Sunday, May 29, 2011
Cunningham's Student Protection Act would have hampered teachers in efforts to find students after tornado
(This post was first published Wednesday, but there was some confusion about Sen. Cunningham's bills. I have put links to the Amy Hestir Student Protection Act and SB 222 (the child labor bill). With all of the stories surrounding the tornado over this past week, this is something that appeared likely to fall between the cracks and if it does, that would be a shame. If Sen. Cunningham's bill, which passed both houses, but has yet to be signed by Gov. Nixon, was in effect when the tornado hit, there would be hundreds of students who we would not been able to track down as quickly, if at all. Even without a disaster like this, the prohibition between teachers and students communicating through social networking sites is a bad one. It does nothing to punish teachers who would be inclined to misuse the communication (sadly, these shameful people will always find a way), but it puts an unnecessary roadblock in legitimate educational uses of social networking sites and it takes away a line of communication that sometimes students need as they deal with the problems that face them at school and in life. This week, as I have talked with dozens of students on Facebook, as they try to deal with the aftermath of the tornado, has been a perfect example of that.)
For the past three days, in addition to posting as much news as I possibly can about the horrific tornado that changed the lives of Joplin residents forever, I have been doing whatever I can to help students who have been injured or had family members injured, or who have lost their homes and their belongings.
For many of them, I, or some other classroom teacher, have been a link between the current nightmarish reality and the much more reassuring past. Some have wanted to talk to us about the tornado and some have wanted to talk to us about anything but what happened Sunday.
They have all wanted to talk and the teachers of the Joplin R-8 School District have been for them.
The glue that has held together our school community has been social networking. The school district has used its Facebook and Twitter accounts to communicate with the public, and offered its Facebook page as a means for students and staff to communicate that they are alive and well, or at least as well as can be expected in the post-apocalyptic existence in which we find ourselves.
Many students and parents, however, do not make a habit of checking out the school district's Facebook page. That is one of those official pages that teenagers avoid like the plague.
They do check in with their Facebook friends, and during these last few days, as Joplin R-8 staff began the recovery process by trying to account for every student, Mark Zuckerberg's creation was a godsend.
Teachers contacted their student Facebook friends and thus were able to make sure they were all right, and to cross them off a long list so we can continue our quest to make sure that every one of our students is safe.
Earlier today, I helped find about a dozen Joplin High School freshmen who had been unaccounted for, because they were on my lengthy list of students and former students who have added me as a Facebook friend.
Had this tornado happened a few months later, this would not have been possible. When Aug. 28 arrives, I and every Missouri teacher will have to remove all students and former students (until they graduate from high school) from our Facebook friend list.
The so-called Amy Hestir Student Protection Act, SB 54 which has been pushed by Sen. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield, for the past few years, finally passed this year, incredibly with no opposition, not even one vote against it, in either the Senate or the House.
After all, what right thinking legislator could vote in favor of those horrible, perverted classroom teachers who apparently, though I have never seen any evidence of it, lurk around every corner, in every Missouri public school, waiting for opportunities to strip impressionable children of their innocence.
I cannot even to begin to fathom the kind of thinking that leads anyone, much less a state senator and Congressional candidate, to bear such loathing and disgust for people who put their hearts and souls into helping children succeed. What kind of a mind is cluttered with such disturbing images?
The Amy Hestir Student Protection Act is an unnecessary bill. It is purportedly a means to tightening lax laws that permit teachers to go from school district to school district sexually violating students. Obviously, it does happen, though Mrs. Cunningham's continuous effort to make it seem that there are perverts behind every classroom door, would make you think that it is an everyday occurrence.
It is not and we teachers, more than anyone, including Jane Cunningham, want those who bring shame to our profession removed from the classroom forever. And thankfully, we already have strong laws, toughened just about 15 years ago to take care of these people. Those who are "passing the trash" as Mrs. Cunningham so eloquently puts it, are already breaking the law.
And why in the world did she think it was necessary to bar students and teachers from communicating through Facebook? Is her mind so steeped in filth that she cannot imagine that there are educational purposes to social networking, and that some of the children she insists she is protecting, the same children whose protections she would have eliminated with SB 222 (you know, the one that would have struck down child labor laws) are the ones who most need a friend who is there to help and protect them?
This bill is not a law yet. Gov. Jay Nixon has not signed it. It should be vetoed, but since 2012 is an election year, it would be hard to vote against toughening laws against the hordes of perverted classroom teachers in Missouri.
But considering what has happened in Joplin the past three days, and the importance that someone show children how to use social networking responsibly, the governor must use his power to veto legislation.
We all hope and pray that no other school district ever has to suffer what Joplin has suffered this week. But if it does happen, school officials and classroom teachers should have the most powerful tools at their disposal.
We keep on hearing how our students need to be prepared for the challenges of the 21st Century. They will never be able to meet those challenges as long as those who make the laws continue to believe that all good things in society ended with the Puritans.
(Note: In an earlier version of this post, I suggested that Gov. Nixon use the line item veto.A reader pointed out something to me that I should have remembered. The line item veto can only be used on budget items. Therefore, it does not apply to this bill. The whole thing has to be vetoed or the prohibition will go into effect Aug. 28.)
For the past three days, in addition to posting as much news as I possibly can about the horrific tornado that changed the lives of Joplin residents forever, I have been doing whatever I can to help students who have been injured or had family members injured, or who have lost their homes and their belongings.
For many of them, I, or some other classroom teacher, have been a link between the current nightmarish reality and the much more reassuring past. Some have wanted to talk to us about the tornado and some have wanted to talk to us about anything but what happened Sunday.
