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Mayor needs to stick to facts not offer spin
Published Sunday, November 18, 2007
When someone alleges to be seeking the truth and promoting integrity, but does so with false words, their intent seems questionable and their argument doesn’t hold water.
Natchez Mayor Phillip West’s reputation shrank with today’s Top of the Morning article.
West titled the article, “We need integrity in our news reporting.”
My interest in what I expected to be a good article diminished when my name was misspelled in the first sentence and throughout the article.
Just a typo, I thought. Lord knows it happens to us enough, so I overlooked that. But his second sentence alleges that this newspaper has printed misrepresentations, half-truths and total falsehoods. Until today, we had not knowingly or intentionally done so.
But we made an exception when we printed the mayor’s opinion piece and only cleaned up his most obvious errors. Normally, we clean up typos in submitted opinion articles. We did so on West’s piece, too, but even that may spark West to cry foul. So we stopped at the typos.
Had we corrected his facts, West might have argued that our changing his words — even as error-ridden as they are — is evidence that we’re out to get him or out to censure his opinion. So we’ve left errors, writing notes to explain the truth.
Let’s address West’s “points.”
First, he alleges that this newspaper printed false information about a recent meeting on crime by reporting the public was not invited to the meeting.
West says we must have just misunderstood and that had we bothered to call him, he could have cleared it up.
That’s a gross misrepresentation, Mr. Mayor. First, listen to the audio clip we have posted online from the Oct. 23 board of aldermen meeting. (It will be attached to this column).
Audio clip
When Police Chief Mike Mullins asks West if the meeting will be public the mayor clearly responds, “No.”
We did attempt to call the mayor — and others with the city — numerous times, well in advance of the meeting. Callers to City Hall, only hours before the meeting, were told the meeting was not open to the public.
No one related to the city said anything differently until our attorney called City Attorney Everett Sanders and told him that we planned to press the matter. If the city had continued it would have been a violation of state law. Sanders eventually said the meeting would be open.
The mayor’s attempt to “spin” a failed non-public meeting is ludicrous.
If West intended the meeting to be public, he certainly communicated that poorly to the board of aldermen, the city attorney, the staff at City Hall and anyone at the Oct. 23 meeting.
In addition, West criticizes me for essentially picking on him while not being critical of former city administrations and the “allegations of corruption, unethical behavior, etc.”
I’ve been critical of West — and of previous administrations — for their actions. “Allegations” (which are unproven) are best left to the gossip hounds at the beauty shop and not printed in our newspaper.
Mr. Mayor, I doubt you’d appreciate me, or anyone else, printing “allegations” about you. Public life and public actions are fair game, always have been, always will be. To say anything different is a half-truth, Mr. Mayor.
So what about the total falsehoods? West wrote two of those in his article.
First, he said I was from Alabama. Although I’m sure it’s a fine state, I’ve never lived there. I was born and raised in Mississippi and proud of it. I’ve only lived in one other state briefly and I moved there for a job promotion.
And I returned to Natchez for a promotion, too. Perhaps Mayor West struggles to understand the concept of earning a promotion since he’s spent nearly three decades receiving a taxpayer provided paycheck.
The second outright falsehood is West’s implication that because I’ve been critical of him that such criticisms must stem from his skin color.
That’s a sideways way of saying he thinks I’m a racist. But he won’t do that, because he knows it would be a lie. Calling me a racist or saying this newspaper knowingly printed false information — other than the mayor’s words today — is about as ludicrous as thinking he ordered the demolition of the pecan factory over public safety fears.
Come on, Mr. Mayor; let’s stick to the facts, not your fiction.
Kevin Cooper is publisher of The Natchez Democrat. He can be reached at 601-445-3539 or kevin.cooper@natchezdemocrat.com.
Comments
Posted by frogprincenessntz (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 12:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Go Kevin!!! I was one of the ones who called the mayor's office to ask about the crime meeting. I was told in no uncertain terms that it was closed to the public. You can look back on my postings as I reported it there at the time I made the call.
Posted by Hunter (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 4:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
LOVE IT!
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 9:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is one heck of an article! Thanks for your brilliance, Kevin.
Posted by destiny (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 10:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Keep it up Kevin. Be sure to eat your Wheaties, it seems you've got a fight of words on your hands. We're all behind you and encourage you to get to the bottom of it all. Delve into this so called "more money for Adams county than ever before" and see where it leads. Had our mayor had his way 100k would have been out the door by now with nothing to show for it. See what you can find out about the cost of the Christmas parade that our tax dollars are being spent on, when the parade would have carried on without it. So much waste!!! How can we afford it?
