News & Commentary

THE REAL STORY

J.B. ST. JOHN
PUBLISHER

THISISREALMEDIA.COM

February 28, 2014

P. O. Box 403 Columbus, MS 39703

What should be done with the island in Columbus?

I think all the garden clubs should get together and turn it into a public garden, like Bellingrath Gardens. Rosa A dog park would be fun, with lots of room to run around but, far from the highway. - Lady Pet Owner The island should be developed for charming retail shops and restaurants. However, this would only work if Columbus mounts a major campaign to attract tourists from out of town. Locals will not support a new idea. - Char There aint no reason to develop the island. I been hunting there for forty years. It should stay the same. Hyrum I think that they should put a casino there! Heck, if it works for Tunica, maybe it could work for us! Linda S. Lets offer it up as an industrial park. We need more high-paying jobs! Plus, it would be closer to town. Rufus What about a huge shopping mall! I love to shop! - Jane Look for a new question to be posted on our website, thisisrealmedia.com, a few days before each print edition (every other week). Submit your ideas for a question to opinion@thisisrealmedia.com

CHRIS HANNON

MANAGING EDITOR ART DIRECTOR

AIMEE SHAW

PAIGE CANIDA-GREENE
NEWS REPORTER

ABBY HATHORN CHASIDY HATHORN EMILY GAITHER RON PARLATO

CONTRIBUTORS

Perspectives:

Intolerance
sal health care, affordable housing, and income equality. In other words, she was adding conditions to tolerance. She would tolerate pro-lifers if they subscribed to a secular, progressive agenda. Is true tolerance at all possible? Do we not have to make a principled choice which necessarily rejects or condemns all others? I believe that tolerance is possible. However, to achieve it we must reject the entire concept of moral certainty and the existence of absolute moral principles. If one believes that morality is a product of secular society a construct established to preserve order and provide a disciplined frame of reference for human activity then it is easy to accept two opposing viewpoints as equally valid. One moral principle will have its ascendency and descent only to be followed by the other in an endless cycle of change. In the end, there are no eternal self-evident principles. Another way to look at the question is from the perspective of Machiavelli, who discarded any sense of good and evil, and who saw the world as a valueless struggle between competing forces. Or from the perspective of Friedrich Nietzsche, who saw the amoral, willful individual as the only human being of value. He believed that only the unique, willful, indomitable individual pursuing his own ends and satisfying his own desires would rise above the herd and maximize his human potential. Neither pro-choice nor pro-life sup-

Abortion is perhaps the most con- human progress. tentious issue in the United States. The batConservative thinkers feel just the optle lines seem irremediably drawn between posite. Secularism is the problem with Pro-life and Pro-choice advocates. Pro-life American society, for it ignores the essential supporters believe that conception begins feature of humanity the soul. While sociat birth, and that abortion is tantamount to ety needs its formulas, machines, and enmurder. This conviction is based on Biblical gines of finance and energy, it cannot do injunction and a firm belief that only God without spiritual being, enlightenment, and can give and take away life. Pro-choice suprenewal. porters take an equally principled stance, saying that within a secular context, the The debate over abortion is not just rights of women are paramount, and - by about an issue. It is a cultural war. logical extension - those of society at large. Tolerance by the pro-choice movement These advocates reject the premise that life begins at conception, and therefore abor- is limited to allowing pro-life advocates to tion is simply a surgical intervention to pro- have their say. This, however, is not true tolmote the health and well-being of the erance. Real, deeply-felt tolerance means accepting an opposing belief as just as valid woman. as ones own. In other words, the conservaThere can be no wider difference of tive, religious pro-life advocates might just opinion, for the issue is not simply abortion, be right. Life may in fact be unique, inviobut secularism vs. religious faith. This is lable, and created at conception, and only compounded and made more acute be- God can bless or end it. It means accepting cause of a profound political chasm that that a religious view of the world, a fundabetween the most active pro-choice advo- mental belief in the absolute, divine word cates, who are primarily Northern, liberal, of God as inscribed in the Bible, is valid, and intellectual, and pro-life supporters, and that they progressives may be prowho are politically conservative, rural, and moting an erosion of faith through their inoften Southern. sistent secularism. An ardent pro-choice supporter recently suggested to me that she was indeed tolerant of the pro-life position, but would accept the views only of those who were consistent in their pro-life beliefs, i.e. opposed to war and capital punishment, and fully supportive of programs to protect the lives of people after they were born: univer-

