Jackson Free Press

A JFP reader commented on our Web site Tuesday that it is a very different world in which citizens can watch live feeds of a trial on WAPT's Web site and then click to jacksonfreepress.com and comment on it, ask questions and have them immediately addressed by the lawyers obsessed with the site. It is, indeed.

We are seeing many crazy things this week during the trial of Mayor Frank Melton and his two bodyguards for destroying a Ridgeway Street duplex, and some of them aren't encouraging (especially the folks who don't believe the Constitution applies to poor blacks). But one thing is amazing: Just how much our Web site is, and has been, intimately involved in the saga of the mayor.

More important is the engaged citizenry that has resulted. Had Jackson residents been this engaged over the years, and this interested, we likely wouldn't be at this place in the city's history. But I'll come back to that.

Most of you know that JFP reporter Adam Lynch broke the Ridgeway Street story on our Web site on Sept. 1, 2006, just as many of the city's major stories of the last two years broke first there. Witnesses have told us that they told The Clarion-Ledger and other media earlier that week. But those media did not do this story until after the JFP did it.

In the journalism world, we call that "megaphoning," and it is a primary role of a small-but-quality newspaper such as ours. People who talk to other people read our paper. And boy, do they read "the blogs," as the JFP Web site is now known around town.

We came out of the gate blogging when we launched the paper in 2002. We believed strongly that an engaged citizenry must have a way to talk to and hear each other. That did not exist in Jackson with a pitiful, superficial daily newspaper (that hadn't bothered to notice the problems with Melton over the years, for instance), and weeklies targeting black people, or white people, but not all races.

We were on the bleeding edge of interactivity on the Internet, with corporate media like The Clarion-Ledger now scrambling to do what we already do so well—get citizens talking, and posting, and blogging, and questioning, and factchecking, and thinking.

Thinking, of course, is the ultimate goal. A citizenry that thinks together can build together. A citizenry that comes together to question potential corruption in elected officials and the violation of people's rights can together build a stronger city foundation.

It's amusing to watch outlets like The Clarion-Ledger trying to play catchup—when they don't even get the paradigm. The Ledger had pretty decent activity on their forums, but they didn't moderate enough and ended up with a bunch of loud jerks drowning out the thoughtful people with various views.

They then decided to change the format into a dumb, unfriendly "StoryChat" format that doesn't even allow readers to post links outside the site. In so doing, of course, they missed one of the main points of user-generated content—to factcheck by linking to and discussing a variety of sources. This ability is a prime difference between blogging and talk radio—keeping us honest online—but The Ledger couldn't stand the idea of readers linking to other sites (presumably like ours). So what do the readers do? Blog elsewhere.

Corporate media don't get what people want from the Internet. They want an alternative to corporate media—to the gatekeepers that decide what they can read (or where they can link) and who keep valuable information away from them if they don't want to offend major advertisers. In the pre-blogging world, that worked for a paper like The Ledger. They could be the arbiter of what was news and what wasn't—and then use the excuse that they were giving people what they wanted.

That lie won't work any longer. All it takes is a "small magazine distributed outside grocery stores" (as Melton attorney Merrida Coxwell called the JFP Monday as he worked diligently to eliminate jurors who read our blogs) dedicated to good journalism with a saucy band of bloggers who will challenge and discuss and push for progress. As John Dewey said, "Democracy begins in conversation."

Even if Melton walks, Jackson is facing a new media climate and an engaged citizenry that is not likely to roll over and allow the likes of him to emerge again, riding high on a house of sensationalistic cards, built with half-truths, scare talk and empty promises about "ending crime in 90 days."

As we face the formidable challenge of how to rid our city of an ugly cancer, and re-focus solidly on our Renaissance, it is vital to remember that Melton wasn't created in a day, or in a few months, or in one campaign. He has been building his "folk hero" persona for many years in Jackson, girded by a non-questioning media that prickles at the suggestion that citizens have the right to question them (or him) and their cherry-picked "facts."

Imagine, say, Melton's fact-challenged "Bottom Line" rhetoric over the years. Had the JFP blogs been fully operational, our bloggers would have been factchecking and challenging him within seconds, then shaming the corporate media into reporting the real story, as we have done over the last two years with him. The JFP journalist-blogger team would have exposed him for what he was long ago—a tragic figure who really loves to play pretend-cop. We would have questioned why and how he got away with "bringing in" alleged criminals, thus screwing up the evidence before it got to the prosecution stage.

That is, our citizen journalists would have blazed a trail that the corporate media could have followed, rather than blindly leading us to a point where the city is hamstrung by a man the city knew so little about.

