GUN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA: FOR WHO THE BELL TOLLS NEXT.

Just five people shy of Sandy Hook elementary school mass shooting incident that claimed 26 lives, the Uvalde Texas Robb elementary school mass shooting at 21 victims, now ranks among the highest grossing gun carnage in America. It is sad that such frequent blood spilling has tragically become part of our culture as a society. May the souls of the killed now rest.

25th AMENDMENT: ITS NOW ALL CRICKET.

Madam Speaker Nancy Pelosi once questioned former President Donald John Trump's fitness to remain in office due to what she claimed was his declining mental capacity. Does anyone know what Madam Speaker presently thinks about the incontrovertible case which America is now saddled with? Just curious!

WHO WILL REBUILD UKRAINE?

The West should convert frozen Russian assets, both state's and oligarchs' owned, into a full seizure and set them aside for the future rebuilding of Ukraine. Like the Marshal Plan, call it the Putin Plan.

A HERO IS BORN.

I am staying put. I will not run away and abandon my people. The fight is here in Ukraine. What I need are weapons and ammunitions, not a ride out of town like former Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani - President Volodymyr Zelensky.

IT IS WHAT IT IS.

"There is too much hate in America because there is too much anger in America." - Trevor Noah.

WORD!

A life without challenges is not a life lived at all. A life lived is a life that has problems, confronts problems, solves problems and then learns from problems. - Tunde Fashola.

NOW, YOU KNOW.

When fishing for love, bait with your heart and not your brain, because you cannot rationalize love. - Mark Twain.

JUST THE FACT.

In our country, you can shoot and kill a nigger, but you better not hurt a gay person’s feelings - Dave Chappelle

DO YOU?.

“What you believe in can only be defined by what you’re willing to risk for it." - Stuart Scheller.

HEDGE YOUR CRISIS.

Never get in bed with a woman whose problems are worse than yours. - Chicago PD.

PROBLEM SOLVED.

'The best way to keep peace is to be ready to destroy evil. If you Pearl Harbor me, I Nagasaki you.' - Ted Nugent.

OUR SHARED HUMANITY.

Empathy is at the heart of who we are as human beings. - Cardinal Matthew Kukah.

WORDS ON MARBLE.

"Birth is agony. Life is hard. Death is cruel." - Japanese pithy.

REPENT OR PERISH - POPE.

Homosexuality is a sin. It is not ordained by God, therefore same sex marriage cannot be blessed by the church - Pope Francis.

CANCEL CULTURE IS CORROSIVE.


FOR SAKE OF COUNTRY.


MAGA LIVES ON: NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER!

TWITTER IS BORING WITHOUT HIS TWEETS. #RestorePresidentTrump'sTwitterHandle.


WORD.

"If you cannot speak the truth when it matters, then nothing else you says matters.” - Tucker Carlson.

#MeToo MOVEMENT: A BAD NEWS GONE CRAZY.

"To all the women who testified, we may have different truth, but I have a great remorse for all of you. I have great remorse for all of the men and women going through this crisis right now in our country. You know, the movement started basically with me, and I think what happened, you know, I was the first example, and now there are thousands of men who are being accused and a regeneration of things that I think none of us understood. I’m not going to say these aren’t great people. I had wonderful times with these people. I’m just genuinely confused. Men are confused about this issue. We are going through this #MeToo movement crisis right now in this country." - Harvey Weinstein.


RON DELLUMS: UNAPOLOGETICALLY RADICAL.

"If it’s radical to oppose the insanity and cruelty of the Vietnam War, if it’s radical to oppose racism and sexism and all other forms of oppression, if it’s radical to want to alleviate poverty, hunger, disease, homelessness, and other forms of human misery, then I’m proud to be called a radical.” - Ron Vernie Dellums.