porters are likely to accept these views, for they disrupt the traditional and conventional view of life. Life may be good - as progressives say - and only needs mans intervention to make it better. Or it may be bad, and all of us - condemned by Adam and Eve through their original sin - must struggle for redemption and salvation. Real, true, fundamental tolerance, however, lies in the path paved by Machiavelli and Nietzsche. Disagreeing with someone but championing their right to say it is not real tolerance. It is part of the social democratic construct we have devised to keep the peace. There is little hope for a tolerant compromise between the warring abortion factions, and all that is certain is that whichever side now prevails, the other is sure to, as well - if only marginally and for a short period making this a kind of barbed-wire, blood-and-mud trench warfare with the front changing a few feet at a time.
Ron Parlato is a writer living in Washington, DC. He has close ties with Columbus, which he visits frequently. His writings on literature, politics and culture, travel, and cooking can be found on his own blog, http://www.uncleguidosfacts.com.

While most pro-choice advocates may be tolerant of the right-to-life position, they fundamentally cannot accept it, for in their view it diminishes the value of women, shifts the emphasis from society to the individual, and encourages religious fundamentalism - a retrograde movement that darkens rational inquiry, the basis of

February 28, 2014

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News & Commentary

Douglas Cockrell Named February Volunteer-of-the-Month By United Ways Community Volunteer Center
Although Cockrells involvement with the Boys and Girls Club has been varied, he has focused on a program called Passport To Manhood, in which young men are led on a journey through a series of phases, all of which have been designed to instill in the participants a set of values, teach them respect, and encourage them to stay in school factors that will contribute to them becoming successful, productive members of the community. The participants are provided with a passport which is stamped as they complete each stage, much as travelers would have theirs stamped as they enter a new country. Cockrell indicated that his experiences with Big Brothers/Big Sisters both as a young person being mentored and a mentor himself led him to become involved with Boys and Girls Club. He stated that what gives him the most satisfaction in working with these boys is in seeing them grow into young men, with the realization that he was able to play a part in that growth. In addition to his work with Boys and Girls Club, he has also been active with Evening Star Lodge #10 PHA, especially in their Man Up program, which not only teaches such valuable life skills as how to tie a necktie, but also ingrains a sense of responsibility in the participants. This latter aspect is particularly important, since many of the boys come from single-parent households led by their mothers. In these situations, the youth are taught that, since they are for all intents and purposes the man of the house, they should be better-equipped to fill that role. Cockrell also coaches a boys 9-10 basketball team that is sponsored by the Boys and Girls Club, and which plays in a Columbus-Lowndes Recreation Authority league. Cockrells own son plays on the team. Cockrell is a member of Abundant Life Church, which makes an annual monetary contribution to Boys and Girls Club. He is also a member of the local chapter of the NAACP. Having retired from the Army National Guard in December of 2013 with the rank of sergeant, Cockrell believes in the axiom that, in order to be a good leader you must have been a follower. He also believes that the three most important figures in a persons life are ones father, God, and pastor. When he is not volunteering or working at his job as a local truck driver, Cockrell enjoys hunting, fishing and spending time with his family: wife, Adrienne; his son, Douglas Travon Cockrell; and his daughter Alexis Necole Gray.

Veteran. MSU Bulldog fan. Truck driver. Youth basketball coach. These are all terms that can be used to describe Douglas Cockrell Jr. Another is role model.

As stated above, Cockrell was recently named Volunteer-of-the-Month by the Community Volunteer Center. While that recognition is certainly warranted, it does not begin to illustrate the impact that Cockrell has had on the youth of our community. Cockrell was nominated for the award by the Boys and Girls Club of Columbus, where he has been a volunteer for four years.

Please join us in thanking Douglas Cockrell Jr. for all that he has done to help build a better community!