I know the trial can go either way. Certainly, justice will not be served if Melton and his helpers are not punished for spitting on the law and causing such damage. But as I listen to his attorney obsess over whether or not the jurors have read "the blogs," and our citizens' comments, I know that Jackson will be stronger when we get to the other end of this thing due to growing civic engagement.

Our citizens are getting more involved, more questioning, and more demanding of better media by the day, and they're going to help make it happen. Therein, folks, lies the path to a better day for Jackson.

Previous Comments

ID

74804

Comment

I've said this many times ladd; however, I feel a special need to say it today, Thank You. Journaling is one of the therapeutic task that I assign to most of my patients. I must admit that this has truly been a stress reliever just being able to vent and know that others are responding as you respond to them. We don't all run in the same line all the time but, there are some people on this thread who care and so many people who want to see Jackson thrive: I am one of them!

Author

justjess

Date

2007-04-27T10:27:52-06:00

ID

74805

Comment

The JFP journalist-blogger team would have exposed him for what he was long ago—a tragic figure... That is, our citizen journalists would have blazed a trail that the corporate media could have followed, rather than blindly leading us to a point where the city is hamstrung by a man the city knew so little about. ladd Thanks for the encouraging words! To bad some people don't see it that way.

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-04-27T10:51:43-06:00

ID

74806

Comment

Melton is going to write a book now... "If I did it..."

Author

LawClerk

Date

2007-04-27T11:13:02-06:00

ID

74807

Comment

Thanks a bunch, Donna. We've only just begun.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-04-27T11:21:02-06:00

ID

74808

Comment

Come join the Wake Up Jackson group and let's start brainstorming.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-04-27T12:08:08-06:00

ID

74809

Comment

Amen, Donna. Amen!

Author

blu_n_a_redstate

Date

2007-04-27T12:40:42-06:00

ID

74810

Comment

Thanks for the encouraging words! To bad some people don't see it that way. Folks, there will always be "some folks" who are blind to the rights of Americans, other than themselves. There will always be "some folks" who thinks only other people's rights will be trampled on. There will always be "some folks" who want to be right more than anything, to the point of going down with the Titanic (see: global warming). Don't worry about "some folks." For way too long, we've given "some folks" to much power in this state. That's why we're at this juncture. My advice: Ignore the "some folks" and claim your own power.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-04-27T13:45:09-06:00

ID

74811

Comment

Latasha, I would only take members who reveal their identities to you. There is no need for secrecy in a group like this, IMHO.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-04-27T13:46:05-06:00

ID

74812

Comment

Dona, a world of thanks goes out to you and JFP,

Author

maad

Date

2007-04-27T13:49:12-06:00

ID

74813

Comment

Maad, you're welcome. And I thank the community for coming together as it has to demand the right thing in the face of a small-yet-loud contingent of power-grabbers. I feel very strongly that we are facing a victory today—after the judge dressed down Melton for his actions and then Danks declared that he has "learned his lesson." If it took all these months of work, pain, emotion and even these verdicts to get Melton to stop going out and endangering himself and others, then that's what it took. I think we should all be very proud of our criminal-justice system for challenging him and, at least, eliciting a vow from him to go straight. That's what it took. I believe strongly that lives were saved as a result. He was getting worse and worse last year before the AG, DA and sheriff stepped in. They had no choice, and intelligent people know that. Melton had to be stopped, and after begging, cajoling, pleading, warning—the only way to get his attention was to indict him and put him on trial. And if he doesn't go straight now, and continues to endanger himself and others, that is his sole responsibility. The system has given him every chance to straighten up now. He's out of excuses.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-04-27T13:54:06-06:00

ID

74814

Comment

I, for one, would have to be well assurred that joining the 'Wake Up Jackson' group would provide me with anonymity. I believe it is a good idea but some of us must maintain secrecy or we will be ineffective.

