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[Editorial] Turn Down the Politics
February 2, 2011
With nearly two weeks before the Jackson City Council special election to replace former Ward 1 Councilman Jeff Weill (who left to serve as a Hinds County judge), candidate Quentin Whitwell was just as surprised as we were to find out attorney and activist L. Patricia Ice had jumped into the race. Immediately after she filed her paperwork, Whitwell began to challenge her signatures. Ice fired back in a press statement Tuesday afternoon saying: “I hope my opponent will spend as much time debating the issues as he has trying to keep me off the ballot. To be honest, I think people are tired of that kind of politics.”
While Whitwell is certainly free to challenge his opponent, we hope that this isn’t the beginning of a two-week mud-slinging contest full of half truths, political wedge issues and personal attacks that take away from the real problems of the city. The Jackson City Council already has enough of that kind of silliness.
In any citywide election, the matter of party loyalty is also beside the point. Voters should take a long hard look at what kind of city they want to live in. It’s not enough to take a narrow view of your neighborhood and only vote based on your personal wants and needs. Yes, this election is limited to Ward 1; however, all members of the City Council must work together to create a city where all can thrive. A declining tax base, a failing school system and decaying neighborhoods in any part of the city affects every citizen in Jackson.
Ward 1 residents are not immune from the inequities found elsewhere in the city. And as Jackson goes, so goes the Jackson metro area.
As Hattiesburg Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Johnny DuPree states so well in his interview in this issue, Jackson should be a shining star for the state of Mississippi. It will take every Jacksonian to make a difference at the local level, and then follow that upward progress through the Magnolia State.
The Jackson Free Press encourages council candidates Ice and Whitwell to engage in informative and productive debates, and make a real effort to have Ward 1 voters turn out at the polls. We’ve come a long way in the past two years, and Jackson is making progress. Let’s focus on the real issues: infrastructure, economic development, education and creating a better future for all Jacksonians.
As for voters, it’s the local candidates who go on to state and national politics. Choose wisely.
posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 02/02/11 at 05:07 PM. [printer version] Share |
COMMENTS
:: recentcomments
May 24, 2012 | 10:18 AMBryant Signs Voter ID Bill
DonnaLadd: No, Darryl, no one blocked you. Stop being paranoid. We just typically open comments in moderation during non-office hours. To me, a bozo isn't someone who disagrees with me. It's ...
May 24, 2012 | 06:18 AM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
Darryl: That's funny that you blocked my last comment...
May 24, 2012 | 05:31 AM
Nick Hanauer's 'Controversial' TED Talk -- Tax the Rich?
Renaldo Bryant: So true. This is why critical and analytical thinking are so important to citizens in a democracy. The rich have the power to shape perception ...
May 23, 2012 | 05:24 PM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
Darryl: justjess, you stated "Racism and discriminatory practices continue." What objective data do you have to support this? Calling someone unqualified is a subjective interpretation of ...
May 23, 2012 | 01:37 PM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
golden eagle: Wow, my English was bad on the previous post. You know how it is on these iPhones.
May 23, 2012 | 12:30 PM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
golden eagle: @Jess, I think the word you're looking for is "assassination". @Darryl, do we really know that the majority of MS'ians wanted this, when you consider that this was a ...
May 23, 2012 | 12:18 PM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
DonnaLadd: I can only hope that the reason that this bill passed is that, for once, our lawmakers listened to the majority of Mississippians and crafted this bill. Considering that the ...
May 23, 2012 | 11:57 AM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
justjess: @Darryl 5/23 "....for once, our lawmakers listened to the majority of Mississippians and crafted this bill." My question is still on the table: What were you "majority ...
May 23, 2012 | 05:26 AM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
Darryl: justjess, I can only hope that the reason that this bill passed is that, for once, our lawmakers listened to the majority of Mississippians and crafted this bill. But, recall, that ...
May 22, 2012 | 04:26 PM
One Night at Fenian's
DonnaLadd: ... because if there is anything The Clarion-Ledger can muster the resources to do, it's show up any night of the week and take drunk pictures. Meantime, they crib our sports stories. ...
May 22, 2012 | 03:53 PM
One Night at Fenian's
Rico: Next time just call Metro Mix at the C-L and have them come and take some pretty pictures for the newspaper. Hell, the got some on karaoke night Monday.
May 22, 2012 | 02:07 PM
[Editorial] To Do Its Job, Council Must Show Up
RobbieR: And Chokwe wants to run for Mayor? Hopefully the citizens of Jackson don't fall for this clown's rhetoric.
May 22, 2012 | 01:15 PM
Catholics Sue Over Birth Control Rule
Brian C Johnson: I cannot decide whether this is a vanity lawsuit, in the sense that the bishops know they stand little chance of prevailing in court. Or to put it more charitably, ...
May 22, 2012 | 01:00 PM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
Brian C Johnson: Darryl, I think it is simply a statement of fact that African Americans in Mississippi are less likely to have the required photo ID. If so, the new law is discriminatory in ...
May 22, 2012 | 11:25 AM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
Duan C.: I am in agreement with Golden Eagle - requiring I.D. ties a fee into voting, the only reason why its considered "discriminatory" towards black, is because it places back into an era ...
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