Jackson Jambalaya

Well, at least they practiced "diversity".

sweet tank top!

Whole Foods Market said Monday it will cut 1,500 jobs over the next eight weeks.

3 questions about this :
Does the man on the far left have Down Syndrome? Not trying to be mean or offensive; Serious question.
What does Parham Bridges Park have to do with this story?
What is the forgery charge?

6:37; Re first question....No, he's just a bloated little pork-chop eatin' punk.

5:02 I read you constantly on this site and you continue to amaze me. I moved here 3 years ago from Stamford, Connecticut and you seem to revel in leading the charge for anti-Jackson sentiment and bashing.

In my 51 years, living all over the country, and employed by a national company with assignments all over the country, I have never experienced or seen such negativity regarding one's own capital city. I seriously don't get it. I cannot fathom WHY those neighbors all around spew such hate toward their neighbors in Jackson. I hate to use the "R" word, but what else can it be?

What possible motive arouses such hateful attitudes. Seems to me that if all the people spouting hate toward their own capital city, would join in the effort to improve it, as I witness at so many meetings and efforts around Jackson, the region and metro would slowly but surely improve. Have YOU become a member of "Working Together Jackson", Team Jackson, Jackson 2000, the Jackson Chamber, LEADERSHIP Jackson or ANY of the efforts attempting to improve Jackson? ANY?

I will await your spiteful, hateful response.

Dang, 7:16, why do you hate to use the word "retailers'? That must be what you mean, because you are, after all coming to the defense of a poor, little defenseless retailer. Maybe you carpetbaggers think that you can turn this into a little slice of Connecticut heaven down here, but, we really, really don't need your condescension. I take it we're supposed to stand in awe of your claims to have lived all over everywhere and done all that a caring Progressive should care to do. But, we don't. Feel free to take your Yankee ass back up North any time.

7:16 -- Race plays a role, but if Connecticut is typical of where you've lived, your understanding of that role likely is limited to a caricature. The short answer is that racism really is a two-way street in a state where black people comprise nearly 40% of the population. In Jackson, black voters now seem to match Mississippi's white voters of 50 years ago in their willingness to elect unrepentant racists. When that happens, a certain vocal percentage of whites can be expected to express some schadenfreude at the city's failures.

I would add that Jackson's problems are structural in a way that Stamford, CT could never imagine. These are multi-decade problems that are as serious as --maybe more serious than-- those in places like Detroit and Baltimore. Education and infrastructure are catastrophic. There is no real economic draw to speak of. The vanguards that usually revive downtown areas --childless professionals and artists-- overwhelmingly leave for larger cities. We don't even have long commute times to push people back in, given our small size and the migration of jobs to the suburbs.

In short, this isn't a "join the chamber of commerce" or "go eat dinner in the artsy district" kind of problem. It's a "wait 50 years for everything to collapse, then go in and rebuild essentially from scratch" problem. So there's a sense of resignation from people who once lived in Jackson and know that they won't live to see it improve. And some of them take it out in the form of snark on internet message boards. Not really surprising, when you think about it.

7:16- Having moved here 30 years ago from "Yankee Land," Bless ypur heart, I understand your thoughts. You have yet to experience the deep south in the short time you've lived here. Your children probably haven't yet perfected their Southern Manners, and you're tired of hearing "you're not from around here." If you're not active in a local Christian church, in some circles this is highly frowned upon. You're questions, though genuine, are easily taken as being snobbish or rude, when you're not at all intending to be. Family is the tie that binds everyone here. Immediate family always comes first and usually live close to each other. Extended family comes first in all extra curricular activities, as everyone grew up together. Non family involvement and participation in social clubs and cultural activities is always encouraged, but don't expect to be invited to hunting camps, football games, Holiday picinics or Bunco Games, asked to out with the "girls" or the "guys" outside of the associations your children have with their friends, that parents are involved in. Adults can be very "clickish", but are always polite. You don't need to move back up North, you just have to accept some things are never going to change.

The anti-Jackson vitriol is not limited to this blog. It occurs in the personal relationships Jacksonians have with their neighbors. The reminders that I moved from Madison to "the ghetto" are ceaseless and there is a non-racial explanation: Jackson's suburbs will never amount to more than cheap knock-offs of every other suburb across the country. The residents realize this and they feel the need to compensate for their miserable existence by directing their hate toward a larger, more established city. It's snobbery but it is not based upon any actual superiority. It is only based on maintaining a suburban farce.

While working for a rather large, multi-national corporation, I had many occasions to travel to Connecticut, where our 'central' office was. Never have I encountered such regional snobbery, misplaced arrogance and condescension. The air of superiority of those people was even more evident when they traveled in teams of 4-6 to Mississippi. Not realizing THEY were the monkeys, they thought they were visiting a zoo.