Posted by guy2co (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 11:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Shame on you mr. mayor. Who would of thought your head could get any bigger!
Posted by wakeupnatchez (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 12:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mr. Cooper:
I respect your expertise and your professionalism in the journalism field. However, your article seem to be small and petty. Did any of you proof-read the LifeStyle section of the newspaper? "Keep You Lawn Clean Looking", is not the type of topic the newspaper staff would want the rest of the state or country reading. I believe Mississippi is ranked 49th 0r 50th in the U.S., and well you all know the fate of your local school district. Natchez may need to leave politics to the politicians and journalism ???????
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on November 18, 2007 at 1:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Kevin, publish a picture of the mayor's letter.
Posted by scollins (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 1:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I love Natchez. I was born and raised here. I think you (Mr. Cooper)and our Mayor West should sit down and iron out your differences behind closed doors. The good people of Natchez want to see our public officials and those whose opinions we respect working for the good of the city.
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on November 18, 2007 at 1:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well, that sounds like a good idea. However, I would hate to think that the newspaper would become a mouthpiece for the current mayor or any mayor.
It is a diversity of opinion that makes us great.
Posted by ntz143 (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 2:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
While I understand the urge to write a rebuttal to the Mayor's column I agree that Mr. Cooper's article came across as petty. He resorted to the same tactics he accused the Mayor of. Do we really care how many typos were in the article? I can think of many, many articles published by the Democrat that have misspelled names, inaccurate information, etc. That's why the Democrat publishes corrections routinely. What Mr. Cooper should have focused on was the Mayor's use of the race card...so disappointing and frustrating. The Democrat has given Binkey much more grief than Mayor West and he is white. This constant excuse of using race to justify/critcize. etc. is ridiculous.
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on November 18, 2007 at 2:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hmm!
Posted by getreal (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 4:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mr. Coopers artical is not petty, he was just proving a point about Mayor West artical.
Posted by shedevil (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 4:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mr Carpenter...PLEASE hire a new publisher!!!!Kevin thinks his opion is the only one that matters.
Posted by rasnail (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 4:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Kevin, if I'm not mistaken, you and your paper endorsed Phillip for mayor, so that means the mayor cannot play the "race card" in his comments. Phillip has in the past and will always bring up race when anyone disagrees with him. When he was a supervisor he always played the race card. I asked one of his co-supervisors and friend at the time why he always tried to make everthing racial whenever anyone anyone disagreed with him and I was told, "Because it works!" Will it work this time? It always has! It's about time that people with B---s stood up and not cower to the racial card threat and say enough is enough.
Posted by jayd (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 4:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is a prime example of "the pot calling the skillet black." Never mind which one is which, they both do the same thing. How the Mayor has earned his money for the past three decades (nearly) has nothing to do with his understanding of promotion. A little detection of envy here, perhaps? Many promotions have not been earned. Now if we care to delve into how some of us do it (promotions) here in Natchez (and across the world, for that matter), then a lot of us (black/white, male/female, rich/poor, tall/short, fat/thin, etc.) may have a few questions and comments about promotions. Where were you during the administrations/frustrations of Tony, Butch and Hank? Everyone wants to forget Hank. Maybe the Mayor honestly thought you were from Alabama. I went there for a promotion and returned from there at retirement. It is a beautiful state. Whatever happened to character? Did it escape when pants were pulled down below butts or did it go up in smoke from the meth puffed? I wish we could buy some and give it away. Lord knows, a lot of us need it.
Posted by betterthanthis (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 5:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mr. Cooper,
Everyone in this city is aware that since you have arrived in Natchez that the Democrat has turned into tabloid journalism. What happened to unbiased news reporting? In this instance, the best you can do is to defend yourself is that the mayor spelled your name incorrectly and that you have never lived in Alabama. Human service organizations have complained for years about homeless and transients using the pecan factory for shelter, but I guess that this has slipped passed you because they do not subscribe or advertise in the Democrat. Where are YOUR ethics Kevin Cooper? You write as if your opinion is the only one that counts.
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 5:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Kevins opinion is the same as many of us in Natchez. The mayor is only out for his own benefit - and that has always been the case with him. Yes, he likes to play the race card because it works - but please no longer. Just because someone is black, white, or purple should make no difference in how they run a town or a newspaper. Yes, mistakes in grammer and spelling should count, because our elected officials should be people that are good examples for our youth. If they can't spell, write, or speak correctly, but they have positions of authority, what does that tell the kids? That it is ok not to do well in school or to learn to communicate correctly? Tell it like it is Kevin! COOPER FOR MAYOR!!!
