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Ronnie Agnew: Anderson Lost Because He's Black
Clarion-Ledger Executive Editor Ronnie Agnew blames Gary Anderson's race in large part for his loss to Mike Chaney. Thoughts?
The Jackpedia Reader Question of the Week
Here's this week's Question o' the Week:
Starting this week, the JFP is going to ask readers to help us with a question of the week for Jackpedia, the new collaborative wiki about Jackson. Your efforts will help us compile a special print edition of the JFP that will, in turn, collect all the coolest stuff going on in and around Jackson in one issue.
No ‘Unnamed Sources,' Ledger? You sure?
Cledger-Ledger honchos have been known to declare that the paper does not use "unnamed sources." We already know that's not true due to mucked-up stories like the one by Ledger Washington Bureau reporter Ana Radalat (OK, they called her that before the muck-up) where she wrote a story based on an MBN memo in 2003 "obtained from" Frank Melton, who was then an unnamed source. Ledger Metro editor Grace Simmons accepted the piece, despite the supposed policy against unnamed sources—and, alas, the memo turned out to be largely false, blah, blah.
I'm in Love with Oliver
I'm not kidding. I am completely and utterly enamored with that sassy little monkey who wants so badly to get out of Tupelo, er, his cage in the Tupelo zoo. I just love his tenacity. I find myself rooting for the little bugger, even thought that's probably not a good thing. Where were he go? What would he do? Could he defend himself? What would he eat? But, still.
Come FLY with us: What to Make from Old Sweaters?
OK, here's a Fly question of the week. We have two old wool men's sweaters here with a few holes in them (moths?). One is black; one is gray. What kind of DIY project would you use them for?
Oxford attorney explodes gun lie about Sotomayor
Up in Oxford, Tom Freeland is taking on the morons who are passing along the myth that Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor wrote her Princeton thesis about gun control. Tom writes:
The Bachelorettes Headline Chick Jam Benefit Friday at Hal & Mal's
See you Friday!
The first of several events scheduled around this year's 5th Annual JFP Chick Ball is this Friday night in the Red Room at Hal & Mal's. The Bachelorettes will bring their wigs and their talent to the stage with all door proceeds going to the JFP Chick Ball effort to raise at least $20,000 to seed Jackson's first batterer-intervention program. With a cover of only $5, the show starts at 9 p.m., and will also feature Lizzie Wright and Anna Kline. Wear a wig or not, but definitely show up for this very fun event for a great cause. You can also sign on as a sponsor for the Chick Ball for as little as $50, as well as volunteer your time, or give art or a gift for the silent auction. Visit http://www.jfpchickball.com for more info, or call 601.362.6121 ext. 16 to get involved!
What do you think of ‘The Help'? About race progress in the state and Jackson?
Now that "The Help" has officially opened, it's getting massive national attention. (Just follow hashtag #thehelp on Twitter to see responses.) We're also getting calls from national media wanting to know how it's being received and, inevitably, how Jackson has changed, or if it has. Of course, this is happening the week that CNN reported that a group of Rankin County teens are accused of coming into Jackson to find a black man to "mess with" and then killed him. Like it or not, we are in the national race spotlight again.
The JFP Bloggers' Guide to Success in Life and Business
Thanks to a conversation that started about tipping over on under Kaze's column about race dialogue, I promised I would start a thread so that JFP readers could discuss tips about etiquette in life and and business (and continue the tip conversation if they want). So here is my thread, as promised. I'll start with a few random things I've learned from running my own business in Mississippi; feel free to add your own and discuss:
Obama-the-Communist: ‘I Shared My Toys in Kindergarten'
Boo! Alert the media! Obama is a communist because he shared his peanut butter sandwich and his toys in kindergarten! Watch Obama make fun of McCain and Palin's stupid red-baiting today:
Guns: A Public Health Issue?
It's difficult to have a serious conversation about the prevalence of guns in American society because it's one of those issues where so many people are strident one way or the other, and usually without the benefit of having done any actual research. We're working on a big project about guns for next year and are reading a variety of scholarship on the subject—much of which isn't particularly interested in the politics of guns, but in the public-health components. In recent weeks, I've read about the problems with gun control as well as about the realities of gun prevalence. One of the saddest parts is the number of accidental guns deaths, many to children. It is also a rather open secret how much more lethal suicide attempts can end up if someone tries with a gun.
Prayers for Adam Lynch's Family
Folks, the JFP was saddened to learn that Adam Lynch's mother died this week after a long illness. Please send your prayers to Adam and his family.
Why White People Are Afraid
Robert Jensen, a UT journalism professor and the author of an intriguing new book, "The Heart of Whiteness," writes on Alternet about what he sees as white people's fears:
The Real Reason for the Iraq Invasion? Guess.
According to a New York Times book review, Kevin Phillips' new book, "American Theocracy," warns not only about the dangerous policies of the current administration—but of the American trends that put them there:
Reporters Committee Urges ABA to Reject Access Limit
[verbatim] July 26, 2007 -- The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press urges the American Bar Association to reject proposed resolutions that would drastically limit public access to criminal justice system records. The measures would violate the First Amendment and state public disclosure laws and roll back the presumption of openness in law enforcement and judicial records.
Long-time Melton Mentee Killed
I returned to Jackson today to the staggering news that Maurice Warner was murdered on Christmas Day. Warner has been very close to Mayor Frank Melton for many years. I will have a story next week for more details about Warner; meantime, click here to read past JFP articles that mention Warner, as well as his relationship to Melton. Stay tuned.
Jackson's Glorious Tipping Point
Last night, Todd and I were at the holiday social at Hal & Mal's, and I couldn't stop talking about two things (a) the Saints we're going to see in NOLA this weekend and (b) the fact that I believe that today 12/17 we could call it is our city's tipping point with the psychological victory that is the re-opening of the King Edward Hotel. The symbol of our demise has become the proof of what a determined community can do when it comes together. David Watkins, Mayor Johnson, HRI, Deuce McAllister, Leland Speed, Ben Allen were the big players, but the King Ed is really proof of what Jackson is becoming.
Hilarious Pic: Me, Joey and Darth
Our good friend Gorjus is using a photo of Joey Adams, Darth Vader and me at Crossroads last year as his main pic right now. You know, I thought Darth would be taller, somehow. They sure can play tricks in the movies, eh?
Are Americans Hostile to Knowledge?
A new book, by Susan Jacoby, asks this question, especially about why so many Americans are so little interested in actual facts before forming (and spewing) opinions. Read more, as reviewed by the New York Times:
False equalization on domestic abuse only hurts the fight against it
It always make me cringe and fidget whenever someone answers a clear case of discrimination, or other un-nicety common among a certain group of people, with, "Well, so-and-so does it, too." We've always heard it here in Mississippi from apologists for white supremacy and racism, but I also hear it way too often when the subject of domestic abuse comes up. If you mention the epidemic of male violence against women, way too many people—men and women—will respond immediately that women do it to men, too, thus trying to negate that, overwhelmingly, women are the vast majority of domestic-abuse targets. It helps nothing, and actually hurts the cause, especially considering that one of the big challenges behind fighting domestic abuse is getting people of both genders to understand the roots of the problem and that "boys will be boys" attitude undergirds so much violence against women and girls. And the only purpose of this false equalization is to make some people more comfortable, not to solve the problem. Tackling these kinds of issues aren't supposed to be comfortable; in fact, just the opposite.