On one certain occasion (call it luck of the draw) I found myself surrounded in a New Britain, CT hotel lobby by all manner of weird people dressed colorfully, pinkies raised, many wearing what appeared to be velvet loafers. Come to find out that was the day of a vote for homosexual union, which passed. The lobby was awash in gaiety, as it were.

I realized I needed to get my ass back to my beloved South. That place was another world. In addition to a southern border wall, we also need a wall stretching from approximately the Show Me State across to North Carolina's coast.

As someone has already suggested, 7:16, 'Carry Your Ass!'.

I think the conundrum to me, is that my wife and family love it down here. We hope to never get transferred again. Being a "Yankee", as you said, we had heard all of the talk about southern hospitality, the genteelness of the people, the caring and thoughtful nature of citizens in the deep south, the importance of kindness, family, church, and civic involvement.....well all of the things that matter.

We have been overwhelmed with seeing all of these things up close and personal, and know that they are not a myth, as some of my "Yankee" friends are wont to say.

That is why the tenor of this blog is so confusing. It certainly does not match the southern hearts we deal with every day. We have experienced no "clique"" attitudes, but nothing but acceptance and kindness. We have yet to meet any person here, black or white, face to face, that has the dark attitude of some of the posters here.

Additionally, we have yet to see the supposed overt or covert racism Mississippi is so "blamed" for. Except right here.

I am trying to but I still just don't get it.

7:16, 10:09 pm gave you some good answers and so did 9:52 who didn't mean to play into the caricature but did. You are right the fight has to begin somewhere and sooner rather than later, I have seen progress from those kinds of efforts to support the city here and we both know what has worked to overcome provincial thinking elsewhere.

And , 9:52's remark about CT is telling as well. Poor thing doesn't understand that in school you learned the difference between a caricature based on stereotypical behavior and cultural patterns of behavior. It would never occur to 9:52 that you could be an objective observer and have something important to contribute.

Part of it is that high school is forever here as far too many never live any where else long enough to contrast and compare. The in state colleges and universities and junior colleges are just a continuation. The bullies in high school stay the bullies and simply hone their skills . The " popular" kids especially from wealthy families have to really screw up not to continue on. They have to go crazy or become substance abusers or criminals to lose their place in the social order ( Claiborne Frazier and Stuart Irby are a good examples of how hard it is for the rich and popular in high school to fail). Everyone has the bully or power person in their group that they are afraid to buck. Besides that, they know if they buck the bully, they'll also have to deal with that person's family and extended family. So, the " nice" and " smart" folk who do see the dysfunction or live " somewhere else" long enough to see the difference accept they can't win and go along or else try to ignore the bad and embrace the security " belonging" gives them.
Every now and again someone will make a ton of money or else have a child that raises them up on the totem pole, but it basically stays the same.
And, alas, the young people who are talented and smart and who don't have to rely on high school or college glory and who see what is happening, leave and few ever come back. It tends to be the ones who need to perpetuate the status quo who stay.
Eventually, like in CT and other places, enough " people from somewhere else" will , in time, outnumber the natives and things will change for both better and worse.
That's why Whole Foods is such a psychological threat. The wealthy neighborhoods , even in Madison, aren't all native WASPS. The universities have more students " from someplace else". More natives can't keep their children " down on the farm" as contact with others and the Internet changes their perspectives.
It's scary times for the natives like Whole Foods One Note.

Whole Foods a psychological threat? ROFLMAO Get over yourself.

God I LOVE JJ. Someone posts a link to the Whole Foods layoff story, an itinerant from no less than Stamford, Connecticut breaks out into 'Why Don't You Love Your Capitol City?' as lead soprano for the Team Jackson Hallelujah Chorus, Yankees share their inner Yankee and then we're off to the Races.

There is a reason why Kingfish is so successful at selling advertising!

7:35 Alas, bless your heart, you are a moron.
When Whole Foods was announced, we were told that that would be the end to all problems in Jackson. Home prices would rise, birds would sing, flowers would bloom. Life as we knew it would be nothing but milk and honey.
Whenever anyone tried to question that, they were told to sit down and shut up, that since they CLEARLY had not lived anywhere but here, they were too ignorant to see what was obvious to those of their betters.
I'm not the one that posts on Whole Foods, but I do find it humorous.
Now that the savior of Jackson is starting to implode, laying off workers, not saving the planet, desperately changing their business model, whatever will we yokels do? Before long, Whole Foods business model will mirror Walmart, and will condescending ex-pat Yankees say then?
Nothing that 5:02 stated was false or referenced race.

Ben Allen, president of Downtown Jackson Partners, said at the press conference that he has seen figures showing that, with all the residential development downtown in the form of loft apartments and condos, that in 10 years there could be as many as 25,000 people living downtown, tripling traffic on Pearl Street and Pascagoula Street.

-- Mississippi Business Journal
-- March 3, 2008

8:15 learn how to spell Capital City to get any street cred.

