Why MEN run away from FATHERHOOD

Everyone has a friend or knows a woman who is raising children on their own, there is no doubt single motherhood has become a norm in today’s world. There are various circumstances that lead to this but let’s focus on cases where the dad split the day he got wind of the pregnancy.

You know how it goes, the chic calls or texts with the dreaded “we need to talk” the guy says “it’s not mine” before the poor girl even says am pregnant. Either way, it’s the lady who ends up with the responsibility man or no man. The big question here is why do men do this; he has a good job, even cruises around town in a sleek car so it’s not always monetary. Here are five of the main reasons according to Eric Payne.


1. Caught Up in the “Self”
At every point in men world he is often engrossed in one thing or another. For some it’s their job, you know the type that would be glued to their laptops all night and all day, techies especially. There are others that are not so passionate about their jobs but that daily bar chat with the boys during weekdays and out of town weekend plots keeps them busy. Men get scared of losing their “lives” hence they will postpone anything that interrupts that schedule or routine and if it comes by mistake they run. Anything other than what they have programmed is chaos in a man’s mind which is why you’ll hear “…but I’m working on this and that” or “Not now.”

2. Past Experiences
There are some men who have endured physically and emotionally abusive relationships as children and whether they received therapy for this or not, they don’t trust their ability to not do the same thing to a child of their own. Its common for men not to trust themselves with the tenderness of a child, that’s why some can’t hold a new born baby. In aggravated cases a man will also fear raising the child or having anything to do with it.

3. They were never “men” to begin with.
A man is by no means some mythological archetype of human strength and perfection but rather someone who accepts accountability for their actions and owns up to them, no matter what. This isn’t the easiest thing to do considering accountability isn’t taught to a man in too many places. The only place a man can learn to be responsible and accountable is from his family or dad to be specific, which today’s family set up doesn’t provide much of. I mean, in some families the mother is the breadwinner, in others the dad provides but is never at home to discipline or talk to the kids or he is there but never gives a hoot. Simply put, boys can only learn to be men from other men and that is a rare species in the new world order.

4. A Father Yes, Husband NO
A man might be at a point in his life where he is ready to be a father but there’s a strong possibility he may not want the particular woman he’s impregnated to be the mother of his child or his wife. He might resent the idea of having wasted his “seed” on this particular woman and now being stuck with her. As a girl it’s up to you to know the difference between the two, he wants to be a father and he wants you as a wife.

When a man is in his early thirties he gets this natural urge to procreate, to be a father, this however isn’t tied to being a husband. That explains why he gets you pregnant and splits, has no qualms with taking responsibility but wants nothing to do with you as a woman. In this case the man is running from you as opposed to the child. There is also a time when a man wants a family; he wants to come home to someone, that’s the perfect time to get paged if your plan is to get him on lock down. Get the timing right, know what he wants in his life and when.

5. Low Esteem
Esteem issues affect different things in human beings and they get into play as far as procreation is concerned. When a man is responsible for a child he naturally wants to be able to give that child his all, more so the things he wished for but didn’t have.

If a man is struggling to do right by himself it certainly causes him to doubt his prospective parenting skills. Fathers don’t have the luxury of bonding physiologically with a child in the womb they therefore don’t have the connection that moms do during pregnancy. The man might convince himself that he will bring his child more harm than good and decide his unborn little one is better off without him and cause him to run.

Vibe Weekly

Kenya: Bracing for 2013?

Many have often referred to politics as a dirty game. Well, so is it being. It’s a ‘spade’ and not a ‘big spoon’. This is a statement that quite often appears as headings in most social networks like face book, twitter, MySpace and many others. In reference to political exclamations in these social networks; where, in my opinion, conviction meets uncertainty to yield frustration – well epitomizes current or past knowledge and the very suicidal attitudes towards politics that necessitates a paradigm shift. More simply put, the typical electioneering squabbles as 2012 draws closer. As a concerned citizen and more specifically to the constituents of Samburu East (SE)-Kenya; I feel the need to get involved, respond or just yearn to get heard but to most it is unclear how. The stumbling blocks and arrogance in politics is a setback; regularly characterized as one of the greatest challenges before us today, but what is to be done about it?

I would want very much to keep politics a bay but it’s just inevitable. In my personal view, politics is a necessary gentle art of getting votes from the poor, and the election funds from the rich by promising to bridge the gap between them. To explain the concept of valuables in 2012, we start from the thought that all the constituents of SE have a desire for prosperity as well as capacity to make decisions to pursue this prosperity. Towards achieving this goal, under normal circumstances, powers gradually develop around issue areas like trade and commerce, social relations, communal responsibilities and so forth. In a typical Samburu setting, these powers were universal and encompassing. For instance no one ever disputed the importance of Muratare (circumcision in Samburu); to all and sundry it is done the same way and for same reasons. Overtime these standards of practice will come to represent values of trust, responsibility, respect and honor. So how do these values relate to the social well-being for instance? If a boy gets a prize-promise during initiation, how, when and in what value form should it be paid to him? In a typical Samburu setting this defined the basic standards of values and they were pursued religiously for generations. So how does this value system impact on our responsibility today as SE residents? Does it have any significance of how we should demand to be governed, how our share of the so called national pie, however meager it is, should be managed? I do not have a definite solution to this unfortunately; I have a suggestion though, on how we can demand the effectiveness of the institutions of governance in place whether we were part of the ‘dirty game’ or not!