They have all wanted to talk and the teachers of the Joplin R-8 School District have been for them.
The glue that has held together our school community has been social networking. The school district has used its Facebook and Twitter accounts to communicate with the public, and offered its Facebook page as a means for students and staff to communicate that they are alive and well, or at least as well as can be expected in the post-apocalyptic existence in which we find ourselves.
Many students and parents, however, do not make a habit of checking out the school district's Facebook page. That is one of those official pages that teenagers avoid like the plague.
They do check in with their Facebook friends, and during these last few days, as Joplin R-8 staff began the recovery process by trying to account for every student, Mark Zuckerberg's creation was a godsend.
Teachers contacted their student Facebook friends and thus were able to make sure they were all right, and to cross them off a long list so we can continue our quest to make sure that every one of our students is safe.
Earlier today, I helped find about a dozen Joplin High School freshmen who had been unaccounted for, because they were on my lengthy list of students and former students who have added me as a Facebook friend.
Had this tornado happened a few months later, this would not have been possible. When Aug. 28 arrives, I and every Missouri teacher will have to remove all students and former students (until they graduate from high school) from our Facebook friend list.
The so-called Amy Hestir Student Protection Act, SB 54 which has been pushed by Sen. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield, for the past few years, finally passed this year, incredibly with no opposition, not even one vote against it, in either the Senate or the House.
After all, what right thinking legislator could vote in favor of those horrible, perverted classroom teachers who apparently, though I have never seen any evidence of it, lurk around every corner, in every Missouri public school, waiting for opportunities to strip impressionable children of their innocence.
I cannot even to begin to fathom the kind of thinking that leads anyone, much less a state senator and Congressional candidate, to bear such loathing and disgust for people who put their hearts and souls into helping children succeed. What kind of a mind is cluttered with such disturbing images?
The Amy Hestir Student Protection Act is an unnecessary bill. It is purportedly a means to tightening lax laws that permit teachers to go from school district to school district sexually violating students. Obviously, it does happen, though Mrs. Cunningham's continuous effort to make it seem that there are perverts behind every classroom door, would make you think that it is an everyday occurrence.
It is not and we teachers, more than anyone, including Jane Cunningham, want those who bring shame to our profession removed from the classroom forever. And thankfully, we already have strong laws, toughened just about 15 years ago to take care of these people. Those who are "passing the trash" as Mrs. Cunningham so eloquently puts it, are already breaking the law.
And why in the world did she think it was necessary to bar students and teachers from communicating through Facebook? Is her mind so steeped in filth that she cannot imagine that there are educational purposes to social networking, and that some of the children she insists she is protecting, the same children whose protections she would have eliminated with SB 222 (you know, the one that would have struck down child labor laws) are the ones who most need a friend who is there to help and protect them?
This bill is not a law yet. Gov. Jay Nixon has not signed it. It should be vetoed, but since 2012 is an election year, it would be hard to vote against toughening laws against the hordes of perverted classroom teachers in Missouri.
But considering what has happened in Joplin the past three days, and the importance that someone show children how to use social networking responsibly, the governor must use his power to veto legislation.
We all hope and pray that no other school district ever has to suffer what Joplin has suffered this week. But if it does happen, school officials and classroom teachers should have the most powerful tools at their disposal.
We keep on hearing how our students need to be prepared for the challenges of the 21st Century. They will never be able to meet those challenges as long as those who make the laws continue to believe that all good things in society ended with the Puritans.
(Note: In an earlier version of this post, I suggested that Gov. Nixon use the line item veto.A reader pointed out something to me that I should have remembered. The line item veto can only be used on budget items. Therefore, it does not apply to this bill. The whole thing has to be vetoed or the prohibition will go into effect Aug. 28.)
CNN video: The Joplin Globe keeps publishing
Veteran reporter Jeff Lehr and Editor Carol Stark are featured in this CNN video about how the Joplin Globe has kept publishing every day since the tornado hit.
Lehr lost his home in the storm and the Globe lost an employee. It's a powerful story, but a reassuring one about the role the media can play in helping to deal with this type of devastation.
Lehr lost his home in the storm and the Globe lost an employee. It's a powerful story, but a reassuring one about the role the media can play in helping to deal with this type of devastation.
Rev. Aaron Brown, Nixon, Obama offer hope to Joplin during tornado memorial service
This video from Kansas City NBC Action News includes excerpts from Rev.Aaron Brown and Gov. Jay Nixon's addresses at today's Joplin Tornado Memorial Service and some coverge of Joplin churches. It also shows people gathering at Cunningham Park for the moment of silence.
Moment of silence set for 5:41, one week to the moment the tornado hit Joplin
Following speeches by Mayor Mike Woolston and City Manager Mark Rohr, patriotic music is being played at Cunningham Park, including this Ray Charles classic. In three minutes (5:41, the exact moment the tornado hit Joplin) a one-minute moment of silence will be held:
Transcript provided for President Obama's address at Joplin Tornado Memorial Service
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you so much. Please, please be seated.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: I love you, Obama!
THE PRESIDENT: I love Joplin! (Applause.) I love Joplin.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: We love Joplin!
THE PRESIDENT: We love Joplin. (Applause.)
Thank you, Governor, for that powerful message, but more importantly, for being here with and for your people every step of the way.
We are grateful to you, to Reverend Gariss, Father Monaghan. I’m so glad you got in that tub. (Laughter and applause.) To Reverend Brown for that incredibly powerful message. (Applause.)
