RACISM: SHOCKING REVELATION FROM A WHITE DAD

7 Things I Can Do That My Black Son Can’t

Calvin HennickDecember 28, 2014

The writer with his son. Photo courtesy of Calvin Hennick.

Since Yahoo Parenting launched on Oct. 23, the editors and writers have posted nearly 600 stories on the site. They chose this article – originally published on Oct. 27 – as a highlight of the pieces that offer trusted advice, inspire provocative conversations, and hopefully add a little fun to your life, every day.

In the days after the Michael Brown shooting, I wrote an essay titled “I Hope My Son Stays White,” detailing my fears about what might happen to my biracial three-year-old son if he grows up to have dark skin. The upshot: America, to its shame, is still a place where black males are feared, and I don’t want that fear to turn itself on my son in a way that leads to his arrest or death.

STORY: Dad’s Conversations About Race: ‘Most White Kids Don’t Get This Talk’

I published the piece on Ebony.com, and the reactions from black readers ranged from “sad but true” to allegations that I myself was engaging in the very racism and colorism that I was decrying. But buried among these was a comment from a white reader who accused me of “sucking up to black folk” and then went on to list the supposed advantages of being black in America. (Apparently, according to this reader, my son will have an unearned fast track to a career as an air traffic controller. Um, okay?)

STORY: NFL Star Jason Witten on Life as a Dad and His (Growing) Family

I can’t help but think that, if the essay had been published in an outlet with a larger white readership, many more commenters would have chimed in to deny the continued existence of racism. In my experience, white people (and straight people, and male people, and Christian people — all groups of which I’m a member) tend to dismiss the notion that we’re privileged. It’s an uncomfortable thing to acknowledge that you’re the recipient of unfair benefits, especially when those benefits are often nearly invisible to those who receive them.

But when you’re a parent, those privileges stop being invisible. It’s the reason why male congressmen with daughters are more likely to support women’s issues. It’s the reason why Ohio Sen. Rob Portman suddenly declared his support for same-sex marriage after his son came out as gay. And it’s the reason why, everywhere I look, I see hassles that my son will have to face that I don’t. Here’s a partial list of things I can take for granted, but which will likely be problematic for my son:

1. I Can Walk Through a Store Without Being Followed

To take one high-profile instance, Macy’s and the city of New Yorkrecently settled with actor Robert Brown, who was handcuffed, humiliated, and accused of committing credit card fraud after buying an expensive watch at the store.

I never have to worry about this happening to me.

2. I Can Succeed Without It Being Attributed to My Race

When my wife, who is black, received her acceptance letter from Boston College, a peer told her she must have gotten in due to affirmative action, effectively ruining the experience of receiving the letter.

When I succeed, people assume I’ve earned it.

3. I Learned About My Ancestors’ History in School

I can tell you all about Louis XIV, Socrates, and the Magna Carta, but I always wondered when we would finally learn about African history (beyond Pharaohs and pyramids). The subject never came up.

4. I Can Lose My Temper in Traffic

Once, an acquaintance who got into a confrontation while driving told me how scared she was of the other driver, describing him as a “big black guy.” When I get heated, no one attributes it to my race.

5. I Can Loiter in Wealthy Neighborhoods

No one has ever called the cops on me to report a “suspicious person.” My wife can’t say the same.

6. I Can Complain About Racism

When I point out that black people are incarcerated at alarming rates, or largely forced to send their children to under performing schools, or face systemic discrimination when searching for jobs and housing, no one accuses me of “playing the race card.”

7. I Can Count on Being Met on My Own Terms

If I’m being treated poorly, I don’t stop and think about whether it’s due to my race. But unless we somehow make a giant leap forward, my son will always have to wonder.

Recently, I became a father for the second time. My daughter, only three months old, will grow up to face many of the same challenges as my son, on top of the extra ones that come with being a woman: the struggle for equal pay, the catcalling, the constant threat of sexual assault.

I don’t want to give my children a complex about all of this, but I can’t wish these problems away, either. I can’t eliminate all the unfair hurdles that exist in the world. I can only do my best to raise kids who are able to jump over them.

SOCCER: The Blues maintained our 100 per cent Premier League home record with a comfortable 2-0 win over West Ham United

The Blues maintained our 100 per cent Premier League home record with a comfortable 2-0 win over West Ham United on a day when, had it not been for the heroics of Adrian in the visitors’ goal, the scoreline would surely have been more emphatic.

