Stop the Food Fight
Hunger, and its corollary, poverty, are not intractable problems, despite their historical prevalence.
Disrupting the Status Quo
A baker's dozen of good ideas: That's what I came up with when asked to contribute a pithy set of good ideas to this issue.
Lumumba: Telling Unpopular Truths
One of the difficulties every politician will face, sooner or later, is the choice between telling the people the truth or couching issues in terms of easy-to-digest pabulum and paternalistic "everything will be OK" talk.
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'No Idea'
Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann has been pushing for a voter ID law in Mississippi for years. Instead of taking responsibility for the law's passage, he put the onus for the law on the state Legislature, and said he was merely the guy responsible for enforcing it.
Mississippi’s Gumbo
Mississippi has always had a diverse group of people. Think of an ethnic group and, in all likelihood, its people reside here. Though their numbers may be smaller, all of them matter.
What Matters
Nearing 90 years of life, she sat on the edge of her chair staring into my daughter's eyes as if there was some clue as to who she was.
Time to Show Up
Next week, the Mississippi Legislature takes up hearings on the fiscal year 2015 budget.
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Killing'
Same old, same old conservative response—reduce the size of government regardless of what the issue is.
The Money is Right
Rudy McBride: "Greetings to potential, new and existing customers of the Let Me Hold Five Dollars National Bank. Last week, I had an interesting conversation with Harris 'Stotle' Jenkins, resident philosopher of the Ghetto Science Team Think Tank.
Finding Sheroes
Think about the women you see in films and TV shows, on magazine covers and runways. They are pornified, photoshopped, plastic.
Wagging the Dog on Guns
This week, the Mississippi Supreme Court unanimously overturned Hinds County Judge Winston Kidd's injunction against House Bill 2. That came as no surprise. Despite good intentions, the attempt to stop the legislation seemed more an act of desperation than one based in law.
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Never Seen'
Attorney Gipson could use a refresher course on the law, it seems.
The Other Dr. King
As I commemorated the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, I thought about the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. we rarely hear about. We have allowed people to define King with one speech: "I Have a Dream."
Jackson Market Hall, Anyone?
In Jackson, enthusiasm for a downtown arena resulted in an initial phase of feasibility studies and an attempt at fundraising spearheaded by Downtown Jackson Partners.
Pigskin POVs
As we enter another football season, it's time to reflect on the best and worst I've ever seen—in more years than I can count—of going to games and getting paid to write about what I observed.
50 Years Later, the Fight Goes On
One of the often-forgotten aspects of the 1963 March on Washington is its name. The full, original name of that Aug. 28, 1963, gathering was the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Survive'
No schools should have to make the choices that Cochran and other superintendents in Mississippi are making due to the state's continual funding shortfall for public schools.
If I Just Got a Job
"Recently, I discovered an alarming trend in the cost of obtaining a college or post-secondary education. All I know is that folk from places like the Ghetto Science Community cannot afford to pay $17,900 at public institutions, $15,200 at private for-profit institutions or $39,500 at private not-for-profit institutions."
The Guns Down the Road
In January 2014, TALON Ordnance is expected to open, bringing jobs to Mississippi. What does TALON do? They manufacture guns, among them assault rifles for "enthusiasts, law enforcement and the military."
Jacksonians Should Explore Jackson, Too
Jackson is at times a divided city, segregated along hard racial, economic and educational lines. Just consider the conversation that often takes place when the subject of the Jackson Zoo comes up in casual conversation.
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'The Fix'
Certainly there's always a potential for corruption in any election, but where's Stokes' evidence of a nefarious plot to tamper with the outcome of the election?
Nothing New in 41
Mississippi does need more education around reproductive health. Most of us fighting "personhood round one" found that many people didn't have a good grasp on how reproduction and birth control work.
A Battle Worth Fighting
“A constant struggle, a ceaseless battle to bring success from inhospitable surroundings, is the price of all great achievements.” — Orison Swett Marden
I Do
If you've read anything I've written over the last three years, you know that I've done my level best to stay optimistic on the subject of marriage equality. It hasn't been easy, especially when keeping up with comments from the opposition.
Common Core Isn’t a Silver Bullet
Kids haven't met No Child Left Behind standards, so they are now subject to the tougher Common Core State Standards. What could possibly go wrong?
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Wrong'
The condition of many Mississippi roads is bad. Without funds to maintain them (which the state has not allocated), those conditions will continue to deteriorate into the realm of pathetic and unsafe.
Affordable and Convenient
Miss Doodle Mae: "Jojo has noticed a disturbing trend: Popular bookstores and coffee shops owned by big businesses have closed stores in urban areas where ethnic minorities live."