Jackblog - cox
Viva La Cell Phone Cameras!
The controversy surrounding the video of Saddam Hussein's hanging holds a lesson for us here in Jackson. You'll notice that while the civilized world is outraged by the way Hussein was hanged, Iraqi officials are more outraged that someone videoed the hanging and thereby exposed their cruel methods. They have vowed to find and prosecute the scoundrels who exposed them to the world! Governments simply hate transparency, for it leads to accountability.
Some of our government officials in Jackson are also zealous to keep out the scrutinizing gaze of the public. They prefer to meet and plan in private, and then, when they are ready, give us staged presentations. That process gives the appearance of good government, but it excludes the most important component of our government--the people of Jackson.
Why do they do it? Because government of, by and for the people is messy, be it in Mississippi or in the Middle East. It involves oversight, debate, protest, video cameras that catch corruption, reporters that write articles about abusive mayors and excessive City Attorney fees. For the government, the people are a pain in the ass because we embarrass, expose and object. And as such we are the only power that has ever kept a government accountable to the governed.
Long live the people and their cell phone camera batteries.
posted by on 01/04/07 at 10:00 AM. [printer-friendly version]
COMMENTS
[Kamikaze] The Media Fix Is In
J.T.: Amen to pushing a positive Jackson. And, yes, it is a movement. And, it is moving.
Aug 27, 2008 | 06:17 PM
Ban the Paddle?
ladd: A lot of kids in all our schools are "scary smart." Many just haven't had the chance to prove it, yet. On the not-know-how-to-ask-a-str anger-a-question point -- how many strangers are completely ...
Aug 27, 2008 | 05:33 PM
Ban the Paddle?
Tom Head: The kids I've met from the Jim Hill Civil Liberties Club are SCARY smart (they're not just the future; they're ready and able to get out and do stuff now), and the idea that anyone would consider ...
Aug 27, 2008 | 05:15 PM
Ban the Paddle?
ladd: you mentioned people should try to find out what is really going on with this generation. Damn right I did. And any given day, you will find up to 20 young people in their teens and 20s in my offices, ...
Aug 27, 2008 | 05:12 PM
Ban the Paddle?
ladd: Baquan, it's simple really: You generalized about all young people with statements like these: Discipline does not work any more on kids, whether it is beating them or putting them in time out. Young ...
Aug 27, 2008 | 04:49 PM
Ban the Paddle?
baquan2000: To Tom Head - lets just agree to disagree. You put yours in time out for stealing or cussing, while with mine, they will just have to meet their maker when they attempt to try it!? Sorry - I will ...
Aug 27, 2008 | 04:41 PM
Ban the Paddle?
baquan2000: Donna you did a good article a while back on this generation, where I think you mentioned people should try to find out what is really going on with this generation. Maybe what I said, was to ...
Aug 27, 2008 | 04:28 PM
Ban the Paddle?
Tom Head: Or for selling bad weed. Or for sleeping with your girlfriend. Or... Right. We teach the same pro-violence message with the Iraq War and the death penalty, too, not to mention when leaders go around ...
Aug 27, 2008 | 04:04 PM
Ban the Paddle?
ladd: That is a vast generalization about young people, baquan, and extremely offensive. I'm more impressed with young people today in their teens, and even tweens, than I ever have been. And the numbers bear ...
Aug 27, 2008 | 03:39 PM
Ban the Paddle?
baquan2000: after reading all the posts above; whatever it is we are doing; it is not working? Discipline does not work any more on kids, whether it is beating them or putting them in time out. Young men do ...
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