Jackson Free Press

The Truth About Today’s Youth

Today's generation of young people may be the safest, smartest and most resilient we've ever experienced. Yes, including here in Jackson and Mississippi.

Hunting and Gathering

Last week, I had a young documentary crew called subSIPPI in my office asking me questions about whether Mississippi has changed.

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FACTCHECK: Tate Reeves Blames ‘Statute’ for ‘Confederate Heritage Month’

Gov. Tate Reeves is conflicting a state statute requiring Confederate Memorial Day in late April to his proclamation that the entire month celebrate the Confederacy.

After HB 1523, We Must Seek Higher Ground

It was at Good Hope Baptist Church in the early 1970s that I first heard God used to justify hatred of black people, of "homosexuals," of feminism, of anything that …

UPDATED: Lumumba Files Campaign Report, Third Behind Horhn, Graham in Donations

On a major campaign filing date, Mississippi Sen. John Horhn leads, so far, in donations with upwards of $200,000 in donations to date, although he has spent much of it.

Digging up the Roots

When discussing the very difficult issue of violence, we find there are two types of people: those who don't care why criminals resort to violence, and those who get that …

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Hoodwinked! The U.S. Chamber Pulls a Fast One on Mississippi with 'Tort Reform'

It sounded mighty convincing: "Mississippi faces a crisis in medical malpractice insurance." The warnings by industry have been dire: "This is a wake-up call for Mississippi." The reports of doctors …

Former Criminals Training to Stop Violence in Jackson with $150,000 Grant

Terun Moore and Benny Ivey will be Jackson's first official, trained "credible messengers," working to prevent violence in the metro area.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Right, Left Must Work Together for Criminal Reforms

It is time that criminal-justice reform be on every candidate's agenda in Mississippi, regardless of party. The goal should be to lower mass incarceration, especially for drug and victimless crimes—which …

City Gives More Details on South Jackson Water Outage, 'Code Red' Plan

After the Hinds County Board of Supervisors voted yesterday to declare a state of emergency in south Jackson to support work on a 48-inch water main, the City of Jackson …

Crossroads

It's three days until the election. (In my need to get it over with, I don't count the current day or Election Day. That makes it come sooner.) It is …

Awards, Awards, Awards: Cheers to JFP Staff, Freelancers

Yesterday was a very good day for the JFP staff, and especially our writers and designers. First we found out that we are finalists for three Association of Alternative Newsmedia …

Cult of ‘Objectivity' Is Destroying America

Anyway, here is some of what Krugman says. (Better late than never, I guess.):

So-called media objectivity is destroying our country, The New York Times' Paul Krugman is telling us on his blog. I've been warning about this he-said-she-said approach to journalism for years …

GOP: Watch the Racist Talking Points

Just hours after the Dow closed Monday down 777 points, a JFP reader posted the "reason" for the financial crisis on our Web site: "The subprime mortgage gateway was led …

Epic Change

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."—Albert Einstein

A Violence Talk That Might Have Been

It felt more like a bait-and-switch. But maybe the City Hall gathering was a start of a new way of thinking about crime prevention in the capital city.

Trump, DeVos Allowing Bigotry in Public Schools

In a presidential administration filled with shocking moments, it was a New York Times headline that crystallized the Trump crowd's disdain for children of color for me. "Education Dept. Says …

President Ford: Iraqi War, WMD Story a ‘Mistake"

Bob Woodward did an interview with President Ford in 2004 that was embargoed by the former president until after his death. It is published today in the Washington Post, along …

Cedric Willis: Honoree of YMP Crime Forum at Walton Elementary

The late Cedric Willis is the honoree of a youth-crime forum tonight in Jackson where participants will brainstorm both causes and solutions of violence in the capital city.

Judge Disqualifies Attorneys In Water Lawsuit Against City of Jackson

The City of Jackson, a defendant in a lawsuit over how it is handling the current water-billing crisis, sent out two press statements Wednesday night announcing a victory for its …