Jackson Free Press

Mississippi, and Jackson particularly, suffers from "shoot the messenger" syndrome. You know: If you don't like the message, just attack the person(s) delivering it. If the message could possibly upset your gravy train, then you discredit the source. If the message draws too much attention to the fact that you have done little in your cushy job, well, we can't let that happen can we? Instead, let's just shoot the messenger. With him gone, we can continue business as usual.

Have we gotten to the point here where we can't criticize leadership? Or worse yet, I watch as those who vicariously benefit from the status quo become minions for the established and then attack dissenters—favors rescinded, contracts revoked, access denied. It's similar to those who call protesters in the Occupy movement "hippies" or "unemployed slackers." It's much easier to find fault in the messenger than to face the bluntness of the message.

In our city, the energy is palpable. Bubbling beneath the surface are the voices of young professionals in city and county government—young faces among the Democratic Party—new voices, new champions for Jackson who are stifled. Perhaps their voices are beginning to speak too loudly among the powerful and privileged.

How do we ever really expect to change anything when we're too occupied with not offending anyone? How are we to progress when we're afraid of criticizing someone who may, in turn, seek retribution? What do we do when new ideas from fresh faces are met with "Wait your turn" or "You're being disrespectful" or "You haven't done anything" or "If it wasn't for me"—or better yet, "You're running for something" or "You have an agenda"?

The more things change around these parts, the more they stay the same. I for one am fed up.

We've got issues. We've got people in office who aren't addressing those issues. We've got institutions in place that enable these issues. We've got people who benefit from those in office and in those institutions telling us we shouldn't talk about these issues.

That dynamic is inherently wrong. The people aren't being involved. They're being dictated and condescended to—patronized even. Facebook posts, tweets, comments in town halls scream that the people don't feel safe, yet ... silence.

The most recent election shows that the Democrats statewide are crippled. But when I mentioned that glaring fact, a poster told me that I wasn't "credible" enough to make that claim. So the people have to have "credibility" to criticize the establishment now?

I'm done glad-handing. And you should be, too. Even as many of us have been vocal about what's wrong in our city, I suppose when you stink at your job, you don't want to hear that you stink, huh? Funniest thing, even as I had my doubts about these Occupy movements sprouting up all across the country, I look at my city and, ironically, I can now understand where they are coming from.

"The emperors have no clothes."

Don't shoot me; I'm just the messenger.

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

Previous Comments

ID

165457

Comment

Kaz, when I read this column yesterday, I found it a bit cryptic. I couldn't help but wonder who you mean is shooting you as a messenger? How? Considering the quality of forums you have (social media, TV, this regular and unfettered column space), I'm not even sure who could drown you out if they wanted to. And had I seen it earlier, I would have asked you to take the passives out of this sentence so we know who you're talking about: The people aren't being involved. They're being dictated and condescended to—patronized even. Who is not involving the people; who is dictating and condescending and so on? As for crime, all we hear is people talking about crime. That sure hasn't been drowned out. Explain?

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-11-23T18:58:22-06:00

ID

165458

Comment

Im not being drowned out at all. Indeed I have several mediums. But if you look at the first response under my last column, you will see that that doesnt stop folks from at least attempting to "shoot the messenger". Who's doing it? Everyone in power around here and those who benefit from those folks remaining in power. Government, Development, Education etc. The column pretty much speaks for itself although I was MUCH more angry before I wrote the column lol. This administration has remained silent on many key issues. Particularly crime. A "let them eat cake" type vibe. Ive spoken to many people who can get no responses to problems and when they DO get a warm body on the line they are, in their words, "condescended" to. Now you have a seemingly good conduit to this administration and the info coming from it(or at least the info they want us to know)but everyone is not as fortunate. Everyone around here seems so scared. so pensive. so afraid to make someone mad for fear of being "blackballed" or worse yet completely "dismissed" May sound like Im generally speaking but Ive had convos all over the city about this. who am I talking about? Mayor, council, supervisors, reps, police, school board, Dem party officials, Everybody's gettin an F right now in my gradebook. Ive been busting my hump, and MANY others have been busitn thier humps to make some things shakeup in this city and keep mtg dead ends. Frustration has officially set in. when Im nice and try to work "within" the system...nothing happens. But maybe Im crazy..

