Opinion

OPINION: ‘Star Wars’ and Blerds

In 2017, being labeled a black nerd, or a blerd, is seemingly a badge of honor. But a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, being labeled a blerd did not reside anywhere in the realm of "cool" or "popular."

EDITORIAL: Time for Evidence-based Crime Prevention at JPD

As this year comes to a close, so will Jackson Police Chief Lee Vance's 30-year career in the Jackson Police Department, who announced his retirement on Dec. 20.

OPINION: The Business of Us All

I settled comfortably into my favorite chair one recent night and began watching the best Christmas movie ever: the 1951 version of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol."

OPINION: Telling the Rest of the Civil Rights Story

It took a while, but I soon learned (not soon enough) that the opening day and bicentennial celebration of the Museum of Mississippi History and more specifically the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum struck a nerve in my life.

EDITORIAL: Not Addressing Statewide Health Is Short-Sighted

Workforce development, continuing education and job training are all important but really quite futile without a long-term plan for the Mississippians to take those jobs. People must be healthy in order to go to school, find work and stay in jobs.

OPINION: Separate But Unequal

On Saturday, Dec. 9, I was lucky enough to attend the historic opening of the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Tis the Season to Stop Judging the Poor

Bare feet don't have bootstraps. You catapult from day-to-day, trying to stay ahead enough not to go hungry or have the lights turned off, even if you eat milk and cornbread for supper a lot.

OPINION: We Must Continue the Journey of Reconciliation

Mississippi was at the center of much of the racial strife of the fifties and sixties, and even now Mississippi still has much work to do to stamp out the legacy of racism and hatred entirely. But I can acknowledge that the museum is a step in the right direction.

OPINION: JPS: The Future of the World

I recently walked into the asthma and allergy clinic to get my monthly allergy shot. I slid my ID card through the slot and waited. The only other patient, an older white woman, struck up a conversation. After the initial pleasantries, she asked, "What school do you go to?"

EDITORIAL: Legislature Needs to Address Teacher Shortages

Technically, if districts on probation due to a lack of licensed staff can't come up with certified staff by next July, they could be in danger of losing their accreditation, and they means a state takeover. It is time to look at solutions beyond takeovers to address teacher shortages, however.

OPINION: Mississippi’s More Revolutionary Museum

This past weekend, national media descended on Jackson for the opening of the 2 Mississippi Museums, especially after it was announced that President Trump would be taking part in the festivities.

Truth and Pandering as Mississippi History, Civil Rights Museums Open

When the 90-year-old man slipped into the open seat next to me, the opening ceremony for Mississippi's duo of history museums was about to start.

OPINION: Bridging the Tech Gap

Media literacy is a necessary step in bridging the technological gap, especially the question of adoption, and a partnership with Gallardo and his team may go a long way in helping ISPs understand the rural culture of Mississippi and the challenges its people face.

EDITORIAL: Trump Should Not Speak at Museums’ Opening

Trump, who waffled and botched a "many sides" response to the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., earlier this year, could speak at the opening of a museum he arguably knows nothing about.

OPINION: Creating a Movement

I almost majored in history during college, but since my memory for facts and dates has always been a little shoddy, I decided not to go that route. I ended up choosing journalism because even if I can't remember facts, I know how to tell a good story, and journalism is a good opportunity to always learn something new.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Trump Crashes Mississippi’s Coming-out Party

Inviting Trump is a lurid distraction from what the civil-rights museum finally admits about Mississippi, even using state dollars to tell these truths. Maybe that's why Bryant invited him.

EDITORIAL: We Need Policies for People, Not for Profit

It is time to start talking about how policies affect people on a literal, physical, visceral level.

OPINION: What It Will Take to Reduce Youth Crime

When it comes to tackling youth crime, Jackson is at the intersection of Concern and Encouragement.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Media, Cops: Choose Crime Solutions Over Perp Shows

It has never occurred to me to call up the police and ask them to stage a special "perp walk" so I can send someone to photograph someone accused of a crime. And I would certainly never request the depraved privilege of capturing images of a juvenile accused of killing another child.

OPINION: The Trojan Horse of Education

My high school had one, and maybe yours did, too—the toughest teacher in the school.

OPINION: The More You Know: What’s Really In the Tax Bills Before Congress

This past week, House and Senate action on tax reform added fuel to an already seemingly out-of-control fire.

OPINION: Justice Against Sexual Violence

My middle daughter has always been one of my most outgoing and ambitious children. She was so proud of her uniform and of getting this job all on her own.

EDITORIAL: No More Secrecy in Mental Health Care

All good research shows that locking people away in hospitals is not how to treat mental illness, and while hospitals are needed in some cases for stabilizing people, by and large, people need treatment in their own communities.

OPINION: A Better World for Harper

Sexual violence in America is as common as apple pie, so when reports of rampant acts of sexual assault and harassment became headline news over the last few months, my initial response was, "No sh*t, Sherlock."

EDITOR'S NOTE: 2017 is a Year to Be Thankful ... Really

Look, it's been a tough year. Donald Trump's election last November was the precursor to so much hell breaking loose on the national and international stages.

EDITORIAL: Dangerous Sinkholes Demand Immediate Responses

A dog fell into a sinkhole this weekend, and that could have just as easily been a child.

OPINION: #MeToo: Don’t Shame Me for Being Raped

The hashtag #metoo is trending across the nation, and our attention has been drawn to the larger-than-life stories of Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey. We point our fingers and chat with each other about the latest scandal "over there with those folks"—but what about our folks?

Ellington