The enormous gap between the rich and the poor in SE today is so evident and growing. Therefore, something must be done but differently. The structural inequalities are so pronounced, unbearable and it goes beyond clan, geographical location and sadly the political class. The rules of the game (eat while you still can!) have conformed to the norms beyond clan, age, educational level, religion and most of all to the all-important tenet the ‘sanctity of public coffers’. In short, in SE you are either poor or rich, Period! Poor in the sense that at this age and time you get sent home from school to pay your school fees (more precisely SE students in Diaspora), while millions of funds are spent on building classrooms in areas with no kids to take to school; poor in the sense that despite being the ‘least populated’ tribe in Kenya, your priorities as a minority still takes back stage where national issues are debated; and poor in the sense in a district in which there is a constant threat of death due to prevalent hunger and systemic poverty, CDF contractors get paid upfront to complete non-existence projects and by extension four-wheel drives are bought to further this unscrupulous regimes interest in preparation for next general election in 2012. In the process all system values break down and we are staring at a counter-revolution where wealth rules, money talks and buys votes and worst still power is put in the hands of few ‘elite’ who have no respect for you as a person nor your right as a the rightful owner of that power they bask in. In essence, our inaction has put in place a primitive capitalist system with its bourgeois money-wielding, chest thumping and arrogant class of very few individuals controlling well over 80% of SE wealth. Welcome to our world; man eat man, unforgiving and unscrupulous pursuit of wealth at any cost. How did we get here? What happened to our society? Is there any hope for our future? Well, wake-up. This whistle goes especially to those in Diaspora who have been marginalized and neglected by many regimes for far too long. What wrong have we done to warrant us this? Yet, huge amount of money is lying in SE CDF kitty unused. What’s this money waiting for, and yet many challenges go unaddressed. In my opinion, a wrong and incompetent system is in place. I mean, how about a project manager to foresee all the projects and ensure equitable distribution of these very resources between both Archer’s Post and Wamba? Something is definitely wrong somewhere. Well, call it politics but I will call it the valuables for 2012.

Well folks, things are grim and we are at this point in history at the brink of extinction literally. If we survive the talons of this bourgeois class of man eaters, and their scramble for every little penny left in our CDF account; if we ever rise from the ashes of clan madness, sectoral politics, and generational tensions; if we ever want to move on as one and defeat these age of madness, well we need more than mere talk, endless meetings, clan affiliations and ever raging hullaballoo. We need more that wait for the so-called clan chiefs to organize meetings for us, set the agenda, set hollow unity protocols and then retire to sectorial meetings in the dead of the night at some dingy night club. We need more than feeble attempts to hit at clan barons and then coil into our shells like snails at the first challenge. We need to wipe the tears of every child who ever cried for help and instead got a blank stare of disapproval; we need to restore the faith of mothers, eroded by sleepless nights of worrying about insecurity, hunger, sickness, lack of education…; we need to earn once again the respect of the elders of this society that ours is not a lost generation of arrogant upstarts with an eroded, corrupted and misguided values. We need a revolution against this oppressive system of running things!

Therefore, can you make a difference? YES YOU CAN. However, I don’t have a definite answer to this question, but what I know for a fact is that deep down in every SE residents’ heart there is the feeling of an urgent need to make things right, the urge that tells you that it is important for things to be better than they are; the conviction that things must not just be done, but done right and in a fair manner. Well, I am telling you IT IS POSSIBLE and it can be done in our lifetime. It all goes back to the all-important value system, the guiding principles of our fore fathers, the bedrock on which just societies are built; the foundation of all prosperity, power and justice. My 2012 value system proposal is simple: fair allocation of resources, need based priorities, inclusive decision-making and above all these; honesty, honour, dependability, trust, responsibility and respect for the sanctity of public coffers. Simple and straight forward. I know it is not hard to live to these ideals; yes it can be done. More importantly, SAYING NO TO RELIEF FOOD in replacement for agricultural practices with modern tools and turning SE to be a haven for FOOD and PEACE. Tough times call for tough decisions but with the right leadership in place.

To expect everyone in our society to live up to the expectation of these ideals is utopian; doesn’t every market place have its own mad men? But it’s a little sacrifice for all who have seen the injustices perpetuated by the power barons from hell; it is our prize for a better world order in its most basic form. I want to correct the notion that politics is a dirty game. Aristotle asserts that man is indeed a political animal. If politics to you is in engaging in governance, electoral and campaign issues, you are wrong. Did you know that making ordinary decisions like choosing which friends to hang out with, which materials to read (non-academic), what things you consider important in life, are all basic political issues? So which aspects of these things do you consider dirty, or even inappropriate? Just as much these things are important to you, so should electoral, campaigns, and leadership and governance issues. It is your fundamental human right to get involved in the things that will adversely affect your life, and so the duty to ensure your voice counts in these things. The MOVEMENT FOR CHANGE is sweeping across many societies, and SE shouldn’t be left behind. Reflect on what happened in Egypt and Tunisia. The list is long and could just be a momentous call for a likewise change in the old ways of doing things in SE comes 2012.

In my view, reclaiming the power from this local bourgeoisie is important if for no other reason than that it highlights the place of ethical, moral and just management of the SE CDF. The value system helps us to articulate one of our deepest moral impulses about our responsibility in ensuring resources are used prudently feed the hungry, educate the poor, care for the sick, disabled and look after the welfare of the SE people: that the voices of the electorate is valuable. The question of whether, if we survive this oppressive class we can move forwards as one, is beyond the scope of this article at this point, however time will tell. What is clear from the terrain of the current political dispensation and by extension its successors, is that the value system mapped here has been seriously lacking and/or wanting at best chronically insufficient; our value system is to introduce and continue to articulate a shared/common moral purpose; that it must be compatible with a mission and vision of community empowerment aimed at self-determination in terms of resource utilization: a community respecting values.

