("Not all hot for the war in Iraq" April 22) on how he was recently impressed by a couple of ex-military officers, on paid speaking tours, who took the opportunity to publicly demean our current staff of military leaders and government officials. Fortunately, we do know that countering those two disruptive examples, which Bell chooses to expound upon, we do have those actually in command who are facing and acting on the Middle East crisis.

When Kari Mashos takes the stage at the Regency Lido Theater this Saturday morning, she'll be tackling a fairly weighty issue: The Global Reach of Prayer. Mashos has been invited by the First Church of Christ, Scientist, to present her hour-long lecture, titled "Counteracting Terrorism- The Global Reach of Prayer," to the community at large. She explained in a pre-lecture meeting, though, that the talk won't be focused on the kind of terrorists you see on the news. Rather, she'll be exploring the ways prayer can overcome all kinds of terrorism-- the agents in our lives that inspire fear.

The quickest way between two points is a straight line - unless, of course, you're on the no-fly list. In the case of Irvine resident Stephen Persaud, who believes he's wrongly listed on the U.S. government's anti-terrorism docket, the quickest way home from the Virgin Islands was a boat to Miami and then three train rides. Persaud, a nurse, is one of 16 plaintiffs listed in an amended civil complaint filed in federal court by the American Civil Liberties Union that claims the U.S. government gives little redress or explanation for why some people are on the list that bars them from flying over or to the United States.

Are you there? I’m not. I am Back East, or as they call it on the Right Coast, “Back East.” We flew to Boston on Christmas morning to spend a few days with our daughter, Lisa, and son-in-law, Chris, and their two dogs, Chewie and Otis, all of whom have a place in the Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts. Flying on Christmas Day was interesting. We’ve never fastened our seat belts and returned our tray tables to the upright position on Christmas Day before and it was definitely, umm, different.

Quite a few people responded to last week’s column about whether the airport screening program is a good utilization of resources in fighting against terrorist acts. As you who read the column will recall, I questioned whether, for example, taking off our shoes to board an airplane and other similar measures are worth the cost in both money spent and time wasted. This is a particularly important question because any even semi-intelligent terrorist could, without too much difficulty, come up with many other ways to bring down a civilian airplane.

Watching “The Woman in Black,” the latest production at the Costa Mesa Playhouse, is much like walking through a carnival fun house. You never know when something’s going to jump out and scare the bejabbers out of you. Something often does, though not quite often enough, in Stephen Mallatratt’s adaptation of a 1983 novel by Susan Hill. This two-actor, several-character stage production is overstuffed with novelistic exposition, setting up the horrific moments to come.

Halloween is not known for promoting spiritual values. In fact, many religious groups oppose Halloween precisely because it does not support good values. Sure, fun and entertaining, but spiritual? Not likely! Halloween would be spiritual if we knew our own history. Halloween dates from a time when most children died as young children. Even most adults rarely reached 30. People invoked all manner of rituals to keep death away. If they could scare death away (tricks) or bribe death to go away (treat)

                       According to the National Gang Threat Assessment of 2009 and other law enforcement agencies report there are over 20,000 violent murderous street gangs, motorcycle gangs, prison gangs and international gangs which total well over a million foot solders and members. These gangs are criminally active in the U.S. and elsewhere today including Afghanistan. Many are well armed and U.S. militarily trained and are organized as well as our most sophisticated corporations; all use violence to control members, citizens as well as entire neighborhoods, drug corridors and turf, to boost their illegal money-making activities totaling more than $400 billion dollars, which include Mexican Drug Cartel (MDC’s)

UC Irvine Law School Dean Erwin Chemerinsky on Tuesday urged students at Orange Coast College to keep up with current events and make their voices heard to prevent abuses of power by our nation’s highest authorities in their War on Terror. In a 45-minute speech to hundreds of students, Chemerinsky, an acclaimed Constitutional law attorney, discussed some of the country’s biggest abuses of power in its history; many, he noted, occurred during times of national crisis.

When Kari Mashos takes the stage at the Regency Lido Theater this Saturday morning, she'll be tackling a fairly weighty issue: The Global Reach of Prayer. Mashos has been invited by the First Church of Christ, Scientist, to present her hour-long lecture, titled "Counteracting Terrorism- The Global Reach of Prayer," to the community at large. She explained in a pre-lecture meeting, though, that the talk won't be focused on the kind of terrorists you see on the news. Rather, she'll be exploring the ways prayer can overcome all kinds of terrorism-- the agents in our lives that inspire fear.

A Federal Bureau of Investigation special agent will address the issue of international terrorism at the monthly meeting of the Friends of the Costa Mesa Libraries. The program, “Are We Safe From International Terrorists?” will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. Feb. 21 in the Neighborhood Community Center, 1845 Park St., Costa Mesa. Admission is free, and refreshments will be served. Friends of the Costa Mesa Libraries is a volunteer group providing support for its three branch libraries, Mesa Verde, Dungan/Costa Mesa and Technology.