To Senator Claire McCaskill, who’s been here, and Congressman Billy Long; Mayor Woolston. To Craig Fugate. It doesn’t get a lot of attention, but he heads up FEMA, our emergency response at the federal level. He’s been going from Tuscaloosa to Joplin and everywhere in between tirelessly doing outstanding work. We’re grateful for him. Gail McGovern, the President of the National Red Cross, which has contributed mightily to the rebuilding efforts here.
Most of all, to the family and friends of all those who’ve been lost and all those who’ve been affected.
Today we gather to celebrate the lives of those we’ve lost to the storms here in Joplin and across the Midwest, to keep in our prayers those still missing, to mourn with their families, to stand together during this time of pain and trial.
And as Reverend Brown alluded to, the question that weighs on us at a time like this is: Why? Why our town? Why our home? Why my son, or husband, or wife, or sister, or friend? Why?
We do not have the capacity to answer. We can’t know when a terrible storm will strike, or where, or the severity of the devastation that it may cause. We can’t know why we’re tested with the loss of a loved one, or the loss of a home where we’ve lived a lifetime.
These things are beyond our power to control. But that does not mean we are powerless in the face of adversity. How we respond when the storm strikes is up to us. How we live in the aftermath of tragedy and heartache, that’s within our control. And it’s in these moments, through our actions, that we often see the glimpse of what makes life worth living in the first place.
In the last week, that’s what Joplin has not just taught Missouri, not just taught America, but has taught the world. I was overseas in the aftermath of the storm, and had world leaders coming up to me saying, let the people of Joplin know we are with them; we’re thinking about them; we love them. (Applause.)
Because the world saw how Joplin responded. A university turned itself into a makeshift hospital. (Applause.) Some of you used your pickup trucks as ambulances, carrying the injured -- (applause) -- on doors that served as stretchers. Your restaurants have rushed food to people in need. Businesses have filled trucks with donations. You’ve waited in line for hours to donate blood to people you know, but also to people you’ve never met. And in all this, you have lived the words of Scripture:
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed;
we are perplexed, but not in despair;
Persecuted, but not forsaken;
cast down, but not destroyed;
As the governor said, you have shown the world what it means to love thy neighbor. You’ve banded together. You’ve come to each other’s aid. You’ve demonstrated a simple truth: that amid heartbreak and tragedy, no one is a stranger. Everybody is a brother. Everybody is a sister. (Applause.) We can all love one another.
As you move forward in the days ahead, I know that rebuilding what you’ve lost won’t be easy. I just walked through some of the neighborhoods that have been affected, and you look out at the landscape, and there have to be moments where you just say, where to begin? How to start? There are going to be moments where after the shock has worn off, you feel alone. But there’s no doubt in my mind what the people of this community can do. There’s no doubt in my mind that Joplin will rebuild. And as President, I can promise you your country will be there with you every single step of the way. (Applause.) We will be with you every step of the way. We’re not going anywhere. (Applause.) The cameras may leave. The spotlight may shift. But we will be with you every step of the way until Joplin is restored and this community is back on its feet. We’re not going anywhere. (Applause.)
That is not just my promise; that’s America’s promise. It’s a promise I make here in Joplin; it’s a promise I made down in Tuscaloosa, or in any of the communities that have been hit by these devastating storms over the last few weeks.
Now, there have been countless acts of kindness and selflessness in recent days. We’ve already heard the record of some of that. But perhaps none are as inspiring as what took place when the storm was bearing down on Joplin, threatening an entire community with utter destruction. And in the face of winds that showed no mercy, no regard for human life, that did not discriminate by race or faith or background, it was ordinary people, swiftly tested, who said, “I’m willing to die right now so that someone else might live.”
It was the husband who threw himself over his wife as their house came apart around them. It was the mother who shielded her young son.
It was Dean Wells, a husband and father who loved to sing and whistle in his church choir. Dean was working a shift at the Home Depot, managing the electrical department, when the siren rang out. He sprang into action, moving people to safety. Over and over again, he went back for others, until a wall came down on top of him. In the end, most of the building was destroyed, but not where Dean had directed his coworkers and his customers.
There was a young man named Christopher Lucas who was 26 years old. Father of two daughters; third daughter on the way. Just like any other night, Christopher was doing his job as manager on duty at Pizza Hut. And then he heard the storm coming.
It was then when this former sailor quickly ushered everybody into the walk-in freezer. The only problem was, the freezer door wouldn’t stay closed from the inside. So as the tornado bore down on this small storefront on Range Line Road, Christopher left the freezer to find a rope or a cord or anything to hold the door shut. He made it back just in time, tying a piece of bungee cord to the handle outside, wrapping the other end around his arm, holding the door closed with all his might.
And Christopher held it as long as he could, until he was pulled away by the incredible force of the storm. He died saving more than a dozen people in that freezer. (Applause.)
You see, there are heroes all around us, all the time. They walk by us on the sidewalk, and they sit next to us in class. They pass us in the aisle wearing an orange apron. They come to our table at a restaurant and ask us what we’d like to order.
Just as we can’t know why tragedy strikes in the first place, we may never fully understand where these men and women find the courage and strength to do what they did. What we do know is that in a split-second moment where there’s little time for internal reflection or debate, the actions of these individuals were driven by love -- love for a family member, love for a friend, or just love for a fellow human being.
That’s good to know. In a world that can be cruel and selfish, it’s this knowledge -- the knowledge that we are inclined to love one another, that we’re inclined to do good, to be good -- that causes us to take heart. We see with fresh eyes what’s precious and so fragile and so important to us. We put aside our petty grievances and our minor disagreements. We see ourselves in the hopes and hardships of others. And in the stories of people like Dean and people like Christopher, we remember that each us contains reserves of resolve and compassion. There are heroes all around us, all the time.