Why should you care? Because you should, it’s your responsibility as a constitutional right. You have a duty towards the attainment of this common goal of institutional effectiveness, accountability and voila! Prosperity. Your role is your commitment to the common values. You have the power and I ask of you to share that power and realize how good and powerful we can become as one. If you share this and believe profoundly in it, then welcome home we belong to one clan; the poor, the oppressed, the unheard ‘bottom thousands’ of SE constituents. You are my clan because we share the same values; trust, respect, accountability, honor and good judgment, building peace in justice; you name it. THESE ARE THE THINGS WE MUST VALUE COME 2012.

End.

The writer of the article is a Postgraduate student in Oslo, Norway.
Lesiamito Malino John, Postgraduate Student in Oslo, 16.March 2011
He can be reached through email: Lesiamito@gmail.com

Kenya’s dirty Politics, a threat to a stable society

Posted by African Press International on May 8, 2012
Picture by TmashDesignsDelights
Grace Adhiambo,
Reporting from Kakamega
Kenya

While Kenyans are busy paying more for food due to lack of proper policies, politicians are getting busy with their selfish acts.

For how long will we continue having such leaders is the question Kenyans should be asking themselves. When will they ever look back and appreciate the ordinary ‘wananchi’ for getting them there?
Throughout history, politics has been considered to be a dirty game. But this does not mean politicians should wash their dirty linens in public. Not long ago Kenyans found themselves in a mess killing each other, all thanks to our politicians. The post-election violence that claimed the lives of many innocent Kenyans should have served as a lesson to our politicians.
With a number of them facing International criminal charges and still on the front line as presidential aspirants, Kenyans have a reason to get worried. How can we give room for them to rule this country? My take is that William Ruto and Uhuru Kenyatta should not be given a chance to rule this country. I do not see their ability shining leading us to accord them opportunity to such a high office in the land. What makes us believe that it is a political party that can get one to the presidential seat?

Recently our very own Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi quit then Orange democratic movement and joined United democratic forum (UDF) claiming that the party officials repeatedly declined to amend the party constitution to pave way for the presidential ticket.

Mudavadi who is the member of parliament for Sabatia constituency by virtue of his ODM party membership resigned as local government minister, and also quit as ODM deputy party leader. He said he could not resign as the deputy prime minister, claiming that he was appointed to the DPM’s office courtesy of a national reconciliation agreement which created the office with the aim of bringing harmony to Kenyans, thus – he cannot resign because they are still reconciling Kenyans through their constitutional offices.
Why should he act like he is promoting harmony when he is doing the opposite? During a rally that was held in Nakuru on Sunday 6th of May, Mudavadi attacked the prime minister saying Raila Odinga was a man ripe for retirement. This is not for him to decide. He went on to say that Raila had skeletons in his closet. Who does not have skeletons in their closet and does he have to say this in public if he really wants to see peace prevail in Kenya?
Politicians should stop taking us for a ride.

Recently, rival groups from ODM and UDF disrupted the funeral of Jason Omwera Muhoro, father to Nairobi mayor George Aladwa in Sabatia constituency. They even went ahead to bring down the tent that was sheltering the casket. This started after the Ikolomani Mp Boni Khalwale said that should Mudavadi loose his post as deputy premier, he would move vote of no-confidence against the prime minister. Opposing groups, one chanting ODM slogans and another chanting UDF went for each other.
Politicians should not be allowed to engage mourners in political speeches because most of them use funerals and church services for selfish gains. The deputy prime minister even said he was ready to work with Ruto and Uhuru Kenyatta who are Raila’s rivals.

Ruto left ODM and joined United Republican Party (URP) assuring Kenyans that he will fight drug addiction if elected, and strive to endear himself to locals by calling for increased allocations of government funds for development. He dismissed ODM saying it was a dead party.

Just like Ruto, former Cabinet minister Najib Balala who was once in ODM claims that ODM party is a shell of what it was when they started, and that it is now full of crooks. What politicians should avoid is ethnicity.

Why should we have ethnic groupings like Gema and Kamatusa? They are out to promote tribal hatred and should be abolished. Tribalism is becoming a real force to reckon with. Majority of parties formed are out to ensure that ODM does not get the presidential seat, yet they lack ideologies and policies. These are not the politicians we bargained for.

OBAMA's victory SPEECH ...... Word for Word

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Tonight, more than 200 years after a former colony won the right to determine its own destiny, the task of perfecting our union moves forward.

It moves forward because of you. It moves forward because you reaffirmed the spirit that has triumphed over war and depression, the spirit that has lifted this country from the depths of despair to the great heights of hope, the belief that while each of us will pursue our own individual dreams, we are an American family, and we rise or fall together as one nation and as one people.

Tonight, in this election, you, the American people, reminded us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back, and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America, the best is yet to come.
I want to thank every American who participated in this election. (Cheers, applause.) Whether you voted for the very first time or waited in line for a very long time — (cheers) — by the way, we have to fix that. (Cheers, applause.) Whether you pounded the pavement or picked up the phone — (cheers, applause) — whether you held an Obama sign or a Romney sign, you made your voice heard and you made a difference. (Cheers, applause.)

I just spoke with Governor Romney and I congratulated him and Paul Ryan on a hard-fought campaign. (Cheers, applause.) We may have battled fiercely, but it’s only because we love this country deeply and we care so strongly about its future. From George to Lenore to their son Mitt, the Romney family has chosen to give back to America through public service. And that is a legacy that we honor and applaud tonight. (Cheers, applause.) In the weeks ahead, I also look forward to sitting down with Governor Romney to talk about where we can work together to move this country forward.

(Cheers, applause.)