"5:02 I read you constantly on this site and you continue to amaze me. I moved here 3 years ago from Stamford, Connecticut and you seem to revel in leading the charge for anti-Jackson sentiment and bashing.

In my 51 years, living all over the country, and employed by a national company with assignments all over the country, I have never experienced or seen such negativity regarding one's own capital city. I seriously don't get it. I cannot fathom WHY those neighbors all around spew such hate toward their neighbors in Jackson. I hate to use the "R" word, but what else can it be?

What possible motive arouses such hateful attitudes. Seems to me that if all the people spouting hate toward their own capital city, would join in the effort to improve it, as I witness at so many meetings and efforts around Jackson, the region and metro would slowly but surely improve. Have YOU become a member of "Working Together Jackson", Team Jackson, Jackson 2000, the Jackson Chamber, LEADERSHIP Jackson or ANY of the efforts attempting to improve Jackson? ANY?

I will await your spiteful, hateful response."

*Didn't take long....*

@ 7:29 (I just don't get it):
"That is why the tenor of this blog is so confusing. It certainly does not match the southern hearts we deal with every day. We have experienced no "clique"" attitudes, but nothing but acceptance and kindness. We have yet to meet any person here, black or white, face to face, that has the dark attitude of some of the posters here."
****That is what you call Southern Hospitality. In comparison to the north, Southerners are not bold in expressing their opinions about neighbors or race. They express their true feelings only to their husbands and immediate family. A true Southern Woman is quiet, would never insult her neighbor face-to-face, no less go into Kroger with no makeup and messy hair. True opinions of Race issues, others children, and disrespectful actions of outsiders are kept deep inside closed doors of one's family. Football though, is discussed loudly with pride and determination! :) Religion? There is tolerance as long as the church is Christian-Baptist based.

"Additionally, we have yet to see the supposed overt or covert racism Mississippi is so "blamed" for."
**** You've discovered it already and don't realize it; with your comments of "have you joined these "Jackson City Groups?" Racism and poverty in the north is very different than in Mississippi, as it's not at all as extreme as it is here. Some things can change, but generally change is decades slow or in the case of Jackson, non-existant. When challanged, residents (white and black) "dig their heels in", partly because of fear, partly because they love their heritage and southern roots. That is basic human nature and will never change in this part of the country. A few thousand "transplanted" residents can boldly voice their opinions, but it won't change much. You see, the majority of people, not a vocal few, must embrace change. The suburbs are doing it and thriving. Jackson isn't .

Jackson Jambalaya posts these "negative" articles in a valiant attempt to force the District Attorney's Office in Hinds County and the Judges who hear too few cases to step up to the plate and start helping JPD and HCSO reduce crime. The Sheriff's Office and the Jackson Police arrest these criminals and then the system fails the City of Jackson from there. The behavior (or lack thereof) of the DA and our Judges is a disgrace and cost the City in taxes, in quality of life, and in population. And, the majority of voters keep re-electing these failed so-called public servants. Some of them are more like public leeches.
This Blog attempts accountability which our local newspaper does not.

Parts of Connecticut are lovely and fun to visit. We rode the train a few years ago from Jackson up through Michigan to Buffalo and Niagara Falls, then through New York State into Massachusetts and then Connecticut. Down through NYC and on to Virginia, the Carolinas and into Atlanta before coming back to Mississippi (Meridian) and a ride home. The ONLY crime we saw from the windows of the train was in Connecticut. Several youngish men were stripping a car of every valuable part right by the railroad behind some brick buildings. The most litter we saw (of the paper and can type) was from south of Springfield until we got to the electric commuter lines in southwest Connecticut. The other type of litter we saw in the rural mid-West was every appliance a family had ever owned dumped down the hill toward the tracks in several places.

Jackson is lost.

Is there a violin icon?

Hey I Just Don't Get It,

Which meeting have you been to that led to tangible improvement? Just from the list of organizations that you listed, I'd say there is more interest in forming organizations and meeting than in actually doing anything to improve...

If I had a dollar for every committee, paid study, discussion group, prayer group, community awareness meeting/picinic, or peaceful demonstration, that was formed in the last 20 years to improve Jackson, I would be independently wealthy, even after paying taxes. 4:03 just may have the nail on the head!

I was reared in Jackson from the 50's through the 70's. Moved to the burbs to follow a career in law enforcement after discounting my first dream of joining JPD. Consent decrees and the intervention of the courts produced a situation that my foresight told me I did not want to become a part of the organization. After 30 years of being on the job, I moved from the burbs to the country, cloest municipality is 20 miles away and my closest neighbor a quarter mile. Jackson got what it's voters asked for; a rotting corpse in which there are too many believing they are entitled to government handouts and support with another group of parasitic thieves and thugs creating an environ rich in dispair. I can't help but to think MLK is rolling in his grave over how the legacy for which he fought, and arguably died for, has been squandered by his people.
Call me racist if you will but I counter that I am an equal opportunity hater based on behavior and character rather than skin color.