One of the "Jackson Voices" at the Clarion-Ledger speaks this week. Delana Lavanda Jackson writes:
"As a black man, there are things that I have to go through on an almost daily basis that human beings should not have to endure. I feel some black men are persecuted because of stereotypes, biased news reporting and deep-seated racism in some parts of Mississippi.
For me, Jackson is an oasis in a barren wasteland. Despite the many issues affecting our city, I feel safer in Jackson than I would in any of the surrounding areas, including Clinton, Madison, Pearl, Brandon, Byram, Flowood and Ridgeland. I cannot explain to you how good it feels to be in a place where you truly feel you belong.
Outside of Jackson is another story. Most of my black friends and I have one or more horror stories of police harassment, misconduct and racism. I have been pulled over by a police officer in a city adjacent to Jackson that shall remain nameless. When I asked the officer the reason I was pulled over, the officer told me he did not have to have a reason.
While many may think that racism is a thing of the past, it is clearly not and it’s not a secret, at least to those of us who have our eyes open.
Being a black man in Jackson, and in society at large, is a complex thing. It is an almost constant struggle for acceptance, equality and understanding. This is only a small glimpse of what life is like for me and my friends as we live our lives and take care of our children in the city that I love and the place that I am proud to call home."
Wow. Maybe the problem is you. I was one of the few white people in an audience at Galloway Elementary the other night. A white guy in a black sea in a black ocean between I-55 and I-220. And you know what? I felt pretty damn comfortable and didn't feel any urge to run to Brandon or Madison. Judging by the amount of black people moving to Clinton, Byram, and Ridgeland, there are quite a few black people who don't think of Jackson as a big security blanket. In fact, some of them are even cramming two to three families into one apartment in those cities just so they can escape Jackson and send their kids to better schools. As for the cops picking on you because you are black, if you had read this site, you would have seen more than a few white folks complaining about the police in certain towns picking on them just to pick on them. Did you ever stop and think the cops in some towns are just jerks to everyone? Then there is this letter to the editor. Seems the writer decided to link charter schools to.... slavery. Donna would be proud. Read on:
"Mississippi has a very large population of children still suffering the residual effects of slavery. They are those whose families have not been able to overcome their deficits and belong to the minority population still handicapped by generational teen pregnancy, dysfunctional parenting, poor school performance, high rates of incarceration, low economic status, disease disparity, and general poverty.
Those who insist on blaming these families that have had no preparation or support in joining the ranks of others who have overcome and entered middle-class status do not understand that middle-class values are not automatically instilled. Such blame does nothing to help these families, but only leads us back into our racist past. It offers no solution.
We applaud those minorities who have been able, through education, ability, and hard work, to attain decent circumstances, but Mississippi owes more to those who continue generation after generations to remain post slavery prisoners of their heritage.
Slavery is a crime against humanity, so there is no possible statute of limitations. Those who still experience the ravages of their ancestors being imported, sold, and forced to labor must be compensated by the provision of the best education possible.
Unfortunately, Mississippi does not support public education, which is why it is underfunded and of miserable quality. Politicians all support education to hear them talk, but we see no change for the better, the numbers tell it all. Instead we have a major effort now to create charters as alternatives to falling public schools. But unless someone outside the education establishment takes the reins, those children will still be left out.
Our public and putative charters must provide special services to marginal children at risk for failing.
The governor of Mississippi has the power to begin the process of educational reform by shaking up his state education administration and issuing ultimatums.
Once the governor implements a plan and shows his unwillingness to allow the status quo to continue for another century, we will begin to see our public schools function for the children they serve.
Patrick Gregory
Jackson"
Someone should tell Mr. Gregory if you keep looking in the rear view mirror while driving you are going to hit a tree. There are plenty of reasons he can use to fight charter schools but slavery? Get real. He needs to start criticizing the black community for not supporting public education. I was at the forum for the Superintendent finalists this week. Very, and I mean very, few people attended who were not employees of the district. This was the public's one chance to ask questions of the candidates. Looks like the black community couldn't be bothered. Few black business leaders or politicians came. I didn't see anyone from Southern Echo. Derrick Johnson? Guess he had a fund-raiser.