Posted by revolutionary (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 5:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mr. Cooper it seems as if you are resorting to childish schoolyard antics like when a child gets mad when he is losing he takes his ball so the others can't play anymore. You could have shown more integrity by at least waiting a day or two to respond to the Mayor's article. Were you that upset. I am a firm believer that words that you should wipe off words/statements if you know that they are not true and at the end of the day your actions and character will speak for themselves. I tell you what, since you know so much about how to run the town and the best ways to improve Natchez, why don't you run for Mayor in 2008. I'm quite sure you will be supported by many no life, sit on the cpu all day pulpitters who think that this is still 1965. Just remember that you are not the voice of Natchez. I am quite sure that West is not the first person who has turned in articles with mispelled words/typos but he is the first that was criticized for doing such. Are you implying that he is dumb. Say it, don't beat around bushes.
Posted by brod (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 5:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Kevin, I appreciate your rebuttal. Yes, Philip West has used the race card so much the edges are frayed. As in one of the other comments, it has worked for him thus far. However, as I have said in previous comments, his theme song when he was elected, "A change is gonna come," When? I do not question your ethics nor your integrity. As for your columns and comments, you always give readers reason to think and ponder over things that are reasonably questionable and at times dirty and low down. Everyone has an opinion. I thoroughly enjoy reading yours and value your comments. I also want to thank you for stirring readers enough that they too post their comments and opinions. You are quite an asset to the Natchez Democrat.
Posted by betterthanthis (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 6:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Freedom 42,
If that were the case, Natchez needs a new editor and publisher before a new mayor.
Posted by luv2travel (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 6:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Great artical Kevin!!!
All i can say about the Mayor is WOW!!
Posted by wakeupnatchez (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 7:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
CAN ANYONE IN ADAMS COUNTY ANSWER THIS QUESTION?
IN THE PAST THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL BLACK CITIZENS TO RUN FOR PUBLIC ELECTION IN ADAMS COUNTY SINCE RECONSTRUCTION AND THE ONLY PERSON I BELIEVE WHO HAS WON IS JAMES LEE CORONER(REPRESENTS THE DEAD AND HAS NO VOICE IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT)NONE OF THEM HAS WON THUS FAR WHY?
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO USE THE RACE CARD IT WORKS FOR WHITES AT THE POLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by peacerulz (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 7:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I cannot believe that West pulled the race thing. What a wimp. I'm glad that Kevin did not stand for it.
Posted by peacerulz (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 7:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I like gemculls idea to publish the actual letter. I saw him before the election at the "debate" that was held at The Burn and i can only imagine what the letter looks like. Does he not have a secretary to help him out.
Posted by riverat (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 8:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What difference does it make if the Mayor had typos, people? You guys are totally missing the point. I read these blogs all the time and I am really horrified by the bad grammar, typos,etc. that the Democrat posts. Is that all you see in the Mayor's post as being wrong? Look at the bigger picture!
Posted by peacerulz (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 8:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You'd think that being the Mayor, he might have cared about the grammar, the errors and the typos. Guess not.
Posted by brod (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 8:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
wakeupnatchez...You might ask the voters in all these elections. Whether a candidate be black or white, his/her election rests purely with the voters, not their race.
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 9:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wait a minute wakeupnatchez, are you implying that NO blacks have won an election? What about Boo Campbell, Daryl Grennell, Judge Mary Toles, and on and on? Surely, I misread what you had written.
Posted by wakeupnatchez (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 10:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
LET ME APOLOGIZE I MEANT COUNTY WIDE ELECTIONS THOSE WERE PEOPLE I BELIEVE WERE ELECTED BY DISTRICTS. I BELIEVE THEIR DISTRICTS WERE PREDOMINANTLY BLACK. I READ YOUR LOCAL PAPER AND BASED ON PRECINTS, BLACKS CARRY BLACK PRECINCTS AND WHITE CARRY WHITE PRECINCTS.
SOUNDS LIKE RACE TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by thatsjust2damnbad (anonymous) on November 18, 2007 at 10:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
COOPER FOR MAYOR?? You good folks should be careful what you ask for. You might get it.
With that said, my opinion is both Mr. West & Mr. Cooper are acting like small children defending themselves in the principals office after a playground scrap.
