Opinion

[Kamikaze] Black America's Real Heroes

Throughout history, the African American community has had its share of stellar athletesmen who have transcended sport and race.

[Opinion] Jackson Loves Jackson

When I made the decision to leave Ole Miss and venture down to Jackson, I was admittedly scared. While taking breaks from epic "Halo 2" battles and scourging fraternity pledges, I had caught breaking news flashes of Jackson's zany mayor busting into residential buildings and wearing Kevlar vests.

Death of Affirmative Action?

In an unexpected move, the U.S. Supreme Court this week strayed from precedence to rule against a race-based hiring practice. Overturning an affirmative-action decision by an appellate panel, the Court ruled in favor of a group of white firefighters who were passed over for a promotion because of their race.

Fend Off the Alligators

When hungry alligators surround you, so the joke goes, you might forget that your objective is to drain the swamp.

[Stiggers] Get on the Bus

Congressman Smokey "Robinson" McBride: "Despite reports of a world economic downturn, political unrest in Iran, pop celebrities ridiculing and beating up each other, and the divorce of John and Kate plus Eight, the citizens of the Ghetto Science community continue to progress in these unusual times."

[Manogin] Being a Better Person

"There's no such thing as global warming!"

Uptown Hate

When the 2000 election devolved into chad-counting in South Florida, I headed down from New York City to cover the mess for the Village Voice. And with all the talk in the media of how there couldn't possibly be any conservatives in Palm Beach I decided to see what I could turn up.

Call A Special Session, Barbour

The budget wars between the two chambers of the state Legislature are nothing new.

[Stiggers] Converter-Box Conspiracy

Brotha Hustle: "Ghetto Science Television presents the premiere post-digital transition edition of "The Hustle Report." It's been one week since the digital television transition deadline. Did you get your analog-to-digital converter box, yet?

[Kamikaze] Jackson's Savior Complex

Everyone seems to be an expert on crime these days. Sit around any barbershop or bar, and you'll hear all the "pundits" explain how they would handle crime.

[O'Keefe] Giving Up Prejudices

While waiting for a high-school football game to begin, a group of fans from the community gathered at the park across the street. From a distance, I could see a large truck, displaying two Confederate flags with oddly shaped crosses in the center, slowly approach.

Whose River Is it?

In the past weeks, the Jackson Free Press has spent some time looking into the Two Lakes plan for flood control and economic development on the Pearl Rivera plan that's come back so many times from the grave that it makes "Night of the Living Dead" seem like a History Channel documentary.

[Stiggers] Hypocritical Health Care

Nurse Tootie McBride: "What happens when a financially challenged individual without health insurance needs immediate medical attention for a large knot on the forehead?"

[Royals] God And Abstinence

At the Mississippi Department of Human Services' May 16 summit entitled "Abstinence Works: Let's Talk About It," we didn't talk about abstinence. But we sure did chant, cheer, dance, pray and sing about it. Here are a few (of the many) things that stood out to me.

Transparency Means Transparency

Well, we tried.

Organizers of a event heralded as a unity event for Mayor-elect Johnson barred cameras at the last minute. This was a mistake and a signal to Johnson to ensure transparency.

'First 48': This is Transparency?

Jackson's legal department is putting the finishing touches on a contract with the Arts & Entertainment Network reality cop show, "The First 48." The show, which makes docu-dramas out of murder investigations, shows the inner workings of a city's police department, and has filmed in cities like Miami, Dallas and, most recently, Memphis.

'Racism,' In Context

You've surely heard the heads exploding by now. "She's a racist!" "Maria, er, Sonia Sotomayor said she's smarter than white men!" She made "an unambiguous statement of bigotry."

[Stiggers] Blame a Black Man

Mr. Announcement: "In the ghetto criminal justice system the people are represented by associate-in-training Sista Encouragement and two members of the McBride family: police officer and part-time security guard at the Funky Ghetto Mall, Dudley 'Do-Right' McBride, and attorney Cootie McBride of the law firm McBride, Myself and I. This is their story."

[Kamikaze] Time for the Pink Slip

Many of you work a regular 9-to-5 job. Even those who work part-time, odd hours or odd days understand the premise of hustling for a paycheck.

[Hutchinson] Just the President

The only problem with New York Congressman Charles Rangel's quip that President Obama had better bring his ID to East Harlem is that he limited it to East Harlem.

For Louis

Last week, my husband, JP, was leaving our house to go to work when he saw something huddled in the bushes. Just as soon as I had heard his key turn in the door to leave, I heard it again as he re-entered the house frantically.

Taxpayers Deserve to See Pearl Study

In 2003, the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Rankin-Hinds Pearl River Flood and Drainage Control District agreed to begin a three-year feasibility study to update the cost of a 1996 levee plan originally endorsed by the Corps, and analyze a plan to flood the Pearl River between Hinds and Rankin counties.

[Stiggers] The New GM

"It's Rev. Cletus Car Sales Church radio broadcast, live and in listening color! Before I begin with the show, I must do a couple of shameless plugs. I want to inform everyone that a new GM car dealership is in town. Don't worry; it's not a bankrupt General Motors transformed into Government Motors. It's the beginning of Ghetto Motors: home of the affordable and green hybrid hoopty.

[Hightower] Seven Seconds in Hell

You've got to give Mancow credit. He did it. Erich "Mancow" Muller manned up and rode "the liquid pony," as waterboarding is euphemistically called.

[johnson] Drowning Jackson

When you look at it abstractly, Two Lakes developer John McGowan makes an easy villain: an old, wealthy white landowner intent on taking public lands for private profit with the help of wrangling politicians. But when you meet this man, it's tough to place him in such a diabolical role.

Ellington