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Lunacy: Tea Party Wants to Scrub Slavery History from Textbooks

It was bad enough when Gov. Haley Barbour tried to pretend the Citizens Council were the good guys. It's bad enough when people go around saying that the Civil War and Confederacy had nothing to do with slavery. (Right: read this.) Now, we have the Tea Party up in Tennessee (and probably elsewhere) trying to rewrite the history books to take out the stuff that makes them really uncomfortable. Folks, read Orwell. We can't throw our history down the "memory hole"--if we do, we damn sure are doomed to repeat it.

Brett Favre Says Goodbye To The NFL For A Third Time

Could it be that the old saying 'third time's a charm' holds some weight this time? Two sources have told Foxsports.com that Brett Favre has filed his retirement papers with the league office today.

Ruth Chris Steakhouse in Ridgeland Gets Foot-In-Mouth Disease

I received an e-mail from a colleague today–one that was most interesting to say the least. It's not often that you get folks to put IN WRITING what they're really thinking. Especially in management, you're free to "think" whatever you wish, but smart money says it's not good for business to openly make, ummm, "controversial" remarks.

GOP Rep Calls for Gun Ban; Gun Control Discussion Starting?

According to Politico.com, New York Republican Peter King plans to introduce a bill in the House that would make it illegal to carry a gun with 1,000 feet of high-ranking Federal officials, including members of Congress.

Reactions to Gov Barbour's Speech/Ariz Shootings Tonight 7pm on Direct Line

For those of you who dont know, Ive been named the new host of TV23's Direct Line. An hour-long Live News Talk show devoted to adressing the day's top issues. It airs every Tuesday at 7pm on Cable 14, Direct TV, or channel 23 in Jackson if you dont have cable. Tonight our roundtable will give reaction to the Gov's speech AND we'll talk about the Arizona shootings. You can call in 601 914 0064 or you can tweet in your questions by following and tweeting @directlinetv23.

Hey Jackson! Old School HipHop Icon Doug E. Fresh LIVE on Saturday

It isnt often that Jackson the kind of music events that will attract music lovers both young and old. Both Black and White. But I honestly believe if youre an old-school fan like I am, you dont want to miss Saturday night at Dreamz. The original "Human Beat Box" as he was coined back in the golden age of Hip Hop, DOUG. E. FRESHA will be appearing live and doing what he does best. He's recently experienced a revival of his career after the new dance craze "The Dougie" swept the nation and was the subject of several new songs. Doug E. made the dance famous years ago and will make his 2nd trip to Jackson. So who saying there isnt anything to do in downtown? If you can, grab some friends and come down Saturday Night. Doors open at 9pm.

Arizona Shootings Offer A Pivotal Moment

Since the horrifying assassination attempt on Saturday, which left a wonderful little girl, a judge and several other Americans dead, America has come face-to-face to the level of violence possible at the hands of people who claim to hate the U.S. government. It is giving us the opportunity to change the tone of politics—which has become more vicious and, disturbingly, violent in recent years, especially since Sarah Palin started scaring the dickens out of people at campaign rallies. And, yes, the man who acted out against the people in Arizona was mentally disturbed, but people who act out on violent rhetoric often are. That doesn't take the violent rhetoric off the hook.

Saints v. Seattle Preview: Run Reggie, Run!

The question on the mind of Saints fans everywhere is probably a pretty straightforward one if they've watched the injury reports over the past few days... with Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory both out for the season, can Reggie Bush, former Heisman trophy winner (and returner) and #2 pick in the 2006 draft truly the franchise back for the New Orleans Saints? Can he run north and south? Is he a threat if the Saints give him 20-25 touches? Is he fully healed from the broken leg he suffered early in the year?

Administration Reveals Deep Military Cuts; GOP Spends $1 Mil Reading Constitution

While the GOP spent its time today in the House reading a politically-corrected version of the Constitution for the cameras (at an estimated cost of $1.1 million) Raw Story reports that the Obama Administration has announced cuts to the military that nearly meet the GOP's first-year austerity pledge. Think they timed that one on purpose?

False equalization on domestic abuse only hurts the fight against it

It always make me cringe and fidget whenever someone answers a clear case of discrimination, or other un-nicety common among a certain group of people, with, "Well, so-and-so does it, too." We've always heard it here in Mississippi from apologists for white supremacy and racism, but I also hear it way too often when the subject of domestic abuse comes up. If you mention the epidemic of male violence against women, way too many people—men and women—will respond immediately that women do it to men, too, thus trying to negate that, overwhelmingly, women are the vast majority of domestic-abuse targets. It helps nothing, and actually hurts the cause, especially considering that one of the big challenges behind fighting domestic abuse is getting people of both genders to understand the roots of the problem and that "boys will be boys" attitude undergirds so much violence against women and girls. And the only purpose of this false equalization is to make some people more comfortable, not to solve the problem. Tackling these kinds of issues aren't supposed to be comfortable; in fact, just the opposite.

Is the Tea party the ‘last gasp of the 55-year-old generation'?

Well, duh. In Raw Story piece, Howard Dean states the obvious, but the not often said: The Tea Party is clearly an effort by people scared by the nation's growing diversity; thus, its hysteria over immigration, regardless of the real facts. I've believed this for a while now; younger generations welcome diversity and are more likely to notice the lack of it. Older generations are more likely to be scared by culture-mixing. Dean is more partisan than I am--not sure I agree with all his comments about Obama's liberal base--but I do like that he dares to speak up about Americans who fear, or have disdain for, diversity.

U.S. Chamber to GOP—Wait…But… We Like Roads!

Here's a fun one from the Careful What You Wish For Dept. (care of the Wall Street Journal) it turns that the U.S. Chamber is not 100% happy with all of the cutty-budgety talk they're hearing from the GOP:

Are The Saints The Best Team In The NFC Playoffs?

The NFL regular season is over and the playoffs are set to begin this week. Over in the AFC the New England Patriots look like heavy favorites.

House GOP Freshmen Throw Lavish Party

Story out of Politico.com suggests that not everyone in the GOP is happy about the lavish fundraiser that's planned for GOP incoming freshmen this week. The $2,500-per-plate event features a show by country star LeAnn Rimes -- and an opportunity for top-shelf lobbyists to meet and greet the right-wing Congressional newbies. (Rimes recently admitted to an extramarital affair, writes Politico, giving rise to the argument that the entertainment choice isn't currently a "family values" paragon.)

Former Yazoo Resident Talks Back to Barbour about Real Race History

With long-time white journalists like Wyatt Emmerich (Northside Sun) and Sid Salter (Clarion-Ledger) carrying water for Gov. Haley Barbour by excusing away his reprehensible and revisionist remarks about racism in Yazoo City, it is refreshing to see another white male journalist take a different approach. Read Robbie Ward's amazing column in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal: