To Finish What They Started
Just like the dichotomy attached to President Obama's election, Selma reminds us of how far we have to go.
Women Who Rock
Ever since I began listening to The Donnas as a 14-year-old, I grew fascinated with women in rock 'n' roll. And though bands like Paramore wouldn't survive without women like Williams, I always wondered why it is that you rarely ever find women who play the role of lead guitarist.
Story Evoking Story
There is something about the telling of one's personal story in a non-accusatory way, without an agenda or trying to change someone else, that allows the forgotten stories of the listener to float to the surface of consciousness. It becomes safe to remember.
The Most Vital Word in Eco-Development
If Jackson develops a strong medical technology cluster, we might see a number of different places that could both attract talent and where talent could land when things need to change.
Exodus from Cootie Creek, Ga.
Brother Hustle: "Welcome to another Compensatory Investment Request support group meeting. Now that the cold, wintery weather appears to be behind us, it's time for our ideas and aspirations to come out of hibernation and spring into action."
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'History'
The $100 million in "extra" funds Reeves is crowing about is still only about $200 million shy of the bare minimum schools need per the Mississippi Adequate Education Program.
City Must Make Public Info Available
The city must treat access to public records with the same seriousness as its compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act and the United States Environmental Protection Agency Consent Decree, or paying its debt service.
Because I Proved Him Wrong
In the last few weeks, I've seen so many men on social media comment about how male privilege isn't real. But it is, and it needs to be stopped. We need to stop letting young, impressionable boys grow into the men who abuse women, physically or emotionally.
A Woman Who Changed My Life
Before college, I was fortunate enough to work with a program called JTPA. The program placed teenagers in real work situations for on-the-job training.
Stop Meting Out Harmful School Discipline
Education advocates, especially those focused on getting rid of disparities in public education for African American students, recognize the detrimental effects of suspension and expulsion.
What to Do About Downtown
The boom downtown, such as it is, is paradoxically not a commercial boom. It is residential.
Setting Up Women for Failure ... or Success
Too many people are still in denial about the way our culture treats even successful and educated women differently. So it makes a lot of sense that poor and less-educated women become the real dumping grounds for societal blame.
Recipes for Extremism
In his National Prayer Breakfast speech, President Barack Obama attempted to bridge the gap between Christians and Muslims when he rightfully stated that extremists who commit evil acts in the name of God or Allah is nothing new to either religious entity.
The New World Order of Things
Boneqweesha Jones: "In this New World Order era, today's employers seek dedicated workers with more brains than brawn."
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Behavior'
One can practically hear the groans of defense attorneys upon learning that their cases will be tried in the court of Judge Jeff Weill, a former Republican member of the Jackson City Council who has a reputation as a throw-the-book-at-you kind of guy, even when the law calls for less severe penalties.
MDOC Transparency and Execution Secrecy Don’t Mix
Mississippi can't have it both ways. We cannot stamp out corruption at the state and local levels and, at the same time, hide behind a veil of secrecy when it comes to carrying out executions.
How to Lower Teen Pregnancy
Women in Mississippi live in a state with some of the most oppressive laws in regards to reproductive health in the nation.
The Executioner’s Hood
America has a schizophrenic relationship with the death penalty. Many of us want to eliminate those who commit egregious, heinous crimes, but most don't want the personal or social guilt of inflicting additional pain and killing.
You’ve Got Mail
Rather than being disheartened that so much slips under the radar, it's a relief to learn just how wrong people are when they say, "There's nothing to do in Jackson."
A Long Apprenticeship
Some of my favorite fiction writers got their training banging out newspaper stories, like hardboiled master James Cain, but Hemingway had another point when he said getting "out of it in time" may be necessary.
Lawmakers: Stop Playing Politics with People’s Lives, Especially Children
We're grateful that, at least on the vaccination front, conspiracy theories and pseudo science haven't kept the state from requiring sensible vaccinations for children, while allowing some room for exemptions.
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Abysmal'
Mississippi's public-education system may be challenged by chronic generational poverty and woeful underfunding, among other things, but one would be hard-pressed to say the state of education is abysmal in the face of so many success stories, which include Bryant.
Need a Ride to Work?
Rev. Cletus: "This is your car-selling pastor closing out another blessed broadcast from Ghetto Science Team Radio. Before I sign off, I want to share my thoughts about Mr. James Robertson of Detroit, Michigan. This blessed brother's amazing and inspirational story captured the hearts of the people. "
Jackson Needs Talent, Technology and Tolerance
There's significant opportunity for Jackson to be a hub of creativity and productivity by connecting some important dots.
LGBTQ Americans Need Support of Everyday Folk
Now, with marriage equality poised to become the law of the land when the U.S. Supreme Court rules on the cases coming out of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, many of us have begun to raise awareness of the dangers of being a member of the LGBTQ community.
Don’t Prematurely Nix Prison Reform
It really doesn't come as a big surprise that an effort is now under way to scale back last year's package of sweeping criminal-justice reform bills.
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Statistical'
As Mississippi's prison system, which has been plagued by scandal, remains under a microscope for the alleged misdeeds of its former commissioner, it would be nice if the agency could at least keep all the tools at its disposal to close the revolving door at prisons.
The Greatest of These Is Love
I'm thinking a lot about love these days. As of Feb. 9, in my hometown of Birmingham, Ala., same-sex couples can go to the same courthouse office that my husband and I went to in 2008 to fill out some paperwork, pay a fee and get legally recognized as a married couple.
Loving Beyond Fear
The twisting of religion to promote and excuse hate, separation and violence over love, togetherness and safety turned me off from organized faith for a long time, and I still don't quite trust churches enough to attend any particular one regularly.
Male Privilege: I Am the Problem
As men, some of us are likely to "gag" every single time the issue of male privilege comes up. Though we gag, that still doesn't negate the fact that we are "sick" and need to swallow the "pill" that we are a contributors to and beneficiaries of the deeply rooted male privilege in our society.