The damage was done courtesy of a goal in each half, the first by John Terry, his second in a week, and the second a clinical finish by Diego Costa, and it was no more than a dominant Chelsea performance merited.

The victory was the ideal way to prepare for two away fixtures over the next week, firstly against Southampton on Sunday, and then at Tottenham next Thursday.

Jose Mourinho praised the way his team adapted to different challenges throughout the 90 minutes.

‘There’s no perfection but we played very well against a difficult team,’ said the Portuguese. ‘We played well in two different versions; the first against a defensive side, and we were very good, we moved the ball, there was a good dynamic and lots of chances. In the second half we played against an attacking team that made changes by putting on faster players and playing direct balls into space. We coped well and found ways to counter attack. It’s very important for a team to identify different moments of the game and to be able to adapt. Today was a good example of that, the players did very well.’

He explained why there was only one change to the side which beat Stoke on Monday‘My players are human like all the others but the point is that every match is fundamental, there are no better points than others, every match is an important match.

‘We played Stoke on Monday and after that we had three days to recover the players well. Everybody was in condition to play. I made just one change, Oscar for Mikel, because I wanted to give a different design to the team.

‘We play in two days, after that we play at Tottenham three days later and then against Watford, so this is a different period.’

The Blues boss also identified one of the biggest differences between this season and last‘We are a much better team when we have the ball. Last year we were very strong defensively and very well organised but we lacked a bit of creativity when we had the ball.

‘The challenge this year was to bring that creativity and dynamic without losing the defensive qualities of the team. At the beginning of the season there was a little bit of conflict with ideas. We made some defensive mistakes and conceded three goals against Everton, it was difficult to keep a clean sheet, but at The moment there is a good balance. The team is happy to have the ball but also comfortable when the opposition has the ball. I think we are a very good team.

‘Football is football, you never know and the only thing we can do to try to reduce the unpredictability of football is to do what we’re doing: playing very well. Since the Burnley game we are having good, solid performances.

‘The results are good, the players are happy. I’m happy as a coach because the team is playing well. I’m happy as a guy because I love my players. It’s important to feel happy with the people that surround me, it’s something I missed for a while and with this group I have a group that I love.’

John Terry impressed once more, and opened the scoring, just like against Stoke‘He’s always had that, normally four or five goals a season. He’s full of confidence. I see my John of 2004, 2005 and 2006 here, I don’t see any difference. He’s playing so well but when the team is playing so well it’s easy for individuals.’

JHONE DYKES NO GIFTS FOR CHELSEA THIS YEAR

For once Jose Mourinho wasn’t kidding when he said the odds are stacked against Chelsea. The so-called “festive fixtures” handed to the league leaders look about as much fun as a weekend in Pyongyang without wireless.

Having battled their way to an excellent win against a bruising Stoke outfit, Mourinho’s men are now confronted by West Ham (home), Southampton (away) and Tottenham Hotspur (away) – three teams whose league positions average out at 5.3.

Compare that with second-placed Manchester City’s run between now and January 1: Manuel Pellegrini’s men have already beaten lowly Crystal Palace and now they face the teams currently in 15th (West Brom, away), 18th (Burnley, home) and 14th (Sunderland, home). Their average position is 15.6!

Forget the fact that this season’s Chelsea look equipped to deal with most challenges, two London derbies and a game against the team in fifth will test even Mourinho’s mettle. Three years ago, Chelsea went down against Queens Park Rangers at the same time of the year and the “derby” factor could once again be their undoing in one, if not both, of these games.

City did slip up against Sunderland a couple of seasons back at the end of December but, even without a recognised striker, they should aim for maximum points over the next week and seek to start 2015 at the top of the table.

So there is scope for a switch at the top of the table. It’s also likely we will get further evidence that this season’s title race is one of the two-horse variety. Manchester United will be hard-pressed to stay in touch with the leaders: Louis van Gaal’s men may fancy their chances against Newcastle on Boxing Day but trips to Tottenham and Stoke could prove every bit as challenging as their last outing at Villa Park.

If they believe in themselves, West Ham could spring an upset against Chelsea with their progressive (and in no ways from the 19th Century) brand of football. Even if they lose that Boxing Day derby at Stamford Bridge, they’ll have another chance against Arsenal before they host West Bromwich Albion on New Year’s Day in the sort of fixture that has looked a guaranteed home win all season long.