WHAT REALLY MATTERS IN LIFE - STEVE JOBS

“I reached the pinnacle of success in the business world. In others’ eyes, my life is an epitome of success. However, aside from work, I have little joy. Non-stop pursuing of wealth will only turn a person into a twisted being, just like me. God gave us the senses to let us feel the love in everyone’s heart, not the illusions brought about by wealth. Memories precipitated by love is the only true riches which will follow you, accompany you, giving you strength and light to go on. The most expensive bed in the world is the sick bed. You can employ someone to drive the car for you, make money for you but you cannot have someone to bear sickness for you. Material things lost can be found. But there is one thing that can never be found when it is lost – Life. Treasure Love for your family, love for your spouse, love for your friends. Treat yourself well. Cherish others.” - SJ

EVIL CANNOT BE TRULY DESTROYED.

"The threat of evil is ever present. We can contain it as long as we stay vigilant, but it can never truly be destroyed. - Lorraine Warren (Annabelle, the movie)


ONLY THE POOR WISH THEY HAD STUFF?

“I’m not that interested in material things. As long as I find a good bed that I can sleep in, that’s enough.” - Nicolas Berggruem, the homeless billionaire.

Saturday, June 6, 2020

ROGER GODDELL: ADMISSION OF GUILT VINDICATES COLLIN KAEPERNICK

“First, my condolences to the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and all the families who have endured police brutality. We, the National Football League, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of black people. We, the National Football League, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the National Football League, believe Black Lives Matter. I personally protest with you and want to be part of the much needed change in this country. Without black players, there would be no National Football League. And the protests around the country are emblematic of the centuries of silence, inequality and oppression of black players, coaches, fans and staff. We are listening. I am listening, and I will be reaching out to players who have raised their voices and others on how we can improve and go forward for a better and more united NFL family.” - Roger Goddell, Commissioner NFL. 

ICHEOKU says with those words NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell admitted that the National Football League was wrong in not realizing that racism is a plague which has hounded black people for so long and still continuing till this day. An apology which is specifically directed to and rehire of Colin Kaepernick will be the right and proper thing to do as a necessary good-faith follow up to his sudden come to Jesus moment. Believing that his epiphany is real, ICHEOKU says Roger Goddell should consider taking some tangible actions, including spending towards improving the lives of black Americans. He could start by donating substantial amount of money to black causes and establishing education foundation for black people who want to go to college, including law and medical schools. He can even immortalize his name by naming the foundation after himself. 

Roger Goddell can also cause the NFL to endow a medical health foundation for indigent black people who cannot afford health insurance or establish a food program for those who cannot feed themselves and their children. At $50million a year income, Roger Goddell is a very wealthy man and could easily afford to give up 10% of his wealth to help pay for these beneficial commitments to black people and help make black lives matter more. But he might just be flowing with the times and wanted to be heard as sympathetic to the cause without seriously meaning what he said, afterall he has been around this Ife for over 50 years and cannot in all sincerity say that he is not aware that there is a race problem in America. 

But ICHEOKU will like to give him the benefit of the doubt that regardless of what his position was in the past that he is now prepared to turn the page, as a more aware and conscious person who now understands the racial problem afflicting black people in America. However, ICHEOKU does not agree with a return to a statusquo which nearly killed the NFL with players kneeling down during national anthem. It is divisive and it is a hot button issue and should be avoided going forward. The point has been made and it has registered; and for purposes of carrying everyone along, there should be no more kneeling during the anthem which most people interpret as disrespecting of the flag. Rather, the NFL should increase substantially any effort it makes to ameliorate the plight of black people in America through funding of programs beneficial to them. 

If the NFL can bring itself to pay for ten black people to get trained as lawyers and/or medical doctors or as any other professional every year, then Roger Goddell would have etched his name in gold as one who made some difference in the lives of black people. By helping them get professional education, he would have taught them how to fish and they can then fish for their families and also teach others in their communities how to fish. Collectively, they will help improve the economic situation in their communities as well as help improve the general wellbeing of their people. 

Roger Goddell knows very well that action is always better than words and therefore he should put his money where his mouth is by redistributing some of his wealth to black people. That way, he will actually help to improve the lives of some black people and actually make black lives to matter. Overall, his statement has the right tone and was well received; ICHEOKU appreciates him for boldly stepping up to make it, but adds that more is expected. 

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