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2011-11-23T22:41:34-06:00

ID

165459

Comment

I just looked at the comment under your last column -- and while it was a bit tough on you (the "high horse" part went a bit far), at least it was intelligent. Isn't that person entitled to challenge you back when you write these kinds of columns? That's not shooting the messenger: that's challenging you and others to think deeper (I happen to know who that is from email addresses on the back end, and she is extremely intelligent). Those kinds of thoughtful responses are good for us all (rather than the troll kind that are just filled with personal insults; yawn). It's not like you didn't write a column about that comment painting what you like to call "the old guard" with a wide brush: It's time for the old guard to go, from top to bottom. You've done a noble job, but it's time for someone else to take the helm. If this were a football team, the head coach and his staff would have been fired months ago. I give you latitude to write columns that generalize about groups like that (and I don't often), but people (whether members of your "old guard" or just people who don't like seeing older and experienced people stereotyped) get to respond. That's not attacking the messenger; that's exercising their rights to talk back to your tough talk. Considering how I've heard you shrug off much more vicious commenting style by other folks around town, I'm surprised you saw that comment as so awful. Speech flows both ways. I, like you, go after the Democratic Party here constantly and challenge them in no uncertain terms. At the same time, we need to listen to people with knowledge of the challenges the party faces from the inside in order to frame our calls to actions in a smarter way. It's no secret that I think that you, and many others around town, worry about too much about who's in power, Kaz, and what they think or say, such as on crime. it's as if y'all think that if the mayor, et al, start freaking out about crime loudly, then it's going to suddenly go away. It feels like a collective savior complex, of sorts. Either that, or it's an easy political meme to use against someone, which I know it is for many people. We've been pushing research out there over and over again that (a) pushing fear increases crime and (b) that individual citizens must band together to reduce crime (and not in a vigilante way). In Jackson, we have an upside-down mentality (that clearly stems from the crime stereotypes and political obsessions of the JIm Crow era) that the best thing to do about crime is to complain about it. The louder the better, even on the part of our leaders. So people who mean well complain -- and blame their leaders. People with nefarious notions or just personal agendas complain -- especially about leaders of other parties and races. The Better Jackson PAC comes to mind: a group that mailed out fearmongering mailers to whiter areas in Jackson that turned out to be funded largely by supporters of Two Lakes (even though we had to drag the finance reports out of them at the last minute). Or, consider that come of the folks who complain loudest about crime are on the payroll of certain candidates, which you and I have talked about. The period leading up to Melton's election is a prime example: He was a candidate who came along and just took advantage of our city's immature approach to complaining about crime without looking for real solutions. And that got us the highest crime rates we had experienced in years. This doesn't mean leaders can't, or shouldn't, talk about crime in an intelligent way (which, by the way, both this mayor and chief do when people ask and listen; I have a tape of them talking about crime at a recent editorial meeting that I should have posted already; I'll make a point of doing that this weekend and add the link). Such as that Department of Justice report I keep trying to get folks such as you to read, they need to lead the way on turning down the volume about crime, not turning it up. They also need to help educate people about the pitfalls of crime sensationalism and believing that the city leadership and police can "stop" crime. They need to share with us the kinds of information we're trying to put out there about what individual citizens can and must do to reduce crime. We do not hear this enough out of our city leadership. But even that fact must be put into context.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-11-24T09:08:17-06:00

ID

165460

Comment

And that context is what happens to city leaders around here, and especially smart police chiefs, when they try to have this conversation. I watched the corporate media, and then Melton's supporters, rip the meat off Chief Moore's bones when he tried to talk (correctly) about how a community and media obsession with crime being "out of control" — crime "perception" — is exactly the wrong way to stop crime. I was at the press briefings when he said these things, and then I watched with shock when media outlets (from the Ledger to TV stations) completely take his comments out of context and reshape them. Then we all watched the Melton team use "perception" lies against Johnson to defeat him. And this hurt our city in a profound way. (And to this day, people will say about me in a profoundly stupid way: "Donna Ladd thinks crime is just a perception." Why? Because that's how people who want to use the fear of crime to get votes have reshaped what I, Chief Moore and many criminal-justice experts much smarter than me warn about.) Yes, I think Mayor Johnson is too gun-shy about going back at opponents who try to use empty crime rhetoric (and any statement that the way to solve crime is more "leadership" who talks about it more is, indeed, empty). I would like to see him, and the chief, lead a public re-education effort on these issues, to help our city once and for all lose the same tired crime rhetoric the Citizens Council used to use against us. At the same time, the administration could disseminate frank information about black-on-black crime and its roots and actual solutions. (I bet to this day, most Jacksonians don't know that Chief Moore, a former U.S. Marshal, was seen nationally as an expert on black-on-black crime -- why? Because the media were too busy quoting him out of context on things like crime "perception." The bottom line: If we really care about reducing crime, we're going to have to get community members -- leaders or not -- to work a little harder to do homework about what works and what doesn't. We have to challenge every politician who starts trying to use Melton's playbook about "leadership" to offer actual alternatives (put up or shut up, one could call it). None of this is "shooting the messenger." It's challenging him to have a substantive message, not empty political rhetoric that actually increases crime and fear. Now, I'm off to watch a parade. Meantime, I encourage people reading this to go back and read our Crime GOOD issue carefully (starting page 14). We did a lot of research to try to get real ideas out there; there's something everyone can do. (Did you know, for instance, that the vast, vast majority of crack users are white? It's all in there.) And I invite folks to read and consider our Crime-Fighting Manifesto. The JFP is serious about reducing crime in our community, and we know it's not as easy as politicians try to tell us. It'll take us all. Finally, please everyone, read the Department of Justice report on the dangers of crime fear in communities. It's sobering, and can really add some valuable context to crime conversations. I call on this administration to use advice in this report, and other sources, to reduce fear of crime, not increase it (which I know will be a challenge as city election season approaches; sigh. We need a serious public education crime on how to reduce crime, and we don't need to wait for the city to do it, but it would be nice if they come onboard. Seriously, folks, let's decide to have intelligent conversations about crime, and insist that all of our messengers do the same.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-11-24T09:24:59-06:00

ID

165461

Comment

I'll add one last thing that you might not know: When our editorial board cast the first ballot on who to endorse as mayor the last time, *I* did not vote for Mayor Johnson, although I did on the second, and have not regretted that decision. Someone else had impressed me more in the endorsement interview. I'm not going to say who I voted to endorse because it doesn't matter now, but my point is that nothing I say is in defense of Johnson because I think he should be mayor no matter what. I don't. In fact, if a better candidate comes along (and a top criterion is someone who doesn't use crime sensationalism to get votes) who isn't likely to mire us in personal controversy, I will support that candidate. So anyone who tries to say that my research and comments about crime sensationalism have to do with an undying devotion to Mayor Johnson is looking for a way to change the subject because it doesn't serve their agendas. Put another way: Nothing I say on this subject is about playing politics -- but people who are playing politics with crime will say it is precisely because they're playing politics. And that is not going to help our crime, or anything else.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-11-24T09:39:27-06:00