I want to thank my friend and partner of the last four years, America’s happy warrior, the best vice president anybody could ever hope for, Joe Biden. (Cheers, applause.)

And I wouldn’t be the man I am today without the woman who agreed to marry me 20 years ago. (Cheers, applause.) Let me say this publicly. Michelle, I have never loved you more. (Cheers, applause.) I have never been prouder to watch the rest of America fall in love with you too as our nation’s first lady. (Cheers, applause.)

Sasha and Malia — (cheers, applause) — before our very eyes, you’re growing up to become two strong, smart, beautiful young women, just like your mom. (Cheers, applause.) And I am so proud of you guys. But I will say that for now, one dog’s probably enough.

(Laughter.)
To the best campaign team and volunteers in the history of politics — (cheers, applause) — the best — the best ever — (cheers, applause) — some of you were new this time around, and some of you have been at my side since the very beginning.

(Cheers, applause.) But all of you are family. No matter what you do or where you go from here, you will carry the memory of the history we made together. (Cheers, applause.) And you will have the lifelong appreciation of a grateful president. Thank you for believing all the way — (cheers, applause) — to every hill, to every valley. (Cheers, applause.) You lifted me up the whole day, and I will always be grateful for everything that you’ve done and all the incredible work that you’ve put in. (Cheers, applause.)

I know that political campaigns can sometimes seem small, even silly. And that provides plenty of fodder for the cynics who tell us that politics is nothing more than a contest of egos or the domain of special interests. But if you ever get the chance to talk to folks who turned out at our rallies and crowded along a rope line in a high school gym or — or saw folks working late at a campaign office in some tiny county far away from home, you’ll discover something else.

You’ll hear the determination in the voice of a young field organizer who’s working his way through college and wants to make sure every child has that same opportunity. (Cheers, applause.) You’ll hear the pride in the voice of a volunteer who’s going door to door because her brother was finally hired when the local auto plant added another shift. (Cheers, applause.)

You’ll hear the deep patriotism in the voice of a military spouse who’s working the phones late at night to make sure that no one who fights for this country ever has to fight for a job or a roof over their head when they come home. (Cheers, applause.)

That’s why we do this. That’s what politics can be. That’s why elections matter. It’s not small, it’s big. It’s important. Democracy in a nation of 300 million can be noisy and messy and complicated. We have our own opinions. Each of us has deeply held beliefs. And when we go through tough times, when we make big decisions as a country, it necessarily stirs passions, stirs up controversy. That won’t change after tonight. And it shouldn’t. These arguments we have are a mark of our liberty, and we can never forget that as we speak, people in distant nations are risking their lives right now just for a chance to argue about the issues that matter — (cheers, applause) — the chance to cast their ballots like we did today.

But despite all our differences, most of us share certain hopes for America’s future.
We want our kids to grow up in a country where they have access to the best schools and the best teachers — (cheers, applause) — a country that lives up to its legacy as the global leader in technology and discovery and innovation — (scattered cheers, applause) — with all of the good jobs and new businesses that follow.

We want our children to live in an America that isn’t burdened by debt, that isn’t weakened up by inequality, that isn’t threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet. (Cheers, applause.)

We want to pass on a country that’s safe and respected and admired around the world, a nation that is defended by the strongest military on earth and the best troops this — this world has ever known — (cheers, applause) — but also a country that moves with confidence beyond this time of war to shape a peace that is built on the promise of freedom and dignity for every human being.

We believe in a generous America, in a compassionate America, in a tolerant America open to the dreams of an immigrant’s daughter who studies in our schools and pledges to our flag — (cheers, applause) — to the young boy on the south side of Chicago who sees a life beyond the nearest street corner — (cheers, applause) — to the furniture worker’s child in North Carolina who wants to become a doctor or a scientist, an engineer or an entrepreneur, a diplomat or even a president.

That’s the — (cheers, applause) — that’s the future we hope for.

(Cheers, applause.) That’s the vision we share. That’s where we need to go — forward. (Cheers, applause.) That’s where we need to go. (Cheers, applause.)

Now, we will disagree, sometimes fiercely, about how to get there. As it has for more than two centuries, progress will come in fits and starts. It’s not always a straight line. It’s not always a smooth path. By itself, the recognition that we have common hopes and dreams won’t end all the gridlock, resolve all our problems or substitute for the painstaking work of building consensus and making the difficult compromises needed to move this country forward.

But that common bond is where we must begin. Our economy is recovering. A decade of war is ending. (Cheers, applause.) A long campaign is now over. (Cheers, applause.) And whether I earned your vote or not, I have listened to you. I have learned from you. And you’ve made me a better president. And with your stories and your struggles, I return to the White House more determined and more inspired than ever about the work there is to do and the future that lies ahead. (Cheers, applause.)

Tonight you voted for action, not politics as usual. (Cheers, applause.) You elected us to focus on your jobs, not ours.

And in the coming weeks and months, I am looking forward to reaching out and working with leaders of both parties to meet the challenges we can only solve together — reducing our deficit, reforming out tax code, fixing our immigration system, freeing ourselves from foreign oil. We’ve got more work to do. (Cheers, applause.)

But that doesn’t mean your work is done. The role of citizens in our democracy does not end with your vote. America’s never been about what can be done for us; it’s about what can be done by us together, through the hard and frustrating but necessary work of self- government. (Cheers, applause.) That’s the principle we were founded on.