And so, in the wake of this tragedy, let us live up to their example -- to make each day count -- (applause) -- to live with the sense of mutual regard -- to live with that same compassion that they demonstrated in their final hours. We are called by them to do everything we can to be worthy of the chance that we’ve been given to carry on.
I understand that at a memorial yesterday for Dean, his wife decided to play a recording of Dean whistling a song he loved -- Amazing Grace. The lyrics are a fitting tribute to what Joplin has been through.
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home…
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
May those we’ve lost know peace, and may Grace guide the people of Joplin home. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America. Thank you.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: I love you, Obama!
THE PRESIDENT: I love Joplin! (Applause.) I love Joplin.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: We love Joplin!
THE PRESIDENT: We love Joplin. (Applause.)
Thank you, Governor, for that powerful message, but more importantly, for being here with and for your people every step of the way.
We are grateful to you, to Reverend Gariss, Father Monaghan. I’m so glad you got in that tub. (Laughter and applause.) To Reverend Brown for that incredibly powerful message. (Applause.)
To Senator Claire McCaskill, who’s been here, and Congressman Billy Long; Mayor Woolston. To Craig Fugate. It doesn’t get a lot of attention, but he heads up FEMA, our emergency response at the federal level. He’s been going from Tuscaloosa to Joplin and everywhere in between tirelessly doing outstanding work. We’re grateful for him. Gail McGovern, the President of the National Red Cross, which has contributed mightily to the rebuilding efforts here.
Most of all, to the family and friends of all those who’ve been lost and all those who’ve been affected.
Today we gather to celebrate the lives of those we’ve lost to the storms here in Joplin and across the Midwest, to keep in our prayers those still missing, to mourn with their families, to stand together during this time of pain and trial.
And as Reverend Brown alluded to, the question that weighs on us at a time like this is: Why? Why our town? Why our home? Why my son, or husband, or wife, or sister, or friend? Why?
We do not have the capacity to answer. We can’t know when a terrible storm will strike, or where, or the severity of the devastation that it may cause. We can’t know why we’re tested with the loss of a loved one, or the loss of a home where we’ve lived a lifetime.
These things are beyond our power to control. But that does not mean we are powerless in the face of adversity. How we respond when the storm strikes is up to us. How we live in the aftermath of tragedy and heartache, that’s within our control. And it’s in these moments, through our actions, that we often see the glimpse of what makes life worth living in the first place.
In the last week, that’s what Joplin has not just taught Missouri, not just taught America, but has taught the world. I was overseas in the aftermath of the storm, and had world leaders coming up to me saying, let the people of Joplin know we are with them; we’re thinking about them; we love them. (Applause.)
Because the world saw how Joplin responded. A university turned itself into a makeshift hospital. (Applause.) Some of you used your pickup trucks as ambulances, carrying the injured -- (applause) -- on doors that served as stretchers. Your restaurants have rushed food to people in need. Businesses have filled trucks with donations. You’ve waited in line for hours to donate blood to people you know, but also to people you’ve never met. And in all this, you have lived the words of Scripture:
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed;
we are perplexed, but not in despair;
Persecuted, but not forsaken;
cast down, but not destroyed;
As the governor said, you have shown the world what it means to love thy neighbor. You’ve banded together. You’ve come to each other’s aid. You’ve demonstrated a simple truth: that amid heartbreak and tragedy, no one is a stranger. Everybody is a brother. Everybody is a sister. (Applause.) We can all love one another.
As you move forward in the days ahead, I know that rebuilding what you’ve lost won’t be easy. I just walked through some of the neighborhoods that have been affected, and you look out at the landscape, and there have to be moments where you just say, where to begin? How to start? There are going to be moments where after the shock has worn off, you feel alone. But there’s no doubt in my mind what the people of this community can do. There’s no doubt in my mind that Joplin will rebuild. And as President, I can promise you your country will be there with you every single step of the way. (Applause.) We will be with you every step of the way. We’re not going anywhere. (Applause.) The cameras may leave. The spotlight may shift. But we will be with you every step of the way until Joplin is restored and this community is back on its feet. We’re not going anywhere. (Applause.)
That is not just my promise; that’s America’s promise. It’s a promise I make here in Joplin; it’s a promise I made down in Tuscaloosa, or in any of the communities that have been hit by these devastating storms over the last few weeks.
Now, there have been countless acts of kindness and selflessness in recent days. We’ve already heard the record of some of that. But perhaps none are as inspiring as what took place when the storm was bearing down on Joplin, threatening an entire community with utter destruction. And in the face of winds that showed no mercy, no regard for human life, that did not discriminate by race or faith or background, it was ordinary people, swiftly tested, who said, “I’m willing to die right now so that someone else might live.”
It was the husband who threw himself over his wife as their house came apart around them. It was the mother who shielded her young son.
It was Dean Wells, a husband and father who loved to sing and whistle in his church choir. Dean was working a shift at the Home Depot, managing the electrical department, when the siren rang out. He sprang into action, moving people to safety. Over and over again, he went back for others, until a wall came down on top of him. In the end, most of the building was destroyed, but not where Dean had directed his coworkers and his customers.
There was a young man named Christopher Lucas who was 26 years old. Father of two daughters; third daughter on the way. Just like any other night, Christopher was doing his job as manager on duty at Pizza Hut. And then he heard the storm coming.