The black community here hasn't once held the School Board accountable for the sorry state of Jackson public schools. It hasn't called Harvey on the carpet for his school board appointments. When I mention the poor ratings of each school to black leaders, they are surprised. I am surprised they don't even look at the schools. They will march if a white principal uses the wrong word in speaking to black students but let a black principal or superintendent destroy a school and all one can hear is silence. If Mr. Gregory wants the Republicans to start supporting public education according to his standards, perhaps he should demand the same standards of the black community.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Waaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
17 comments:
Until the black community starts holding young black men accountable for their actions and teaching them not to commit crimes, then police are going to look at them under a spotlight. This starts at a young age by one parents (yes the plural) sitting with them and making an effort instead of sending them to live with grandma who is often taking care of more than 1 child. Read to them, teach them abc's, anything. My mother has been at JPS 35 years and if she had a nickel for every time she has been told "that's your job" when suggesting to parents to help their kids with homework, she could have retired when Reagan was in office. Don't breed em, if you can't feed em. And that means physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually.
To Delana Jackson: i call bull£#*+!! If you truly feel safer in Jackson, if you truly feel like it's the only place you "fit it" then you have told us all we need to know about your character...the way you dress...the way you behave in public...etc. There are countless THOUSANDS of black citizens who feel very safe and right at home in Clinton, Byram, Pearl, Flowood, Ridgeland, Madison as well as Madison & Hinds County at large. Of course, they don't roam the streets at all hours of the day & night wearing hoodies over their heads & faces and 12-size too big "gangsta" pants hanging off their asses, either.
Kingfish,
If you keep up this level of reporting, you're going to have to start charging for JJ.
I did not know this kind of journalism existed.
Thank you!!!!
This reminds me of a seventh grade paper written in response to a class assignment: "In one thousand words or less, describe your thoughts about the community in which you live and why you like or don't like it. Feel free to use fact or fiction. Five bonus points will be given for creative embellishment. Three bonus points will be added for multiple allegations which can neither be proved nor disproved."
Amen to "Don't breed em, if you can't feed em. And that means physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually."
He is an idiot. The leading cause of death of black men age 18-34 in Jackson is homicide. The leading cause of those homicides are other black males. The leading cause of death of white males age 18-34 are accidents. End of story.
blah! blah! blah! The reason that moron feels "safe" in Jackson and not in the burbs is because it is well known within the ranks of Jackson's fine citizens is that law dog's in Rankin and Madison counties don't play or coddle these thugs. True story: I was having a house painted in the Barnett Bend area this week. My painter is black, his crew is also black. well now, he had a hard time getting his crew to show up because they all had frickin arrest warrants out on them in, you guessed it, HINDS COUNTY, and were afraid they would end up in jail! He had to bring them in at NIGHT to paint the inside of this house... so you keep you ass in Jackson...good by me!
Oh Waaahh is right!!!!
And I absolutley agree with "Don't breed 'em if you can't feed 'em!!!!
When they start behaving like decent citizens then they will be reated as such!!!! Start contributing to society instead of constantly looking for a "hand-out"!! Get a job! Be a parent!! Teach your children basic social skills!! Work at making the area a better place for your children to grow up!!!!!
Kingfish: Excellent work. Remarkable job. Yoeman's job of journalistic reporting and fact-outing. (there must be a way to get a post in sideways on this blog). Keep up the good job. We are forever indebted. You rock, Man.
He wrote one today praising Chokwe> Couldn't even get his basic facts right. Second-term councilman indeed.
Almost all of Delana Lavanda Jackson's articles fall into this category. The guy has a one track mind. The fact that he considers Jackson City Councilman (and cop-killer apologist) Edwin Taliaferro a hero should tell anyone all they need to know.
It's rather odd how Mr. Jackson claims to feel so threatened when he travels into the suburbs, considering that he works in---you guessed it---Brandon.
Great point Curt ,
As of Sunday afternoon there are still
no comments defending Edwin Taliaferro ( AKA Chockeway ).
I've had an epiphany. There will never ever, be a day when we will be able to say, "look!, there is finally a cure for dumbass's!"
Just like there will never be a solution (outside of faith in a Higher power) for things such as : fear, abuse, addiction, sexual misconduct, problems in marriage, problems in the church, problems in culture at large, and something like R A C I S M! Yet, having made these astonishing findings, we CAN do our share to lessen their ability to thrive. This man, as KF so aptly puts it, is hard on the gas in reverse, on his way to a 200 year oak tree trunk, and he's still fooling with the radio.