The next week offers a massive opportunity for three clubs to show their European credentials. If Southampton come through games against Crystal Palace (a), Chelsea (h) and Arsenal (h) with four or more points then they will have to be taken seriously.

Now, which of the Merseyside teams has the right stuff? Traditional rivals such as Arsenal and Tottenham both have testing fixtures ahead, so there is an opportunity for Liverpool or Everton to make some headway. The Reds play Burnley (a), Swansea (h) and Leicester (h) and could easily take nine points from that run. Everton host Stoke before heading to Newcastle and Hull. They may need to make it a 100 percent haul to suppress the frustrated noises coming from their fans.

The real tension will, naturally enough, be found at the bottom of the table this Christmas and New Year. We may have had a sackings-free season to this point but a poor run at the season’s midway point could test the patience of the chairmen at West Brom, Hull, Burnley and Leicester.

Spare a though for Alan Irvine: his Baggies will want to bounce back from their surrender at Loftus Road but they now entertain reigning champions Manchester City and follow that up with trips to Stoke and in-form West Ham. Burnley’s Sean Dyche will most likely have trouble digesting the prospect of a Boxing-Day clash with Liverpool, followed by trips to the Etihad and St James’ Park.

The omens are bad enough already for Leicester City, who find themselves bottom at Christmas. They will most likely need to win at least one of their fixtures, which read: Tottenham (h), Hull (a) and Liverpool (a).

That game against Hull City leaps off the page, as Steve Bruce must be targeting it for a win, perhaps as well as the Boxing Day encounter with his old team Sunderland. Hull wrap up their schedule with a home match against Everton and probably feel they need to take at least four, maybe six, points between now and New Year’s Day.

In a season that has been notable for the underperformance of some of the traditional big boys, its hard to describe a defeat for Liverpool, Manchester United, Spurs, Everton or even Arsenal as an upset, but a loss for Chelsea or Manchester City would certainly make headlines.

So, will West Ham be the team to provide us with a shock? Can Sunderland upset City once more? Have fun finding out as we embark on the most grueling week of the season here in England.

By John Dykes

WICKEDNESS: SEE HOW TWO SISTERS MUTILATED THIS BEAUTIFUL YOUNG GIRL.

Julia Alvarez is a  15 year old Argentinian, she was mutilated by jealous rivals who happens to be two sisters for being too pretty.

Julia Alvarez was left disfigured after the two jealous girls slashed her face with knives because she was 'too pretty'. The two sisters have since been arrested. Julia later told police the girls said they wanted to make her look like horror movie character, Chucky.

Julia said she was walking home in the town of Juan Domingo Peron, in the northern Argentinian province of Formosa, when the girls aged 18 and 16 attacked her without any provocation.

"Everyone says you are pretty. You won't look pretty when we have finished with you. People will call you Chucky." - Julia claims this is what the girls told her before slashing her face.

After the attack on her face and other parts of her body, the two sisters ran away and left her in the pool of her own blood. She was rushed to the hospital by passers-by.

Julia needed dozens of stitches on her face and back to put the flaps of skin back together.

The two girls were later arrested after the victim's sister posted the horrific images on Facebook. The photos went viral in the country and many activists called for the arrest of the attackers.

On her Facebook post, the victim's sister wrote

    "They were jealous of my sister for a long time and always abusing her and insulting her, but we never expected them to go this far. I have tried to stay strong for my beautiful sister but every time I see her i cant hold back tears from my eyes. They have ruined her life. She says she wants to kill herself because when she look in the mirror she so ugly now. It has ruined our family".

Police arrested the two girls but later released the 16 year old because of her age. The 18 year old is still in custody.

WOW: MEET IGHO CHARLES...THE YOUNG AFRICAN BILLIONAIRE

The young man whose photograph appear below is by name Charles Igho, A 39 year old Nigerian billionaire. 

Igho is from Agbor in Delta State in  Nigeria. His business foray ranges from oil, power sector, etc. and his net worth is said to be in the billions, also it is believed that he own a private jet. 