It was then when this former sailor quickly ushered everybody into the walk-in freezer. The only problem was, the freezer door wouldn’t stay closed from the inside. So as the tornado bore down on this small storefront on Range Line Road, Christopher left the freezer to find a rope or a cord or anything to hold the door shut. He made it back just in time, tying a piece of bungee cord to the handle outside, wrapping the other end around his arm, holding the door closed with all his might.
And Christopher held it as long as he could, until he was pulled away by the incredible force of the storm. He died saving more than a dozen people in that freezer. (Applause.)
You see, there are heroes all around us, all the time. They walk by us on the sidewalk, and they sit next to us in class. They pass us in the aisle wearing an orange apron. They come to our table at a restaurant and ask us what we’d like to order.
Just as we can’t know why tragedy strikes in the first place, we may never fully understand where these men and women find the courage and strength to do what they did. What we do know is that in a split-second moment where there’s little time for internal reflection or debate, the actions of these individuals were driven by love -- love for a family member, love for a friend, or just love for a fellow human being.
That’s good to know. In a world that can be cruel and selfish, it’s this knowledge -- the knowledge that we are inclined to love one another, that we’re inclined to do good, to be good -- that causes us to take heart. We see with fresh eyes what’s precious and so fragile and so important to us. We put aside our petty grievances and our minor disagreements. We see ourselves in the hopes and hardships of others. And in the stories of people like Dean and people like Christopher, we remember that each us contains reserves of resolve and compassion. There are heroes all around us, all the time.
And so, in the wake of this tragedy, let us live up to their example -- to make each day count -- (applause) -- to live with the sense of mutual regard -- to live with that same compassion that they demonstrated in their final hours. We are called by them to do everything we can to be worthy of the chance that we’ve been given to carry on.
I understand that at a memorial yesterday for Dean, his wife decided to play a recording of Dean whistling a song he loved -- Amazing Grace. The lyrics are a fitting tribute to what Joplin has been through.
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home…
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
May those we’ve lost know peace, and may Grace guide the people of Joplin home. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America. Thank you.
Transcript provided for press briefing on Air Force One headed to Joplin tornado site
Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney Aboard Air Force One en route Joplin, Missouri
Aboard Air Force One
En Route Joplin, Missouri
12:16 P.M. EDT
MR. CARNEY: Okay, you guys ready? All right, well, good day, everyone, as we make our way to Joplin, Missouri. The President, as I think you know, will -- upon arrival we will travel to and he will visit one of the neighborhoods that was devastated by the terrible tornadoes. After that, he will head to Missouri Southern University, where he will participate in and speak briefly at a memorial service for the -- to the victims of the tornado, after which we will come back and fly home. Beyond that, I don't have any other announcements.
Q Jay, on Joplin, do you have any sort of count on the amount of federal aid that's been committed so far?
MR. CARNEY: I don't. I'll try to get that for you. I'll find out where we are with that. We will have -- Craig Fugate, as you know, will be meeting us -- the FEMA Administrator -- and I'm sure he or his people will have up-to-date information on what we have provided thus far.
Q Has the President been briefed this morning on the efforts on the ground?
MR. CARNEY: Yes.
Q Did the President have a response to Karzai’s comments on the air strikes where he said it was, I believe, “his last warning” were his words?
MR. CARNEY: I haven't spoken to the President about that. I can tell you that, as you know, we work very hard, our military in Afghanistan, to do everything we can to avoid civilian casualties. We coordinate, obviously, work with the Afghan government, Afghan military with that goal. But beyond that, I'd refer you to the Defense Department in terms of the nature of the missions and what we're doing over there.
Q As far as Karzai’s comment, it seemed very provocative. I mean, is there anything --
MR. CARNEY: I don't have anything more on that, except obviously President Karzai has expressed on a number of occasions his concerns about civilian casualties. Those are concerns that we share and take very seriously.
Q Can you comment on the French foreign minister’s remark that there’s agreement among the G8 that Lagarde should be the new IMF chief?
MR. CARNEY: I won't go beyond what we've said, which is we support the process that's been set up by the IMF to find a successor, and we support the process that produces the best possible candidate.
Q -- McFaul to Russia?
MR. CARNEY: I'm not going to comment on an announcement that hasn’t been made.
Q Do you want the job?
MR. CARNEY: I would take the job, but nobody has offered it to me. I would love to go back to Moscow at some point.
Q Was the President briefed on the cyber attack on Lockheed Martin?
MR. CARNEY: I know that he’s -- it’s been part of the briefing materials that he has, but I -- I have seen what the Defense Department has been saying about this and I can't go beyond -- I don't have anything more than they have. And my understanding based on what I've seen is that they feel it’s fairly minimal in terms of the damage.
Q I'm sorry, what was that question?
MR. CARNEY: The cyber attack on Lockheed Martin.
Q Can you talk about the Republican conference meeting this week and what the President hopes to get out of it in terms of the deficit talks?
MR. CARNEY: Well, as he has in the past when he’s had these kinds of meetings, he looks forward to this because he thinks that sitting down and meeting with lawmakers -- in this case, Republicans -- is an important part of the process. It’s an important part of listening and comparing ideas. It’s the kind of thing that I think he believes the American people and the vast majority of the American electorate expect our leaders to do in Washington, rather than just trade opinions back and forth without actually talking; that talking is good. So he looks forward to it.
Q Will Vice President Biden be involved in the talks?
MR. CARNEY: I have to check. He tends to be. I don't know specifically if he’s -- he might be traveling or something, but he tends to be. As you know, he’s obviously leading the negotiations on the deficit --
Q Does the President have any new proposals for them to chew on?
MR. CARNEY: No, I don't think so. Obviously the negotiations being led by the Vice President, that's the venue for trying to find an agreement on significant deficit reduction, and that smaller venue is where that sort of discussion would take place, not in a bigger meeting with a lot of members.
