We can't answer any of that. To be honest, I don't know why they'd disavow knowledge; it says basically same thing that radio ad with Bennie Thompson did.
Of course, we'd like to sniff out who did it, but if someone faked the campaign's name on there, we'd just about need someone to tell us who did it. The other fly was easier to track down (a) because it's a certain's person's M.O., (b) people told us it was probably him. And turns out he has a PAC doing radio ads that one of our reporters heard and traced it back to a form at the city clerk's office today. HIckingbottom, however, has not confirmed that he did the flyer, so still don't know for sure:
Good points, Duan. When we started the paper, Kenneth Stokes and Ben Allen were both on City Council and like two sides of the same coin. Both specialized in racialized politics (which spilled beyond Council, such as into radio shows about how whites sucked or "thugs" that ought to be hung in the gallows.) They both barely disguised disdain for "the other.") They both want(ed) to control local politics and were willing to divide and point fingers at each other to keep their folks happy and demonize those on the other "side."
For a while, we got along with both of them separately (both also had good qualities, especially one-on-one). But neither of them can or could stand for folks not to go exactly along with their program, and they both hate disagreement or dissent. Now, both have slammed us for years and told us, essentially, to "get with the program" because we did reporting (Melton, Two Lakes, etc.) that they didn't like. As a result, it is very hard to have a Lincoln-esque "team of rivals" in the same room with either of them to hash out ideas, problems, suggestions that might disagree with their own. They don't want it to work that way so it affects the big picture of our city.
Just last week, Stokes suddenly pronounced on a podium that [the JFP could kiss his ass for not endorsing Lumumba][1]; two days before, Allen (who won't return our messages for stories about development that we agree with him on due to past coverage he hated) sent me [an angry email (in comments here)][2] demanding that I post a video supposedly showing Lumumba is not Christian--the save video that showed up a day or so later in a Lee ad.
Especially after this election, I believe strongly that a big challenge for Jackson is that these men are both divisive—and, ultimately, similar—elephants in the room and that people around these men will not stand up to them and say, "STOP it. You're making things worse." Both hate me for the JFP's (award-winning) journalism they didn't want to see, so I'll just say it out loud: They both need to put their egos aside and learn to work with people who may not agree with them. Otherwise, they will keep dividing the city into people who agree with them and those who don't. That's a useless and destructive attitude.
Ladycap, with due respect, you must be living under a rock not to know that Lumumba is originally from Detroit. And the Mississippi Sovereignty investigators were going to miss no opportunity to point that out about all those "outside agiators" fighting for equal rights for black Mississippians.
It is probably relevant to point out that Mr. Lumumba moved to Jackson decades ago and Mr. Lee four years ago. For those who care.
ladycap, you might read [the link to the actual MSC memo][1]. There is nothing here that indicates that Lumumba was a "snitch." The whole thing is a fabrication and a lie based on the letter they blurred out that is supposedly the evidence. Vote against Lumumba if you will (and from your posts so far, I'm guessing you're another campaign sock puppet, but no matter), but don't vote against him based on this garbage. It was the lowest campaign moment I ever remember.
Wow, where did you see that poll, Knowledge? I had a feeling the last week might have had an effect; I can't imagine that the TV ad slamming Lumumba's religion didn't take a few points away.
It should go without saying that if the Lee campaign did the signs and distributed as part of its GOTV effort to targeted parts of the city where they need more of the white vote, they should have put the campaign's name on them. Transparency, folks, transparency.
That is remarkable. A media outlet ought to know better than to push the false meme that an entire city's future hangs on one election. This is like the crime sensationalism that we finally seemed to get other media to tamp down on (a little).
And let me guess: They're not reporting that the mysterious signs are targeting whiter parts of Jackson?
donnaladd says...
We can't answer any of that. To be honest, I don't know why they'd disavow knowledge; it says basically same thing that radio ad with Bennie Thompson did.
Of course, we'd like to sniff out who did it, but if someone faked the campaign's name on there, we'd just about need someone to tell us who did it. The other fly was easier to track down (a) because it's a certain's person's M.O., (b) people told us it was probably him. And turns out he has a PAC doing radio ads that one of our reporters heard and traced it back to a form at the city clerk's office today. HIckingbottom, however, has not confirmed that he did the flyer, so still don't know for sure:
http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/20…
On Campaign Trickery: Lumumba a 'Race Traitor,' Lee a 'Rankin Republican'?
Posted 21 May 2013, 2:37 p.m. Suggest removal
donnaladd says...
NOTE: This story is being updated right now. R.L. talked to Hickingbottom and is about to add the whole audio. Definitely check back in a few minutes!
On Hickingbottom Behind Anti-Lumumba PAC
Posted 21 May 2013, 2:20 p.m. Suggest removal
donnaladd says...
