Jackson Free Press

May 2, 2005—It is the night before the big election. More than 1 hour and 40 minutes has passed since the last post. Everyone is tired and so worn out. I really don't know who will win this thing, but I do know that politics the game is so different than politics the reality for those that serve. Harvey Johnson is a good man, a good person and an absolute untiring public servant.

The only aspect of life where people constantly encourage change is politics. Think about it. All throughout history, wars, arguments and social causes [liberal or conservative] are fought by those of us [all of us] in an effort to RESIST change or those wishing to EFFECT it. Change comes with effort and will happen by those willing to pay the price to do so.

If Harvey loses tomorrow, it will be in my estimation because he didn't sell his efforts and did not show people he was indeed "changing" Jackson. Frank Melton has sold many people that he will and has punched buttons that people want punched.

I hope and pray that after this nightmare [for me anyway] ends that no glee is spilled in any direction. As i said before, "These are real live people we are talking about."

Pray also for our city and her people. I truly hate that some of the ugliness has transpired and hope that when this is over that people take a deep breath and exhale and look around at this "work in progress" that our city is.

We are, as my hero Ronald Reagan would say, "Not bad….not bad at all".

Peace be with you,

Ben

Previous Commentsshow

We're over here putting the next issue out, Ben! No time to blog. And it won't have anything about the election because we go to press before it's over. There's something nice about an issue with no politics! Anyway, I think your message is nice (thus I moved it to the top of the site). This election scares me a bit more than mostóthe city is so much more personal than the state or the countryóespecially a city with such a tough history with so many people now united in their efforts to help us have a bright future. And I make no bones that Melton scares me in a way that I usually don't feel with political candidates. He's such an unknown quantity beyond the sound bites. A future with him at the helm feels very uncertain to me, and I don't think that's a good thing. And I have really grown to admire the work of Harvey Johnson as we've covered the campaignóand especially after I've dug through archives and realized what he was really, truly up against here. I still don't think many people truly appreciate how difficult it's been to accomplish what Johnson has done. But history will note it, no matter what happens. I pray that fear will not rule at the ballot box tomorrow. That would be a setback. That said, our efforts will continue, and we will all overcome any setbacks. I have no intention of being nasty no matter who wins tomorrow. I'm sure that won't be the case with everyone; however, it's good for those people to show their colors, so we know who not to count on for positive efforts. A good number of people have done that already, and it's truly good to know these things. Otherwise, this positive movement in Jackson will continue even if the row gets tougher to hoe. And the JFP will keep on keepin' on. We're exhausted here, and there was always more we could do or say to try to make sure our readers were educated about the issues and help get beyond the rhetoric of corporate media. But my conscience is clearóI feel like my staff did everything they could to cover this election and the candidatesóincluding their historiesówell, and I'm very proud of them. Cheers to you all, and God Bless. Keep the faith. Donna

ladd

May 2 2005

Ben, you have no idea of what goes on behind the scenes. All I can say is "Mr. Emmerich got it right in his last editorial about the Mayor." If a mayor of any city can't try to co-exist with the Director of the Chamber of Commerce, it is time for him to get a new job. Sometimes things are not what they appear to be. Best wishes.

realtime

May 2 2005

It's really simple. Good politicians win at politics. Johnson may be a good administrator and a good human being, but he's outclassed by Melton as a politician. Melton has ten times the charisma as Johnson. This should be evident based on his huge success at WLBT. The close relationship between TV and politics is manifest. As far as who runs a city better--a good administrator or a good politician--that's a tricky one. Eight years is a long time. George Washington thought more than eight years was too much and he was trying to forge a new country out of nothing and his leadership was far more needed than Johnson's in Jackson. Voters like new blood, change. Nothing against Johnson. He's been a decent fellow. Change is good. Melton will be neither a savior nor a disaster. He'll simply be a new mayor.

Wyatt Emmerich

May 2 2005

Wyatt, I haven't seen the good politician or the charisma from Melton. However, with the media presenting those things on his behalf, perhaps he doesn't actually have to be either. He's made it clear to me that this whole thing is bigger than him, like a machine he cannot even control. I just hope it's not a machine bent on derailing some mighty fine progress we've enjoyed the last few years. I fear it is, though. Johnson's more than a "decent fellow," Wyatt; he's a good mayor. He's respected by good people; he's determined; he's intelligent; he seems to be a pillar of integrity. And change isn't necessarily good. It can be very, very bad; we all know that, despite your late-night rhetoric to the contrary. Melton's road signs point a direction a lot of y'all just will not see; I hope my instincts are wrong, but they seldom are about people. So, time will tell. Should he be elected, I hope my instincts are wrong this time. As for you, realtime. We're really too deep into this campaign for anonymous bloggers to tell us ominously that "things are not what they appear to be." Perhaps they are exactly what they appear to be. And all of y'all who want to scare the hell out of the rest of us need to take off the cowardly masks and step up. There are too many people willing to proudly step up and work hard for the city with their names firmly attached, without fear or shame. I hope that's what Jackson's future will be made of: honesty and determination, not fear and deceit. Night, all.

