Saturday, October 6, 2018

Unbelievable. (Updated with Video)

 Brookhaven suffered a horrible tragedy this week when two police officers were killed last weekend.  The administration at Forest Hill High School in Jackson must have been living in a Jackson pothole and missed the news.  How else to explain what took place last night.  See the picture below.




This scene took place at the halftime show of the Forest Hill- Brookhaven football game last night - in Brookhaven.  Those yewts are members of the Forest Hill band.  People who attended the game said the yewts were acting out a scene from the Denzel Washington movie, John Q.   Needless to say, the performance didn't go over too well with the hometown crowd.  One woman who saw the halftime show wrote on Facebook:

This!!!! DO YOU SEE THIS!!! This is what Forest Hill’s Band performed at halftime. You come to our town and perform this crap!!! If you can’t quite understand the picture it’s possibly from some idiotic movie John Q or some. I don’t watch crap like that so I wouldn’t know. The scene you see is them holding guns on SWAT officers after they’ve knocked them down. Don’t you tell me that Jackson Public Schools don’t know what we’ve been through this week. Don’t you dare even try to explain this away. This is what society is being taught. This is NOT ok people!!!

Comments on social media are running in a similar vein.   If someone videotaped the halftime show, please send the video or a link to it to kingfish1935@gmail.com.



UPDATE (12:20 PM):  Sho' nuff, the video appeared on Facebook:



There was a moment of silence for the fallen Brookhaven police officers before the game started.  Their badge numbers were painted in the end zone.  The band re-enacted the swat team scene from the movie, complete with the taking of hostages and shooting of the police officers.    This was also the first time that the band performed this skit.  Yup.  Last night was the debut performance.  One band mother posted this message on Facebook:

  My daughter is in that band and she said those guns were not introduced until last night as a part of their field show. They had ZERO practices involving toy guns.
Another woman posted this message as well:

The theme was from the movie John Q. They practiced this show since the summer. The band director's intent was to bring awareness to health care solutions and the lack thereof as depicted in the movie. That's the understanding I was given.



John Q was released in 2002.  It's not found on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or HBO GO.  It's not available for purchase on Youtube.  The swat team scene is not on Youtube as well. It is highly doubtful that a 2002 movie that is hard to find online is popular among the teens.  

WLBT reported that JPS suspended the band director.  The Brookhaven School District posted the following message on Facebook this morning:

The Brookhaven School District fully supports our local law enforcement. The halftime show performed by the visiting band during last night’s game was an unfortunate issue that our district had no prior knowledge of and does not condone. Our main focus remains, as always, on the safety of our students and the student-athletes performing on our fields. We appreciate our community’s support as we continue working to ensure a positive environment of sportsmanship for our student-athletes and those visiting Brookhaven.

“We appreciate the JPS Superintendent Dr. Errick Greene and the administration, band director and coaches at Forest Hill High School for reaching out to us today to offer apologies for the halftime show Friday night. In light of the recent tragic deaths of two Brookhaven police officers, it is important that our school districts stand united in support of law enforcement.”

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba issued a statement:

 “I offer my sincerest regrets to the Brookhaven community for the insensitivity that portrayed during the Friday evening halftime show. There is an active investigation into the circumstances that led to this performance," said Mayor Chokwe Lumumba. "While I do not believe that there was a malice intent on behalf of the students that participated in this halftime show, I understood that we are ultimately not defined by the things that we set out to do, but rather how we respond to the things that actually do take place. It is the responsibility of adults to offer guidance to youth. Our students should have been instructed that this was neither the time or place for that performance.”

106 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hear about kids being suspended for simply saying the word gun or making a gun out of their fingers. Why is this allowed?

Anonymous said...

It’s the most posted and re-posted thing I’ve seen on Facebook in years. People are not happy to say the least and there is no argument to be found defending what they did.

Side note, had the Brookhaven tragedy not occurred, would any JPS parents or admin show concern about their kids pulling out these fake guns on campus? This was bad long before they deeply offended the Brookhaven fans.

Anonymous said...

There are several sick statuses of people defending these kids and the school and band director on facebook

Anonymous said...

