Jackson Jambalaya

I'm almost certain we need someone in the legislature with a doctorate in 'urban higher education'. And someone related distantly to Jake Ayers, as well. We're still mired in the legacy of Ayers as none of the historically black colleges has come close to achieving the mandates of Ayers. The whole fiasco was a 'community activists' pipe dream, nothing more. Ayers was a community activist in Greenville for two decades and achieved nothing more than saddling black schools with goals they'll never achiever, largely because they have no desire to achieve them. She's bootlegging off his name looking for a position in which to land. Shades of Johnny Walls!

Good Lord, can we get someone with a Doctorate in English to proof this shit. What a freaking joke. Sounds like another affirmative action troll hanging around to put any title and award behind her name. Which brings me to another question, why in the hell can't these ladies take their husbands name and be done? What is so sexy in the black community about a hyphenated last name? Why the hell did you marry if you still wanted your last name? Please someone answer this, seriously.

Hyphenation is not a racial phenomenon. The story following Ayers-Elliott on this blog is Rooks-Barber. I'm guessing there are a number of reasons women do that. In this particular case it's an attempt to latch onto the name of her long-deceased great uncle, the goateed icon of entitlement in the Mississippi Delta for years. She believes it establishes credibility for herself and might keep folk from wondering...."WHO?"

But, really....what the hell is Urban-Higher-Education and what is the value of a degree in it?

Is there a correlation between the long white goatee Uncle Jake sported and the fact that his namesake is a Goat-Herder in Jackson?

Are goats even legal in Jackson?

Many questions as you can see....

Interesting... after a Google search, I found this:

www.ms.nrcs.usda.gov/news/CindyAyersElliottstory.pdf

A graduate of UMass? From Wall Street to Lynch Street? Economic development advice from Uncle Bennie?

Clearly, the value of Urban Higher Education degrees allow one to be a valuable, sustainable farmer.

Can't disagree, but if the options are this "hyphonated" legacy and the "neice legacy" of the wonderful "read the bill" Alice Harden, what do we have to look forward to? Lorita (the hat) Stokes, who thinks being "close enough" to the district qualifies her for higher office? God help us!

I just want to know if anything has been clarificated.

I've known Cindy for close to 30 years. She is a friend of Bennie and you know my opinion of the Congressman. However, she has never allowed that to impact our friendship. She is her own woman.
I would say as far economics and economic development is concerned Cindy would distinguish herself among any member of the legislature black or white.
I would go on he record right now and say her BIPIC rating will be the higher than many republicans. She will certain have the highest record among black politicians (which is a low bar I know).
She was not just an investor but a founding member of what is now Liberty Bank on the corner of Lamar and Pearl. She is a detail person who knows how to read a balance sheet.
She is capable of critical thinking and analysis. She is mature,level headed and a capitalist. I commend her to you highly. You will not be disappointed.
Kim Wade

Kim: Thanks for your comment. You assured me that she's a friend of Bennie Thompson. Not exactly a bullet point I'd want to see on any resume if I were filling a job. And you said she would distinguish herself in the economic development arena. What do you base that on? Other than qualifying herself under the federal minority and female-owned business program, what has she done to 'develop the economy'? Well, not counting goat farming.

She's simply another community organizer for God's sake, hoping to lasso herself a state job with good benefits, based primarily on her bloodline association with the late activist Jake Ayers. Her history is a minefield of grant programs, neighborhood agitation, short-lived minority enterprise programs and jetting back and forth into D.C. seeking federal funding for various community scams.

Perhaps a little time in the trenches distinguishing herself in important stuff would be helpful prior to tossing her hat in the ring. She doesn't even have a collection of hats.

Fair question Shadowfax. As an investor and board member of First American Bank they lent money on private business deals in the bank's lending foot print.

Now her taking advantage of the various programs is also a business decision made by a business person. I am not big booster of the extensive presence the government plays in economic development at all levels.
But it's getting increasingly hard to avoid trying to retrieve some of the tax dollars confiscated by an out of control government seeking to buy votes.
Remember the dollars for those programs were once private dollars.
I am not of aware of any the abuse you infer. But as it relates to the various programs to relieve poverty in the Delta.
Those programs are a graveyard for washed up politicians, political stuntmen and women and has been since I've been in Mississippi.
Most of the solar companies funded under the last governor in cooperation with MDA and the federal government you'd agree would fall into the category of questionable worth.
Aside from me thinking well of Cindy personally. Compared to the people who have offered themselves to date. She'd be the best for the state.
One other thing. The Ayers lawsuit was not community agitation. It was a legitimate lawsuit that was prosecuted in a manner that failed to deliver the desired results.
In fact the settlement should be one you'd applaud. The HBCUs won the right to continue to be treated they way that had been mistreated before the suit was filed in my opinion. But that's another topic all together.

I knew Jake Ayers personally. The lawsuit brought in his name was a botle rocket in the grande fireworks arsenal of black politics in Mississippi. It had a short fuse and went nowhere. Blacks were appeased and whites didn't care. The colleges themselves have done nothing to push the outcome of that suit toward success. Instead of complying with the court's directive to enroll more minority (non black) students they've reached out to other countries rather than simply integrate as was the court's intention.

You place an interesting spin on her banking experience with your term 'the banks lending footprint'. Still, what has loaning money to black folks got to do with job creation or lasting outcomes that have demonstrated success for Mississippi?

You may not be familiar with such Delta bastions as The Delta Foundation (on her resume), MACE and WISCAA. Untold federal and private foundation millions have been flushed down those sinkholes, none to the lasting advantage or positive influence on poverty in the Mississippi Delta. Cindy, as well as Jake were always at the conference tables when those check envelopes were opened. And I certainly do not to be reminded that 'those dollars were once private dollars'. They were simply confiscated, in most cases, and redistributed. The same continues today with Barack and Bennie. They all have a vested interest in continuing Delta poverty.

I do agree with you on those programs being graveyards. The most popular among the stuntists have been folks like Espy, Unita Blackwell, Johnny Walls and a host of similar scoundrels. Strike that. PLAYERS.

In a way, she reminds me of Angela McGlowan who came out of the woodwork to throw her hat in Mississippi's congressional ring and now is called a Fox News Contributor. No real resume. Just wants to see some action and claim relevance.

It may be true that Mississippi will never again see the day when people really involved for decades in improvement at the local level decide to take a turn at the legislative level, with a goal of enacting positive change and then returning to their old jobs.

I would like to see this lady, or Bennie for that matter, get up on stage in a large room full of black folks and announce, "It is my vision and goal to see that we have enough employment opportunities so that each and every one of you, your children and your relatives can go to work within the next year". Reckon they'd get elected?

Shadowfox,

Just reading your comments you seem like a very bitter old man that was never accomplished. Last time I checked you could have entered into the race if you felt that you would be better for the job. At least my mom is woman enough to step up. It would appear that you like to hold on to the past. Actually "Ayers" is more than uncle Jake my friend.I just feel that you are more of a coward behind your name! I can't respect your opinions or find any real credibility behind your statements. So I think that you should stick to hiding behind those make believe names.
Eric Elliott

Nothing like attacking the commenter.

Where's the beef?