ladd

May 2 2005

I agree 100% with Ben's editorial. Good to have you on the City Council, dude. Cheers, TH

Tom Head

May 3 2005

Ummm.... maybe it says more about the Metro Chamber leadership then the mayor when they can't work together.

tortoise

May 3 2005

I'LL BE SO GLAD WHEN THIS DAY IS OVER! I'm not in Councilman Allen's ward, but I am sure he is glad he doesn't have to try to sell himself today like the rest. I am sick of the signs, the flyers, the mudslinging, etc., so it is nice to hear from someone who still has their sanity. I feel nauseous after going to the polls this morning. I felt uncomfortable passing by people with BIG signs yelling, "VOTE FOR FRANK!" "VOTE FOR JOHNSON!" I even saw a neighbor canvassing for a Ward 2 candidate. I thought to myself, Not him too! AAARGH! While I enjoy a breakfast of Sprite and crackers, I will say a little prayer asking God to help me make it to June 7 without hurting someone and ending up on the front page of the Clarion-Ledger: DERANGED VOTER SETS CAMPAIGN SIGNS ON FIRE!

L.W.

May 3 2005

Well, Tom, as we know, there is more than one side to Ben Allenóthe JFP face and the talk-radio one. This came from a reader about their radio show this a.m.: Their show is being told in the past tense as if Harvey has already lost. And he may; but, the arrogance is very unbecoming for an elected official. And, he read that letter he wrote to the JFP and Larry praised it as if it was written and read by Ronald Regan. It was a joke! The hate just spilled forth at one point. With one woman saying (and I didn't catch the complete context), "it's time to line 'em up and shoot 'em!? And they all laughed. A lot a stuff about how Harvey has not catered to the whites in town and then of course the "them" stuff. But, it was a show that will come back and haunt them one way or another. Nobody is perfect; but, this race stuff has got to stop. And if we have to go to Council meetings and show the city how bad some of the people around here are then it will be done!"

ladd

May 3 2005

Did y'all see that Melton's signs this a.m. are printed signs with "Vote Today" at the top? OK, we got itóthe wealth runneth over. There are also a million Johnson signs along North State. We should do a story about the environmental impact of political yard signs.

ladd

May 3 2005

How about the huge sign hanging on an utility box at Ridgewood and Old Canton. No danger there, just tape your sign to some hugh metal box that houses god know what kind of utilities! I can deal with most signs; but, this one I had to call in - a little too much liberty taken there.

tortoise

May 3 2005

Jfp group... I will send you a copy pf the tape of this mornings show. Please let me. After you have heard it , please draw your own conclusions. The feedback I have been getting downtown [I just left a council meeting] was that it was good and was measured. I know on radio one can't please all of the people all of the time , and nerves are strained at this point. Just hear the tape and i will gladly accept constructive criticism. I thought we did a good how. Listen to Kim this evening. I am sure he will be again "over the top" and will assuage any hurt feelings from your writer.

Ben Allen

May 3 2005

Ben, I'm at the office. Bring it by. I'll listen to it and post some excerpts. You know where I am.

ladd

May 3 2005

Huh. Let's analyze this statement today from one of Melton's most vocal, and most vicious, supportersóWilson Carrollóover in Lange's mudbath: Don't underestimate Harvey's election day machine. There's a lot of money and power at stake and his expenditure report is a rogue's gallery of infamous chicken-pushers. I only wish I owned the Church's franchise today. Anyone else need a drink?

ladd

May 3 2005

(Sorry. I should have posted this one under the thread about why we don't need to talk about race anymore. Oops.)

ladd

May 3 2005

WTF? "A rogue's gallery of infamous chicken-pushers"?! Wilson, are you out of your Vulcan mind? Wilson's a bright boy. I have no idea what the hell he thought he was doing when he posted that. Cheers, TH

Tom Head

May 3 2005

Just checked in over at JNMóWilson's going ballistic because by quoting his Church's statement above, I apparently called him a "vicious racist," rather than "vicious," which he has been of late. He says it was about a story about him getting dissed by the mayor's folks at a Church's after his ill-fated D.A. runóa tale that EVERYONE knows so much about that it's become the stuff of urban legend or such, and that anyone would automatically recognize that's what he meant by Johnson's "chicken-pushers." Somehow it's my fault that he made this statement in public. Whatever.

