Rate Jim Cameron's 7-7-06 viewpoint

[wilebill]

I think we should rate him on his viewpoints so he'll know what we think of them, at the very least.

Here's his viewpoint for today. (http://www.wdam.com/Global/story.asp?S=5125688)

He goes from hitting the nail on the head to splitting hairs and nitpicking. I personally don't see the big deal that he made about the city council meeting this week. I doubt that there was some conspiracy to keep the council from meeting like he made it out to be. It just seems that circumstances came up that kept it from happening.

[politically incorrect]

It seemed he was trying to show how fair he is by criticizing the council. I think he is comparing apples and oranges, however. The Council would have had enough members to meet if Bailey had not become ill. That is an unforseen event that Bradley and DDD could not have expected when planning to be out of town. Can council members never leave town for vacations? They, unlike the mayor, are not trusted to run the city on a daily basis. And, yes, the mayor can take vacations and leave town on occasion, too. He has abused that privilege by going to so many conferences and "official" trips that he seems neve to be available to answer questions posed by reporters.

I know you want to be unbiased and fair, Jim, but nitpicking one side to even the score with the other is not good journalism.

[daisy]

I wish Red Bailey a speedy recovery. How often does the city council meet? weekly, monthly?

If it's weekly, couldn't they have reset it so they'd all be there or in case of unforeseen emergencies.

I agree with Jim Cameron and respect him for his leadership.

I have also found all the reporters to be bright, responsive and wanting to get the truth.

However, I didn't know city council was part-time and I think I heard on the news where this not having enough for quorum is very rare. I've found when one side starts criticizing the other side on a behavior the criticizing side goes undernnscrutuny for any of the same behavior.

I have liked Jim Cameron's viewpoints lately but sometimes I just don't agree.

I really liked the part where he said where we don't need to pull in outside people to solve our issues.

I am so glad I don't have his job.

[nooskye]

I think what Mr. Cameron meant, in leman terms, was that both sides have said bad against the other. Neither side, in his viewpoint, have been doing what they are suppose to be doing, as far as their job descriptions for Hattiesburg go (ALL of them are setting a pretty bad example for the Hattiesburg City Government & Council) … and it was time to stop playing juvenile, high school, power-trip / popularity games and get on with the business Hattiesburg and her citizens need them to do … Like he said … “Enough is enough …” Just do the jobs we expect them to do … part time or full time … without the petty, name calling, back-stabbing, intimidation by “power”, “I’m gonna get what I want” crap already … It’s not that hard and yes, I believe it’s exactly that easy … for someone elected, appointed, whatever … you would think they had the qualifications to begin with to even be placed in any type of office or seat, if they aren’t / weren’t… well then WE are the ignorant ones … None the less … they do indeed sound like a bunch of high school kids, seeking public scrutiny against their peers … There are more factor’s at play than their “pretty faces” … and it’s high time someone gets the entire body … Council, Government, Law Enforcement, etc together into one locked room and not be allowed out until they all have a mutual understanding and respect for us … THEIR EMPLOYERS!!!!

On a side note … I came across a website for MS State Grade Report (http://results.gpponline.org/StateOverview.aspx?id=116&relatedid=1) … there are four portions of our “test” …money (B-), people (C+), infrastructure (C+) and information (C+) … with Hattiesburg being the 4th largest / fastest growing city in Mississippi … WTF does this say about our government’s understanding of applying basic human resources and management skills to its employees??? I don’t mean to keep bringing Atlanta into my posts … but, it’s documented fact … Georgia is the only state to receive an (A) as an overall grade … ours is a (C+) … and it’s because GA’s Government and Services communicate with each other and cooperate the same … they know their isn’t an “I” in the word “TEAM” and I don’t think our esteemed “leaders” have grasped this concept as of yet … and until they do … I’m going to have to agree with Mr. Cameron when he says “…In my opinion we are almost at a point of no return. I make one last appeal to all concerned; put partisan politics and racial bias, if there is any, aside and do what is best for the city. Whether Hattiesburg is majority Black or majority White...the entire city is suffering. I leave it to you duly elected officials ...without any outside influence on either side...to work together for all the people of Hattiesburg. Get the job done...and let's move forward.”

YAY!! MR. CAMERON!!! :smt038

[bartspoon]

I heard, (so take it with a grain of salt) that dupree and fairley were trying to get Randy Swan fired because of some questions he ask. I was told that they had called Raycom (the parent co. of WDAM) and complained. Has anyone else heard that. It came from one of Randy's friends. I will try to find out more.