ID

165462

Comment

Well, Ill just say we differ slighty in methodology. We're all looking for the same end and of course I respect your stance. As far as the shoot the messenger deal, Im a big boy and endure daily shots. Comes with the territory but when made by someone who doesnt know me and appears to be trying to take shots at my character like dubois03 did then THAT goes to far IMO. I dont know if its a "wide brush" or not. But as you know Im always deliberate in my statements. Is it a wide brush to say "They all must go" or do I ACTUALLY feel they all must go? I never get "personal" as the poster did, I stick to job performance and results. THAT poster did not.

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2011-11-24T14:40:47-06:00

ID

165463

Comment

Im going to explore this issue on my show. Crime especially. But it has to be more than politicians and statisticians showing #s and telling folks they shouldnt be in fear. Id like real citizens who are living in these neighborhoods to give their testimony. Put faces with the stories. And since you know who that intelligent poster is..Id like to engage in further dialogue with her. Perhsps she has "wisdom" to lend. Let us exchange emails please. Thx.

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2011-11-24T14:46:53-06:00

ID

165464

Comment

I've got a blunt question: how does one discuss crime intelligently, in a general way, on talk radio? It's an unfootnoted, unhyperlinked medium, which surely means that statistics are usually cited and believed (or not) based on whether or not one agrees with the argument that the statistics are being used to support. I don't personally like to rely on the honor system when it comes to policy data. And if the discussion doesn't involve statistics, is it really a discussion about crime? And do people listen in because they want to be challenged with new ideas, or because they want to hear their old ideas reinforced? I'm sure crime can be productively discussed on talk radio, but I don't think I've ever heard it happen. I know you're not Larry Nesbitt; the problem isn't you. But I do see an intrinsic problem with talk radio, as a medium, when it comes to trying to hash out a very complex issue like crime.

Author

Tom Head

Date

2011-11-26T15:07:56-06:00

ID

165465

Comment

Well, I was actually talking about my TV show. and not "hashing", just discussing...Surely no solutions will come from one episode of a talk show but it helps to put the issue in the front of peoples minds and will also give a medium for those who are living in our neighborhoods to give their testimony. One hour wont do it LOL

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2011-11-26T19:02:26-06:00

ID

165466

Comment

I hear you, and it sounds like you're doing something very important. Looking forward to watching it!

Author

Tom Head

Date

2011-11-26T19:51:18-06:00

ID

165468

Comment

As long as we continue to use the language of conflict, the cycle of hate will continue. When we focus on finding common ground across all the 'lines'...of economic class, of race, of gender, of age, of neighborhood...the possibility of coming together in united action will become a real, tangible thing. One question I don't recall ever having seen addressed: how does the emphasis on crime (and the resulting fear that keeps us all at odds with each other) benefit those elected, both at the individual level and in the performance of their official duties?

Author

LHB6391

Date

2011-11-27T13:44:10-06:00

ID

165469

Comment

That's a good question, LHB. I think politicians get a lot of mileage out of using crime as a way of plugging into some very old race and class stereotypes, and I think this sabotages sensible crime policy. I don't want to just kiss butt, but the JFP crime manifesto really is a fantastic basic statement of principles to work from, I think. I especially think our approach to crime policy will always be ham-handed if we don't incorporate the experiences of former perpetrators as well as former victims. That's counterintuitive, but the victims didn't really do anything to be victims; prevention fails when someone becomes a perpetrator. We need to look at what makes that process happen and see if there are ways we can interrupt it.

Author

Tom Head

Date

2011-11-27T20:55:05-06:00

ID

165470

Comment

(Not ignoring y'all; just checking back from the holiday and have a pile of work to do. I love seeing this conversation happening; keep it up! More soon from me. And thanks, Tom. The whole staff put together the manifesto in a workshop, and a lot of it grew out of our research for the GOOD issue.)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-11-28T10:24:44-06:00

ID

165471

Comment

One question I don't recall ever having seen addressed: how does the emphasis on crime (and the resulting fear that keeps us all at odds with each other) benefit those elected, both at the individual level and in the performance of their official duties? I will address this briefly. It doesn't benefit them. It only helps them get elected because it gives them a way to say that the guy in office isn't doing a good enough job to stop crime. We see fear politics with candidate after candidate. Personally, I will never vote for (or endorse) someone who plays fear politics, but clearly has done no evidence-based research on how to prevent crime and on the dangers of fanning the fear waves in a community. They are splitting the baby in half to get votes.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-11-28T10:28:02-06:00

ID

165473

Comment

It makes just as much sense to me to blame the cow for the price of milk and icecream going up as it does to blame the Democrats for the political climate of Mississippi and the South. I suppose the damn cow should stop producing milk until capitalism concedes its faults and changes. Mississippi and the South have a driving force just as destructive and insurmountable as capitalism. Why not blame the republicans of the 1800s and early 1900s for the policies and politics of the South as well. It is equally false. We all knew Johnnie Dupree didn't have a chance of winning the governor's office for obvious reasons, and that's the double truth, Ruth. What's amazing to me is the fact that some people don't consider the Democrat party good enough to join but has the gall to blame it for so much that is wrong with our state and region. I don't understand that. It sounds like blaming the messenger to me. I guess these critics want us to do things they refuse to help us do. These critics of the Democrat party are cowards. They're too afraid to join the war and prefers to sit miles away complaining and blaming those trying. Armchair quarterbacks thru the week and no where to be found on game day. Many of these same people are just as unlikely to blame capitalism for anything as they are republicans. If I were a power of any sort I'd give young folks much say-so so that they will screw up just like old folks do and become more patient and less inclined to blame. Good luck, Kaze. I like your television show and most of your columns although I disagree with the positions you often take. They stir dedate and I'm sure that's the goal. I'm still trying to figure out who in the world is dumb enough to believe anything Kim Wade says. Why do you keep inviting him? It must be the comical value. Carry on. I hope this one makes it thru since I'm on lockdown. Sorry, I meant moderation. I luv y'all.