This country has more wealth than any nation, but that’s not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military in history, but that’s not what makes us strong. Our university, our culture are all the envy of the world, but that’s not what keeps the world coming to our shores. What makes America exceptional are the bonds that hold together the most diverse nation on Earth, the belief that our destiny is shared — (cheers, applause) — that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations, so that the freedom which so many Americans have fought for and died for come with responsibilities as well as rights, and among those are love and charity and duty and patriotism. That’s what makes America great. (Cheers, applause.)

I am hopeful tonight because I have seen this spirit at work in America. I’ve seen it in the family business whose owners would rather cut their own pay than lay off their neighbors and in the workers who would rather cut back their hours than see a friend lose a job. I’ve seen it in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb and in those SEALs who charged up the stairs into darkness and danger because they knew there was a buddy behind them watching their back. (Cheers, applause.) I’ve seen it on the shores of New Jersey and New York, where leaders from every party and level of government have swept aside their differences to help a community rebuild from the wreckage of a terrible storm. (Cheers, applause.)

And I saw it just the other day in Mentor, Ohio, where a father told the story of his 8-year-old daughter whose long battle with leukemia nearly cost their family everything had it not been for health care reform passing just a few months before the insurance company was about to stop paying for her care. (Cheers, applause.) I had an opportunity to not just talk to the father but meet this incredible daughter of his. And when he spoke to the crowd, listening to that father’s story, every parent in that room had tears in their eyes because we knew that little girl could be our own.

And I know that every American wants her future to be just as bright. That’s who we are. That’s the country I’m so proud to lead as your president. (Cheers, applause.)

And tonight, despite all the hardship we’ve been through, despite all the frustrations of Washington, I’ve never been more hopeful about our future. (Cheers, applause.) I have never been more hopeful about America. And I ask you to sustain that hope.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: We got your back, Mr. President!

PRESIDENT OBAMA: I’m not talking about blind optimism, the kind of hope that just ignores the enormity of the tasks ahead or the road blocks that stand in our path. I’m not talking about the wishful idealism that allows us to just sit on the sidelines or shirk from a fight. I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting. (Cheers, applause.)

America, I believe we can build on the progress we’ve made and continue to fight for new jobs and new opportunities and new security for the middle class. I believe we can keep the promise of our founding, the idea that if you’re willing to work hard, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from or what you look like or where you love (ph). It doesn’t matter whether you’re black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or young or old or rich or poor, abled, disabled, gay or straight. (Cheers, applause.) You can make it here in America if you’re willing to try.

(Cheers, applause.)

I believe we can seize this future together because we are not as divided as our politics suggests. We’re not as cynical as the pundits believe. We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states. We are, and forever will be, the United States of America. (Cheers, applause.)

And together, with your help and God’s grace, we will continue our journey forward and remind the world just why it is that we live in the greatest nation on earth. (Cheers, applause.) Thank you, America. (Cheers, applause.) God bless you. God bless these United States. (Cheers, applause.)

The eRumor, True or fictitious?

Summary of the eRumor:
A forwarded email with examples of untimely deaths of people who mocked God. The email quotes Galatians 6:7 and lists a group of people who all mocked God and died. The first example is of former Beatle John Lennon who said that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus. Also included in the list are Marilyn Monroe, a rock singer who sang that he was on a "Highway to Hell", a Brazilian president elect, a Brazilian singer and the man who built the RMS Titanic.

The Truth:
This eRumor suggests that God wiped out certain people for statements they made about him. Whether that is true is known only to God, but we can explore whether they really made the statements attributed to them.

John Lennon (1940-1980) did say in 1966, "Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue about that. I'm right and I will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now. I don't know which will go first - rock n' roll or Christianity." Fourteen years later, Lennon was shot dead by Mark David Chapman in New York City on December 8, 1980.

The American teen magazine "Datebook" reprinted the "We're more popular than Jesus" interview which caused a stir of protests and a rash of Beatle record and memorabilia burnings on the streets in the US. Beatles manager, Brian Epstein released a statement saying that the words of John Lennon had been taken out of context and while in Chicago Lennon and the Beatles called a press conference and apologized to the world for his comment.

The band heard of threats from the Ku Klux Klan, predictions that they would all die in a plane crash or a hurricane. This was about 2 years after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the band made a decision to stop touring and focus their attention to work in the recording studio.


You can see John Lennon's Comments about Jesus on YouTube.

John Lennon was a Rock and Roll musician who started the popular British Invasion Band called the the Beatles in the 1960's. Lennon and co-writer Paul McCartney wrote hundreds of songs together along with George Harrison and Ringo Star and together they remained at the top of the charts for nearly a decade.

Lennon was notorious for his little quips and often answered reporter's questions off answers the top of his head. One of the earliest remarks like these was when asked how the Beatles found America, Lennon responded, "Turn left at Greenland."

The Fab Four might have began in England but they gained European popularity in the rock and roll school of hard knocks working the taverns of Hamburg Germany. The band returned to England where they were discovered playing at a nightclub by Brian Epstein who landed them a record deal and there first hits "Please Please Me" and "Love Me Do" skyrocketed them to fame. Their 1963 US tour the U.S. included a Sunday Night live performance on the Ed Sullivan Show which introduced the for mop tops to the nearly every American family. The band had a long run on the hit parade and in 1969 broke up and each Beatle pursued their individual solo careers. In the Beatles Anthology documentary , George Harrison said, "They gave their money and they gave their screams, but the Beatles kind of gave their nervous systems. Which is, you know, much more difficult thing to give."

In his book, "Skywriting By Word of Mouth", Lennon wrote that he and the group had grown weary of touring and thanked Jesus for the comment that drove the band from the road and into the studio where they recorded their most creative projects.