Disgusting. Deeply disturbing. Standby for finger pointing, etc.

otisfyfe said...

I didn't watch the six a.m. news today but I'm sure all three local stations carried this story and the Mayor of Jackson as well as the School Superintendent made condemnation statements and perhaps announced employment terminations. If anybody has that recorded, send it to Kingfish at his usual address.

Anonymous said...

Feel should reconsider his takeover of JPS. The principal and band directors should be fired. If not, I hope MHSAA suspends the band. IF any MHSAA official is reading this, what are you waiting for. Brandon band was prohibited from playing "How Great Thou Art" in their half-time before it ever happened, yet this trash is allowed on the field. Don't give me any of your "free speech" crap.

But I know how it ends. Little Chokwe will say this was from a movie and not promoting violence....will say students should have free speech.....blah blah blah...nothing will happen because this is a minority school. They will continue to be allowed to continue their "free speech".......

Anonymous said...

The band had to be working on this routine well before the tragic deaths of the Brookhaven police officers.

The band director must be seriously tone deaf.

With that said....this is a form of art and while it’s unbelievable to think anyone would time this event at this location now....is hard to fathom.

If people do not over react this could be a positive learning experience for the kids involved....maybe they will see how bad this looks.

Backing away even further....what kind of life do kids lead these days where AR 15s are incorporated into a band performance?

Anonymous said...

Typical of the thug society that has taken over in Jackson. Make speeches about stopping the violence while making it attractive to the kids in school. The band director and the principal should be fired immediately. I would certainly hope that the Brookhaven schools would ban Forest Hill from participating in any future events. The performance by Forest Hill band was disgraceful and totally unacceptable.

Wise owl said...

The principal, band director, and dance team director should, must be fired immediately. They, including the student knee. Then of course, Brookhaven should have stopped the halftime show and the game.

Anonymous said...

That band director is prob up shits creek without a paddle right now. Who approves a show like this for a band anyway?

Anonymous said...

This coming out of Jackson should not be a shock to anyone. Look at the Hinds public defender,the city clowncil, and what JPD has to put up with internally. The city is anti law enforcement from the voting base to figures in top administration.

Anonymous said...

Clearly the result of underfunding education.

Anonymous said...

If this is said to be free speech then so is playing “how great thou art”. We need more Of God being used in schools than guns beIng used

Anonymous said...

Why do today's marching bands have to try and perform some type of drama on the field? No one is interested in seeing these type performances. Weird.

Anonymous said...

There’s a good reason Phil didn’t take over JPS. He knows the state can’t fix it!

Anonymous said...

Try walking onto a school campus with a wooden gun next week. And pointing it at some kids laying on the ground.

Anonymous said...

I really wanted to leave a comment but I am speechless.

Anonymous said...

tragedy or not, this is unacceptable.....And I am sorry, but the only rights that kids should have are the rights that they are allowed by their parents, and school admin that care to see them succeed in this world.

Anonymous said...

Jacksons gonna Jackson.

Anonymous said...

If only the JPS could sell more bonds this wouldn't have happened.

Anonymous said...

JPS admin will CYA by announcing that "this skit was not sanctioned and that the JPS administration had no idea that the students were going to express their reasonable and justifiable concerns about police brutality against people of color." Yada yada yada...

Anonymous said...

The band was scheduled to compete at a band contest today at Copiah Academy. Their participation has been cancelled. Can't imagine why.

Anonymous said...

Forty plus years of attending high school football games absolutely appalling The sad part is the administration doesn't have
the guts to do anything about it. We celebrate the actions of an absolute useless human being who gunned down two police officers. No wonder Jackson is a shit hole!!!!

Anonymous said...

"There’s a good reason Phil didn’t take over JPS. He knows the state can’t fix it!"
Ya' got that right.

Close the zoo.
Close JPS.
Fix the streets.
Fix the water system.
Hire and TRAIN more competent cops.

Jackson is lost.

Anonymous said...

Its Trumps fault

Anonymous said...

7:50 am nailed it. These people decry violence by promoting it.

Anonymous said...

What a sad state of affairs to say the least. Poor Jackson.