I think the community at large sometimes forgets that The Democrat is a privately owned business that makes money selling newspapers. Mr. Coopers success in the newspaper business largely depends on how many of you want to read his newspaper (whichever one he works at).
Mr. West is "our" elected mayor of choice. Hind sight is 20/20, so if you feel like the man is not right for the job, do something about it in 2008. Never forget, you don't know until you've walked a mile in their shoes.
But if we as citizens of this community are going to cheer this scrap on as we seem to be doing, maybe someone should setup a debate dinner at the convention center and charge admission to watch these two go at it until one conceeds. All profits could go to the local Red Cross!
BTW - I'm sure I've included a few typos and misspelled words, but I am sure you can still understand what I am trying to communicate here.
Posted by traceb (anonymous) on November 19, 2007 at 12:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You know I've been observing the "politics" in Natchez for years. I really got put out with the Democrat... not keeping its finger on the pulse here.So much so that I had canceled my subscription and now... I think I'm going to renew it. Folks have stood back shaking their heads and have said, "someone should do something." Thank you Mr. Editor.
Posted by shedevil (anonymous) on November 19, 2007 at 5:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
COOPER for Mayor??? HA HA...I would vote Binkey for Mayor before I would Kevin Cooper
Posted by supertrucker47 (anonymous) on November 19, 2007 at 6:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
THE MAYORS OFFICE IS A JOKE NO MATTER WHOS IN THERE PEOPLE.ITS TOTALLY RAN BY THE P.G.C.THE OFFICE HAS NEVER HAD A HAND IN BRINGING WORK TO THE CITY,ONLY TOURISM.BUTCH BROWN MADE MILLIONS OFF THE CITY,HANK PARKER WAS JUST A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTAKE AND WEST TARES DOWN HISTORICAL LANDMARKS,BUT THEY ALL DID WHAT THE P.G.C. TOLD THEM TO DO.SO WHY DO WE EVEN NEED A MAYOR?ALL THEY WANT IS TO MAKE MONEY FOR THEMSELVES AND BRING MORE TOURISM HERE.THEY DONT CARE ABOUT WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT,THEY NEVER HAVE.MR.WEST ENJOY YOUR STAY IN OFFICE CAUSE IT WILL YOUR LAST TERM AS MAYOR.TY
Posted by jch (anonymous) on November 19, 2007 at 6:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Great job Kevin, people just cannot stand it when the truth hits them in the face. They have to take it out on someone. If you had been backing the mayor, they would have applauded you. Someone is always gonna be upset with anything or anyone when they don't believe the same way, it's a way of life and will always be. Just agree to disagree and continue on. By the way, did I say Great job Kevin!!
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on November 19, 2007 at 7:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Trucker, who the heck is Hank Parker? Or did you mean Hank Smith? And I hardly think the Garden Clubs gave West permission to tear down the pecan factory.
Posted by mike8427 (anonymous) on November 19, 2007 at 7:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is a good article Kevin, a little bit torwards he said/she said kind of conversation, but you made a good point. Allthough I think we all know the mayor is very happy to place the race card, his using racial issues has gotten him where he is in his career. Unfortunately it has hurt Natchez/Adams county severly. Does anyone remember who it was that accused the school system in Adams county of being racially segregated? Yes it was Phillip West and company, and look where I school system is now. He got what he wanted, a nearly completely black school system.
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on November 19, 2007 at 7:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Supertrucker....why, why, why are you so angry? I agree that the Ntz mayor is a joke and the "blue-hair" society does have pull with the city, but please be nice about it. Have a good one, supertrucker. Oh, I wanted to ask you something...just once, for me, will you have a nice post that is not in all caps soon? Please? A few of us don't believe you can do it, but I do. Show me.
Posted by mike8427 (anonymous) on November 19, 2007 at 9:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Supertrucker - Last time I checked Hank Parker was a professional bass fisher, I don't think he has held office in Natchez as of yet. If you keep that all caps up it just draws more attention to you typing mistakes.
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on November 19, 2007 at 9:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
HaHaHaHa....a pro fisher...hahahahahhaha!!!!!! mike, I don't think he has been taking his medicine correctly, bless his heart.
Posted by roberth33 (anonymous) on November 19, 2007 at 10:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Excellent article Kevin. The Mayor absolutely be called to task for poor grammar--he's the representative of the city, for pete's sake. I'd hate to see what his letters to State and Federal leaders look like!
Oh, and Mayor, to paraphrase, crying racism is the last refuge of a bigot. Shame on you, sir.