Q How does the President feel that process is going so far -- the Vice President’s talks?
MR. CARNEY: He feels, and we feel, optimistic, that the process has been serious, that the participants have worked together to try to find common ground. And the President remains, the Vice President remains optimistic that it will produce an agreement that will allow for significant deficit reduction, which is a goal that the President and the Vice President share with the leaders of Congress that they’re negotiating with.
Q -- were gone the Republican presidential nominating process got heated up a little bit. There were some slings shot at the President from here. Tim Pawlenty said that while the President was off on a European pub crawl he -- instead of offering a Medicare plan of his own. Do you have any comment on that or some of the other --
MR. CARNEY: No, I have no comment on the -- in response to that statement. I can simply say that the President has put forward a serious deficit reduction plan that does produce entitlement savings, including in Medicare, building on the entitlement savings he’s already included in the Affordable Care Act. He’s demonstrated his commitment and seriousness to reducing the kind of spending in that important part of -- important contributor to our deficit and debt problems.
But he has also put forward a balanced plan that includes -- that makes sure that both prosperity and sacrifice is shared by everyone. And the President believes very strongly that his approach is the right approach so that we can -- again, so that the burden as well as the prosperity is shared by everyone and that we continue to invest in the areas like education, innovation, infrastructure, that will allow us to continue to grow and create jobs in the 21st century -- which, after all, is the purpose of this, right? The reason to cut the deficit, the reason to get your fiscal house in order is to ensure that we continue to grow our economy and create jobs. It is not, in and of itself, an esoteric goal. It is a goal -- the goal here is job creation and economic growth.
And the President feels strongly that to position ourselves most effectively for the coming decade and decades to compete economically we need to -- this is something that needs to be done.
Q Can you comment on the report in The Washington Post today that tensions with the Pentagon are the reason that the President is not going with Cartwright for the Joint Chiefs job?
MR. CARNEY: I have no comment on potential appointments he might make. I will say that the President’s relations with the Defense Department, the Pentagon, with his military commanders are excellent.
Q Thank you.
MR. CARNEY: Thanks.
Aboard Air Force One
En Route Joplin, Missouri
12:16 P.M. EDT
MR. CARNEY: Okay, you guys ready? All right, well, good day, everyone, as we make our way to Joplin, Missouri. The President, as I think you know, will -- upon arrival we will travel to and he will visit one of the neighborhoods that was devastated by the terrible tornadoes. After that, he will head to Missouri Southern University, where he will participate in and speak briefly at a memorial service for the -- to the victims of the tornado, after which we will come back and fly home. Beyond that, I don't have any other announcements.
Q Jay, on Joplin, do you have any sort of count on the amount of federal aid that's been committed so far?
MR. CARNEY: I don't. I'll try to get that for you. I'll find out where we are with that. We will have -- Craig Fugate, as you know, will be meeting us -- the FEMA Administrator -- and I'm sure he or his people will have up-to-date information on what we have provided thus far.
Q Has the President been briefed this morning on the efforts on the ground?
MR. CARNEY: Yes.
Q Did the President have a response to Karzai’s comments on the air strikes where he said it was, I believe, “his last warning” were his words?
MR. CARNEY: I haven't spoken to the President about that. I can tell you that, as you know, we work very hard, our military in Afghanistan, to do everything we can to avoid civilian casualties. We coordinate, obviously, work with the Afghan government, Afghan military with that goal. But beyond that, I'd refer you to the Defense Department in terms of the nature of the missions and what we're doing over there.
Q As far as Karzai’s comment, it seemed very provocative. I mean, is there anything --
MR. CARNEY: I don't have anything more on that, except obviously President Karzai has expressed on a number of occasions his concerns about civilian casualties. Those are concerns that we share and take very seriously.
Q Can you comment on the French foreign minister’s remark that there’s agreement among the G8 that Lagarde should be the new IMF chief?
MR. CARNEY: I won't go beyond what we've said, which is we support the process that's been set up by the IMF to find a successor, and we support the process that produces the best possible candidate.
Q -- McFaul to Russia?
MR. CARNEY: I'm not going to comment on an announcement that hasn’t been made.
Q Do you want the job?
MR. CARNEY: I would take the job, but nobody has offered it to me. I would love to go back to Moscow at some point.
Q Was the President briefed on the cyber attack on Lockheed Martin?
MR. CARNEY: I know that he’s -- it’s been part of the briefing materials that he has, but I -- I have seen what the Defense Department has been saying about this and I can't go beyond -- I don't have anything more than they have. And my understanding based on what I've seen is that they feel it’s fairly minimal in terms of the damage.
Q I'm sorry, what was that question?
MR. CARNEY: The cyber attack on Lockheed Martin.
Q Can you talk about the Republican conference meeting this week and what the President hopes to get out of it in terms of the deficit talks?
MR. CARNEY: Well, as he has in the past when he’s had these kinds of meetings, he looks forward to this because he thinks that sitting down and meeting with lawmakers -- in this case, Republicans -- is an important part of the process. It’s an important part of listening and comparing ideas. It’s the kind of thing that I think he believes the American people and the vast majority of the American electorate expect our leaders to do in Washington, rather than just trade opinions back and forth without actually talking; that talking is good. So he looks forward to it.
Q Will Vice President Biden be involved in the talks?
MR. CARNEY: I have to check. He tends to be. I don't know specifically if he’s -- he might be traveling or something, but he tends to be. As you know, he’s obviously leading the negotiations on the deficit --
Q Does the President have any new proposals for them to chew on?