StarRider said...

The JPS Facebook page is choked with comments about this stuff, and them folks ain't happy.

Anonymous said...

Either schools are gun free zones, or they're not. If we're going to insist on arming teachers, we should be ready for students to play with toy guns like this.

If you're upset with this nonsense, you should be horrified of what the culture in these schools is going to be when the teachers are packing heat.

Billy Jack said...

I just reached out to Sean Hannity. Maybe they will pick this up. Everyone in this chain must go!

StarRider said...

12:26, I feel quite sure most of us here are already horrified at the culture within the JPS, and it has nothing to do with whether any teachers are armed. This is just another symptom of that culture, that this high school would present a program like this at Brookhaven (or anywhere else) and be so fucking tone-deaf that they cannot even comprehend that it is going to be offensive.

Anonymous said...

Quite honestly it’s time to do away with high sports. A large segment of the population cares more about football
than academics . Use the funds saved to provide vocational training instead.

Anonymous said...

Mayor Chokwe Lumumba. "While I do not believe that there was a malice intent on behalf of the students that participated in this halftime show, I understand that we are ultimately not defined by the things that we set out to do, but rather how we respond to the things that actually do take place."

This is one of many reasons why I have moved out of Jackson and I have taken steps to move the business I own out of Jackson. I'm done with giving these hatemongers my tax dollars.

Anonymous said...

And my son can't wear his MAGA hat or shirt at school.

Anonymous said...

Forget tone deafness. This was no accident. This was intentional, purposeful and designed to cause pain to a grieving, mostly white, community. Behind this incredible stupidity lurks the black heart of Jackson-based racists bent on fomenting hatred and division. Their message? White officers gunned down in the line of duty got what they deserved. Good job, JPS.

Anonymous said...

Meanwhile...Mayor Antar "sees great things in Jackson's future" per an article on the increasingly irrelevant WAPT.com. Lumumba has invited the mayor of Birmingham to school him on attracting philanthropy.

That's right. Baby Chok wants more gifts to fund his vision for the most radical city on the planet. Meanwhile mayors with a grain of competency are trying to attract businesses to their cities. Then again, why should Lumumba bother to target businesses when he can offer weak defenses for the Forest Hill band? No malice here!

Big-D said...

Well now, Looks like JPS has sunk to a new low....all i can do is laugh.

Anonymous said...

Looks like there is a great need for mandatory Sensitivity Training at JPS.

Anonymous said...

@1:20 PM - spot on! You penned what the majority of readers on here are thinking.

Springtime for Hitler said...

LOL @ 1:15

Anonymous said...

I think the mayor was pretty sincere in his condemnation of this skit and I agree with the poster who asked why the hell band performances have turned into Broadway plays that nobody wants to watch.

Anonymous said...

This is a sad comment on the state of public education in Jackson. What caliber (no pun intended) of human being thinks the shooting of anyone belongs in a high school band skit? What a sick, sick, sick piece of sub-humanity that band director must be.

Anonymous said...

You can always count on the reliable Fiona Ladd to turn this debacle into a race baiting issue and turn the matter around to the fault of whites. DonnerKay Fiona Ladd on FB:

I agree: terrible, tasteless display. So is state flag that many of those outraged support. Forest Hill flew rebel flag when all-white.

I wish ppl wd be consistent w outrage. Forest Hill flew rebel flag until 89 (in middle of near-total white flight)


Next time you get a chance remember to thank JFP advertisers for continuing to give a voice to the person who spends 100% of her every day working to keep our community+state divided and inflamed about race.

#DigustingRaceBaitingDonnerKay

Anonymous said...

There is so much mismanagement and corruption in Jackson it is not surprising this type of garbage is allowed in school. Just training the new generation.

Anonymous said...

Sorry. That was Fiona on TWITTER.

Anonymous said...

A movie theme from 2002 when most of this kids were toddlers? Pure spin.

Anonymous said...

Blue Lives Matter: High School Band Depicts Execution Of SWAT Officers Week After 2 Officers Killed

Anonymous said...

A terrible situation and poor judgment.

