Another Dark Day in American Politics

Competing for Utah Valley University's
Track & Field Team
Weber State University Track
Ogden, Utah
Spring 2003

The tragic shooting and heinous murder of political activist Charlie Kirk yesterday on the campus of Utah Valley University (UVU) has hit home more personally than usual because of where the disaster unfolded.

I do not personally know Charlie Kirk. Nor do I have any direct connections to him or his associates. 

But I do have a number of connections to Utah Valley University, the sight and setting of yesterday's calamity, and it is in a spirit of genuine sadness and disappointment—on behalf of the love that I have for my Alma Mater, my birth State, and my Country—that I write this article today.    

As a non-political private educator and blogger, I am not here to comment on Charlie Kirk's politics. 

Moreover, the purpose of today's blog is not to preach about how one should respond to a crisis like this. 

No matter what your politics are, anyone in possession of even a modicum of civility, humanity, compassion, or love, instinctively abhors and categorically condemns what took place yesterday.

Indeed, the husband and father in me are horrified by what Charlie's wife, kids, parents, and close family and friends must be experiencing right now. I send my sincere prayers their way, and echo this same sentiment for similar sufferers from past calamities, including all those negatively affected by the storming of the Capitol on January 6th, 2021; the violence in Butler, Pennsylvania last year; and the assassination attempt on Congresswoman Gabby Giffords in 2012, to name just a few of the more prominent examples.  

I see no need to lecture or attempt to teach anything about how to properly respond to such a catastrophic and regrettable incident.

If you are reading this blog, chances are YOU already know how to do that.  

My main objective on this dark day, which just happens to be the 24th Anniversary of the terror attacks of 9-11, 2001, is simply to mourn with those that mourn, comfort those who stand in need of comfort, and pray for our troubled nation, where political violence from all extremities of the political spectrum has become much too common and far too violent and deadly.   

My Student ID card at UVU

When I was a little boy, I dreamed of someday attending Brigham Young University and becoming a BYU Cougar. After all, both my parents and five of my six siblings all attended the Y in Provo. Moreover, as a grade school lad, I all but worshipped Ty Detmer, Derwin Gray and the rest of the Cougar Football Teams of the late 1980s and early 1990s.    

However, as my life unfolded, I made choices—influenced by my OCD, my personality, and my penchant for athletics over academics—that led to my being rejected from BYU when the time came. 

I'll never forget my father's warning to me in high school about my grades. Dad respected my agency and rarely lectured me about anything, but he did take an opportunity once when I was in high school to pull me aside and explicitly warn me about my grades in school. He did not beat around the bush in his counsel. 

Said he:

"Jordan, one day you will pay the consequences for the decisions you are making right now in school." 

Graduation from Utah Valley University
May 2003
CNN's Larry King spoke at my commencement services.

He left it at that and said no more.   

Well...

     It turned out that Dad was right!

I applied to BYU during the last few months of my mission, naïevely hoping that my full-time 2-year missionary service to Western Canada from 1999-2001 and my above average essay writing skills would compensate for my average grades and test scores. 

I was sorely mistaken!  

BYU rejected me out of hand, and I don't blame them. I would have rejected me too had I been on their admissions committee. I had not earned the right to attend a competitive university and I was paying the price for my subpar academic effort and performance—just as Dad had told me I would.  

The unvarnished truth is that I was a pathetic shadow of my gifted and talented wife when it came to my pre-collegiate academic performances and I just hope and pray my kids follow in her footsteps, not mine!  

Fortunately, I was still able to attend BYU as a "Visiting Student" during spring and summer terms. Back then they would let in just about anyone willing to pay tuition during the much less popular spring and summer terms when most of their full-time student body returned home for summer jobs or vacations.

After graduation, I got a job as an Assistant to the Director
of the Center for the Advancement of Leadership
on campus (2004-2005).

But, I had to take the majority of my undergraduate classes during fall and winter semesters somewhere else.

The other place where I ended up getting my bachelor's degree in English in 2003 was Utah Valley State College—now Utah Valley University. 

Despite my deleterious academic decisions and lazy homework habits in high school, Serendipity unquestionably had my back in college and I ended up getting handed a lot of grace and mercy throughout my undergraduate college experience. 

In fact, I ended up getting the best of both worlds for my university journey. I got to attend four terms at the prestigious BYU campus as a visiting student and lived in off-campus BYU housing, thereby getting to still have the "BYU Experience." 

I also got to attend four semesters at UVU as a full-time student and gain experiences I likely would not have had at BYU, such as earning a spot on varsity athletics teams, earning a half-tuition athletic scholarship, and performing in a campus production of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. 

BYU was too competitive for me to have thrived in these same areas had I gone to school in Provo. 

Orem and UVU was the perfect fit for me!  

I played "Curtis the Cook" and other minor
roles in this memorable campus production.
Fall 2001

All of these opportunities provided me with rich experiences that served as anchors to my receipt of a holistic and high quality undergraduate college education. 

To this day, I have many fond memories and tender feelings in my heart for Utah Valley University, and still "bleed green" even if I cheer for the Florida Gators Football Team. UVU does not yet field a football team and I live in South Florida and married the daughter of a Florida Gator whom I met the night of the Florida v. Tennessee game in 2006, so I feel like I can lay claim to a legitimate exemption here.  

Given these wonderful experiences of my past, I am saddened that yesterday's tragedy will now be inexplicably entwined with such positive memories. To underscore the nature of this interweaving process, consider the fact that the very spot where Kirk was gunned down was the outdoor "Stage" where I spent so many hours rehearsing and performing in The Taming of the Shrew all those years ago in 2001.  