Author

Walt

Date

2011-11-28T18:44:31-06:00

ID

165474

Comment

Aaaaaaaaa! My biggest disappointment is that people who use the crime issue as a wedge or a foil end up engaging everyone in a conversation that is an aside to the real community issues so many of us are involved in. Efforts to create an economically strong and culturally rich arts scene, engaging kids in academic challenges, beautifying our communities, increasing interaction amongst neighbors - all these activities are going on to great benefit in Jackson and incidentally are the major ways to decrease crime. Yet so much of our public municipal and electoral discussion is mired in whether or not crime exists, is on the rise or on the outs. I always feel like I've been tricked when I find my Self even talking about perceptions of crime. (wink -love you guys)

Author

daniel johnson

Date

2011-11-28T20:01:09-06:00

ID

165475

Comment

Getting elected would qualify as a benefit in my eyes--but beyond that, how does creating a falsely created sense of factionalism help solve the problems facing our city? I don't think it does...

Author

LHB6391

Date

2011-11-28T20:34:54-06:00

ID

165476

Comment

Qualifier - all of you engage the important issues I mentioned and rightly discuss these same activities when discussing community safety (crime control). It seems to me that political opponents benefit from inciting this discussion because it helps to prevent discussion of the many positives that community building citizens and politicians might talk about. i'd like to find a way to just deflect the conversation altogether and instead discuss community building activities. In a way, positive crime manifestos such as the one JFP produced go a long way to shutting down the distracting lies...in the long run I think we can Plan and look forward to and make concerted efforts to just talk about community building and not crime reduction.

Author

daniel johnson

Date

2011-11-28T20:45:46-06:00

ID

165477

Comment

What's amazing to me is the fact that some people don't consider the Democrat party good enough to join but has the gall to blame it for so much that is wrong with our state and region. I don't understand that. That's a good point Walt. This last election cycle has me very very very very very very very very very very very very nervous. Very nervous. With that said, if things do not improve under Republican control in the Governor's mansion, Lt. Governor, Treasurer, Auditor, Ag Commissioner, all the Trasnportation Commissioners, Insurance Commissioner and the House & Senate - who do the citizens that elected the people to fill those offices, hold accountable and better yet, will they hold them accountable - or will they just relegate to blaming the poor ethnic minorities in this state? I'm relative to believe the majority of the citizens will take the easy route and blame the latter. How can you continue to blame the Democratic Party - they don't hold any positions of power besides the AG's office, so who do you continue to hold accountable for the shortcomings of the state? Liberal Republicans? Is there really such a thing in Mississippi, a liberal republican? I'm with 'Kaze - the apathy is sheer deafening and frustrating, when we all know that Mississippi has the potential to become something great out of the ashes of racism and hatred.

Author

Duan C.

Date

2011-11-29T11:18:40-06:00

ID

165478

Comment

- Mississippi has no party registration, so there's actually no way to join the Democratic Party. - Voting Democratic and self-describing as a Democrat are two very different things. Self-described Democrats still outnumbered self-described Republicans in this state by a considerable margin, last I checked, but whites in Mississippi tend to vote for Republican candidates for statewide office regardless of party identity. But, again, since there is no party registration and voters cross party lines when voting, the party identity distinction is of limited importance. - Issue activists have to put pressure on all parties or they cease to be issue activists. - Democratic party activists have to acknowledge problems within the Mississippi Democratic Party or they won't be able to fix them. - Admitting the Republican Party is terrible does not mean resigning ourselves to the view that the Democratic Party doesn't have problems of its own. The big one: it's still being run as if it were a majority-white party when it hasn't been for years, disenfranchising its real statewide voting base (which is approximately 75% black) in favor of an imaginary base made up of party demographics as they existed in 1968. - The Mississippi Democratic Party voluntarily chose to elect a Republican lieutenant governor by fielding no candidates for that office (unless I am to believe that they are so stupid that they had no idea whether or not there was anybody running for the most powerful statewide office on the Democratic slate). I have no idea why they chose to do this. - By leaving those positions unchallenged, the party leadership also chose to let the GOP spend additional funds on the gubernatorial and legislature races, potentially affecting their outcome. - I do blame the Mississippi Democratic Party, because the Mississippi Democratic Party is to blame. And I would like to sit in a room with Jamie Franks and learn the real reason why there was no candidate for lieutenant governor; it could not have been an oversight. - In a city like Jackson, where 6 of the 7 City Council seats are held by Democrats and a Democratic mayor (Frank Melton) used Arpaio-style tactics under the auspices of fighting crime, the primary issue with respect to crime policy is probably not that we elect too many Republicans.