But someone tell me why that control freak Marshall Fisher has to issue a statement of condemnation?

Anonymous said...

The story has gone national.

Kingfish said...

Remember this one? She went after JPD a few years ago about the Chris Summers homicide and it turned out totally blew it. Never apologized to JPD.

Anonymous said...

Where are Mike Espy, David Baria, Jim Hood, Bennie Thompson, David Blount, Cecil Brown, and Derrick Johnson?

Anonymous said...

The Forest Hill band skit was the result of white flight? Does she EVER stop? Why does Jackson continue to tolerate Donna Ladd's hate speech?

Anonymous said...

Boy I wish the case of the convicted cop in Chicago got this much ink.

Anonymous said...

Boy I wish the case of the convicted cop in Chicago got this much ink.

Maybe you could use the story as a springboard to start your own gig? Then (hopefully) you'd has less time to spend bitching and complaining about the decisions of the ownership here at JJ Or, alternately, you could start a stupid podcast that nobody listens to.

Anonymous said...

I sending the url to ABC,CBS,NBC,CNN,FoxNews

Nabind34 said...

If you think what happened is unbelievable. You really wont believe what Donna Ladd just posted on Facebook about an hour ago. She actually condones this based on the history of offensive displays by white students back in the 80s and 90s. Offensive displays like waving the rebel flag.

Anonymous said...

“While I do not believe that there was a malice intent on behalf of the students that participated in this halftime show”, says the RADICAL JIVE-ASS mayor from Jackson.

F you and F Jackson.

Anonymous said...

I have seen John Q several times and I dont remember any cops getting shot in the movie. This is just a ploy to try and excuse this behavior.

Anonymous said...

I suppose Ms Ladd is saying that white people took all the common decency with them when they fled?

John said...

I'm just as disturbed by what Lumumba said as I am about the event itself:

"While I do not believe that there was a malice intent on behalf of the students that participated in this halftime show, I understood that we are ultimately not defined by the things that we set out to do but rather how we respond to the things that actually do take place."

What does that even mean?

"I do not believe that there was a malice intent"? Isn't he an attorney? He doesn't seem to have command of the English language. I'd have thought that would be of paramount importance to an attorney...

Raoul Knave said...

How do you spend over $750,000 annually on salaries, tell every stupid ass who'll listen that you've poached all the best reporters and are the new "go to" digital platform for news/commentary in Mississippi AND THEN TAKE THE WEEKEND OFF instead of reporting on this story?

Let's ask the folks at Mississippi Today but they won't be able to respond until Monday.

Anonymous said...

Guns aren’t anything to get offended about for white conservatives until they appear in black hands. Then it merits national news coverage, even if they were fake guns.

Anonymous said...

Its an open carry state right, how many guns were in the stands?

Anonymous said...

@5:18. Who does the most actual damage with gun in hand?

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't worry about Ladd's goofy Facebook posts.

She's trying very hard to get some . . . any . . . attention.
She's been out of the conversation with both Left & Right for a few years now.

I was required to venture into the Capitol City a few weeks ago and picked up the latest copy of "Boom Jackson".

I couldn't believe how the quality of that "magazine" has declined.

The little coffee factoid weekly is printed on better paper.



Anonymous said...

Look at all the cupcakes who don't want any restrictions on gun purchases or ownership.

Anonymous said...

The police are your enemies. Civility is for the weak. Meet any slight, real or imagined, with violence or threats of violence. Welcome to The Nation of Jackson.

StarRider said...

Open carry is prohibited for private citizens at high school football games. Enhanced CCW permit-holders may carry there.

Anonymous said...

I seem to remember in recent news some kid pointed a "Finger gun" at a playmate and was ejected from school for violating some zero tolerance rule. You would think those two idiots brandishing guns would be arrested for a multitude of crimes. Way to go JPS. I feel sure that a hefty pay raise would solve everything.

Anonymous said...

What does gun ownership or right to carry have to do with depiction of shooting policemen in a half time performance in a town in which two police officers were gunned down? The display was offensive and insensitive. Any excuse to justify is simply not defensible. It has nothing to with 2nd Amendment rights or even issues of past racism. It really doesn’t matter what your position is on those issues.