Posing As An Adult:

Questions Regarding Modern-day Class

vertently segregated - even in 1983 - when I started school. It wasnt like I had a coming out party as a debutante or wintered somewhere. It sounds far grander than it really was. Im not intimidated by the fancy; Im just not familiar with it. But, theres a whole world of that going on here in Birmingham. I only recently realized that it really means a huge deal from which part of Birmingham you hail. If youre from Mountain Brook or Homewood, youre golden. I know people who crave to break into the society scene here and dont care much more about a person than in what zip code they live. I dont quite get that. Maybe Im just built differently, but how much money your family has and how much property they own doesnt mean that Im going to like you. I might like you, but those are definitely not the prerequisites. Its funny that its 2014 and yet, there are still clear class distinctions everywhere. I know its not something thats really going to change, but I find it simultaneously funny and frustrating. I dont have children, but I think its sad that you have to overpay in rent or on a mortgage to send your little ones to a good school. Or, apparently, were about to get back into busing, where you can send your child - who may be a student at a failing school - to another, better school. I think its sad that there are at least three police cars stationed in the swanky areas on my six-mile commute, who are there more for the peace of mind of the residents than to do any actual police work. I guess because my mind doesnt go there, it doesnt occur to me that any group of people should get better treatment or better experiences. As usual, someone already said it better than I. Its okay. We arent in the same class. Just dont forget that some of us watch the sunset too. - S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders
Emily Gaither is a former resident of Columbus, who now lives in Birmingham, Ala. Read Emilys blog at http://msdemocrat.blogspot.com/.

Lately, Ive been thinking a lot about class distinctions and what they mean. Its 2014 and whether we want to acknowledge it or not, there are different Americas for different people. Even though we all have the same basic opportunities, some of us are, metaphorically, worlds apart. I dont want to knock Birmingham - I really do love it here - but it is painfully obvious that, after the seven years that Ive lived here, Im still not from here. Its a weird thing to consider, class. Youre pretty well born into it, meaning theres very little you can do to move from lower to middle or middle to upper. Sure, you can become rich or move into a higher class, but unless its inherited over generations, its not quite the same. I believe that Im firmly ensconced in the middle class - always have been - despite growing up as a member of a country club and attending private school until 10th grade. I thought about that recently, that when I say that to people not familiar with Macon, it sounds very bourgeoisie. However, it was either swim there or pay to swim at the public pool, which was closed more than once due to a meningitis outbreak, I seem to recall. And yes, sadly, the schools were inad-

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February 28, 2014

Mississippi Brawl Stars Bringing Roller Derby Excitement To Columbus

learning how to give and take a hit. The program also includes endurance requirements that the women work up to, as well as a written rules test. The training program has been designed to be fluid so that the Brawl Stars can accept new players at any time. Women who are interested in trying out can contact team leaders through the groups Facebook page, their website, or via email. The team provides gear and skates for use during tryouts, and maintains a store at their facility where players can purchase equipment. One of the many interesting things about the Brawl Stars is the diversity of the backgrounds from which the team members come. Some are married; some are single. Some have no children; one player has six. They are nurses, students, stay-at-homemoms, and retail managers. One is a preschool teacher who works with disabled kids. Another is a chef. One thing that they all have common other than a desire to participate in roller derby is dedication. Although many of the players live in or near Columbus, some travel as long as 90 minutes each way to attend team activities. This is especially impressive when one considers that the team practices on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Its important to note that women of all shapes and sizes can excel at roller derby. Plus, it is a great confidence booster, is great exercise, and can provide a sense of empowerment, especially for the younger players. In addition to the players, the team relies on a group of individuals, who serve as referees, coaches, etc. It takes 14 non-skating participants to put on a bout as their contests are called. These individuals do everything from keeping score, running the timers for the penalty box, and keeping up with the stats. As a result, they are always accepting volunteers. One aspect of roller derby that fascinates their fans is the unique aliases or derby names that the players adopt. They can be humorous or intimidating, and often reflect the personality of the individual. Some examples on the Brawl Stars are Shanaconda, Snarly Quinn, Full Metal Fiona, Finger Lickin Hood, Helena Handbasket, and Lady McDeath. Although the players choose their own derby names, a website containing the names that are currently in use throughout the country is maintained, and players are not allowed to adopt a name that is already in use. Although the players take the bouts seriously, there is a great deal of camaraderie, even between opposing teams. Thats one of the facts that make roller derby a familyfriendly activity. The bouts which are held at the Lavender Coliseum at the Columbus Fairgrounds (Highway 69) feature a concession stand and childrens activities at halftime. Heck, the players even pass out candy to the children! Besides being family-friendly and fun, the bouts are also very affordable. Tickets are just $5, and children 12 and under are admitted free of charge. The Brawl Stars 2014 season kicks off on Saturday, March 1, as they take on the Okaloosa Rollers. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the bout begins at 6:30 p.m. Follow the Brawl Stars on Facebook at facebook.com/mississippibrawlstars. They can also be contacted through their website, www.mississippibrawlstars.com, or by email at info@mississippibrawlstars.com.