"Igho Charles Sanomi II as he is called, was born in 1975 in Agbor Delta State, Nigeria, the fifth child (and first son) of a devout Catholic family. His father, the late Dickens Oghenereumu Patrick Sanomi hailed from Delta State Nigeria and was a retired Assistant Inspector General of the Nigerian Police. He is the young, dynamic founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Taleveras Group, an internationally recognized energy and power conglomerate with offices in London, Geneva, Cape Town, Dubai, the Ivory Coast, Abuja and Lagos. He also acts as Chairman or Co-chair on the boards of companies with interests as diverse as construction, telecommunications, shipping, aviation and real estate. Mr Sanomi’s mother, Mabel Iyabo Sanomi holds a Royal title of Yeye Jemo of Isotun Ijesha Kingdom in Osun State. She was a renowned nurse and medical entrepreneur from Osun State in South Western Nigeria.

Mr Sanomi entered the world of business shortly after completing his Bachelor’s Degree in Geology and Mining at the University of Jos in Northern Nigeria. He rose quickly to the position of Executive Director with Sarian Oil and Cosmos Oil AG, an international Oil Trading Company with its core activities in West Africa. During his time in this role he single handedly developed the company’s trading operations by negotiating the export and delivery of fuel oils from West Africa to the United States Gulf Coast. He also developed a strategic alliance with a major international oil trading group based in Zug, Switzerland. This partnership oversaw the import and export of millions of tons of refined petroleum products to and from the West African coast.

In the power sector, Taleveras Group is working in partnership with Nigeria’s Federal Capital Development Authority on the construction of several electrical substations. Additional substations are also under construction in the Niger Delta region as part of the National Integrated Power Project. In 2010 the Taleveras Group coordinated a number of well known power industry suppliers to construct an 185MW power station and distribution substation. The second phase of this project, involving the delivery of a further 200MW capacity is currently in progress. Most recently, the Taleveras Group lead a consortium that acquired a majority stake in the Port-Harcourt Electricity Distribution company via a process of competitive tender. This company will be responsible for the distribution of more than 2,000MW of power in River State, Nigeria.

As the driving force behind the Taleveras Group, Mr Sanomi has been instrumental in the expansion and diversification of the company’s operations. Annually, the Taleveras Group trades hundreds of millions of crude oil barrels and millions of tons of fuel oil, jet fuel, gasoline, condensates and liquefied petroleum gas. The company’s oil exploration and recovery activities include the acquisition of production sharing contracts (PSCs) for three offshore oil blocks in Ivory Coast and rights to a further two oil blocks in Nigeria." 

GOV. OSHIOMHOLE: LARGE SUM OF MONEY IS BEING STOLEN IN THE NAME OF SUBSIDY.

While speaking with the delegates from Association of Enigie's (Edo South), Gov. Adams Aliu Oshiomhole of Edo State, lamented about the distortion of developmental projects of the State government  as a result of the inability of the Federal government to share excess crude account for the past 18month, in continued and said despite this fact,  the account is empty. Sometimes we are told they have taken money from it to fund subsidies including subsidy on kerosene. But your royal highnesses,

There is nowhere in your various domains kerosene is sold for N50, so in the name of subsidy, large sums of money is being stolen.

“Things are tough now around the country because the Federal Government mismanaged our national resources and what is being stolen, nobody agrees it is being stolen. What is arguable is who is responsible for this stealing. When the Federal Government and the President talk about oil theft and the amount that is allegedly stolen is huge such that whereas we have the capacity to produce about 2.4 million barrels a day, what accrues into the federal government account is less than 1.8 million barrel a day.

“From the last time we had a meeting, the handouts they distributed shows that sometime for a period of two weeks, we were losing as much as 700,000 barrels a day and that has been on for the past twelve years. I am not able to understand why, suddenly, Nigeria cannot protect its territorial waters because the boundaries have not changed and the people are still the same and at the peak of the so-called militancy, we were still exporting about 2 million barrels a day.

“Then how can we explain that after we have resolved the issue of militancy in the Niger Delta, we have rehabilitated the ex-militants and even awarded contracts to them, that we are losing as much crude oil as that to oil thieves and to the best of my knowledge, there is no major known person who has been prosecuted and convicted for oil theft in a way that reflects the magnitude of what is allegedly stolen

“What this means is that our budgets have not performed over the past 3 years whereas the budgets have been based on an average of between $77 to $78 and $79 a barrel. The average price of Nigeria’s sweet crude has been around $108 per barrel. That gives a surplus of over $30. Ideally, we ought to be saving $36 per barrel and 2.3 million barrel a day over the past three years and if you look at these numbers you will find that what we have in our excess crude oil account should be over $30billion but as we speak, we have barely $3 billon in our excess crude account.