Anonymous said...

In 2014, Austin Reed Edenfield, an Ole Miss student was convicted in Federal Court for putting a noose around Medger Evers statue... These people should be charged the same... A hate crime is a hate crime.

otisfyfe said...

"While I do not believe that there was a malice intent on behalf of the students that participated in this halftime show, I understand that we are ultimately not defined by the things that we set out to do, but rather how we respond to the things that actually do take place."

I've read that nine times and have idea what he is saying or what it means. In fairness to Baby Chock, Ima go read it some more and see if I can figure out what he's saying. Any help will be appreciated.

Anonymous said...

While the timing on this performance is horrible, that is not why this is horrible. This performance would be completely atrocious anytime, right?? This truly defies any logic. Surely the band director wasn't the only adult who knew about this performance? God help these poor kids if this is the kind of leadership in their schools.

Anonymous said...

“... It is the responsibility of adults to offer guidance to youth. Our students should have been instructed that this was neither the time or place for that performance.”

So Baby Chok, when is a good time and place? Condemn the timing and venue but not the actions?

Sincere, my ass.

Anonymous said...

So, who won the game?

Anonymous said...

Totally Absolutely Psycho Tom Head:

"I hope this serves as one important lesson to the kids at Forest Hill: Never perform risky material in front of a majority-white audience in Mississippi unless you’re absolutely sure they can’t do you harm in response, because they already hate you and will use every excuse they’re given and/or can plausibly fabricate to destroy your life."
.....
"I can get why taking the gun out for the Brookhaven showing might have been the appropriate and sensitive decision, given the recent loss of two officers there, but the folks using this to gin up outrage against JPS were just looking for an excuse to deprive black kids of an education."
.....
"Phil Bryant has already commented on this and there’s a very good chance it will be used as a pretense to eliminate JPS music funding, or otherwise harm the district, next legislative session as 'punishment.'"

Anonymous said...

School started in early August, and the band has been performing this skit now im sure at all of the Forest Hill's football games, unless they just put this part in there performance surely not, but my question is why are we, the citizens just not hearing of this or seeing this skit, if it hadn't been performed before now why? did it take for it to get to Brookhaven for us the citizens of this state to even see it?

Anonymous said...

The band director is an idiot. He is putting on a show and trying to use shock value to do what his band cannot do with technique and musicianship. Like MOST band directors whether at JPS or any other school(even private schools) he has complete control over his halftime show until the administration sees it. In fact most of them like to keep their shows relatively secret until their first show. The administration assumes, wrongfully in this case, that these directors are responsible adults who will not be distasteful or illegal in the production of their shows. Unfortunately, in this case, the stupid act was committed by a JPS school giving the many Jackson haters another chance to spew on the whole city for the act of a stupid ass. Fire the band director and apologize. That's what Clinton, Madison, Pearl, Brandon, NW Rankin, Prep, JA, and the rest would do. But Jackson must burn down Forest Hill, and close all the schools, and the mayor must commit suicide, and the principal and all the teachers must be tarred and feathered and ...

Anonymous said...

Obviously, the band director is an idiot, and he will pay the price. If the principal had a clue that this was going to happen, he/she is worse. The band students are not responsible, but I would have hoped that even one of them would have questioned the morality and intelligence of such a horrendous display of stupidity. Or maybe one of their parents might have known about it, and spoken out beforehand? Too much to ask, I suppose. But I blame all of them.

Anonymous said...

Putting all of this outrage aside, I would like to know the whole story behind what this director was possibly trying to achieve. Don't these bands add a little bit every week to their act? I can only assume that this was the first week they added the shooting scene. Were guns a part of the act in previous weeks?

I assume if any part of this shooting scene was a part of the act in previous weeks, a parent or spectator would have already spoken up. If not, that is truly unbelievable.

Anonymous said...

Translation of Lumumba:
He meant malicious intent aka mal. intent.