Author

ChrisCavanaugh

Date

2007-04-27T13:55:18-06:00

ID

74815

Comment

Also, maad, I want to stop and applaud my staff. You will never meet a more hard-working, determined group of young people than the JFP folks. They are dead set on giving this city and state a better future, and it is because of them that we broke this story and others, leading to this point where Melton is admitting that he had lessons to learn and vowing to stop doing the bad stuff. It hasn't been easy. They've put everything into making sure Melton has been covered fully, because we know what a turning poitn this is for the city's future. And they've even done it in light of public ridicule by Melton and his staff, and little threats about putting us out of business being bandied about all over the place. Melton has had Adam kicked out of public meetings, and Melton has tried to belittle Brian, Adam and me publicly. He has made disparaging comments to our interns—interns!—about the paper. But we have stayed the course and will continue to. I pray that he has truly "learned his lesson" and stops putting Jackson through all this garbage. And I hope he gets any help that he needs and surrounds himself with more than people who simply enable him to make a fool out of himself and, perhaps, endanger himself and others. I've said it before: As flawed and tragic a man that he is, I liked him as a person when I was around him one on one. I want to see him get help. And it truly seems like the only way that is going to happen is for the community to come together as it did to get his attention. That is exactly what has happened. Whether he takes the lessons and uses them to help himself, or whether he tries to trash people in public for forcing him to face himself, remains to be seen. I pray for the former, and I pray for him. I suggest all do the same.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-04-27T14:01:00-06:00

ID

74816

Comment

Chris, that makes sense. However, I think the organizers, or at least Latasha, should know who you are. For obvious reasons, I think. This is just a suggestion on my part, though. It's not my group.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-04-27T14:03:57-06:00

ID

74817

Comment

Latasha, I would only take members who reveal their identities to you. There is no need for secrecy in a group like this, IMHO. I have safeguards in place, but I'd rather keep the discussions out of public view for safety reasons. After seeing some of the messages that were posted on this site today, I'd rather err on the side of caution.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-04-27T14:07:52-06:00

ID

74818

Comment

If Google groups are like Yahoo groups, you can set it so that the moderator knows who everyone is, even if they are "anonymous" within the group. Madam Moderator Latasha, I'd join if I were in Jackson, but, alas my input would be only that of a North Mississippi outsider. :-) Y'all rock that Jackson boat!

Author

C.W.

Date

2007-04-27T15:11:55-06:00

ID

74819

Comment

jury had plenty of poor blacks and women so I guess playing the gender card can't work alongside the race card come to think of it Danks and the judge were the only crackas in da courthouse

Author

Skinnyp

Date

2007-04-27T15:25:43-06:00

ID

74820

Comment

Biting my tongue, Donna.

Author

C.W.

Date

2007-04-27T17:28:29-06:00

ID

74821

Comment

Ignore the trolls, C.W. It's not worth it. ;-)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-04-27T17:30:08-06:00

ID

74822

Comment

Are you sure? The smartass comebacks aren't easy to hold back. :-) I had a couple of different ones fighting to get out - and I couldn't decide which one, which gave me time to bite my tongue, but dang, it hurts doing that!

Author

C.W.

Date

2007-04-27T17:56:36-06:00

ID

74823

Comment

OK, then, go for it. This is under my column, so I'll let you. ;-)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-04-27T18:00:10-06:00

ID

74824

Comment

we can always use the mute button :)

Author

motherofthekings

Date

2007-04-27T18:16:28-06:00

ID

74825

Comment

I just wanted to say that I was sorry that Skinnyp couldn't make it to the trial and make that three. :-)

Author

C.W.

Date

2007-04-27T18:23:44-06:00

ID

74826

Comment

Besides, he forgot Coxwell, Recio, Arthur, McMillin, and the lone white guy on the jury. Who ended up the foreman, by the way?

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-04-27T18:34:34-06:00

ID

74827

Comment

sole white dude was the foreman, I think

Author

bobnoxious

Date

2007-04-27T18:56:59-06:00

ID

74828

Comment

You're kidding.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-04-27T18:59:40-06:00

ID

74829

Comment

I can't find the right article now, but pretty sure the ladies selcted white dude to be foreman. Go figure...

Author

bobnoxious

Date

2007-04-27T19:08:51-06:00

ID

74830

Comment

I think bob is right. Didn't the judge tell the foreman to stand and then asked him a question. I thought I heard a male voice say "Yes." Also, I think that if it were a female, they would have gone out of their way to say "foreperson" or something.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-04-27T20:02:51-06:00

ID

74831

Comment

"sole white dude was the foreman, I think" hahah.... i don't know why that's funny, but it is!

Author

LawClerk

Date

2007-04-27T21:59:47-06:00

ID

74832

Comment

we taking back over. look out, da man is back.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-04-27T22:09:02-06:00

ID

74833

Comment

The man may have been chosen the foreman, but I'd be very surprise to learn that he was really in charge of those eleven women.

Author

jasp

Date

2007-04-28T00:08:17-06:00

ID

74834

Comment

To me, it was most definitely the sole male's voice who responded to the judge. Thought that was VERY strange as well.

Author

ellen

Date

2007-04-28T00:55:52-06:00

ID

74835

Comment

one more in a long long string of 'lessons"

Author

Danno

Date

2007-04-28T03:23:09-06:00