MR. CARNEY: No, I don't think so. Obviously the negotiations being led by the Vice President, that's the venue for trying to find an agreement on significant deficit reduction, and that smaller venue is where that sort of discussion would take place, not in a bigger meeting with a lot of members.
Q How does the President feel that process is going so far -- the Vice President’s talks?
MR. CARNEY: He feels, and we feel, optimistic, that the process has been serious, that the participants have worked together to try to find common ground. And the President remains, the Vice President remains optimistic that it will produce an agreement that will allow for significant deficit reduction, which is a goal that the President and the Vice President share with the leaders of Congress that they’re negotiating with.
Q -- were gone the Republican presidential nominating process got heated up a little bit. There were some slings shot at the President from here. Tim Pawlenty said that while the President was off on a European pub crawl he -- instead of offering a Medicare plan of his own. Do you have any comment on that or some of the other --
MR. CARNEY: No, I have no comment on the -- in response to that statement. I can simply say that the President has put forward a serious deficit reduction plan that does produce entitlement savings, including in Medicare, building on the entitlement savings he’s already included in the Affordable Care Act. He’s demonstrated his commitment and seriousness to reducing the kind of spending in that important part of -- important contributor to our deficit and debt problems.
But he has also put forward a balanced plan that includes -- that makes sure that both prosperity and sacrifice is shared by everyone. And the President believes very strongly that his approach is the right approach so that we can -- again, so that the burden as well as the prosperity is shared by everyone and that we continue to invest in the areas like education, innovation, infrastructure, that will allow us to continue to grow and create jobs in the 21st century -- which, after all, is the purpose of this, right? The reason to cut the deficit, the reason to get your fiscal house in order is to ensure that we continue to grow our economy and create jobs. It is not, in and of itself, an esoteric goal. It is a goal -- the goal here is job creation and economic growth.
And the President feels strongly that to position ourselves most effectively for the coming decade and decades to compete economically we need to -- this is something that needs to be done.
Q Can you comment on the report in The Washington Post today that tensions with the Pentagon are the reason that the President is not going with Cartwright for the Joint Chiefs job?
MR. CARNEY: I have no comment on potential appointments he might make. I will say that the President’s relations with the Defense Department, the Pentagon, with his military commanders are excellent.
Q Thank you.
MR. CARNEY: Thanks.
Transcript provided for Obama press conference at Joplin tornado site
Obviously the scene speaks for itself. When we were in Tuscaloosa a few weeks ago, I talked about how I had not seen devastation like that in my lifetime. You come here to Joplin and it is just as heartbreaking and in some ways even more devastating.
I want to thank the outstanding work that Governor Nixon, the Mayor, all the congressional delegation, as well as the First Lady have done -- and the Red Cross -- in helping people to respond. But obviously it is going to take years to build back. And we mourn the loss of life. We're going to be going to a memorial service and try to help comfort the families and let them know that we're praying for them and thinking about them.
We had a chance to meet some of the folks who lived in this community, and just harrowing stories but also miraculous stories. I met an 85-year-old gentleman who has a -- still has a lawn service. He explained how he had just gotten his chicken pot-pie out and the storm started coming and he went into the closet, and came out without a scratch. And so there are good stories to tell and happy stories to tell here, but obviously there’s been a lot of hardship as well.
The main thing I just want to communicate to the people of Joplin is this is just not your tragedy. This is a national tragedy and that means there will be a national response. Craig Fugate, who has probably been the busiest man in the federal government over this last bit of months, has been on the ground since just the day after this happened, and he’s helping to coordinate with an outstanding team of state and local officials. We're going to do everything we can to continue whatever search and rescue remains. We are doing everything we can to make sure that folks get the shelter that they need, the support that they need.
We're working with the Governor to make sure that we cut through any red tape that's necessary with respect to rebuilding here. And then we're just going to have a tough, long slog. But what I've been telling every family that I've met here is we're going to be here long after the cameras leave. We are not going to stop until Joplin is fully back on its feet.
So to all the volunteers who are helping out -- one of the things that’s been incredible is to see how many people from out of state have driven from as far a way as Texas, nearby Illinois, people just coming here to volunteer -- firefighters, ordinary citizens. It’s an example of what the American spirit is all about. And that gives us a lot of encouragement at a time when obviously people are going through a lot of hardship.
So, thank you again, Governor.
GOVERNOR NIXON: Thank you, Mr. President.
THE PRESIDENT: Would you like to say a few words?
GOVERNOR NIXON: Just that we've been out -- I've been here every day, trying to work early to late, trying to back up the local officials, what they needed, trying to coordinate the federal response, trying to make sure we green-light the necessity to move forward.
Today is a day of remembrance, as we move here to the memorial service. The loss not only of life, not only of injuries, property are significant. It’s going to take a higher power to keep the strength of this community resolved to get this done. And we're confident that it will happen.
We're especially appreciative, Mr. President, you focusing your attention right here, the entire world’s attention right here, to help us in ways that will make a lasting difference to this community. God bless you, my friend.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
And one last point I want to make, obviously in the rebuilding process there are a lot of families who are thankful that they’re okay. But they’ve been displaced. It’s not just their homes; many of them lost their means of transportation. The school has been destroyed. And so for all Americans, to take a little bit of time out and make a contribution to the American Red Cross or other charitable organizations that are active here in Joplin, that can make an enormous difference. Even if it’s just $5, $10, whatever you’ve got to spare -- because one of the things that’s striking about this -- and I felt the same way when I was down in Alabama -- this can happen to anybody. The difference between you being in the path of this twister and a few blocks away, you being okay, is a very slim, slim margin. And so we've all got to put together because here but for the grace of God go I.
