Jackson Free Press

Don't Call Me Ma'am

"Yes, ma'am." "No, ma'am." "Ma'am this, ma'am that." If there is anything I absolutely despise, it is the tendency of people in my home state to call me "ma'am." I …

The Golden Easter Egg

I stopped attending church years ago. I'll pause for the collective sharp intake of breath and prayer. It really had little to do with my belief in a higher power, …

Buying Judges: Tell the Whole Story

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals partially overturned the convictions of Mississippi attorney Paul Minor and former judges John Whitfield and Walter "Wes" Teel Friday.

[Kamikaze] Yet Another Distraction

So, another politician has gotten caught with his finger on the "send" button, or in this case, the "tweet" button. We all know how this movie plays out. Politician has …

Shall We Overcome?

I find it hard to trust someone who claims we should never talk about race. And I find it impossible to fathom someone who says it's "racist" to call out …

North Korea Goes Nuclear

Last night, North Korea tested a 5-15 kiloton nuclear weapon in an underground test, according to the government there.

[Lott] Opposing Homosexual Marriage

The Senate has failed to pass legislation calling for a Constitutional amendment to protect traditional marriage and halt the proliferation of same-sex marriages. Despite the current setback, I believe debate …

UPDATE: McCain Flip-Flops, Headed To Oxford

Update: CNN is reporting that Sen. John McCain has announced he will be attending tonight's presidential debate in Oxford, despite his earlier refusal to participate if an agreement had not …

Attorney Chokwe Lumumba Re-instated

The Associated Press is reporting that the Mississippi Supreme Court has voted 8-1 to re-instate controversial attorney Chokwe Lumumba. Here's a JFP news story with relevant context, and an opinion …

Bush's Version of Iraq Ignores Facts

Mark Seibel, the head of international coverage for McClatchy news service, published a detailed piece this weekend dissecting how the Bush administration—especially Bush, Secretary of State Condaleeza Rice and National …

Ridgeland Bans Pit Bulls

Yesterday, aldermen in the Jackson, Miss., suburb of Ridgeland joined nearby Clinton and Richland in passing an ordinance banning pit bulls. The Ridgeland ordinance also bans Staffordshire bull terriers, American …

Full Smoking Ban Takes Effect

An expanded version of the city's ban on smoking in restaurants and bars took effect July 1, but compliance with the ban is still spotty.

Starting Again: Mississippi Laws Trap Women In Abuse

Claire sat with her back to the wall on the washed-out blue bedspread covered with big cabbage roses, once pink, now faded nearly to white. The neat little room barely …

JFP Election After-Party, Blogging at Soulshine

After you vote Tuesday, head to Soulshine in the Hal & Mal's complex to watch the returns on the big-screen TV, and either celebrate or drown your sorrows–Happy Hour prices …

Is it OK to still love Favre this week without fear of dismemberment?

In short, he was my favorite player EV-AR.

Beyond the years when I actually possessed some amount of athletic ability, I've not been that much of a sporto. Unless your sport is going to a sports bar. But …

Barbour: 'Why I'll Veto the Tax Bill'

*verbatim via e-mail* There has been a lot of discussion over the past few days about Senate Bill 2310, which proposes to eliminate the sales tax on groceries and increase …

Earl Berry Executed - 6 p.m.

Earl Berry seems to have exhausted his appeals, and is set to be killed by the state of Mississippi today. He is on death row for abducting and beating Mary …

*Best of: People and Community

<b>Best Local Scandal, Best Public Figure,

As much as I attempt to cover issues apart from city politics, I always end up getting dragged right back to the council chambers and good ol' Frank Melton, a …

The Politics of Voter ID

Photos by Adam Lynch and Kate Medley

Candidates tend to look for issues to separate themselves from their opponents. It's a tough order in conservative Mississippi, where many nominees on both sides of the political spectrum agree …

[Kamikaze] What We've Learned

It's frustrating. Those of us who preach progression, who practice tolerance, see it daily. Despite the Herculean efforts of most of us, we still have some among us who are …