This statement alone, "Those who still experience the ravages of their ancestors being imported, sold, and forced to labor must be compensated by the provision of the best education possible." Really? REALLY!!!!! I find it sad that this man, in this country, in this state, with the opportunities men and women have......is going to say 'we/I am still experiencing the "ravages' ". Unbelievable. This jack ass dumb sh&t has NEVER had to experience what those poor souls went through, ancestors or not. He hasn't yet, nor will he ever. He is fueled by a hate in his heart that most can't relate with. Poor him, he's missing out on the sweet blessings this life CAN bring, not putting our hardships and struggles aside or lessening how bad things can get.....but he's just poisoned, and is trying to spread the toxins. PLEASE keep giving him the platform, people truly do get tired of hate....nobody will give him any credit if we let this dumb bastard speak.
Who is this guy ? Never heard of him until now.
A CNA in Brandon ???
His blog photo suggests that an upside down bright pink snow-cone cup would make him a spitting
image of Keenen Ivory Wayans doing a three snap review of gay 1990's Roman Gladiator movie.
I have to admit I'm not familiar with the Jackson Voices page, given that I spend almost no time on the Clarion Ledger page, but after see this entry I surfed there. I'd like to say I was surprised with what I found, but that wouldn't be true.
I guess in a city that is 80% black, that 8 of the ten writers would be black. The funny part is that every writer (white ones included) had at least two articles on race, and for several writers, every article was about race.
The page says it's focused on black voices. Well, what I see is that at least THESE black voices are obsessed with race. From Trayvon to "My life as a black man" (several writers wrote damn near the same piece) to How Black History Month is essential, it's all about race.
Basically, it's worthless, but at least it shows who the REAL race-obsessed are.
While most murders of blacks are by blacks, here's an uncomfortable stat, 86% of the murders of whites are committed by white murderers.
There is not a white person on this site who'd rather be born black and maybe you should honestly asked yourself why that is.
Does the black community have problems THEY should address? You betcha!
Do you really want to pretend there aren't whiny white folks?
But, pretending that there aren't lingering problems with racism in this State is just stupid.
Mirroring the idiots on the other side of the mirror is NOT smart.
The day that black people give that slavery s**t a rest and Donna Ladd quits trying to spin crime statistics is the day things will start improving.
Jackson should be the beacon of example for what a black city would be. It's governed by blacks, populated by blacks, patrolled by blacks, and within ten years will not have a single white business left there. Jackson, Mississippi is literally the answer to the dream so many of the civil rights leaders suffered for. Not only are they equal, they are the vast, vast majority and the only people with the right to whine about equality in Jackson are it's white citizens. So given all these things, why are people not falling all over themselves to get to the "bold new black city"?
I'll tell you why. Crime, infrastructure, government corruption to the point of ridiculous, attitude, hatred, and the most anti business environment in America. But it's always been like that hasn't it? No it hasn't. When it was run by all those mean evil racist white people it was a much safer and prosperous city but I'm sure that's coincidence isn't it?
I occasionally read the Jackson Free Press for entertainment purposes only and that is the gospel truth. In fact I have written a few comments that weren't confrontational at all and I made sure they weren't because I wanted to see if I was right. Sure enough my simple different perspective was attacked by it's esteemed civil rights journalistic wannabe editor to a point that had me laughing out loud by myself. If you don't agree with Donna Ladd then you are a racist by default and an idiot because she says so. So why do people like her and the author continue to complain? Because it's all they know.
They are the proverbial dog chasing the car and what does he do when he catches it. They have caught their car and they have their city. There is NOTHING in Jackson that can be blamed on racism yet it's still a joke.
Off the subject, but speaking of Donna Ladd, is it just me or do others see this? A white person who pretends to speak for, and know what black people want more than they do seems like a racist to me. In my opinion it comes across as someone seeing blacks as a collective group instead of individuals and it implies they aren't intelligent enough to speak for themselves. The people she hates, republicans, believe in individual achievement and will step on a person regardless of color to get ahead.
Anyway, just an opinion
Post a Comment