A Week Without Mirrors
When you pledge to not look at your reflection for a week, it feels good to see the things you love about yourself at first glance.
Mississippi: Amazing for Film
Mississippi and its local communities benefit when the cameras roll here, whether they're big studio Hollywood cameras or those of independent filmmakers.
The ‘Cloth on the Stick’ Represents Hatred Toward Me
The formation of the Confederacy was solely based on the protection of white Americans to keep my ancestors enslaved. The battle flag came to represent them as a people and what they stood for: the institution of slavery.
Collaborating for a Safer Mississippi
In our polarized state and nation, it is mighty refreshing to hear a conservative of faith stand up against truly odious criminal-justice policies that trap men of color, particularly, into cycles of generational poverty and mass incarceration.
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Care Less'
Rep. Karl Oliver, R-Winona, responded to a Mississippi resident's email, saying "I appreciate you going to the trouble to share your (political views) with me, but quite frankly, and with all due respect, I could care less."
Do What Is Right
Nurse Tootie McBride: "Good afternoon members of the media and concerned community citizens. Welcome to the McBride Family press conference announcing 'The Caravan of Love, Peace, Protection, Self-Defense, Voter Registration and Motivation Crusade.'
‘Faith-Based’ Economics vs. Actual Math
Cutting franchise taxes is a major priority of ALEC, the ultra-conservative anti-taxation group to which so many conservative legislators swear fealty.
ACLU of MS: We Support Clergy for Prison Reform's Platform
Rather than measuring success by projecting reduced costs, CPR is speaking from a moral platform that demands immediacy.
Trump’s Politically Correct Call for Bigotry, Hate
It's really hard to find a stronger sign that Donald Trump hopes to become a fascist dictator of people and thought in America, and he's playing to very ugly instincts of his followers to get there.
Creating An Inclusive Jackson
Our city is not a unified community largely because we divide and differentiate our space by class and race.
SUNSHINE WEEK: Shine Light on Major Donors to Help Democracy
When the U.S. Supreme Court determined that buying political commercials is a form of First Amendment protected speech, it effectively erased a century of campaign-finance limits.
SUNSHINE WEEK: Ten Commandments for Open Meetings
Too many elected boards seek every opportunity to meet out of sight of the public they serve.
SUNSHINE WEEK: Public Needs Year-Round Access to Documents, Meetings, Donation Information
The JFP has long focused on the serious problem of campaign donation transparency in the state, especially that shielded by political action committees, and more recently the problem with city contractor transparency
Rep. Bell: Sanders Too Friendly with Gun Industry, Clinton Best Choice for People of Color
Hillary Clinton understands the complexities of race issues in this country and has a lifetime record of breaking down barriers that hold people back—especially people of color.
I Voted for Sanders Despite the ‘Bernie Bros’
With all of my trepidations, I voted for Bernie because I feel, of all the candidates, he is the one who legitimately has my back.
Fed Up with Underfunding Education
This week it appears that "level" funding for MAEP is here again for 2016, meaning an overall underfunding of the now essentially toothless formula somewhere on the order of $172 million.
Disappointed in Rankin County
It seems odd that in a state like ours, instead of passing laws that help us get off the bottom of good lists and from the top of bad lists, some legislators create bills like this one, which are about power and control.
Is the 'Airport Takeover' All About ... A Road?
As the airport "takeover" bill wends its way through the Mississippi Legislature, it's becoming a little more clear that the point of the bill is not to improve airport services as much as it might be designed to grease the wheels of Rankin County development.
Mississippi Racism Alive and Thriving
One could argue that racism is as bad today as it has ever been. In Mississippi, it is thriving.
Chaining Mississippi to Its Despicable Past
I'll honor my Confederate heritage when we've done anything substantial to right hundreds of years of wrongs.
Mississippi’s ‘Frivolous’ Lawsuit Conundrum
In one of the poorest states in the nation, litigating cases in the name of religious freedom or conservative idealism is costly.
Dear Gov. Bryant: Stop Pandering to Racism
Leaders like Gov. Phil Bryant must stop holding white Mississippians down to the bigotry of low expectations for fellow white people.
Stiggers: A White Supremacist and Black Pullman Porter Debate Race and History
The heated discussion happens after the supremacist says that he is infinitely better than the best n-word that ever lived."
Small City, Big Ideas
It's easy to go to a city like Memphis and think to yourself how little a place like Jackson has ... and how little it can feel.
Race Clearly Behind Airport ‘Takeover’ Move
Abolitionist Frederick Douglass once said, "Power concedes nothing without a demand." A cliche proclaims, "There is power in numbers."
Stop Pushing ‘Anti-Human Being’ Laws
Religious moral conviction is a powerful tool in politics. Last week, the Mississippi House of Representatives proved this by passing the "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act."
Hillary is Best Choice for President, Period
Indeed some, not all, men and women supporting Sen. Sanders for president have resorted to a lewd advocacy that often refers to the female body parts of presidential candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Bernie Sanders: For the People
Southerners are friendly folk, so Bernie Sanders is going to hear a lot of "Y'all come!" as he takes his populist presidential campaign to Dixie. The question is: Will they mean it?
Lawmakers: Sound Smarter About Education
It is a leap in logic to say that districts in more affluent areas perform better with less public dollars; thus, that's all the funds poorer districts need.
Muzzling Mississippi’s Educators
Going into last November's elections, Mississippi educators were hoping for real leadership. Instead, what they got was more of the same.