Jackson Free Press

Burning Bush: A Review of "Fahrenheit 9/11"

Perhaps the most controversial (and deservedly so) film so far this year is "Fahrenheit 9/11," a new release from Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Michael Moore. Winner of last May's Golden Palm, …

Weed and Seed: Successes and frustration with community policing

The duties of a policeman share a similarity to that of firefighting in that the majority of effort exerted by law enforcement usually happens after the brunt of the damage …

Reminders on the User Agreement

Telling Our Own Stories

Our readers' grass-roots "Fahrenheit 601" campaign to bring Michael Moore's film to Jackson is inspiring them to band together to bring other independent and edgy films to Jackson. Since we …

'Mississippi Burning' and Other Tall Tales

In one of those bizarre twists of fate that keep happening to me since I returned to Mississippi, I ended up recently spending a Saturday afternoon in Neshoba County with …

I Felt the Earth Move

It was like old home day in Neshoba County Sunday … with a few twists. The usual suspects—the people I've gotten to know in the struggle for justice and racial …

Sin City: Jackson Tries to Legislate Morality

In the old southern way of life in Mississippi, there are no boundaries between state and church, as long as it is an established church believing in the Good Book, …

The Battle for ‘Public Morality'

We learned in civics class that the Legislature passes laws that the people want, and any bad laws that violate the people's rights will be struck down by the courts, …

1.6 Million Women Sue Wal-Mart for Discrimination

The NY Times reports: "A federal judge ruled yesterday that a lawsuit that accuses Wal-Mart Stores Inc. of discriminating against women can proceed as a class action covering about 1.6 …

Down a Southern Road

Monday, June 21, is the 40th anniversary of the deaths of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner.

Dick Molpus Raises the Roof in Neshoba County

June 20, 2004—With Gov. Haley Barbour sitting right behind him, former Secretary of State and Neshoba County native Dick Molpus made a thundering speech in honor of slain civil rights …

Barbour and his Deadbeat Mississippians

June 11, 2004–Today in The New York Times, columnist Bob Herbert nails Barbour's cuts to Medicaid recipients–the worst Medicaid cuts ever: "If you want to see 'compassionate' conservatism in action, …

Politics of the Blues

Otis Taylor is one of the few blues artists today who has explicitly addressed lynching; his song "Saint Martha Blues" tells in painful detail the story of his great-grandfather's lynching …

Conservative Group Unveils Reagan Ad

AP is reporting: "Days after Ronald Reagan was laid to rest, a conservative interest group on Tuesday unveiled a campaign ad that aligns him with President Bush and criticizes Democratic …

51 Ways to Have Summer Fun

We here at the Jackson Free Press know that our Mississippi summer is here—even if the summer solstice isn't until June 20 at 5:57 p.m. Central Daylight Time—all blazing hot …

He's My Brother

I may be even closer to Medgar now than when he was alive, if that's possible. He was the saint of our family and I cherished him. I didn't want …

Salter Bashes Holland on Medicaid

Sid Salter's column today bashes Rep. Steve Holland for originally supporting Haley Barbour's Medicaide bill, accusing him of "crawfishing": "Trouble is, the record shows that Holland was the chief House …

Brown v. Board Town Meeting Televised

[Rev] Singin' The Gas Shortage Blues

There we were at night, driving around to find the cheapest gas ($2.15). I had to fill up the van that I sometimes drive for work. (Hello, I have a …

[Mizell] It's as Simple as That

I took a creative writing class in college recently that was small and intimate and we actually discussed interesting things. Usually we'd go over poems and plays; but recently we …