Good points, Duan. When we started the paper, Kenneth Stokes and Ben Allen were both on City Council and like two sides of the same coin. Both specialized in racialized politics (which spilled beyond Council, such as into radio shows about how whites sucked or "thugs" that ought to be hung in the gallows.) They both barely disguised disdain for "the other.") They both want(ed) to control local politics and were willing to divide and point fingers at each other to keep their folks happy and demonize those on the other "side."
For a while, we got along with both of them separately (both also had good qualities, especially one-on-one). But neither of them can or could stand for folks not to go exactly along with their program, and they both hate disagreement or dissent. Now, both have slammed us for years and told us, essentially, to "get with the program" because we did reporting (Melton, Two Lakes, etc.) that they didn't like. As a result, it is very hard to have a Lincoln-esque "team of rivals" in the same room with either of them to hash out ideas, problems, suggestions that might disagree with their own. They don't want it to work that way so it affects the big picture of our city.
Just last week, Stokes suddenly pronounced on a podium that [the JFP could kiss his ass for not endorsing Lumumba][1]; two days before, Allen (who won't return our messages for stories about development that we agree with him on due to past coverage he hated) sent me [an angry email (in comments here)][2] demanding that I post a video supposedly showing Lumumba is not Christian--the save video that showed up a day or so later in a Lee ad.
Especially after this election, I believe strongly that a big challenge for Jackson is that these men are both divisive—and, ultimately, similar—elephants in the room and that people around these men will not stand up to them and say, "STOP it. You're making things worse." Both hate me for the JFP's (award-winning) journalism they didn't want to see, so I'll just say it out loud: They both need to put their egos aside and learn to work with people who may not agree with them. Otherwise, they will keep dividing the city into people who agree with them and those who don't. That's a useless and destructive attitude.
[1]: http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/weblogs…
[2]: http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/weblogs…
On None
Posted 21 May 2013, 1:27 p.m. Suggest removal
donnaladd says...
Ladycap, with due respect, you must be living under a rock not to know that Lumumba is originally from Detroit. And the Mississippi Sovereignty investigators were going to miss no opportunity to point that out about all those "outside agiators" fighting for equal rights for black Mississippians.
It is probably relevant to point out that Mr. Lumumba moved to Jackson decades ago and Mr. Lee four years ago. For those who care.
On Campaign Trickery: Lumumba a 'Race Traitor,' Lee a 'Rankin Republican'?
Posted 21 May 2013, 12:37 p.m. Suggest removal
donnaladd says...
Yes, his birth name is Edwin Taliaferro, which we've reported for years now.
We haven't endorsed either one, either.
On Campaign Trickery: Lumumba a 'Race Traitor,' Lee a 'Rankin Republican'?
Posted 21 May 2013, 11:36 a.m. Suggest removal
donnaladd says...
ladycap, you might read [the link to the actual MSC memo][1]. There is nothing here that indicates that Lumumba was a "snitch." The whole thing is a fabrication and a lie based on the letter they blurred out that is supposedly the evidence. Vote against Lumumba if you will (and from your posts so far, I'm guessing you're another campaign sock puppet, but no matter), but don't vote against him based on this garbage. It was the lowest campaign moment I ever remember.
[1]: http://mdah.state.ms.us/arrec/digital_a…
On Campaign Trickery: Lumumba a 'Race Traitor,' Lee a 'Rankin Republican'?
Posted 21 May 2013, 11:18 a.m. Suggest removal
donnaladd says...
Wow, where did you see that poll, Knowledge? I had a feeling the last week might have had an effect; I can't imagine that the TV ad slamming Lumumba's religion didn't take a few points away.
On Campaign Trickery: Lumumba a 'Race Traitor,' Lee a 'Rankin Republican'?
Posted 20 May 2013, 6:17 p.m. Suggest removal
donnaladd says...
It should go without saying that if the Lee campaign did the signs and distributed as part of its GOTV effort to targeted parts of the city where they need more of the white vote, they should have put the campaign's name on them. Transparency, folks, transparency.
On Campaign Trickery: Lumumba a 'Race Traitor,' Lee a 'Rankin Republican'?
Posted 20 May 2013, 4:10 p.m. Suggest removal
donnaladd says...
That is remarkable. A media outlet ought to know better than to push the false meme that an entire city's future hangs on one election. This is like the crime sensationalism that we finally seemed to get other media to tamp down on (a little).
And let me guess: They're not reporting that the mysterious signs are targeting whiter parts of Jackson?
On Campaign Trickery: Lumumba a 'Race Traitor,' Lee a 'Rankin Republican'?
Posted 20 May 2013, 4:06 p.m. Suggest removal
donnaladd says...
I have updated the story to reflect the lunacy that the letter was distorted completely out of context. Again, I'm speechless.
On Campaign Trickery: Lumumba a 'Race Traitor,' Lee a 'Rankin Republican'?
Posted 20 May 2013, 3:02 p.m. Suggest removal