Ordinary PeopleHolmes County, Miss., was 72 percent black in the early 1960s, but less than 1 percent of eligible African Americans were registered to vote, while 100 percent of eligible white voters were registered. As Sue Sojourner states in her photography …
Telling Our Own Stories<i>Our readers' grass-roots "Fahrenheit 601" campaign to bring Michael Moore's film to Jackson is inspiring them to band together to bring other independent and edgy films to Jackson. Since we launched, this has been one of the JFP's active goals …
Sin City: Jackson Tries to Legislate MoralityIn the old southern way of life in Mississippi, there are no boundaries between state and church, as long as it is an established church believing in the Good Book, the Good Lord and "good" values. So laws governing sex …
The Battle for ‘Public Morality'We learned in civics class that the Legislature passes laws that the people want, and any bad laws that violate the people's rights will be struck down by the courts, or else changed by the Legislature when the people speak …
In the Zone: Getting StricterSex-toy shops aren't the only local businesses pushing the limits of popular morality that are facing some challenges in the city of late. The Jackson City Council has passed a moratorium on the placement of new liquor stores in the …
Down a Southern Road<i>Monday, June 21, is the 40th anniversary of the deaths of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner.</i>
Men We LoveFormer Gov. William Winter, 81, is such an obvious choice for the "Men We Love" issue that we almost feel silly including him. But, as politics get uglier and more divided in the state, it's a perfect time to honor …
51 Ways to Have Summer FunWe here at the Jackson Free Press know that our Mississippi summer is here—even if the summer solstice isn't until June 20 at 5:57 p.m. Central Daylight Time—all blazing hot and sticky-humid. The last thing we want is for Jacksonians …
[Artist in Residence] Living in a MuralWilliam Goodman lives his art, all the way down to his toenails—literally. They are painted blue and black with white dots in what appears to be acrylic paint. I notice them fanning out of his pants legs as he sits …
Alleged VictimsThe year was 1970, and 11-year-old Francis Morrison lay in his bed in the big house at 771 Belhaven St., listening for heavy footsteps, the covers pulled all the way up to his neck, his eyes squeezed tight in pretend …
Survivors Try to S.N.A.P BACKLocal victims of sexual abuse by priests joined other victims nationwide by forming a Mississippi chapter of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (S.N.A.P.). Johnny Rainer, co-coordinator of the group and a licensed counselor, says healing can only really …
Face-Off: The Battle for ‘Tort Reform'When Sen. Gloria Williamson walked up to the podium on the first day of the 2004 Extraordinary Session called by Gov. Haley Barbour, she had one goal. The senator from Neshoba County, a Democrat, wanted to convince the Senate—an assembly …
Should Tort Awards Be Capped?Tort law is used to determine who is responsible when someone is injured and how much a guilty party should pay an injured person. Our current tort system is designed on the principle that the responsible party should be required …
Tort Reform: Myths and RealitiesSome persistent myths seem to surround the tort reform discussion—even in media reporting—while other items are often offered as facts while they're closer to either assumptions or just simply guesses. Here's a look at some of the whoppers and some …
Move Over, Larry Flynt: BANNED IN THE USAAdvertising Age says we are a nation not of red versus blue but of a "moral minority" versus an "edgy elite." And the moral minority is winning. Let us recite the litany of America's new official religion: "This mad race …