Jackson Free Press comments: Comments for 'Re-elect Harvey Johnson Jr.'

marcus on "Re-elect Harvey Johnson Jr."

Sun, 05 May 2013 21:44:47 -0500

I'm glad that the endorsement of the free press and ledger add up to 4 votes. CL editorial board lives in Madison and Ridgeland.

Posted by marcus on May 5 at 9:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Sarahmina7294 on "Re-elect Harvey Johnson Jr."

Sun, 05 May 2013 11:41:38 -0500

Cool with me too! Although I would suspect that most people reading my comment would understand that The reference to Black people didn't mean "ALL" black people. I will stipulate that perhaps NOT ALL, but I will stand on, the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY!!!

Posted by Sarahmina7294 on May 5 at 11:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Sarahmina7294 on "Re-elect Harvey Johnson Jr."

Sun, 05 May 2013 11:29:15 -0500

Was it unamerican to enslave, kill, brutalize, totally try to wipe out the existence of an entire people ? Would you have advocated for an independent state if the government you lived under supported the dehumanization of your race for 600+ years? You have GOT to be kidding. It would be like a Jewish person in Germany advocating for an independent state? You oppose that? What would you call that Jewish person -unjustified? The person who advocated for a separate state for Black people was trying , under a horrific brutal, LEGAL system, to save the people he was fighting for. You want to talk about UnAmerican? really? I

Posted by Sarahmina7294 on May 5 at 11:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Sarahmina7294 on "Re-elect Harvey Johnson Jr."

Sun, 05 May 2013 11:12:11 -0500

The only reason you believe he is polarizing is because whites have not faced their own FEARS of living, working and contributing honestly in a Black run city. If that we're not true, the state would invest in the Capitol City in the same way it did when it was controlled by whites. I do understand why whites, like you, prefer Harvey Johnson or Jonathan Lee. They are "SAFE" and do not force you to confront your privilege or challenge you to HONESTLY face your fears. Whites are victims of institutionalized racism too. They have learned over the same 600 years to fear anything Controlled by Black people. Conscious or unconscious, it is alive and well as evidenced by your ability to see the intelligence, creativity, experience, and devotion to human rights of Chowke LUMUMBA, YET unwillingness to endorse him. He is divisive only because he stands up to confront the inequities in the city and will try to correct them. It is In the interest of whites to embrace this kind of man, offer your support in overcoming these issues, help him stand up to those white state lawmakers who block support for the city, move into the neighborhoods, teach in the schools, join Black churches, expand your social circles. Yes it takes you out of your comfort zone but it's impact can be huge for you and the growth, inclusiveness, diversity of the city. After all, Black people have been doing this for years in predominately white communities. It is NOT Lumumba that is divisive, it is holding on to the status quo because of your own FEAR.

Posted by Sarahmina7294 on May 5 at 11:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Sarahmina7294 on "Re-elect Harvey Johnson Jr."

Sun, 05 May 2013 10:40:27 -0500

Donna Ladd, where were you when Chokwe Lumumba and his so called rhetoric were fighting for the very LIVES of PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THIS STATE! All of us who were active in the civil rights movement of the 1960s saw and directly experienced horrors that you can never fully appreciate and by your comments, seem to dismiss. We ALL used Rhetoric to express our horror, frustration, and disgust at the horrors going on in this country and state. Try walking in the shoes of activist during the 60's and you just might not have such a white elitist attitude. I

Posted by Sarahmina7294 on May 5 at 10:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)

donnaladd on "Re-elect Harvey Johnson Jr."

Sun, 05 May 2013 10:40:05 -0500

Sarahmina, it's cool with me if we stipulate that I'm not black. We might also stipulate that not all African Americans think the same way. It would seem insulting to imply that they do.

Posted by donnaladd on May 5 at 10:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Sarahmina7294 on "Re-elect Harvey Johnson Jr."

Sun, 05 May 2013 10:29:24 -0500

It's only surprising to YOU. Ask most Black people in the city and WE ARE NOT SURPRISED!!

Posted by Sarahmina7294 on May 5 at 10:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

donnaladd on "Re-elect Harvey Johnson Jr."

Sun, 05 May 2013 10:23:51 -0500

We were surprised to see that [The Clarion-Ledger today also endorsed Johnso][1]n for very similar reasoning as our endorsement. And they make no bones about none of the other candidates being ready to be mayor. Cheers to them for seeing this, and I don't often get to say that to the Ledger.

They also admitted their role in endorsing Melton, which was huge egg on their faces. They also know first hand what it's like to have a mayor mired in lawsuits dating from before he took office. They were involved in some of the legal proceedings with Melton.

This is the first time in three city elections that the Ledger and the JFP agreed. They endorsed Melton eight years ago, then they didn't endorse four years ago. This year, they stepped up and did the right thing even though they know it'll anger the white business community. That is probably the most courage I've seen the Ledger show since we've been in existence. Credit where it's due for being willing to do the right thing even if the powerful disagree.

[1]: http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20…

Posted by donnaladd on May 5 at 10:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

donnaladd on "Re-elect Harvey Johnson Jr."

Fri, 03 May 2013 17:43:05 -0500

I like Jeff a lot, too, and respect him on so many levels, even if campaigns aren't his finest moments. ;-)

Posted by donnaladd on May 3 at 5:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Tom_Head on "Re-elect Harvey Johnson Jr."

Fri, 03 May 2013 17:35:16 -0500

thabian, I've known Jeff for north of ten years now. He apologized—convincingly—at a crucial time during Melton's first term when the public needed to condemn the mayor's excesses. I haven't forgotten that, and I respect him for it. That said, he's a committed Lee guy and has made no secret of the fact. Politics is personal and loyalty-driven for him; you're not going to get much thick-text policy analysis from his posts, and he's not worried about details, but he's a good man and I'll still respect him when all of this is over. And Slick, I hope to God you're right about Chokwe's chances of making it into the runoff with a lead—that would be a beautiful thing. But I don't think the anti-Johnson sentiment is ever as strong as it sounds; remember we were hearing the same thing in 2009 (I was, anyway), and he had very little difficulty beating Crisler. A Johnson-Lumumba or Quinn-Lumumba runoff would be, to me, a best-case scenario; a runoff with Lee in it would disappoint me (though Lee-Lumumba could be a damn interesting race, for many reasons).

Posted by Tom_Head on May 3 at 5:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)