After the breakup of the band, John Lennon wrote a couple of songs about God. In his first solo album Lennon wrote, "God is a concept, by which we can measure, our pain." This was a song where John list Beatles, Bible, Jesus, Zimmerman (Bob Dylan), kings, yoga, Kennedy, and mantra as things that he does not believe in and says he just believes in himself and his wife Yoko.

Seven years before his death, in 1973, Lennon's biggest solo hit entitled "Imagine" included the lyrics, Imagine there's no Heaven, it's easy if you try. No Hell below us, above us only sky." Many interpreted the song to be a message against religion but this was John Lennon vision of the world living in peace and not fighting over spiritual ideals or materialism.

The question is, why would God wait so long to smite John Lennon?

Tancredo Neves (1910-1985) He was elected president of Brazil in January 1985. Neves underwent surgery before his inauguration and was unable to take office. Vice president elect José Sarney Costa temporarily assumed the presidency. Neves never recovered and died from complications following his surgery. We have not found any evidence that he made the statement about God.

Cazuza (4 April 1958 – 7 July 1990) was a Brazilian composer, singer and poet who was noted for mixing the Bosse Nova with British and American Popular music styles. According to his obituary in the July 8, 1990 New York Times, the openly bisexual Cazuza died of aids at the age of 32, not lung cancer. We have not found any evidence that he mocked God. Click for obit.

Marilyn Monroe (1926 - 1962) was married at the age to 21 to her first husband, Jimmy Dougherty. According to the bio on Monroe's official web site, Dougherty, said of his wife, "She was a sweet, generous and religious girl." Monroe was reared as a foster child in a devoutly Christian family in Hawthorne, California but there is not much information about what her spiritual beliefs were before she died. Monroe's death was ruled to be "acute barbiturate poisoning" by Los Angeles County Coroner, Dr. Thomas Noguchi. A spokesperson for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association told TruthOrFiction.com that there was no discussion between Marilyn Monroe and Billy Graham.

Bonn Scott (July 9th, 1946 - February 19, 1980) was the co-writer of the ACDC 1979 popular song "Highway to Hell" and at the age of 33 was pronounced dead on arrival at Kings College in London, England. The cause of death was asphyxiation as a result of vomiting after passing out after a night of heavy alcohol consumption. The song Highway to Hell lyrics referred to the self destructive lifestyle of the rock and roll artist with the lyrics: "Hey Satan, payin' my dues. Playing in a rocking band. Hey Momma, look at me I'm on my way to the promised land. I'm on the highway to hell."

The RMS Titanic was built in 1911 for the White Star Line at the the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast in the United Kingdom. According to the archives.gov web site an unknown White Star Line employee at the time of Titanic's launch on May 31, 1911 said, "Not even God himself could sink this ship." It is not known who this person was or if in fact he built the Titanic.

TruthorFiction.com is still investigating the other stories in this eRumor.

The Bible quotation in the eRumor taken from Galatians 6:7 but was used out context to the text surrounding it. The Apostle Paul's letter to the Galatians is about Grace, Christian living and the sixth chapter warns against being condescending and instructs on helping others who fall into sin.

updated 07/02/09

Edited ......the eRumor as it has appeared on the Internet:
DID YOU KNOW THESE FACTS? I SURE DIDN'T TILL NOW

Death is certain but the Bible speaks about untimely death!

Make a personal reflection about this.....

Very interesting, read until the end.....

It is written in the Bible (Galatians 6:7):

'Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sow, that shall he also reap.

Here are some men and women who mocked God :

John Lennon (Singer):

Some years before, during his interview with an American Magazine, he said:

'Christianity will end, it will disappear. I do not have to argue about that. I am certain. Jesus was ok, but his subjects were too simple, today we are more famous than Him' (1966).

Lennon, after saying that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ, was shot six times.


Tancredo Neves (President of Brazil ):

During the Presidential campaign, he said if he got 500,000 votes from his party, not even God would remove him from Presidency.

Sure he got the votes, but he got sick a day before being made President, then he died.


Cazuza (Bi-sexual Brazilian composer, singer and poet):

During A show in Canecio ( Rio de Janeiro ), While smoking his cigarette, he puffed out some smoke into the air and said:'God, that's for you.'

He died at the age of 32 of LUNG CANCER in a horrible manner.


The man who built the Titanic

After the construction of Titanic, a reporter asked him how safe the Titanic would be. With an ironic tone he said:

'Not even God can sink it' The result: I think you all know what happened to the Titanic



Marilyn Monroe (Actress)

She was visited by Billy Graham during a presentation of a show. He said the Spirit of God had sent him to preach to her. After hearing what the Preacher had to say, she said: 'I don't need your Jesus'. A week later, she was found dead in her apartment

Bon Scott (Singer)


The ex-vocalist of the AC/DC. On one of his 1979 songs he sang: 'Don't stop me; I'm going down all the way, down the highway to hell'. On the 19th of February 1980, Bon Scott was found dead, he had been choked by his own vomit.




Campinas (IN 2005)

In Campinas , Brazil a group of friends, drunk, went to pick up a friend..... The mother accompanied her to the car and was so worried about the drunkenness of her friends and she said to the daughter holding her hand, who was already seated in the car:

'My Daughter, Go With God And May He Protect You.'
She responded: 'Only If He (God) Travels In The Trunk, Cause Inside Here.....It's Already Full '

Hours later, news came by that they had been involved in a fatal accident, everyone had died, the car could not be recognized what type of car it had been, but surprisingly, the trunk was intact. The police said there was no way the trunk could have remained intact. To their surprise, inside the trunk was a crate of eggs, none was broken

Christine Hewitt (Jamaican Journalist and entertainer) said the Bible (Word of God) was the worst book ever written.

