Jackson Jambalaya

In a blatant show of racism, this leading Mississippi Democrat shows his true colors (several entendres intended) in a June 24 letter to The Clarion-Ledger:

Ruling lets 'progressive' Democrats lead
The current debate about U.S. District Judge W. Allen Pepper's ruling on primaries is about a power transfer.
For years, Mississippi had been controlled by Dixiecrats in a one-party structure called Democrats; blacks and poor whites were not allowed to vote. In 1965, the Voting Rights Act empowered the two groups to vote. In 1964, the Goldwater revolution began the rise of the modern-day Republican Party. It is controlled by former Dixiecrats.
The present day Democratic Party, of which I am a charter and the only remaining member still on the board, was controlled by "Blue Dog" Democrats with help from Dixiecrat cross-overs.
This is now being brought to an end.
As a result of Judge Pepper's ruling, progressive Democrats will control all statewide and local Democratic nominations; they constitute 85 percent of the party base. "Blue Dogs" like Eric Clark and Jim Hood, Sheriff Malcolm McMillin, Barbara Dunn, Jack Gordon, etc., have won their last Democratic nomination,
What is the basis for this claim is a surging black population, mainly on the eastern side of the state. In DeSoto County, minority population has increased 300 percent; south Madison has doubled; Rankin, Lee, Lowndes, Obtibbeha, Lauderdale, Harrison counties, etc., all have seen huge jumps in minority population.
What's needed is a voter registration, voter runout drive to bring 500,000 African Americans to the polls; there are more than 850,000 eligible African-American voters in Mississippi - roughly 41 percent of the eligible electorate.
As for voter ID, bring it on in the primary; we can handle it. Republicans may find it to be a double-edged sword.
Finally. in many rural counties like Noxubee, Kemper, Winston, Pike, etc., voters will have to start giving state and national Democrats some support or get out of local races entirely. Think about that.
Ike Brown
Democratic Executive Committee
Macon

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070624/OPINION02/706240318/1009

If I was a Republican hack and wanted to write a letter that made the Democrats look stupid and sign a Democrat's name to it, this letter is exactly what I would've written. Mr. Brown has declared war on all White Democrat office-holders in Mississippi. Is this guy stupid? He considers people like Eric Clark to be Republicans in Democrat clothes? If he wants to pursue this course, get out of the way. His racism will merely drive moderate white voters in Mississippi who vote for Democrats to the Republican (bringing back memories of when the NAACP kicked out the Jews).

Some advice for you Mr. Brown. You are a MINORITY!!! That means you don't have enough votes. In order for you to achieve political goals, that means you have to actually work with others instead of throwing bombs or inventing a Black version of the KKK. People think of the Klan as being very stupid and are going to start seeing you in the same way. You are nothing but a racist and will be the Mississippi Democratic Party's worse nightmare if you are ever allowed to run it. If I'm Governor Barbour, I would be doing everything possible to make sure you took over the Democratic Party in Mississippi.

It remains to be seen if so-called "progressives" like The Jackson Free Press or any other Black elected officials criticize your remarks.

Racism is alive and well in Mississippi and it does have a face: Ike Brown. Welcome to the new Mississippi.

Update: Mississippi Democratic Party Officials take action against Brown.
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007707070342
http://cottonmouthblog.blogspot.com/2007/07/sid-salter-sloppy-or-biased.html