“Now oil price has dropped to $60 and because we have not saved, the naira is undergoing devaluation. Already as low as N180 per dollar and I believe by February when the elections are over, nobody is going to want to hold the naira. Wherever the election goes, I expect that the naira will hit over N200 per dollar. The inflationary consequence of that is prices of everything will go up and part of the vicious cycle of the devalued naira in the manner that is being done is that the price of petroleum products imported in dollars will go up in naira and government will be asking people who are already poor to pay more money for petroleum products.

“I see this vicious cycle setting in and people are likely to get poorer and that will lead to more tension and we already have our fair share of insecurity.”

He urged the royal fathers to pray for Nigeria, saying “the year that is coming is going to be a very tough one. Pray for Nigeria, 2015 will be tough”.

On the ongoing projects in the state, the Governor said the Central Hospital complex will be completed and ready for use by August next year, while contractors will be mobilized to site on the 2nd East Circular road in the new year. Also, the Governor said 16 roads have been identified in the GRA for immediate rehabilation and contractors have already bid for the projects, saying the roads will be completely fixed in the first half of next year.

He said, “It’s not that government is unwilling to work on roads in GRA but because of the lean financial resources.”

Responding, the Ogiegbaen of Egbaen commended the governor for the achievements recorded so far by his administration. He pledged that the Enigies will continue to support his government with prayers and advice to enable him succeed.

#EdoState #Federalgovernment #Edosouth

TRAFFIC OFFENDERS TO BE JAILED THIS XMAS

 

Road Saftey has issued a warning against traffic offenders. They have promised to erect mobile and magistrate courts on the road. Hahahahhahaaha. You all becareful mbok.  Read the statement they released according to PMnews

The FRSC Zonal Commander in-charge of zone 5, Mr Charles Akpabio, told NAN in Onitsha, Anambra, that the commission would deploy mobile and magistrate courts on all road corridors.

Akpabio, who is in-charge of zone 5 comprising of Anambra, Delta and Edo states, said that the move would act as deterrent to road traffic offenders and a reminder to their families and friends to keep warning them to be careful while on the road.

“Now, the essence is to allow them to explain themselves to the judge or to the magistrate – no I didn’t commit the offence, it is not true or I committed the offence, I am sorry.

“If the magistrate decides to allow them to go free, they are free; if the magistrate decides that with the evidence available before the court and say no don’t go free, pay the fine.

“Sometimes, in some cases, they can say pay the fine and go to jail, or go to jail without option of fine; they will show, they will be a deterrent to other road users.

“And for the numbers of years we have utilized mobile courts and magistrate courts in our operations, they have been very effective.

“So this time around, we intend to utilise the mobile courts as well on all the (road) corridors.

“Some offenders that would be arrested for speed violation, dangerous driving, use of phone while driving, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and driving with expired spare tyre and overloading may likely, may likely by the judgment of the courts spend the Christmas or New Year or New Year and Christmas in jail.”

The zonal commander said the organisation had deployed more than 3,000 marshals, 43 vehicles, 10 motorbikes on road corridors in Anambra, Delta, and Edo states to ensure safety of Nigerians this yuletide season.

“We have six advanced life support ambulances, two heavy duty tow trucks to be located each at Niger Bridge and Benin for effective coverage, 4 medium duty tow trucks to compliment the heavy duty tow trucks for quick removal of obstruction.”

He said the FRSC approved the commencement of “Operation Zero Tolerance” nationwide to help deal with road users’ refusal to adhere to traffic rules and regulations.

“All the deployments are with immediate effect since “Operation Zero Tolerance” commences on December 19, 2014 and ends on January 13, 2015.

“All patrol teams are equipped with reflective jackets for team members, traffic cones, patrolites and radar guns to help checkmate speeding drivers on the road.

“Breathalyzers in quantities have been allocated to command such that any driver suspected to be driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol will be promptly tested.

“If the driver test positive, he or she will be charged to mobile court on the spot.”

#TRAFFIC #ROADSAFETY #OFFENDERS