Author

Tom Head

Date

2011-11-29T11:30:57-06:00

ID

165479

Comment

who do the citizens that elected the people to fill those offices, hold accountable and better yet, will they hold them accountable - or will they just relegate to blaming the poor ethnic minorities in this state? I'm relative to believe the majority of the citizens will take the easy route and blame the latter. --Not if I have a damn thing to do with it. The way you fight this is to talk about it, loudly. Most people dont follow politics in minute detail. I've found very recently :-) that if you give the information, people will come. People WILL see. This pure D laziness with regard to our political process has to be stopped. We're stuffed to the gills with food, overmedicated and zoned out. That's how they want us. I've known that for years. But that attitude is not going to pass in this state for the next four years. And I think there is finally a crowd that is willing to listen, to pass on the information and is organized enough to do it. The meme of "blaming the poor" is on its way out the door. Along with the rest of this antiquated old white boy system that is blowing its last dying breaths.

Author

Lori G

Date

2011-11-29T11:43:47-06:00

ID

165480

Comment

Preach, Lori. We can do this. And the answer sho ain't for so-called progressives to start picking up the language of the old school (and the state's long line of bigots) on crime or anything else. You want to lower crime? Then figure out what damn well causes it and what can fix it, and don't use the misfortune of other people to try to get votes and power. Stop sensationalizing and start actually doing something based on real information. Nobody is talking about stats, Kaz; "evidence-based" means a whole lot more than that. Lori could probably explain it to you even better than I can. And daniel, I hate it too that we have to go down this crime-whine road about a year to 18 months before every city election rolls around. It's tired, and it's dumb. But if we don't take time and energy to counter it and call it for what it is, nobody else is going to. And that means even more hopelessness sets in, more tax base leaves and people start believing that the police are supposed to prevent crime. We barely pay them enough to respond to it, and even so, we have a higher-than-average "clearance" rate (meaning solving rate). My message to Kaz and everyone else: Stop thinking the government is supposed to do everything for us including solving crime. Our crime rate is due to very serious issues that most people don't want to actually take on. I'm with Lori: We can take it on, but we've got to get serious about knowing how, what causes crime, what can fix it, etc. Be sure to read this piece: The Poverty-Crime Connection and this one, Who's In a Gang? Who Uses Crack? Going forward, I'm going to post a new evidence-based piece about crime-fighting at the top of the site every weekday morning, so keep an eye out. Let's get serious about this problem rather than using it to tear down everyone over 50, or whatever, in city government. That is absurd.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-11-29T11:55:30-06:00

ID

165481

Comment

@ Lori G - I'm a Cleveland Browns fan, so I love to hear a rah rah speech! But my team is 4-7 and we are getting ready to play the 8-3 Baltimore Ravens. Which means they have a stronger team, with equal number of players! This is politics in Mississippi where I just given you the entire roster - we are out numbered, out manned and out maneuvered, we are currently the equivalent to making the sound of a pin dropping in the middle of the Red Forest in California. Now instead of preventing the forest fire, we are now in the position of trying to contain the fire. Now I hate to sound like a jerk, but it is what it is. For the last 20 years Mississippi has been slowly, surely and steadily moving into the political position we are currently in, and that is a Republican stronghold - and thats just fact. To say, I've found very recently :-) that if you give the information, people will come. People WILL see. This pure D laziness with regard to our political process has to be stopped., that sounds great and all - but look at where we are at? Its like I said - I hate to sound like a jerk, but we shouldn't have even reached this point in the first place. I mean if you got a sure fire method, by all means do your thing and I will support you. I hate to sound definitive, but we seen this day coming and now that day has arrived, we can't talk about stoping something that's already happened? I told Ladd this before, I just hope you guys use the podium you have and hold them accountable for any shortcomings that arise, but I am very sure you guys will.

Author

Duan C.

Date

2011-11-29T15:41:24-06:00

ID

165482

Comment

Well if I may retort. The answer sho isnt posting a link to a maifesto either. Its part, because I DO believe youre working on solutions, but it isnt the end all be all. Try talking to some real people in real hoods across the city. And talking to them in a non-condescending fashion that doesnt poo poo what they experience everyday. Ya know...like saying "Perhaps Lori can explain it to you" as if I dont know any better. I know what you mean its just that I think reading the manifesto is but 20-30% of the real work that must be done. And never said everyone over 50-55 is inept. I never say all. There are some here who GET IT. Its just most of them arent in any positions of power around here. Thats just my opinion. You may disagree. Again. I Believe we're on the same page. We want the same end. Remember Im the guy who coined PROJack! I want whats best for my city. Safe prosperity for everyone. We disagree on methodology and approach. Im brash, what can I say