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on November 19, 2007 at 10:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
roberth33, it has been awhile since a post.
Glad to have you back.
Posted by popwilly (anonymous) on November 19, 2007 at 10:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Go Kevin, great rebuttal. Bucket has always been a racist. Ask him why he was one of the few people fired from the tire plant and the union did not fight it. Nuff said.
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on November 19, 2007 at 11:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ouch, Ouch, Ouch!
Posted by shedevil (anonymous) on November 19, 2007 at 12:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Im with you all the way on your comment Mike8427.West ruined the school system which in turn killed any hope of ever getting industry to locate here.
Posted by roberth33 (anonymous) on November 19, 2007 at 4:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
thnx gemccull
busy time of year so tough to check in.
cheers.
Posted by peacerulz (anonymous) on November 19, 2007 at 7:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
the public schools here are horrible.
Posted by aesa (anonymous) on November 19, 2007 at 9:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Cooper...
You're a little thin-skinned to be in the newspaper business.
You expect us to believe that you failed to correct all the typos
because "even that may spark West to cry foul"?
At least you explained it away. Great rationalization!
Your arguements/facts could have carried more weight had they not been tainted with anger.
Next time after you write your opinion, simmer over a great cup of coffee, walk around the block, re-read your opinion, and if you still like it...THEN and only THEN click the SUBMIT button!
For this year don't send West a Christmas card...and we will understand....but you really should anyway...it is the holidays!
...remember that part about "Goodwill toward Men"
You owe us the readers a higher standard, we expect a lot out of you...the Ntz Democrat isn't about West and Cooper...it is about all of us!!!
Expect them to hurt your feelings...it is part of the business!!!
Posted by supertrucker47 (anonymous) on November 20, 2007 at 5:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
PAGE????SOMETHING NICE.THANK YOU FOR YOUR WONDERFUL COMMENT.AS FOR THE CAPS,THEY ARE MY TRADE MARK.I DONT SEE VERY WELL,SO I USE BIGGER LETTERS.I DONT LOOK AT IT AS SHOUTING,I LOOK AT IT AS MAKING A LARGER STATEMENT.AND IM NOT AN ANGRY MAN OR ALWAYS NEGATIVE.I SIMPLY THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX WHEN IT COMES TO POLITICS.THIS BLOG IS A GOOD THING.FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND THE RIGHT TO YOUR OWN OPPINION SIMPLY DOESNT EXIST ANYMORE.BUT HERE IT DOES.I FEEL HERE.OUR CONSTATUTION IS UNDER ATTACK AND OUR CIVAL LIBERTYS ARE BEING TAKEN AWAY AS WE SPEAK.I AM A CONSTATUTIONALIST,I AM NOT A REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT.MORE OF A LIBERAL AND VERY OUT SPOKEN AND CREDITICAL ON MOST ISSUES.PEOPLE DISAGREE WITH ME CAUSE IM SO BOLD.I TENT TO RUB PEOPLE THE WRONG WAY WHEN I GIVE MY OPPINIONS.BUT IT IS MY RIGHT TO DO SO.THANKS FOR THE BLOG DEMOCRAT.
Posted by lily214 (anonymous) on November 20, 2007 at 8:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The typos in the mayor's article are in fact important. A mayor should be intelligent, and capable of spelling and punctuation. I mean, after all he is the representative of our city. Hopefully, he has someone proofread all of his letters and they just missed this one. And yes, the newspaper should not have typos either, but everyone does in fact make mistakes from time to time. Not all the time! It doesn't surprise me that he didn't want the meeting public. Why should the people of Natchez know what is going on in this town? hahahaha
A misunderstanding not wanting the meeting public...what a great excuse that is used too many times. I applaud Kevin's article.
GREAT JOB KEVIN!!!
Posted by leftforafuture (anonymous) on November 20, 2007 at 9:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I started reading the posts and to myself I said, "Thank God I left Natchez." I love my home town becasue it made me who I am in the sense that I was determined not to work at the local store or fast food restaurant. I understand that someone has to have those jobs, but what about those who have other ambitions? Natchez needs to grow and provide opportunities for those youth who don't see a future other than crime, Wal-Mart, and the fast food restaurants. So I say to you Mayor and Democrat Publisher talk about the things that need to be changed and addressed and leave the petty arguments at home. Who would want to come and invest in Natchez if two of the most influential citizens in the town have nothing better to do than argue about who said what!