To paraphrase:
The kids didn't have malicious intent (they didn't have the intention of causing harm- physical or psychological)..this assumption does NOT preclude legal adults who gave the go ahead.
By responding, condemning, and investigating it, my/our reaction to this situation defines who we are---not the screw up that devolved into all of this. Please forgive us/the school[s] for inadvertently inflaming the situation or causing your town and law enforcement officers further trauma.....

8:41- they were minors being instructed by an educational authority (band director) and if any refusals were acted upon to not perform, they would have been removed from the band or color guard by said educational authority. These were not legal adults running around acting on their own accord like the frat boys @ TSUN. They were acting out a show that was custom fitted to their band and vetted by a band director probably half a year ago if not longer.

Micah Gober said...

Donna Ladd and Tom Head are just two crazy people behind a keyboard trying to promote a paper this is only good for packing boxes and lining bird cages.

Anonymous said...

John at October 6, 2018 at 4:52 PM. Right on. Baby Chock's editor must have been off this weekend, so Baby had to compose his missive himself. Pitiful grammar and sentence structure. An embarrassment. I could go on and on, but it would make no difference. I am not even commenting on the content of the excuse, defend, and minimize theme of his statement. Way to go Baby Chock. Keep it up. The leader most radical city in the world speaks again.

Anonymous said...

I'm fed up with reading about the innocence of babes. Student scholars by this age have learned critical thinking skills (unless they're numbskulls) and they know by now to report (to parents or authorities) instances of being asked or directed to participate in inappropriate conduct. We have been taught for ten years "If you see something, say something". Students for decades now have been challenging authority.

Kids are not idiots. One of them in this band, by now, surely should have asked a teacher, principal or superintendent..."Do you think this is what we should be doing?" Not to mention them knowing full well that to take a gun (or any semblance thereof) onto a school campus is an enrollment-ending offense, PERIOD.

Meanwhile; at some other school near you, what if the band director were to issue the instruction: "Next week we practice our black face routine for our upcoming homecoming" or "We will begin learning the nuances of Dixie starting next Tuesday". Will the sheeples simply follow along mindlessly? You bet your ass they would NOT.

Anonymous said...

A lot of news magazines would love to have the Ad Revenue that packing paper brings in.

MaggieFromMs said...

I taught in Jackson for twelve years. During my tenure, everything had to be run past the principal. I was a Student Council sponsor and I had to turn in ALL plans to be okayed. This principal knew of this far before it was performed.

Anonymous said...

well at least it gave all you pea brain jackson haters a reason to express your poor little snowflake feelings....not that ever you need a reason to scream from the cheap seats..

Anonymous said...

I wonder if a certain Hinds county public defender has anything to do with this

Former band geek said...

@9:57 wrong again. Band color guards twirl, flip, and do all sorts of tricks with fake (usually white) guns. The structure and decorum of most modern day school marching bands descends from the military (drum and bugle Corp) if it's not a swac band. Turning those fake rifles into AR-15s was a step too far. But yes, most trad. Marching bands have fake guns to twirl by the color guard when they ditch their flags in a show.

As much as some of you praise the military, the civil war, etc. it is amazing to me that you do not know this.

Anonymous said...

You obviously aren't paying attention @10:15. Their business is hurting. Their print publication has been cut in half and their standalone magazine is standalone no more. Their online ad business is non-existent and their "CEO" has to moonlight her brains out to help pay the bills.

I will say her reporters and other staffers aren't standing outside the local Kroger or Walmart with a spare dollars and cents contribution bucket like the folks who work for non-profit but always partisan Mississippi Today.

Anonymous said...

FYI that was the 8th or 9th performance of the skit. Forest Hill administration knew.

Anonymous said...

@October 7, 2018 at 1:06 AM

"Fire the band director and apologize. That's what Clinton, Madison, Pearl, Brandon, NW Rankin, Prep, JA, and the rest would do. But Jackson must burn down Forest Hill, and close all the schools, and the mayor must commit suicide, and the principal and all the teachers must be tarred and feathered and ..."

Your suggestions are a good start, except for the suicide.

Anonymous said...

Using wooden rifles is a tradition in marching band. Pointing black, AR weapons at a fake swat team is not. Their ill conceived stunt is not going to completely mess up our traditions in this country. Mmmmk?


