Jackson Free Press

As we approach Chick Ball weekend—starting with a poignant one-woman show about a victim of domestic abuse and ending with a celebration of women and their art—I urge everyone to think back to September 2007 when Doris Shavers and Heather Spencer were brutally murdered by men who had supposedly loved them. The JFP did a detailed investigative narrative within days of those murders that showed that domestic abuse happens in all neighborhoods to all income levels, it a pattern that needs to be stopped, and is often not taken seriously by law enforcement (shown poignantly by documents in the story we obtained that showed how authorities mishandled the case after George Bell nearly killed Heather Spencer just weeks before he finished the job).

The Chick Ball both raises money to fight domestic abuse -- this year to literally try to stop abusers from abusing -- and raises awareness among everyone that this is an issue that is OK to talk about and, most importantly, intervene into. We have to fight a strong anti-women culture here in Mississippi: one where not enough women speak up, or run for office, or write columns, or lead companies. We have to speak back to every effort to silence women, to verbally cut their bodies into little pieces with ridicule when women speak out about issues that matter to us, our families, our businesses and our state.

Mississippi and Jackson, we have the power to change this culture. All of us, men and women alike, can fight back against the "boys will be boys" mentality, and we can save the lives of women like Heather and Doris, and the others that die at the hands of men who love them (like the women killed by the men Gov. Haley Barbour recently pardoned, showing just how seriously he takes the crime of murdering a family member).

We can do this. Thank you for everything you are doing to support the spirit of Mississippi's women in general, and the Chick Ball in specific. We will make a difference. We are making a difference.

This week's print edition is a celebration of the Chick Ball can-do spirit, dedicated to strong women and men who stand up and believe this war can be won. Enjoy it, and please find time to join us either Friday or Saturday night of both.

Cheers all. And may the women who inspire us rest in glorious peace.

Previous Comments

ID

149912

Comment

Thank you, Donna, for putting so much of yourself into this cause. It is because of people like you, who refuse to be quiet about the horrific act of domestic violence, that will encourage our combined voices to become a shout to end this crime.

Author

nyoung

Date

2009-07-22T08:33:07-06:00

ID

149914

Comment

Why thank you, Cupcake. ;-) This is about all of us; we have an amazing Chick Ball committee, and the outpouring of help is just humbling. When Brian O'Shea showed up yesterday to get a stack of flyers to distribute, I got teary-eyed. Someone loaned a laminator. Others are turning up easels. (Twitter has helped a lot, I admit.) And, of course, my assistant ShaWanda Jacome is coordinating what is shaping up to be the biggest and smoothest-run Chick Ball, yet! She is a superstar, and everyone who deals with her knows it. And her calm is contagious. Of course, we do have a no-drama policy at the JFP (like Obama), and our current staff just gets stuff done with little fanfare. We are so, so lucky!

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2009-07-22T09:00:51-06:00

ID

150007

Comment

Amen on both counts--the article and the productive, drama-free JFP office environment. I've been there a few times to do this or that, and it comes across as a contagiously focused place to work. Hats off to all of you!

Author

Tom Head

Date

2009-07-24T02:43:30-06:00