ladd

May 3 2005

To be honest, now I'm more amused than outraged--kind of giggling at the whole "rogue's gallery of infamous chicken pushers" visual. I mean, what makes a chicken-pusher infamous? "The crispy. YOU! MUST! TRY! THE! CRISPY! We have ways of making you eat..." Cheers, TH

Tom Head

May 3 2005

I wasn't outraged in the beginning. I just think it's a very bizarre entry in the Wilson Carroll gallery of late. And it is certainly funny, in a kinda "vicious" way. That site over there gets creepier by the day. Did you see the guy posting saying that we're a bunch of baby-killers over here, and such? Alan doesn't seem to have a compass when it comes to be able to tell what's appropriate and what's not. He seems to think that an "open forum" is fine as long as it's bashing his candidate's critics. But they crumble the second someone criticizes them and start posting all sorts of personal stuff, about whether I have kids and such. I can assure you: This site is not going to take a dive into the gutter like that one. Criticism is one thing; this viciousness is another. I just don't get those guys. Haven't they ever been challenged??

ladd

May 3 2005

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the posts on this site. It would have enabled me to make an educated decision on who I should vote for, if my decision hadn't already been made. I am puzzled by the lack of concern or blinds eye many people exhibit when choosing an important official for our city. Hands down, Harvey J is the best and only choice for our city to continue its progression. Melton's charisma - I don't see it. And, is that the most important quality needed as the highest official for our city? What I see in Melton is a person who dodges questions or talks around it until we "forget" the real question, who tailors an answer to "suit" our needs, and who has a hideous temper that flares uncontrollably. Due to this, he does not exhibit qualities of a public professional. His appropiate occupation would better out of the public's constant view. Thanks for all you do at JFP, without you guys a lot of us would not be informed. Keep it up!

NotthrilledwithMelton

May 3 2005

I don't understand the problem with being a "chicken pusher" since Wilson was clearly out to be a "chicken pusher" too. I love the way he makes it sound so nefarious that Johnson/the Peterson campaign/whoever, had the audacity to order lunch for pollworkers, when he was trying to do the same thing. Only they got there first. I guess the point is that they ordered 900, and that this is somehow evidence of the overwhelming power of the Democratic machine.

kate

May 3 2005

I think I read somewhere that the official meat of the Democratic party was Tofurkey because all meat is murder? Did the Democratic party change the official meat to Church's chicken last year? ;-)

kaust

May 3 2005

I am said to hear about what Wilson Carroll said. It seems that those who criticize the JFP like to put people into categories. I wonder what category I would fit in: I voted in the Democratic primary but I consider myself independent. I have Pentecostal beliefs but I wear jewelry, pants and an Afro, and I don't gay-bash or chain myself to abortion clinics. My Christian beliefs are very strong, but I don't force them on others. I own artist supplies and computer repair tools. I like cartoons and reality TV. I don't eat pork, but I have never been a Muslim. What am I? A BoBo? Chicken-pusher? Maybe I need to make up my own classification.

L.W.

May 3 2005

"I am said to hear about what Wilson Carroll said." The first "said" was supposed to be "sad". I must be really pooped. I don't drink, so I can't blame it on that.

L.W.

May 3 2005

It's fun to watch people work themselves into a lather over something that, well... doesn't mean The End of The World or the like. We'll survive. Now, if we can get Miss Rosemary to quit trying to knock down treehouses and fix the busted sewage in Clinton...

Ironghost

May 3 2005

Ah, I just stumbled onto the explanation for Wilson's "chicken-pushing" conspiracy as posted above (by clicking on his name when he was signed into the site; did y'all know you can see someone's comments by doing this?). This was posted on our site well over a year ago by Wilson: The simple fact is, I ended up battling a well-organized, well-financed political machine that delivered votes for Democrats on election day. Neither my message, nor the way it was delivered, mattered one bit when the vans started rolling. I'll give one anecdote. On election day I had 17 campaign workers standing outside various polling places in West Jackson, and I stopped to buy box lunches for them at the Kentucky Fried Chicken on Bailey Avenue. Curiously, it was closed. When I went into the Church's Chicken next door, and ordered 17 boxes, the clerk told me, "I can't sell it to you." When I asked why, she pointed to another gentleman (one of Mayor Johnson's political operatives) and said, "He just bought 900 boxes." When I saw them loading all that fried chicken into vans and the backs of pickup trucks (at only one store, mind you), I knew I was doomed. Click here for entire thread. Don't look at me.

ladd

May 4 2005