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They Hit 16 Different Places In 7 Days. Now 2,000 People Are Dead.

I didn't hear about this on the news. Did you?

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So ... what happened, exactly?

While the details are still sketchy, what we do know so far is:

  • The militant terrorist group Boko Haram (which has been linked to the kidnapping of over 200 Nigerian school girls) is allegedly responsible.
  • They unleashed a shooting and bombing spree on innocent people around Baga, a village in northern Nigeria.
  • The total lives lost is reported as "up to 2,000" across 16 villages. The body count is currently unclear due to conflicting reports between eyewitnesses and the Nigerian government.
  • The attacks began at a military outpost on Jan. 3, made their way to Baga on the 7th, and lasted until about the 10th, with three additional but separate suicide bombings over the weekend. That's almost a full week of violent, deadly attacks.
  • The youngest reported suicide bomber was a 10-year-old girl. Yeah. They used a 10-year-old girl as a bomb.
  • Mostly women and children were killed, and thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes.
  • Conflicting reports aside, this is the most devastating attack linked to Boko Haram to date.
"This attack reiterates the urgent need for Boko Haram to stop the senseless killing of civilians and for the Nigerian government to take measures to protect a population who live in constant fear of such attacks." — Daniel Eyre, Amnesty International

With details still unfolding and the major media organizations only just now starting to pay attention to this story, the best way to stay updated is through social media using the hastag #PrayForNigeria on both Facebook and Twitter. (Warning: some graphic images.)

Culture

Muhammad Ali's 'mama, how come everything is white?' interview sounds as relevant as ever

It is safe to say that the wise words of Muhammad Ali stands the test of time. Widely considered to be the greatest heavyweight boxer the world has ever seen, the legacy of Ali extends far beyond his pugilistic endeavors. Throughout his career, he spoke out about racial issues and injustices. The brash Mohammed Ali (or who we once knew as Cassius Clay) was always on point with his charismatic rhetoric— despite being considered arrogant at times. Even so, he had a perspective that was difficult to argue with.

As a massive boxing fan—and a huge Ali fan—I have never seen him more calm and to the point then in this recently posted BBC video from 1971. Although Ali died in 2016, at 74 years old, his courage inside and outside the ring is legendary. In this excerpt, Ali explained to Michael Parkinson about how he used to ask his mother about white representation. Even though the interview is nearly 50 years old, it shows exactly how far we need to come as a country on the issues of racial inclusion and equality.


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