Some people may not be aware of it, but roller derby is experiencing a resurgence. Thats right, roller derby the sport that those of us of a certain age remember watching in our youth is on the rise in popularity, thanks in part to the recent movie, Whip It. As a matter of fact, roller derby has become so popular that it is even in consideration to be included in the 2020 Olympics. And, we have a team right here in Columbus, Miss. Theyre called the Mississippi Brawl Stars and theyve been in existence since 2011. What started out as an idea between a couple of friends, has now blossomed into a team that will be starting its third season of competition on Saturday, March 1.

Although the Brawl Stars have experienced some turnover in their ranks, they presently are made up of eight veterans and 10 newbies. This latter group is presently going through the training program that was established to not only hone the ladies skills, but also to reduce the likelihood of injury.

The training program which is designed to allow the recruits to progress at their own pace consists of a series of colorcoded levels that help the participants master such skills as stopping, falling properly, and

Sweet Sorghum Living Short Tales:

This Is Hard To Talk About

and ruthless. It leaves behind marks that will never go away - scars that will always be there. It leaves behind knotty and crippled victims. Bless those beautiful souls that are cut off in their prime - just chopped off here and there with no rhyme or reason. I cannot sit back anymore and watch this happen. I must know why. I truly want to understand why this is happening. Am I the only one who wants to scream out to those that are doing this? Am I the only one who wants to start a Facebook page to inform, to post pictures of the victims, and to speak on the behalf of those that cannot speak for themselves? When I interrogated a few folks who were committing this atrocity, they responded with generic answers like, it was getting too big and all the neighbors are doing it. Really? This is the logic? A little research and planning would have prevented the too big problem. And if your neighbor jumped off a bridge, would you? Peer pressure - really? Find good examples to follow. Do your own homework. Stop copying others work. It really is that simple. Allow these beautiful specimens of nature to be gorgeous and natural. Let them reach to the sky in all their glory with all their branches. They want to be a beautiful shade in summer and an abstract sculpture in the winter. Oh, how they want to be standing tall and unscarred for generations to come! For information on properly pruning a crepe myrtle, check out Crepe Myrtle Pruning Step-by-Step by Steve Bender: http://thedailysouth.southernliving.com/200 9/02/24/what-concerns-p/ Thanks for sitting a spell with me today. Please feel free to email confessions or photos of your bad or glorious specimens, because I truly want to understand.
Chasidy Fulcher Hathorn is an up-cycler, junk lover, blogger, mom, and wife who enjoys creating unique pieces of art, tearing up houses and putting them back together, and lazy walks on the beach (ok, TV she enjoys watching TV). She can be reached at chasidy.hathorn@gmail.com.

Today, I want to discuss something that has been bothering me for a long time. Until now, I did not have the courage to speak out or to express how I really feel about this terrible injustice that is happening around me. Sadly, I personally witnessed it happen yesterday. I saw it with my own eyes, but I couldnt speak out. I just sat in my car at the stop sign, watching in horror. I have friends who do it. Some of my family members do it. I am happy to say that I have never done it nor will I ever do it because I am not that kind of person.

I just cannot figure out where it all started. Who decided that it was the right thing to do? Was it a bandwagon effect? Or keeping up with the Joneses? Someone please tell me. Help me understand. It is ugly

February 28, 2014

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Arts & Culture

musicians recordings on her website, as well as on iTunes and CDBaby, theres no substitute for hearing her live. Once you do, you will be hooked!

Portrait Of The Artist:

Stephanie Jackson falls into category #3.