Posted by frogprincenessntz (anonymous) on November 20, 2007 at 10:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Do you really want a better future for your child? It is easier than waiting for Natchez to change. Start today explaining that God loves each and every one of us; red or yellow, black or white, we are precious in His sight. He gave us rules to live by and our founding fathers took those rules and fashioned our constitution, so they gave us rules to live by also. Tell your child that no one owes them anything, BUT that they can be anything they want to be; they just have to work for it. Teach them that the rules of God and the rules of man should mesh and when they do, they should be followed. God is always first. Every time someone wants to throw out the negative, be it on tv or in song, shut it off and explain that they were wrong. Tell the child that they live in the best country in the world and that the only thing holding them back is their own degree of trying. If they give it their all, they will get much further than if they wait for someone to hand it to them. In one mayoral term (four years) you will see a difference, and in two terms, you will begin to see a winner being formed.
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on November 20, 2007 at 11:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"In one mayoral term (four years) you will see a difference, and in two terms, you will begin to see a winner being formed."
???????????????????
Posted by peacerulz (anonymous) on November 20, 2007 at 12:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ewwww. did he really say that????? LOL
Posted by mike8427 (anonymous) on November 20, 2007 at 1:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well leftforafuture, I do understand where you are coming from. I have had nearly all of my friends leave this town looking for a better job. But I just get aggrivated that everybody is so eager to cut and run from Natchez. How can Natchez ever improve if everyone keeps leaving. I know things could really use improvement but how can we improve them if we just quit? I have been on the road working for a long time and I am glad that I have gotten the chance to work back home, hopefully I can stay here for a while,
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on November 20, 2007 at 3:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why do I not understand frogprincenessntz last statement? I know it has not been that hard of a day!lol Could someone translate or better yet frog - restate that in simpler terms please? I know that you weren't talking about West.
Posted by frogprincenessntz (anonymous) on November 20, 2007 at 4:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I meant if you will apply this stategy to rearing your child for the length of time a mayor stays in(four years) you will begin to see a difference and in eight you will see a winner! This only works if you keep that child away from politics and politicians.
Posted by frogprincenessntz (anonymous) on November 20, 2007 at 4:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
We need to try to get the best person for the job of running our city, but the success or failure of our children starts at home!
Posted by sarabug (anonymous) on November 20, 2007 at 4:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Our mayor SUCKS!!! The end..........
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on November 20, 2007 at 5:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sarabug, I do not know about your terminology for our mayor but I would say the he reminds me of George Jefferson.
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on November 20, 2007 at 5:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks frog - now it makes perfect sense and you are completely correct.
George Jefferson - yeah I do see the resemblance!
Posted by peacerulz (anonymous) on November 20, 2007 at 5:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
he speaks and writes like he did'nt get outta the third grade.
Posted by shedevil (anonymous) on November 20, 2007 at 6:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
And just think about it..Mayor West was the one that improver our public school system years ago.
Posted by peacerulz (anonymous) on November 20, 2007 at 8:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
yeah we know how that went.
Posted by niterider (anonymous) on November 20, 2007 at 9:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
west resembles a black mr. burns on the simpsons
Posted by peacerulz (anonymous) on November 20, 2007 at 11:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
hahahahahahahahahaaha. Mr. Burns. hahahahaahahhahhahahhaah
Posted by Crazynms (anonymous) on November 20, 2007 at 11:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't think kids should be forced to attend a certain school. When they get a job, they will be able to choose where they will work. If you live within a 20 mile radius of a school, then you should be able to attend the one of your choice.
Posted by stinkybiz (anonymous) on November 21, 2007 at 12:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
People, what happened to the initial issue, The closed door for the meeting. You folks are using this forum to let out your petty thoughts. Did anybody resolve the issue about the board meeting. Yes and No. On the other hand. You do on rare occation come up with some provocative thoughts. Yes the Mayor probobly does have a computer with spell checker and grammer check. I'm low down on the scale of opinions and I have one. I have found that after traveling many countries and all parts of the United States that It is imperitive that an Administrator be concise, exacting and to the point at all times. It is a shame that since I returned to Natchez, I have run into a large number of people that have third grad math and english skills. The education system in this area, not just the Natchez High school but the surrounding area included shoud cover there heads in shame. As for the editor, good job, I rarely agree with news people but, it is important that the Mayor be put on the spot and often. He is accountable.
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on November 22, 2007 at 10:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
probobly
imperitive
shoud
Who has third grade english skills?
Yes, the meeting was open to the public.
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