In June 2006 she was found burnt beyond recognition in her motor vehicle. Many more important people have forgotten that there is no other name that was given so much authority as the name of Jesus.

Many have died, but only Jesus died and rose again, and he is still alive.

'Jesus'

PS: If it was a joke, you would have sent it to everyone. So are you going to have courage to send this?.

I have done my part, Jesus said 'If you are embarrassed about me, I will also be embarrassed about you before my father.'

You are my 8 in 8 seconds. I am not breaking this. No way!

I'M TOLD THIS WORKS!!!!! Bishop T.D. Jakes '8 Second Prayer.' Just repeat this prayer and see how God moves!!

'Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus' name. Amen.'

45 LESSONS LIFE TAUGHT ME.

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more … ” Anonymous, I couldn’t find the attribution!

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short – enjoy it..

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it..

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful. Clutter weighs you down in many ways.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to be happy. But it’s all up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive but don’t forget.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does..

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. Accept what you already have not what you want.

Young And Rich Kenyans Under 40

Forget those you see flossing at social scenes or in music videos, these are the Kenyans living a life on the fabulous lane. DAVID ODONGO reveals some of Kenya’s young self-made tycoons.

They claim to have come a long way. They all hail from humble backgrounds and claim to be involved in legitimate businesses. These relatively unknown but wealthy Kenyans under 40 are going places. Whoever said that life begins at 40 might have not considered about these daredevils who a living large under 40 and own a fortune. We look at entrepreneurs who have made it against all odds.

In showbiz circles, the story of Homeboyz Entertainment is well documented. The company owned by the Rabar brothers is a now a conglomerate which rakes in good cash from events, radios, animations et al. Then there are the likes of DJ Stylez-led Code Red, Blackstar Entertainment and Kevin Ombajo’s Trublaq, which are making a kill.

Individual musicians like Nameless and Jaguar are also laughing all the way to the bank.

Away from entertainment there are young men and women doing well. Lawyers like Don Kipkorir are living large. Well, are these Kenyans the richest under 40?

Brian Gacara

Age: 27 years

Title: Managing Partner at Property Reality and Cape Gardens, a real estate firm.

Background: At 23 years, was the regional director for Tetra Pak, West Africa. Ventured in timber business, before eventually branching into real estate. Currently building a 120 units estate along Mombasa Road valued at Sh800 million. Also building luxury apartments in Kiambu and Nakuru. Gacara has also spread his wings to Rwanda where he is building a hotel. He is also involved in commodity importation. His other businesses include packaging and selling locally produced rice as well as large-scale farming.

First business venture: Selling timber.

Advice to the youth: As a young person you bubble with energy and ideas and it is the best time to get into business.

Holiday destinations: Any place in Kenya does it for me.

Residence: A penthouse in Keleleshwa.

Ride: A Mercedes Kompressor

Marital status: Single and not searching. I am too busy. It will be unfair to have a girlfriend whom I never get time to spend with. But definitely, I plan to get married and raise a family. However, I must be able to provide for them.

Most expensive habit: Treating friends and clients. I once spent 1,000 dollars (Sh82,000) a night.

Net worth: Below Sh600 million.

Contacts: My contacts are at www.propertyreality.co.ke

Kevin Muringa

Age: 40

Title: Group Chief Executive Officer of several companies with interests in construction, transport, real estate, import and export of cereals, large scale farming in Sudan and Angola. Dealing with Petroleum Products.

Background: As a high school pupil he started buying cows and selling them to Kenya Meat Commission. He made his first million at 20 years. He bought his first car at 21 and it was a Mercedes S Class. At 23 years he bought his first house in South B.

First business venture: Selling cows.

Advice to youth: Nothing comes easy. Dreams can only be true if you wake up and work on them. I am a staunch Catholic and prayers work miracles. I thank God for all I have. And as Steve Jobs said, why should I be the richest man in the cemetery? I give back to the society as well.

Holiday destinations: Two holidays per year to Bahamas, Dubai, Turkey or Mombasa. This Easter he plans to travel to Israel with his family.

Residences: Several homes in Kenya but currently moving to a Sh270 million house with expansive gardens in Westlands area.

Ride: Owns a cargo Boeing 767 and a 10,000 tonnes ocean liner. His collection of cars includes BMW 3 Series, BMW X5, Range Rover Sports, two Ford Off Road, a H2 Hummer and convertible Mustang.

Marital status: Married.

Most expensive habit: When young, I used to hire choppers every weekend to fly me out of Nairobi with a few friends. I am now too old for that. I would rather spend the money on charity.

Net worth: My war chest to campaign for Nairobi Governor is Sh2 billion, so you can guess my net worth.

Hussein Mohammed

Age: 34 years

Title: CEO

Company: Humora Holdings with interest in real estate, green energy, construction, stocks and securities and hospitality.

Background: I come from a humble background, grew up in the slums. I know what hard life is.

First business venture: Designing and selling uniforms while still in high school. There after, I got employed. At 25, I was the national head of sales for Safaricom. I resigned a year later to focus on my business and I have no regrets.

Advice to the youth: Believe in yourself. Never give up. I have failed so many times than I have succeeded, but the successes have been astounding! It’s never too late or too early to start a business.

Holiday destinations: Two holidays a year. We love Cape Town, Thailand, or the United States.

Residence: Own house, a four-bedroom home in Westlands.

Ride: Prado TX and Mercedes E-Class

Marital Status: I am married with two lovely kids.

Most expensive habit: CSR, as a company, we have spent more than Sh50 million on Xtreme Sports, which is the charity venture for my businesses.

Net worth: Below Sh600 million.

