The Kidnapped Nigerian Girls have been Found

According to a CNNnews report, a top military official says he knows where 276 girls who were kidnapped last month by the Islamic terrorist group, known as Boko Haram, are being held.

Alex Badeh, an air marshal for the Nigerian Military, claims to know whereabouts of the kidnapped Nigerian girls. Image Source: The Burton Wire

The official, who goes by the name Alex Badeh (an Air Chief Marshall), was quoted as saying that nobody should say that the Nigerian Military do not know what they are doing and that they:  

"Can’t kill their girls in the name of trying to get them back. The good news for the parents of the girls is that they know where they are but they just cannot tell them."

This whole story seems to have so many holes in it that one has to wonder how incompetent the Nigerian government is being.

How can 276 girls get kidnapped without anyone doing anything about it?

It is either the Boko Haram are super-fast invisible ninjas who went into the school completely unnoticed and at an alarmingly fast pace gathered all the girls into trucks and took them to some super-secret location where no one else has access to. 

The point I am trying to make is that there has to be some sort of connection between the government and Boko Haram. I know, conspiracy theory alert but looking at the scenario from a logical point of view one has to wonder. 

The missing Nigerian girls were kidnapped from their boarding school and taken away like cattle. Image Source: HueWire

It’s like dangling a mouse in front of a cat and then taking it away. Telling the parents that they know where their children are but they will not go in to rescue them due to the fact that they are ‘pondering’ on whether they "can use force."

Of course force has to be used. This goes without saying. This is a terrorist group that only last year, buried a young girl up to her head and stoned her to death. I don’t think they will simply ‘hand’ the girls over willingly and if the Nigerian army doesn’t see this then I see the future as very grim for these innocent girls. They seem to be doing more harm than good.

First, if the military did not want to divulge all the information, then they should have just kept mum about the whole so called ‘discovery.’ Now they have gone public and if indeed they do know where the girls are, then they just alerted the Boko Haram to the fact and given them time to re-locate. I mean, who is advising these people?

#BRINGBACKOURGIRLS

 

I am appalled at this sad story and one can only imagine what those girls have to endure under these savages. I am not one to stir up controversy but the truth has to come out.

I believe some people in high places know a lot more than we think and we need to speak up because the innocent girls being held captive have no voice and we can be that voice, for them.
#BRINGBACKOURGIRLS

Want to read more about the missing Nigerian girls? Check out the post entitled #BringBackOurGirls Update: Military Official Claims He Knows Where to Find Missing Nigerian Girls on HueWire right now.

It's Time to Kick Magic Johnson Down from That Pedestal

The world is buzzing about comments made by Don Sterling during his CNN interview with Anderson Cooper. People of color, especially black folks, seem to be mad simply because the words came from the mouth of someone being accused of bigotry. But, when it comes to comments Sterling made about Earvin "Magic" Johnson, specifically, many of them are absolutely true.

Yes, it does hurt to have to admit that this NBA legend is actually hurting urban communities. And, I myself am hurt because he was on such a positive roll for some years. But, the positive things he's done do not make up for the fact that he's sold his soul, his face, his image and his brand to predatory lenders.

Watch the Full CNN Anderson Cooper Interview Don Sterling

 Watch the entire interview at: http://cnn.it/1ncNBXV

 

The Don Sterling Saga Continues… Is Magic Johnson in Bed with Predatory Lenders?

Today, I published an article I spend all of yesterday writing. When I first started my research for the article, I was hoping to find proof the Don Sterling lied about Magic Johnson. But, the more I dug, the more it became obvious that there was even more to the madness than what Sterling said in the Anderson Cooper CNN interview.

Magic Johnson was spokesperson for Rent-A-Center

The fact is: Magic Johnson is indeed in bed with predatory lenders. Not only does he promote them, he actually became one himself. These are four businesses Magic Johnson supports (or has supported), that are known for predatory lending and practices:

1. Washington Mutual was responsible for selling dreams to homebuyers in low-income communities. These homeowners became victims of the foreclosure crisis at some point.
2. Jackson-Hewitt lures people of color into their stores with ploys like “refund anticipation loans” AKA cash advances, on their tax returns. The interest rates were as much as 500%.
3. Remember the Magic Johnson’s Rent-A-Center commercials? Well, RAC triples the prices of furniture and appliances by offering extremely low payments over very long periods of time.
4. The Magic Prepaid MasterCard has some of the most expensive fees ever seen in the prepaid debit card industry. What's the point of this? It certainly doesn't help urban communities.

 

Ol' Don Spoke Some Truth 

Personally, I'm appalled by the fact that a Jewish man can make such judgemental remarks about a black man and get away with it. No, I'm not appalled by the fact that he's Jewish. I'm appalled by the fact that what he said is so close to true.

Now, to be fair, Ol' Don was incorrect when he said that black people don't give back. It's generalized statements like that which keep people calling him a bigot. He was also incorrect when he said Magic has done nothing for "the" black community. We all know that's not quite true. Magic Johnson Enterprises has done it's fair share to bring jobs and business to urban communities.

We can assume President Obama thought Magic Johnson was a good guy when they shook hands on the court that day.  Image Credit: zimbio.com

Magic Johnson Owes Us Answers

However...

All the "programs for HIV/AIDS awareness, programs to decrease high-school dropout rates, UNCF fundraisers" in the world don't make up for selling your soul to predatory lenders. These companies could NOT survive in affluent communities. They can only survive in low-income neighborhoods, because generally speaking, we, the people of color, have no other places to turn for help.

But, that's no excuse for someone many of us look up to, admire and trust to publicly recommend these predatory companies to us. It's time for Magic Johnson to come down from that pedestal speak up on this matter. He owes us at least that much!

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Wanna read the full article? Check out "Don Sterling Saga Continues… Is Magic Johnson in Bed with Predatory Lenders?"