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How to Stir Up 'Holy Mischief'
"Speaking of Faith" had an amazing interview with young Christian Shane Clayborne this morning. I wasn't familiar with his work, or his book, but he was just breathtaking. The Tennessee native is a "new monastic," so to speak, and looks like a hippy. He grew up very conservative, but has turned away from the religious right (and criticizes the left as well for abandoning the important messages of faith). Long story short, he and a group of young people started a community in one of Philadelphia's (Pa.) poor neighborhoods after college, and are leading a "Simple Way" movement of getting back to what Christianity really is about—love and helping people. Really wonderful. Visit their Web site here. And go up read up on the "Speaking of Faith" interview with him and listen to it here.
Men Who Hate Women on the Web
Joan Walsh of Salon has a fascinating story about how women are often treated online, using the ugly attacks on Kathy Sierra as an example. She writes:
Barbour Pardons Helped Many More White People Than Black Ones
I'm sure this will come as a surprise to no one, but it's official: Haley Barbour's last-minute pardons overwhelmingly benefitted whites. A Reuters team, including stringer and JFP political freelancer Robbie Ward, analyzed the race of the criminals on the list and found that although black peoplerepresent more than two-thirds of MIssissippi's prison population, fewer than a third of Barbour's pardonees were black:
Madison Sheriff Candidate Bashes Jackson in Disturbing Ad
This dude, Mark Sandridge, shouldn't be elected dog catcher after this expensively offensive–and inaccurate–campaign ad. Shame!
Understanding Mr. Melton: Go See 'A Soldier's Play' at New Stage
Last night, Todd and I went to New Stage Theatre to see "A Soldier's Play" (the play that the film "A Soldier's Story" was based on). Folks, this is a remarkable production with a line-up of just incredible (mostly black) male actors. It is serious, it is funny, and most importantly, it is seriously thought-provoking about the multiple levels of race, racism and the self-hatred that has inflicted some African Americans (and white oppressors) due to the history of oppression in our country.
Arizona Shootings Offer A Pivotal Moment
Since the horrifying assassination attempt on Saturday, which left a wonderful little girl, a judge and several other Americans dead, America has come face-to-face to the level of violence possible at the hands of people who claim to hate the U.S. government. It is giving us the opportunity to change the tone of politics—which has become more vicious and, disturbingly, violent in recent years, especially since Sarah Palin started scaring the dickens out of people at campaign rallies. And, yes, the man who acted out against the people in Arizona was mentally disturbed, but people who act out on violent rhetoric often are. That doesn't take the violent rhetoric off the hook.
Testimonial: Spirit Freedom
Leading up to the 2010, the Jackson Free Press asked domestic-abuse survivors to tell their stories. This is one of the pieces we received, republished verbatim.
6th Annual 2010 JFP Chick Ball is July 24
The Jackson Free Press created the JFP Chick Ball in 2004 for two reasons: to raise education about and money to fight domestic abuse in Mississippi; and to showcase women musicians and artists to a diverse audience. The JFP Chick Ball is designed to be affordable so that anyone 18 or older can contribute to this very vital fundraiser. The cover charge is only $5, but we offer many fun ways to raise more money once guests are inside the event (from a game alley to a huge silent auction).
Our Haley Barbour: The 'Anti-Obama'?
Newsweek has a story this week asking if Haley Barbour will be the next president. The story starts:
'ShopLocal' Blog Declares War on JFP; Says We're 'Misinformed'
In a post that can only be called "jaw-dropping" in its hubris, Gannett's ShopLocal blog has taken major umbrage with the JFP's special local-business issue last week, which exposed "local washing" by huge corporations such as Gannett, and especially my piece revealing the ShopLocal scam that Jackson's outlet of Gannett, The Clarion Ledger, is pushing. It seems that us dumb-little-LOCAL types are "misinformed" about "local" really means, and ShopLocal Senior Director of Product Management Patrick Flanagan decided to take time out of his busy corporate day up in Chicago (where this division of ShopLocal hangs out its shingle) to correct us dumb hicks. You see, "local" isn't necessarily "local." You could be talking about "national-local," or "local-local," or "hyper-local," or whatever other phrase the country's largest newspaper company wants to use to whitewash what they're doing.