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2011-11-29T17:07:49-06:00

ID

165483

Comment

Kaz, what dumbass would argue that "posting a manifesto" is "the end all be all"? The manifesto is filled with actions, and many of them are actions in order to find more actions. Action over complaining about other people. And you don't know who I, or we, talk to in this city. Why in the world do you make proclamations such as those? I talk to people throughout the city all the time. I talk to crime victims. We have crime victims right in our office, not to mention people who live throughout the city. And you probably wouldn't believe the people who call me on the telephone -- from people headed to jail to those coming out of jail to elderly people in West Jackson upset when their JFP isn't at the right place at the appointed time. So don't you dare condescend to me as if you're the only one who could possibly talk to a crime victim in, say, West Jackson. That's bullshit, and I'm calling you on it. As for not wanting to be condescended to about things like "evidence-based" approaches, then reread your posts before you hit "send" so that you don't actually say you think I'm just talking about statistics. You are condescending all over the place, Kaz, and in the column above, you paint a very wide brush over anyone in power, but without actually making any real suggestions about what they should be doing instead. They comes across as rhetoric and nothing more. As for Lori, I dare say she knows a helluva lot more than you or I about the plight of young people, especially those who turn to crime, than you or me put together. And what are you suggesting that I don't know about the crimes people are experiencing? You can't possibly be shortsighted enough to think that because I and many other people are calling out media and politicians on crime sensationalism that we can't Meantime, what actions have you suggested, beyond your typical "oust the old people and replace them with people I know!"? If you're so worried about crime, where are your actual suggestions? What are you proposing that, say, other cities have done that has made a difference? Where is your list? Our staff took time to do the research and come up with a list of ideas. If you're so concerned about all those people you believe you're the only one with access to, then suggest real ways to help them both (a) be and (b) feel safer. And try to get it through your head that when people actually feel safer, they can and will do a lot more to help keep themselves safer. That's in all the research that you belittle rather than spend time reading. So bring it. Walk the talk. We await your ideas. Let's get er done.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-11-29T17:58:54-06:00

ID

165484

Comment

BTW, here's a link to a piece R.L. Nave did for the CRIME issue before even arriving in Jackson that lists several Ways to Prevent Juvenile Crime. There are many more ideas we could all be finding and putting into action, with or without government support. I respectfully suggest that we re-funnel all the energy put into complaining about crime into finding and implementing ideas to prevent it. I know the paid political operatives won't go along with this proactive idea, Kaz, but the rest of us can. Let's roll.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-11-29T18:20:18-06:00

ID

165485

Comment

Uhhhh. Whereve you been? Ive been walking the walk for years and have columns and works with suggestions. And with all due respect to Lori ( and Lori you know you my peoples) I dont have the job she does nor the schooling in that area. But..Ive got yearz of working with this city...this states youth. Kids I have personally mentored. Regular trips to henley young and oakley that I dont even mention. Not to mention having 3 teenagers of my own, so speak for yourself in that regard. Like I said. You work your thing and Ill work mine. Wont hurt. We all want the same thing. Ive been listing things so long I cant keep up. Its time for action. Our hoods need healing. Oh and btw...dont make me double over in chuckles. You think I want folks in power removed so folks "I know" can replace em. Hell, I KNOW the ones there now. Has NOTHING to do with it. Some get it. Some need to go. Im not the only one that feels that way. Surely you dont think that. Im good either way. But there are some who WONT be good either way and THATS who we all need to watch out for. And I AGREE the energy needs to be channelled into HELPING the cause. That Im with. My method isnt for everyone.

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2011-11-29T18:45:55-06:00

ID

165486

Comment

Kaz, obviously you have some ideas and experience with kids. So do we all: You're the only one here proclaiming that others don't know what you know. The point is that these columns of late just don't have much meat on the bone. Give your ideas for fighting crime; make us a list. And if you're complaining about an elected official, get specific about the specific problem rather than painting with these wide strokes that actually hurt your credibility because it sounds so damn political. We currently have some good people in leadership roles and some not-so-good ones. Let's not act like they're all one and the same. And challenge them with specifics. My point is to get specific; share something real. Big ideas. Next actions. You say: "It's time for action." But then you don't list any. What does that mean? Obviously, the "hoods" need healing. We can't be in agreement more about that. But your method for that, at least in the above column, seems to be to just change what you vaguely call "leadership." Really? We did that with Melton, and the hoods couldn't afford that man's kind of healing. Neither could the city. Let's get real. And specific, please. The complaining only hurts the city.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-11-29T18:53:25-06:00

ID

165487

Comment

We've been working on a crime-prevention blog with our years of evidence-based crime coverage in one place. Here is it, all, with all sorts of ideas and context on crime in the metro. Please go peruse and tell others: http://www.jfp.ms/crime

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-11-29T19:41:21-06:00

ID

165488

Comment

One last point, and I'm off to the gym: Kaz, when you accuse me of never talking to "the people," you are so dramatically wrong that it would shock you. You know what "the people" tell me: They are sick of politicians and media trying to get rich and powerful off their 'hoods' problems. A lot of the "thugs" and "hoodlums" are their kids, and many of them feel powerless to help them navigate the system that is so stacked against them. Many are mired in poverty, and go to school every day past dilapidated houses (many of which are owned by people who live in much nicer homes). They see media sweep into their neighborhoods only when something bad happens, seldom when something good happens. They are sick of people assuming that because they live west of Gallatin Street that they are part of crime syndicates. They hate it when co-workers make assumptions about them, their families, their schools, their neighborhoods. They want people to believe in their young people and their possibilities. They want the assumptions to stop. The truth is that I hear from these kinds of people, with these kinds of beliefs, every year in a four-year cycle, not just in the last 18 months leading up to an election when some of y'all start complaining the loudest about crime, and make not-so-veiled comments about the "elephant in the room" The "elephant in the room" is the ignorance about how to prevent crime that pervades our community because people just want someone to blame so they don't have to actually do anything themselves. That is a big part of the reason that I am so confident about the way we choose to cover crime: because a hellava lot more people thank us for it than complain about it—and people from all over the city, not just near where we both live in Fondren. No, they don't do it in columns or blogs because not everyone has the same access to the media that you or I do. Now, I must work out.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-11-29T20:03:20-06:00

ID

165489

Comment

I wanted to comment on some stuff but I gotta put my kid in bed! (it reduces the likelihood she'll committ a crime later in life). :-) I'll be back later! But Duan--I understand what you are saying and you have a valid point. But while we seem to have a semblance of a progressive (or more progressive than previously assessed) population in this state that is finally willing to organize and be activists, I'm not going to spend my time damning them for not showing up earlier. Sorry. I'm going to thank God they showed up at all.