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marching_band

Anonymous said...

Why would this bother people. They seemed to have forgotten the grown woman who brought a real gun to a Jackson school and waved it around during a fight with other grownups. As far as I know there wasn't anything done about that woman. Why would anyone connected with Jackson school worry about something as simple as this?

Anonymous said...

She's not begging for contributions every 3months and they have the most paid ads of any of the local rags.If they are going under, they aren't alone.

Anonymous said...

FYI that was the 8th or 9th performance of the skit. Forest Hill administration knew.

Haven't seen this stated before.....really sad if true.

Anonymous said...

Sorry I do not know how to create the link.
There are a lot of attorneys here. Can someone please explain the law and what charges might be possible against the adults in this situation. Thank you.

https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/2013/title-97/chapter-37/general-provisions/section-97-37-17

Anonymous said...

Domino's pizza can fix the streets but they can't fix everything.

Anonymous said...

When you learn a marching show on a high school level for football games, the whole show is never played at the first of the year. It usually moves progressively from one act/ song to the next after the first part is mastered at each football game. Usually broken up by song and drum line interlude. Football games are used as progressive dress rehearsals for the whole show to be completed on the field before and by the end of football season. This goes on and on until the whole band has the show down in memory usually in hopes of mastery until competition. That is why no one saw or knew of the guns until Brookhaven. They had a competition routine to master on the field in front of an audience. The band director could have easily said, "no gun scene/skit tonight", but that didn't happen.

Judging by the visual content of the show, the dude had no situational awareness nationally or locally or he knew it would start something.

He's either an idiot or a sh*t starter, maybe both.

Anonymous said...

It’s against the law for students and employees to even have something that resembles a gun on school grounds. So they had them on school grounds in Jackson, got on a school bus with them then brought them to another school. The Principal obviously knew about it and approved. The band director knew. So how many violations have I named so far? If nothing is done then what happens next time someone brings a fake gun on a school grounds?

Anonymous said...

1:18 - I read the link you provided and see nothing about a simulated weapon.

Pjm said...

As a wingfield grad and many friends who graduated from forest hill I voiced my displeasure on Twitter and was promptly blocked by JPS.

Anonymous said...

Let some group recreate a lynching and see
what happens !!

Mad Max said...

These fine young students are future voters- sleep well Mississippi sleep well-

Da Fat Man said...

As I sit here and read the comments on this thread, I am ashamed of all these people who spewing such hatred on these children. First, the kids were doing as instructed. Now how many children actually watch the news or keep up with news worthy events? I don't care what the situation is but what child whether black or white is going refuse to play with or act out a scene while getting to use a gun? Unless there is a fear of guns or something tragic happened to them, most children are going to think guns are cool. Let's talk about culture. You all talk about the "thug" mentality or culture amongst blacks. Yes there are some criminals in the black community but the way you all talk it's like every black child has or has used a gun which is not true. it's a lot of pretenders out there, those who pose with guns for selfies. But getting into culture, why I don't hear the condemnation of most of the whites who place guns in the hands of children who are not even in high school. And don't give me that hunting crap either. If a child has to wait until they are 16 to legally drive, the same should be for using a gun. I am not condoning what the band did on the field, however to refute the comments that they purposely did it with malicious intent is absurd and ridiculous! I guess the band director was a fortune teller because he had to have known that this summer because that's when they had started working on that show! I empathize and sympathize with the Brookhaven Community. I am not excusing what was done all I'm saying is stop demonizing the children. Don't equate all children in JPS with those who commit criminal acts. I doubt it if you all would want to be equated with Deryl Dedmon.

Anonymous said...

@12:04,
Oh stop your b!tc#ing... your sad after reading comments... well I can agree with part of your post, however.. it's clear that you don't understand the situation at hand. If this director were white or Hispanic his ass would be fired already. You need much more accountability in JPS especially the situation here. Public is outraged both black and white and I do live in Jackson. JPS has only one culture as they have no diversity like area private schools and public suburban districts have. So look in the mirror. JPS doesn't want whites involved and that's the fact. Stop bitching. Look at the facts!!!


Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.