Oh, Tortoise, Oh Hare: Those Confusing Political Fables
The Marshand Crisler campaign is sending out a rather bizarre campaign mailer using the children's fable of the tortoise and the hare. The only problem is that this particular fable does not help their candidate. The mailer starts: "We all know the old fable about the turtle and the hare." Er, do we *all*, really?
Sunshine Week, Part II: How to Demand More Open Gov't
1. Government workers who ask "why do you want to see THAT?" (It's none of their business.)
This is the week when media love to talk about "sunshine" and openness in government. (See my earlier blog post about how The Clarion-Ledger mangled their sunshine story earlier this week, a point we've been trying to make to The Ledger for a while now.) But all that talk does little good if citizens don't have the information you need to help us fight these battles on your behalf. I urge you all to spend some time with the Society of Professional Journalists' Freedom of Information section of this site. This is one of the resources we journalists use to stay on top on both rights, and potential pitfalls, in open government. I've fought these battles for years, and when the public isn't paying attention, we see the same problems in state after state:
Krugman: Obama's Budget Is 'Very, Very Good'
Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman writes in his New York Times column that President Obama is taking the country in the right direction in his new budget:
Sign of the Future? Gannett Detroit Paper 3X Week?
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Detroit Free Press, the Gannett-owned daily newspaper in Detroit, Mich., is likely to scale back home delivery to three times a week. It is widely believed that daily newspapers, in severe decline currently, will soon revert to a free circulation model, only publishing a maximum of three times a week. I predict that The Clarion-Ledger will shrink to a free paper distributed no more than three times a week within a year, perhaps as soon as next week, the way things are going over there. The paper has suffered declining circulation and slashed 25 percent of its jobs in recent months.
I Call Him 'Mr. Melton'
Well, it's kinda good to finally see a mea culpa column of sorts from David Hampton on his paper's endorsement of Frank Melton, or "Frank" as he and others over there call him. And that endorsement went on for many years, not just in the paper the weekend before the 2005 primary, remember. Per Hampton today:
The GOP's 'Barack the Magic Negro' Flap
As if the Republican Party didn't need something else to divide it; the reaction to this will go a long way toward separting the wheat from the chaff. CBS News:
URGENT: Good Samaritan Center Needs Help NOW
Please read and do whatever you can do, folks:
[Verbatim] Dear Friends, The economy is hurting donations and Good Samaritan Center is challenged right now. In addition, Christmas is almost here and our social service staff has been busier than usual taking applications for holiday assistance from disadvantaged families; many of these families never asking for assistance before. While we received a number of donations and requests to adopt children before Thanksgiving, donations and adoptions have both come to a screeching halt. Our need far outweighs what we have been able to do so far. We still have many, many children (hundreds) needing Christmas presents and our pantry has less than a weeks worth of food. We are desperate and we need you.
Be a Santa's Helper for Jackson's Kids: Here's How
Remember, you get back from the universe what you give, especially in tough times. This December, help a needy child by donating toys to the Mississippi Children's Home Services. See drop-off locations in their release below, or bring a toy to the JFP Lounge this Thursday night at Pi(e) Lounge (Sal & Mookie's). We'll deliver it for you!
The Real Sarah Palin Unveiled
Now, it seems, we're going to hear all about the woman who helped McCain lose the election. A Newsweek story out today starts telling the rest of the story:
Help Jim Hill's School Newspaper Get Going–DONE!
All, our good friend Emily Braden needs to raise $448 in five days to get this matching grant from the Gates Foundation to help her get her journalism program going at Jim Hill. Please read her e-mail below, then click the link to donate to help her and the students reach the goal!