Jackson Free Press

Well, it's all over but the crying (although I may be late on that one). One of the most storied elections in the history of Jackson is indeed that— history. On June 7, the Bold New City will have a new mayor. And currently, all the signs point toward the enigmatic figure that is Frank Melton. In fact, most pundits say that Melton's opponent, former news anchor, Rich Whitlow, has about as much chance of winning as Jim Giles does of becoming head of the NAACP. But I digress.

Melton proved to be the superior candidate in the recent primary. Whether you love or hate him, his candidacy has stirred emotions in voters that had lain dormant for years. That's the kind of jolt this city needed to stimulate change. Controversies aside, Melton's message reached the people. Now, I'm no political analyst by far, but as an intelligent voter and pretty good judge of character, I'm going to give you prospective politicians a million dollars worth of advice—for free.

Crime was the red herring of this election. The perception was Jackson needed a hero, a cowboy, to come save the day. Fact is, no one man, neither Johnson nor Melton, can solve a crime problem alone. That problem can only be fixed by a total community effort, a grass-roots movement.

No, Melton didn't win because he was a savior. He won because he was real.
Mayor Johnson, for all his accolades and experience, at times seemed distant, almost aloof. To my "hood" comrades, who I'm glad to say voted in great numbers, the mayor came across as "cocky." Cocky doesn't work well for public servants. When given the opportunity to speak to the hip-hop demographic back in April, M.A.P. Coalition members said Johnson was stiff and got agitated easily when pressed about his plans for the youth.

In sharp contrast, Melton was comfortable and much more personable when he spoke to the Coalition. Those in attendance said Melton seemed to respect their views. And though he may not have had a clear, concise plan in place at that time, he seemed like he gave a damn.

See, here's the thing folks. Revitalizing downtown is great. Refurbishing Farish Street is cool. Putting apartments downtown is a lovely idea. But our neighborhoods need healing. If we want to stop crime, we have to eliminate the factors that lead our kids to that life. The answer has been in us all along.

A multi-million dollar studio won't solve the problem (I'm not that jaded), but it's a damn good start. Whitlow has already torn his drawers with me by making light of the studio idea. But it's clear to me now that he, like a lot of Jacksonians, just doesn't get it. The youth need a place to vent. And you know, like I do, a comedy club on Farish Street won't help that.

You aspire to run for public office? Think you can do a better job? How you interact with the least of us will determine how effective you are. It's what helped Melton win the democratic primary. It's the same thing that makes Kenny Stokes practically invincible, despite critics' objections. They champion the cause of the little guy. They can thrive in front of supporters at a country club or a room full of cynics in some random hole-in-the-wall. And most importantly to me and those of my ilk, they respected the power of the M.A.P. Coalition and the hip-hop demographic.

We are just as pertinent as the League of Women Voters and the Jackson Association of Neighborhoods and just as necessary as those refined folks in Northeast Jackson. The underdogs finally became important, and that's why M.A.P. stands firmly behind Frank Melton.

And that's the truth ... sho-nuff.

Kamikaze's column appears regularly in the Jackson Free Press.