Author

Lori G

Date

2011-11-29T20:10:22-06:00

ID

165490

Comment

Ok. Sorry. Things got crazy last night (as in, Mama got tired and fell asleep on the couch). What I wanted to say is a small little diatribe about evidence-based solutions. Because I don't think people are truly getting that. To help, I'll start with a story (because that's how I like to do it:-)). Ten years ago my employer jumped into a study regarding evidenced-based therapy. We were one of six sites in the nation--pretty fashion forward for Mississippi. It was a completely new thing in the State of Mississippi. No one was doing it or had heard about it (in fact, ten years later, our state agencies are JUST NOW tying evidenced-based therapies into state and federal funding). A lot of our clinicians were trained by people at Duke and people in New York in what we call "EBTs" (evidenced-based therapies). Initially, it seemed to go against everything I knew and learned in my six years doing therapy. It wasn't "non-directional therapy". There was no "how are you feeling?" It was VERY uncomfortable for people in the field who "knew" how to do therapy and "knew" their patients. How could we believe that a guy in another part of the country could come up with a completely rigid framework for therapy that was shown, over and over again, to be completely effective with trauma victims? It can't be, right? They don't know "MY" clients and they don't know "THEIR" traumas, right? Wrong. Turns out, after tons of research into best practices some people actually sat down and created a framework for therapy (16 sessions with identified, specific therapeutic tasts to accomplish in every session) that actually helped most trauma victims. Rape victims, shooting victims, victims of abuse and molestation--it didn't matter. It helped them all. I hated it because initially it forced me to become accountable for my profession. Not only did it expect me to DO therapy, it asked me to be accountable for that therapy and to use interventions that were researched and proven to work--every single time. It forced me to dispense of my "conventional wisdom" and realize that my therapy --if not evidenced based--would always be influenced by ME, my upbringing, the school I attended, etc--in some way shape or form. It forced me to use science and evidence and research to show that what I was doing was actually helping. So, when people say "evidenced-based solutions" and you poo-poo them, I know that you are having the same reaction that I did at first. How can someone NOT from "my hood" walk into "my hood" and know exactly what "my hood" needs....what I'm telling you is that THEY DO. And until you read the evidenced-based solutions to crime--which are centered VERY MUCH around community involvment and community policing (which is what Donna is pushing) you will not understand why SHE (Donna) poo-poos YOU when you start decrying leadership. Because the evidence shows that the largest impact on crime comes NOT FROM LEADERSHIP BUT FROM COMMUNITIES. So, she's asking you to refocus and understand that what you are begging for doesn't even work to begin with. You'd be more effective emailing every neighbor that you have, meeting at your house, and forming a very cohesive neighborhood watch than continually decrying the lack of leadership in the city regarding crime. If you KNOW the evidenced based solutions then you realize that you don't have to decry leadership...you just have to start taking responsibility for your own neighborhood. Especially if you are a community leader or a leader in that neighborhood. Because if you aren't, you are being just as neglectful as the leaders you decry. The fact of the matter is...evidenced-based solutions WORK. That is why they are named as such. They are essentially frameworks for solutions that have repeatedly shown, in multiple environments, to be effective in crime prevention and management. Stop calling it a "manifesto" and get on board here. (And Kaze, you know I love you too.) But, I can see both sides here. I can see where you come from and where Donna is coming from. The thing is...you aren't that far apart from one another. I also know that as Southerners we like to think that we are completely separate from the world and that somehow completely unique solutions must exist or be created for "our type" of crime or "our type" of poverty. That's just simply not true. Here's one simple interjection: Community fear of crime and crime itself is reduced by community policing. This is why the COPS program exists, right? Now, considering that Melton manipulated crime to get elected and stay popular, do you think it was just an after thought that made him dissolve the COPS program? Or do you think it was because he KNEW (after being in the justice system previously) that this was a way he could continue to have some control over the community? Because I think he knew and used that to his advantage. But if you don't understand how that program actually effects a community's perception of crime, then you would think that program being dissolved (or the employees laid off--wasn't it?) was a good budget decision, no? But if you know, you can see it as the manipulation that it was. I will also give Donna a bit of very depressing news...on average (or at least with the research that I've seen) it takes around five years to get a system centered around evidenced-based approaches once leadership gets wind of them. People don't like them. At least, ineffective people who appreciate the status quo don't like them.(ie, the entire leadership of Mississippi) So, maybe in 2014 people will start paying attention. You just have to keep shoving it in their face and demanding that they pay attention.

Author

Lori G

Date

2011-11-30T08:33:43-06:00

ID

165491

Comment

population in this state that is finally willing to organize and be activists, I'm not going to spend my time damning them for not showing up earlier. Sorry. I'm going to thank God they showed up at all. Thanks Lori for understanding, for a while there I sensed that you didn't care too much for my point of view, with our past dealings on other matters. With that said - since you touched on what you do for a liviing, let me touch on what I do. My career is in employee relations and usually I'm in position to fix situations or correct situations, but from my past work history - I like to be ahead of the curve and avoid any fires in the first place. That's just a personal preferance. My biggest beef with the current state of crime in Mississippi and let alone Jackson, could stem from a lot of things, however, to me its due to the poor conditions of the following: 1. education 2. transportation infrastructure (public transportation, roads and bridges) 3. employment opportunities I've read Hank Bounds Blue Print for Mississippi report and it touches on a lot of my concerns. However what is in the report, we've already heard time and time again to where now it is so cliche. So I do dig your passion, but I ask for everyone's patience with my frustration towards this topic.