Thank you very much, everybody.
I want to thank the outstanding work that Governor Nixon, the Mayor, all the congressional delegation, as well as the First Lady have done -- and the Red Cross -- in helping people to respond. But obviously it is going to take years to build back. And we mourn the loss of life. We're going to be going to a memorial service and try to help comfort the families and let them know that we're praying for them and thinking about them.
We had a chance to meet some of the folks who lived in this community, and just harrowing stories but also miraculous stories. I met an 85-year-old gentleman who has a -- still has a lawn service. He explained how he had just gotten his chicken pot-pie out and the storm started coming and he went into the closet, and came out without a scratch. And so there are good stories to tell and happy stories to tell here, but obviously there’s been a lot of hardship as well.
The main thing I just want to communicate to the people of Joplin is this is just not your tragedy. This is a national tragedy and that means there will be a national response. Craig Fugate, who has probably been the busiest man in the federal government over this last bit of months, has been on the ground since just the day after this happened, and he’s helping to coordinate with an outstanding team of state and local officials. We're going to do everything we can to continue whatever search and rescue remains. We are doing everything we can to make sure that folks get the shelter that they need, the support that they need.
We're working with the Governor to make sure that we cut through any red tape that's necessary with respect to rebuilding here. And then we're just going to have a tough, long slog. But what I've been telling every family that I've met here is we're going to be here long after the cameras leave. We are not going to stop until Joplin is fully back on its feet.
So to all the volunteers who are helping out -- one of the things that’s been incredible is to see how many people from out of state have driven from as far a way as Texas, nearby Illinois, people just coming here to volunteer -- firefighters, ordinary citizens. It’s an example of what the American spirit is all about. And that gives us a lot of encouragement at a time when obviously people are going through a lot of hardship.
So, thank you again, Governor.
GOVERNOR NIXON: Thank you, Mr. President.
THE PRESIDENT: Would you like to say a few words?
GOVERNOR NIXON: Just that we've been out -- I've been here every day, trying to work early to late, trying to back up the local officials, what they needed, trying to coordinate the federal response, trying to make sure we green-light the necessity to move forward.
Today is a day of remembrance, as we move here to the memorial service. The loss not only of life, not only of injuries, property are significant. It’s going to take a higher power to keep the strength of this community resolved to get this done. And we're confident that it will happen.
We're especially appreciative, Mr. President, you focusing your attention right here, the entire world’s attention right here, to help us in ways that will make a lasting difference to this community. God bless you, my friend.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
And one last point I want to make, obviously in the rebuilding process there are a lot of families who are thankful that they’re okay. But they’ve been displaced. It’s not just their homes; many of them lost their means of transportation. The school has been destroyed. And so for all Americans, to take a little bit of time out and make a contribution to the American Red Cross or other charitable organizations that are active here in Joplin, that can make an enormous difference. Even if it’s just $5, $10, whatever you’ve got to spare -- because one of the things that’s striking about this -- and I felt the same way when I was down in Alabama -- this can happen to anybody. The difference between you being in the path of this twister and a few blocks away, you being okay, is a very slim, slim margin. And so we've all got to put together because here but for the grace of God go I.
Thank you very much, everybody.
Longtime Jasper County Courthouse custodian Randy Mell is tornado victim
(The following information is taken from the Simpson Funeral Home website.)
Randall Elvin Mell, age 49 of Webb City, passed away Sunday, May 22, 2011 as a result of the tornado.
Randy was born November 15, 1961 in Joplin to Elvin E. and Peggy (Musgrave) Mell.
He was a longtime custodian and helped in maintaining Jasper County Courthouse in Carthage.
Randy was a former member of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Webb City for many years and currently attended Open Door Baptist Church in Carthage.
When he wasn’t working, Randy enjoyed going to watch productions at the Stained Glass Theatre, Webb City High School, Ozark Christian College and MSSU, where he was also a lion backer season ticket holder. He loved to attend Webb City High School sporting events at every chance and enjoyed their music and drama programs.
Randy was courteous and kind and a wholesome man who will be greatly missed by those who knew him.
He is survived by his parents, Elvin and Peggy Mell of the home; his sister, Carole D. White of Mission, KS and several cousins.
Funeral Services for Randy Mell will be 1:00 PM Wednesday at the Simpson Funeral Home in Webb City. Burial will follow at Mt. Hope Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorial contributions be made to the Stained Glass Theatre in care of Simpson Funeral Home.
Randall Elvin Mell, age 49 of Webb City, passed away Sunday, May 22, 2011 as a result of the tornado.
Randy was born November 15, 1961 in Joplin to Elvin E. and Peggy (Musgrave) Mell.
He was a longtime custodian and helped in maintaining Jasper County Courthouse in Carthage.
Randy was a former member of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Webb City for many years and currently attended Open Door Baptist Church in Carthage.
When he wasn’t working, Randy enjoyed going to watch productions at the Stained Glass Theatre, Webb City High School, Ozark Christian College and MSSU, where he was also a lion backer season ticket holder. He loved to attend Webb City High School sporting events at every chance and enjoyed their music and drama programs.
Randy was courteous and kind and a wholesome man who will be greatly missed by those who knew him.
He is survived by his parents, Elvin and Peggy Mell of the home; his sister, Carole D. White of Mission, KS and several cousins.
Funeral Services for Randy Mell will be 1:00 PM Wednesday at the Simpson Funeral Home in Webb City. Burial will follow at Mt. Hope Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorial contributions be made to the Stained Glass Theatre in care of Simpson Funeral Home.
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