[daisy]

No, I hadn't heard that but when I was listening to Jim C. I felt like he was saying we're the reporters and we're going to report the way we see fit. I could tel he was reacting to some telling them what to ask.

I wouldn't be surprised. John Brown asked some good ?'s in my opinion on his reporting.

They took him out of that role. Well, it's kind of ironic that Fairley and his camp want coverage on their agendas but can't handle it when they ask ?'s.

they can always say no comment. If this is true I guarantee you they would want coverage of an opposing opinion. I know he brought in Magee, the NAACP man because of the conspiracy to move all the cops. Fairley just didn't know who was doing and has no evidence of it either. I notice WDAM didn't cover that or I missed it. I noticed Jim C. referred to not bringing in outside forces.

I may be rambling here but in a philosohy class on evil I had the professor pointed out how dictatorships or people up to no good either control the media or get rid of them so they're not exposed.

Gee, I HOPE that is not the case here.






f

[SoMissTV]

They won't ever get rid of Randy or Jim. The station has a huge share for news and is a cash-cow for Raycom (cause they don't spend money on salaries or equipment there). Why change a winning formula?

[bartspoon]

But if they are putting pressure on Raycom to fire Randy, and i repeat if, It would surely piss off the staff and maybe be a positive for the reporting. I agree they will not fire Randy but I can see fairley trying to put the pressure on. He has Jesse Jackson as his mentor and adviser and that is a common practice for him. It is his way of doing things, and it works for him. But i know it would backfire in this case. The town is so fed up with this racial thing it just doesnt work. So it pleases me everytime fairley uses the race card. I think he is doing everything he can to keep his family problems off the front page. Anything he can stir up to cast light away from the fliping scam. Think about it. Some of those people who have be listed in the indictment put their address at the fairley funeral home. I feel like the last person to be indicted will be failey himself. There is no way he is not envolved. His sons would not make a move without him. And the talk within the business power circle is something is fixing to go down. I just hope its fairley, that would go a long way to solve our main problem.

Think about it. Something has got to happen you can just feel it in the air. A police officer told a friend of mine that the police were given orders saturday to stake out the local white bars and try to get dui arrest. This came right after the WDAM reports on the black bar on edwards street and the complaints about the black nightclub behind Antonelles college. That particular bar is completely out of hand.

One more point. Why on earth does dupree not ask Wynn to resign. It would be a feather in his cap from most citizens in the town and take some heat of him. It would completely get the council off his back and go a long way to put out the fire of division which is tearing our city apart. If any of us were in his position we would do just that. Any good politician would cut his losses and move on. Make a good will jesture and appoint another black chief. I think having wynn there is to control the police and what they investigate. And letting him go would reveal what has been going on. Just my opinion, what do yall think is the reason?

Could it just be stubborness on the mayor's part?

[daisy]

All of the above could be. I'm still thinking how funny it is to have your address as the funeral home if you're alive.

[ShockandAwe]

All of the above could be. I'm still thinking how funny it is to have your address as the funeral home if you're alive.

Well, as others have noted, the Rev sees himself modeled on the Jesse Jackson style, he might be taking another Chicago play and adding to or continuing to use names on the voting rolls of folks who have passed through the funeral homes and are no longer in a position to care how their name gets used.

[wilebill]

This whole thing with Red Bailey retiring due to health reasons sorta makes my point about Jim's viewpoint. He picked on the council for not having a quorum during that meeting, but if Red hadn't gotten sick I feel sure he would have been there, therefore Jim wouldn't have had an issue.

How many times in the past has the council met with only 3 members? Probably lots. Just luckily one of those 3 people didn't get sick during a meeting, which would have cancelled the meeting due to lack of a quorum.

Jim was just giving lip service to the other side of the room by chastizing the city council. Only by pure bad luck was he given a platform to do so. When he can find something they do wrong on a regular basis (and there probably is something), then chastize them, but until then find something with a little more meat to it.

[gilgamesh]

BTW, this was the first time, since Hattiesburg went to the Mayor/Council form of government, that there has not been a quorum of City Council members. Hardly something to compare to the Mayor's frequent absence. Especially when he spent so much city time getting his Ph.D in Jackson.

[Janedoe]

I dont think Jim was so much trying to prove how fair he is but rather semi-smoothing things out. He knows he can be a voice for people who share the same views as he does. How else will we get our Mayor to listen/respond if he is pi$$ed off at him. He still got the point across.