I echo words spoken by Utah Governor, Spencer Cox, yesterday in recognizing that there is nothing I can say or write on this blog that is going to magically fix the problems in our Country that trigger the tragic personifications of evil we all witnessed either first or second hand yesterday. 

Freedom Focused is a private, independent educational 

organization. It exists to increase the personal and 

professional  FREEDOM of persons everywhere.

We accomplish this through positive cognitive-behavioral

changes influenced by Self-Action Leadership

principles and practices, which are, in-turne,

rooted in the SAL Theory and Model.  

Nevertheless, I invite my family, friends, and colleagues everywhere to join me in mourning with those who mourn, comfort those who stand in need in comfort, and if you choose to believe, to further join me in supplicating that Higher Power to bless and comfort those directly impacted by this tragedy—and others like it—in addition to strengthening and supporting our troubled land in preparation for what seems to be its increasingly ominous future.  

Insofar as humankind possesses agency, evil will always exist in this world. May we each do our "bit" whatever that bit may be to ensure that such evil is confronted, apprehended, and where possible, prevented in the future.  

Sincerely Yours, 

The SAL and FREEDOM guy

—Dr. JJ

Thursday, September 11, 2025

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 479th Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 269th consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.   

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Miss America Endorses Self-Action Leadership

 Shortly after graduating from college at Utah Valley University, I had the privilege of returning to my alma mater to serve as a Personal Assistant to Dr. Bruce H. Jackson, then Director of The Center for the Advancement of Leadership (the CAL) at UVU. It was a formative job that provided me with priceless professional opportunities that further strengthened the career foundation upon which I continue to build with SAL and Freedom Focused today.

One of the most memorable things I had the chance to do while serving Dr. Jackson at the CAL was to escort a former Miss America -- Sharlene Wells Hawkes -- during our annual leadership conference in 2004.  Mrs. Hawkes was crowned Miss America twenty years previously and honorably represented the United States throughout 1985 in that highly esteemed role.

I'm still not sure how I managed to land such a coveted assignment that day, especially when Dr. Jackson had two personal assistants and the other guy -- another young man the same age as me -- was my hierarchical equal; but I certainly didn't complain about being assigned the task!  

Aside from being beautiful and talented -- two qualities that are a given for anyone who has held the title "Miss America" -- there were other qualities I discovered about Mrs. Hawkes that were even more salient and impressive than her talent and beauty. First of all, despite her confident bearing and obvious social prestige, she was kind and respectful to little old me -- and everyone else she met at UVU that day. All during our time together, I never got the sense that she looked down on me -- or anyone else for that matter. Second, she possessed an enthusiasm and cheerfulness that was electric and infectious. One would have had to try very hard to be negative or pessimistic in her presence, not that she would have explicitly shot one down if one tried, but her aura of positivity would have simply overpowered anything to the contrary. This enthusiasm, cheerfulness, and optimism made me feel empowered around her -- a trait I have discovered that all great leaders share. Suffice it to say, I was impressed, and these impressions have remained clear in my mind and heart to this very day -- nearly 16 years after the fact.

In short, she was a Class Act in every imaginable way.    

In intervening years, Sharlene and I have kept in loose contact with each other. She was kind enough to provide an endorsement quote for the first version of the SAL textbook I published back in 2006. In addition, her 14-year old daughter (at the time) served as a peer-reviewer for the same text, which was written for a teenage audience.  

Recently, I touched base with Sharlene again. She has not changed a bit, and even though our most recent conversation occurred only virtually via LinkedIn, I could tell she remains as cheerful, enthusiastic, positive, and active as ever. And once again, she generously accepted my invitation to contribute an endorsement quote for my work, this time for the current (2019) version of the Self-Action Leadership Textbooks.  

Here is what she had to say:

"Since I was crowned Miss America in 1984, I have had the opportunity to travel all over the world to meet with countless leaders, educators, and families. In doing so, I have noticed that the attributes that factor most greatly in the long-term success of individuals and groups -- like personal character and the ability to lead and influence others in positive and productive ways -- are not taught in homes to the same degree that they were when I was growing up. 

If students don't learn these things in their homes, schools become the "next defense" and maybe even their "last best hope" to obtain them before entering the professional workforce. Unfortunately, schools these days often shirk their duty in this regard as well. As such, I am thrilled to see that Jordan has dedicated his career to bridging this glaring pedagogical gap and meeting this much-needed character component in schools, universities, and organizations. I heartily endorse Dr. Jensen's work and encourage leaders, administrators, and educators everywhere to embrace Self-Action Leadership in their states, districts, schools, and organizations." 

- Sharlene Wells Hawkes   -   Miss America, 1985

What an honor it is to have my work endorsed by such an authentic and capable leader whose own character is so admirable and worthy of emulation. Thank you, Sharlene, for your kindness, generosity, and example of what Self-Action Leadership personified looks and sounds like.  

If you have not already done so, I invite you to procure a copy of the Self-Action Leadership textbooks. Read and study the books yourself. Then complete the SAL Master Challenge and earn your own medal and diploma along the way. Finally, tell your family members, friends, and local educators about this unique and unprecedented resource for teaching self-leadership, character, and life-skills' oriented curriculum in homes, schools, communities, and organizations everywhere. I promise you that your life, and the lives of others, will be positively and productively impacted as a result. How do I know this? Because my own life is what it is because of my own commitment to the principles and practices outlined therein.  

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Case Study: The Essence of Inner Greatness on Display at Graduation

It is that time of year again... GRADUATION! Congratulations are therefore in order to graduates everywhere.

In the spirit of this festive academic season of the year, I wish to reprint a letter written by my older brother Joe--a talented writer--to his family that captures the essence of inner greatness, and how it was elegantly displayed by his academically gifted son Ashton at his recent graduation in Orem, Utah.