April 3, 2007
We're on deadline, but I have to make a couple quick comments on Clarion-Ledger stories today. The first, on Melton's plan to increase the pace of demolitions, is a pretty solid story, with lots of facts and figures.
It does have an intolerably sloppy line at the major transition in the story: "But Melton may have a hard time making his idea a reality." Of course, we all know what they mean, which is something along the lines of "Melton may have a hard time realizing his plans" or "Melton may have a hard time achieving his goals" or something like that. "Making" your "idea" a "reality" is just bad writing, because strictly speaking, all ideas are already real. And bringing an idea "into reality" sounds like some sort of voodoo birthing ritual.
That aside, the real problem is not with Goliath's reporting but with Melton's management:
"We don't have a car for one of our crews. We don't have pencils or cameras or batteries," Lewis said.
But Melton disagreed that more money would make the division more efficient.
"I think it's a lack of passion. There are no rules against working on Saturday and Sunday," he said.
Now, an earlier draft of this story I can't find now made me laugh out loud yesterday, because it said Melton said there was no rule against working on a Sunday. As the son of a Baptist preacher, I wanted to yell at him to read his Bible, because it's clear about not working on the sabbath. Sure, most people ignore the "rule," but it's definitely there.
Rule or no rule, it is asinine to ask city workers to have sufficient "passion" that they work unpaid over the weekends. Maybe you could ask that of emergency workers, and you could expect it of them during crises. But asking demolition crews to work on the weekends unpaid because they have "passion" for their work is simply ridiculous, and it is definitely not going to accelerate the demolition schedule.
The other story that deserves comment was Goliath's story on Melton's Texas lawyers jumping ship and leaving Danks at the helm. There is much of interest to discuss in this development, but as usual, the mayor grabs the spotlight by being aggressively absurd:
Melton said he trusts Danks and his other attorneys and believes the local team is more versed in the local politics he believes are behind the charges against him.
Melton said he expects his defense will expose "big-time corruption."
"This is a lot deeper than some house that was allegedly torn up," he said. "We're going to expose some very serious corruption in this city."
Does Melton really have so little understanding of what his trial will entail? Even if Joe Webster is more accomodating than Tomie Green, I cannot see him nodding sympathetically if Melton takes the stand and starts spewing such nonsense.
DA Faye Peterson: "Did you demolish the Ridgeway duplex on August 26?"
Mayor Frank Melton: "Your honor, I object. She's only asking me that because she f*cked Jimmy Jam."
Melton's repeated vows to "investigate" any public body that questions his disregard for due process and the rule of law is an insult to the intelligence of the citizens of Jackson. This is your trial, Melton, for your crimes. You never had the authority to investigate the DA's office in the first place, and you certainly will not do so during your own felony trial.
Previous Commentsshow
What's this?More like this story
More stories by this author
Support our reporting -- Follow the MFP.
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.