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Sleeping With the Giant
So, we're 2. Our determined little rag has defied the odds—at least the mythical barriers that some folks thought were absolute reality. I remember the skepticism from a handful of …
[Ladd] Souls of Our Citizens
I left Mississippi in 1983 to find my place in the world. It wasn't in my home state, I knew then; I just didn't fit here. My spirit was a …
[Chick] I Think Smitten, I Think Smite
Once upon a time in the Best of the New South lived a fair peasant woman inside a shoe. She had a son who yelled "Never wear panties to a …
The Next ‘Greatest Generation'
The 2004 JFP/Collective Youth Voter Rally started with a bang. In case anyone thought the JFP-sponsored rally was going to be some "pinko" event, Ayana had scheduled Jim Giles as …
[Spann] Daddy's Girl Grows Up
Pops called at 12:30 last Sunday night. Startled from a deep sleep, I felt my heart race when I glimpsed his number on the caller ID screen. But then a …
[Aust] The Wrong Side of the Right
With the shadow of the Republican National Convention fading, there are many stories that were overlooked by press outlets or purposefully ignored. One scandalous story that barely hit the waves …
SPANN: It's a Crime and a Shame
Sitting in the beauty salon last week, I listened while my stylist and a friend of his sparred about the criminal-justice system and the political mechanism they believe runs it …
[Ladd] You Got the Power
They call you "sorry." "Lazy." "Apathetic." Or, worse: "Dumb." At the same time, they treat you like an idiot. They don't talk about anything that matters much to you. They …
Watching the Watchdogs
Former TV sportscaster Rick Whitlow seems like an incredibly nice person. He did not, however, impress me as a criminology expert when we met April 24 to talk about his …
Let's Do the Time Warp, Aga-inn
This is a hard column to write. Sometimes something is so painful, so heart-wrenching that you don't want to expose it. You just want to ignore it, and hope no …
[Chick] Monkey and Koncha
Up until, well, this week, I've been disguising a huge secret. It was a secret that could very well have affected my career and even further alienated my family (ha!), …
[Ladd] Stuck in the Middle with You
I don't know about you, but I'm sick of nastiness. Of sniping. Pettiness. Silly arguments. Name-calling. Divisiveness. It seems as if hurling insults has become the new national pasttime. Chris …
[Stiggers] Hold On Tight, Do What's Right
Welcome to "Skreet Newz" with Bonqweesha and Pookie—the economic news magazine show for the financially challenged.
[Lynch] It's Hard Being Green
President Bush may have stammered the most during the second debate when he was asked to defend his environmental record. Indeed, when I put the words "Bush, bad and environment," …
Minding the Shop
We weren't stopping at every convenience store in West Jackson. Todd and I were primarily distributing the Jackson Free Press to beauty and barbershops, barbecue spots, libraries and nightclubs—places where …
OPINION: The Sky Is Not Falling
Crime has once again become the dominant topic of local public interest. It is a volatile issue and, therefore, is occasionally treated by the media, the public, and some politicians …
[Stiggers] The Honeymoon Phase: Calm Before the Storm
We interrupt "Rikki Lakeside and Jerry Springtymer Present Outrageous Talk Show Guests and Their Problems" to bring you a special message from Bro. Kunta "Rasheed X" Toby, producer of a …
[Lott] Big Media Lose, Consumers Win
The federal 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a challenge by consumer groups to rules proposed by the Federal Communications Commission, which would have allowed more cross ownership of …
JFP Moving to Rankin County
Last night, as we toiled to get this issue out, Stephen interrupted some people breaking into one of our interns' cars. Fortunately, they didn't get away with much—they threw his …
[Ladd] God Bless the Little Man
When Wal-Mart first came to my hometown while I was in high school, I was ecstatic. It opened on a side of town where there wasn't a whole lot, and …