Stephen Chorio

Age: 27 years

Title: Managing Director

Company: Lace Group, which has interest in luxury beauty products, chain of salons, Real estate, supply of electricity poles in Uganda and South Sudan and Car hire.

Background: Marketing degree for Methodist University. Worked at Barclays for five years before venturing into business.

First business venture: Hair salon along Ngong Road.

Advice to youth: You can have all the money in the world but no peace of mind, so do what you enjoy.

Holiday destinations: Dubai. I love desert safaris. Locally, Mombasa does it for me.

Residence: Sh12 million house in Riara.

Ride: Toyota Prado TX and 2010 Range Rover Sports

Marital status: Married with one daughter.

Most expensive habit: Clothes, hosting parties, and membership to private and exclusive golf and leisure clubs.

Mwanga Steve

Age: 36 years

Title: Managing Director at Huddersfield Group, with interests in Aviation, Agriculture, Transport, Farm machinery and equipment

Background: Business Administration degree from a US university. Started business in early 20s.

First business venture: Farming

Advice to youth: Since the youth constitute 70 per cent of the population we have the power to change Kenya. Work hard. Holiday destinations: Turkey, where I usually shop

source: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/InsidePage.php?id=2000049879&cid=123

"African Girl" - Debuting Kenyan-born songbird Naomi Wachira

Debuting Kenyan-born songbird Naomi Wachira

One of our favourite things, at Diasporan Darlings, is to receive emails/tweets/Facebook messages from our readers informing us of individuals or organisations that they believe other Diasporan Darlings readers would want to know more about. A few weeks back an email landed in our inbox touting the musical talents of oneNaomi Wachira who had launched her debut album, “African Girl” that very day.

We were less than 30 seconds into listening to the title track, “African Girl” when we realised that we had found someone special who could not only sing fabulously but that Naomi effortlessly crooned and shared the challenges of diasporan living.  To say we were sold, is a bit of an understatement 

Let us introduce to Africa’s latest songbird phenomenon, Naomi Wachira.

——————————————————–

DD: Congratulations on the recent launch of your debut album! That is a great achievement. Would you explain to the Diasporan Darlings readers what inspired you to create an album and your introduction into the musical realm?

NW:: Thank you it is an amazing accomplishment for me. I’ve wanted to record for almost 18 years and felt that as an artist I had reached a level of maturity where I could finally do something professionally. As for introduction to music, it has always been a part me. My mom says I started singing before I could talk and by age 5 I was singing in my parents’ choir. The first time I wrote as song was at 15 and I taught myself how to play guitar at 27, and now here I am.

DD: What have been the challenges of creating and releasing an album?

NW: Finding the right people to work with has always been a challenge because stylistically I bring something different.

It was hard to find someone that didn’t try to push me into a genre that didn’t seem to fit. Thankfully, the two friends I worked with, Justin Froese and Zach Fluery, were so great to work with because they were careful to maintain the originality of my songs, but also bring amazing ideas to create what you now hear. As for releasing, I’m doing this independently with no record labels or agents, so it’s definitely a challenge getting my music out to the masses as I’m relying mostly on word of mouth.

DD: How can DD readers get their hands on your album?

NW: You can my debut album, “African Girl”  on iTunes and Amazon worldwide. I’m still trying to figure a way to make it available in Africa.

*DD readers, please note that as of Tuesday 4th December 2012, Apple has launched its online iTunes store in South Africa.

DD: Where on the African continent are you originally from exactly?

NW: I was born and raised in a town called Kijabe in Kenya.

DD: How did you end up being based in the United States of America?

NW: I moved here when I was 19 to attend college and decided to stick around. 5 years ago I moved to Seattle to pursue a graduate degree and that’s when I discovered an incredible music community that has become my stepping stone for trying to turn music into a career.

DD: As an African diasporan what would you say are the personal benefits of not living in your home country?

NW: Easy access to resources. It’s great that while working a full time job I was able to fund my project, with help from a few friends, and still support my family back home.

DD: If you had to provide three (3) vital pieces of advice to give budding African musicians hoping to release an album or break into the music industry in the diaspora, what would they be?

NW:

1. Find people who get your vision and won’t try to turn you into something you’re not.

2. No matter what, trust your instincts.

3. Learn to trust the process.

DD: Do you have a website? Are you active on social media networking platforms, how can your prospective fans find out more about you?

NW: I’m mostly active on Facebook and Twitter

DD: We have compiled a few incomplete sentences with sections requiring completion, which are denoted by the ellipses. To allow our DD readers to get to know you a bit better:

1. I consider my greatest achievement to be …

NW: Definitely getting to record and release this album and my 3 year old daughter.

2. A country in Africa I have always wanted to visit is…because…

NW: This is a tough one, but right now it would be Ethiopia, because my best friend lives there.

3. My favourite musician / musical influence is … because …

NW: I’ll cheat a little here because there are two musicians I’ve really admired:

a. Miriam Makeba because her magnetism as a performer and charge towards social change have always stuck with me.
b. Tracy Chapman is another one. She was the first black woman I saw playing guitar and her style is so unique. Their songs tell incredibly honest stories with simplicity and deep conviction.

4. When I get homesick I crave…because…

NW: Good food and the sun! Chapati and nyama choma (roasted meat) are my favourite foods. Because I live in Seattle where the sun makes a rare appearance, I really miss that blazing African sun!

5. To me Africa means…

NW: Privilege.

——————————————————

Additional Information:

Debut of select songs from debut album, “African Girl”:  http://bit.ly/VxjsOQ & http://bit.ly/Up4MAG
Facebook:    www.facebook.com/Imanafricangirl
Twitter:         www.twitter.com/imanafricangirl

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