Jackson Free Press

There is no way that Wyatt Emmerich wrote the following without his tongue firmly implanted in his right cheek:

When Jackson Mayor Frank Melton took a sledgehammer to an alleged crack house, in one swoop he ended forever the possibility that anyone would ever accuse him of being soft on crime. In a city where crime is far and away the number one issue, that could be considered a stroke of political genius. Now the mayor can take off his police duds, don a suit and cut ribbons the rest of his term without anyone accusing him of ignoring crime.

He so has to be smarter than this.

Previous Comments

ID

108436

Comment

What a weird, macho way of looking at the crime problem--bean the batter once to show how tough you are and you'll never have to throw another curveball? Someone should tell these jokers to turn off Dirty Harry and try to absorb the fact that effective crimefighting is seldom dramatic and never sexy. Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2006-11-16T13:52:55-06:00

ID

108437

Comment

It's the hyperbole that gets me. I absolutely think that Melton is "soft on crime," or at least many of the criminals he comes into contact with. The mayor has done nothing to lower crime, and everyone knows it at this point. I'm really surprised that Wyatt would embarass himself in such a way. This really must be high, high satire. Pardon the pun.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-11-16T13:55:09-06:00

ID

108438

Comment

And where would using young men, some with criminal records already, to break the law fall into Wyatt's "soft on crime" paradigm? This is goofy as hell. He outdid himself on this one.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-11-16T13:56:07-06:00

ID

108439

Comment

Wyatt buys into the Dirty Harry theory of crime, I think, which says that the less thought you put into what you're doing, the more manly and therefore the more worthwhile it is. Whether what you're doing actually reduces crime isn't really that important; what matters is that you whip it out and measure it. That's why he's happier with Melton and the higher crime rate than he was with Johnson and the lower crime rate: Because it was never really about reducing crime, but rather about having Big Daddy go out there with his sledgehammer or his 2x4 and put the "subhumans" in their place. Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2006-11-16T14:04:40-06:00

ID

108440

Comment

what matters is that you whip it out and measure it. Snicker, sputter, giggle. That's why he's happier with Melton and the higher crime rate than he was with Johnson and the lower crime rate: Because it was never really about reducing crime, but rather about having Big Daddy go out there with his sledgehammer or his 2x4 and put the "subhumans" in their place. Certainly, a small number of people have certainly proved the point that they care more about politics (and busting up black men) than they do crime, eh? It was only a matter of time until the hypocrisy was exposed.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-11-16T14:06:43-06:00

ID

108441

Comment

Look at this lead in the Chicago Tribune, which seems to follow the Wyatt Emmerich school of non-reporting: Mayor Frank Melton, who has taken a hard stand against the city's rising crime rate, pleaded guilty to weapons charges Wednesday. The deal with prosecutors lets him stay in office and out of jail. Where's the part about it rising on his watch? It was falling before he came along, but the Chicago Tribune probably get the nuance of what's actually happening here. Sigh.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-11-16T14:14:29-06:00

ID

108442

Comment

(And notice while you're on that page that the Tribune asks its readers to "Shop Local" at the same place The Clarion-Ledger does. Funny. Gannett is trying to buy the Trib, you know.)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-11-16T14:16:05-06:00

ID

108443

Comment

And: Augusta Chronicle (subscription), GA - 8 hours ago JACKSON, MISS. - Crime-fighting Mayor Frank Melton found himself right where he promised to send those who were giving the city a lawless reputation - standing ... Could someone please alert the mainstream media that Frank Melton has not fought crime in Jackson!?! This is sheer absurdity that just keeps getting repeated ad nauseum without any factchecking.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-11-16T14:17:46-06:00

ID

108444

Comment

Wyatt is comical. I read his paper every week for the entertainment value it provides. Doc Matthias has come around though. I'm beginning to appreciate her.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2006-11-16T14:19:54-06:00

ID

108445

Comment

I can see, in one respect, what he might have meant. Frank need do nothing else for his term and would always be considered a "Crime Fighter". We all know the truth, but the fact is his fans in Jackson don't care about the law, they want revenge.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2006-11-16T21:18:43-06:00

ID

108446

Comment

All I can suggest is that you email these editors a note with a link to the Melton blog and allow them to independently read what is written. Send them links to the other blogs as well! They only demonstrate the utter hypocrisy of the Melton supporters. It may help, it may not. Tell all those old folks that are being victimized that Melton is tough on crime. Yeah, I'd still like to know how it is we are better off than we were just two years ago? Especially crime wise!

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-11-16T23:11:41-06:00

ID

108447

Comment

yeah, Donna, the editors *might* actually listen to you. Or perhaps we could convince Casey to call Mr. Kristoff

Author

Izzy

Date

2006-11-17T10:18:35-06:00