Author

Duan C.

Date

2011-11-30T08:59:18-06:00

ID

165492

Comment

Duan--You are a special breed and probably stubborn as hell. My husband is a Cleveland Browns fan. I'm not kidding when I say that takes a special person. :-) I will agree with the education and employment parts. Those are the ways that you help people out of poverty--the one huge main factor in crime. Its the poverty and lack of a road out of it that are killing us. And yes, that does center on a completely crippled public education system that doesn't actually educate our children or teach them the goal-directed behavior it takes to lift them out of poverty. Personally, when I start thinking about those large cultural issues that are just SO HARD to change, I shut down. I operate on the assumption that I can only save "my little corner of the world" and so I keep hammering away at the things that I know that I CAN do efficiently and effectively. And that is work with inner city kids with chaotic families and teach them each--one by one--better ways to communicate and better ways to live. (You know, that whole "Starfish Analogy") And, personally, I think I was probably just as depressed about the state of affairs here until the Nov 8th election. The one thing I learned from the election is that there IS a progressive population in Mississippi that was waiting to be mobilized. It exists. And, it was totally energized by beating Personhood. Thing is...they aren't all democrats. And THAT is what we need to get away from--the identification of parties. They are socially-liberal Republicans in this state who will align with Democratic ideals if put up for a vote (notice I said social issues). We haven't harnessed that power before because we've never had an election that separated the groups out that way. But, if that election is any indication, you can harness that same population and if you combine the socially liberal Republicans and Democrats in the state, you can beat the Old Boy System. I got news last night that there are several policy research tanks currently calling around Mississippi to 'take the temperature' of the state with regards to further Personhood legislation. Also more conservative crap they want to get passed. That means, for the first time ever, they actually believe there may be a dissenting opinion here. And they are frightened of it. So, I think we are in a very unique time for Mississippi politically...and that has re-energized my passion in a very real way. I think we need to keep that power going and not lose the momentum because, if I am correct, we are in the middle of a large shift in this country and the next few years are literally going to be a fight for the rights we have always assumed to be guaranteed. It is going to require a population of very politically active citizens...soemthing this state (and the nation, really) is not used to.

Author

Lori G

Date

2011-11-30T09:22:22-06:00

ID

165493

Comment

Thank you, Lori, for explaining what I've been trying to explain so much better. I almost cried when I read your post because you get it. And of course you would with what you do. As for the depressing news about it taking five years, I know. That's why I'm pushing so hard on this. We started pushing on it back when the Melton calvary came along trying to derail all positive efforts on this front so he could get elected, and do various other assorted things I won't get into here. So many people went along with him precisely because he had a remarkable way of tapping into people's instinctual conventional "wisdom" about crime -- just scream louder and declare "we're not going to take it anymore" and hire as many cops as possible, and we can stop it. Right. We've seen how well that works. If people are serious about lowering crime, we have to get in front of the future train, and it really doesn't matter all that much who is mayor, as long as it's not someone who beats the crime drum, getting people all hyped up, without offering evidence-based solutions. Sure, we must do whatever we can day in and day out -- the community and the police -- and we had a lot of ideas in the GOOD Ideas issue about that, too. There are things each person can do each day to lower their incidence of crime -- and it's NOT hiding inside with the blinds down. I'm not going to spend my time damning them for not showing up earlier. Sorry. I'm going to thank God they showed up at all. Me, either, Lori. As I saw to my writing students and my staffers trying to get organized and ahead: Just start now. Just start. This paper is almost 10 years old. If people would have listened on the crime literacy front 8 years ago, we would be three years into an evidenced-based approach to crime. We have no time to waste. It is time for Jackson, Miss., to get smarter about stopping crime.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-11-30T09:31:02-06:00

ID

165494

Comment

Crime story of the day: Why They Kill

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-11-30T09:47:33-06:00

ID

165496

Comment

Sorry to ignore you, Duan. I understand your frustration, but you're right. Focus on these areas that you list are key to reducing crime, among other societal ills. 1. education 2. transportation infrastructure (public transportation, roads and bridges) 3. employment opportunities Kaz and others have made fun of me in the past (let me see if I can find that post to link) about saying that fighting crime has as much to do with fighting crime as anything, and a whole lot more to do with it than finger-pointing at fairly minor elected officials. JOBS are the elephant in the crime room. And that 20+ percent poverty rate that results from it. Anyone who doesn't want to at least include that in the discussion isn't serious about crime-fighting.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-11-30T10:24:01-06:00

ID

165497

Comment

Oh you good Ladd, to be honest with you - I felt kind of lost - because when I read 'kaze article I thought he was touching on the Republican landslide and the stagnate state of politics in Jackson. So when you guys started talking about crime, that's where I wanted to add my two cents by adding that last post of mine. But I really appreciate you recognizing how poverty and unemployment tie into the rate of crime.

Author

Duan C.

Date

2011-11-30T10:37:32-06:00

ID

165498

Comment

Duan, there are two different threads in the column and comments. So, no worries. Of course, poverty breeds crime when the right mixture of conditions are present. In case you missed it: The Poverty-Crime Connection. Also, read my "Why They Kill" piece linked above. It'll help explain those conditions. BTW, Kaz and I just had a lengthy Twitter discussion on this, too. See my timeline @donnerkay.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-11-30T11:10:10-06:00