Stephanie Jackson
stephaniejackson.com, Jackson can also be reached on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ stephaniejacksonmusic). Although you can hear this talented

Many artists, both of the visual and performing varieties, will go for years possibly their entire careers without being noticed. The ones who do receive acclaim are often the beneficiaries of: 1. luck; 2. aggressive marketing, and/or 3. talent.

piano to Jackson from the time she was a young girl. She began playing guitar in 1973. In addition to a number of years of private lessons, Jackson studied classical guitar under Bunyan Webb, and participated in masters classes with Andres Segovia and Leo Brower. When asked which musicians inspired her, Jackson cited John Mayer, Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson for his work ethic; and Tommy Emmanuel. In addition to classical music, she also plays rock, pop, Latin, jazz, and classics on classical guitar. When pressed to name her favorite genre of music to play, Jackson chose classic rock, because its what I grew up on. Jackson has taught college-level guitar and music courses and has traveled to various cities throughout the country to participate in music seminars, concerts, and recordings. A prolific songwriter, she has written music for various artists, and four of her 11 collections are entirely original compositions. (stephaniejackson.com) In addition to her impressive website,

Dont be fooled, she has certainly worked hard to get to where she is today. She has availed herself of all of todays promotional outlets: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and a very informative website. And, of course, there is a little luck in everything that we do. But, man, this lady is TALENTED!

Jackson, who recently re-located to Starkville after spending 17 years in Oklahoma City, has already made great strides in entrenching herself in the cultural community of the Golden Triangle. She has quickly become a regular performer at a variety of clubs and venues throughout the Golden Triangle.

Jackson, who began performing publicly when she was 11, grew up in a musical household. Her mother, Martha Pipkin, was an opera singer and a pianist, and she taught

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February 28, 2014

Abby In The City:

Interview With Emily Ellyn, One-time Contestant On Next Food Network Star
Hello, fabulouses, and welcome back to Abby In the City, where this week I have a very special interview with a fellow vintageloving fashionista to share with yall. Not only is this special guest fabulously fashionable, she is also a brilliant chef and culinary expert. Hmwho could it be? How about I give yall a hint? *wink* kitchen counter while she cooked. Its no wonder I developed a passion for cooking, explains Ellyn. I caught up with Ellyn at the Birmingham Home & Garden Show 2014, where we chatted about her experience on Food Network, her love of vintage, and her new line of kitchen couture. My experience on Food Network was so intense. Next Food Network Star is a bizarre ride, but it was so much fun. The day after I was eliminated, they had a voting on who the viewers would like to have back on the show, and 20,000 people voted to bring me back! I have to say thank you, and because of that I was also invited to be a part of Cupcake Wars, which was awesome. When it comes down to it, I am so thankful for my experience on Food Network because I gained so many awesome fans, and I was able to show my love of cooking off to the world.

What do you get when you mix four cups of delicious food with a cup of fabulous personality and two tablespoons of killer fashion sense? Hmthink, think, think. Oh, it just has to be Retro Rad Diva Emily Ellyn as seen on Food Networks Next Food Network Star and Cupcake Wars! Ellyn grew up on a farm in Ohio, where she first fell in love with cooking. On my familys farm, we grew and harvested most everything ourselves, and we always had delicious food on the table. When my siblings and I were babies, my mom would set our bassinets on the

Emily and I totally lost track of time when we were talking about vintage, and thats what happens when you put two vintage-loving ladies together. *wink* I have always loved vintage, and right now it is so cool because it is becoming more popular. Everywhere I look in Orlando [where Emily is currently living], I am like Ooo! Look at that girls vintage dress or Oh, I so need to go shopping there. When I was on the Food Network, I caught a lot of flack because everyone questioned if I was putting on this whole Retro Rad Diva persona. Nope, Its just who I am. When I was a kid, I would ask my mom to pull my ponytail up tighter because I wanted to look like Grease Lighting. I would also beg her to do winged eyeliner so I could look vintage, and my mom was always like, Emmy, youre seven years old. Youre not going to school with makeup on. Now, I just do my own winged eyeliner, laughingly stated Ellyn. Vintage-inspired aprons - say what? Ellyn has designed her own line of retro kitchen couture, and Abby In the City has all the details. My friend Cynthia of Cupcake Provocateur is the seamstress for the signature Emily Ellyn apron line. Whether

you want a full apron or a half apron, each one is sewn to order and only available on my website [www.EmilyEllyn.com]. Right now, there are aprons with pinup girls, cowgirls, senoritasoh, and there is also a pink and zebra one that is super cute! All of the aprons are so retro rad - see what I did there, stated Ellyn during our interview at the Birmingham Home and Garden Show 2014. Do you know what kind of purse Ellyn carried to the Birmingham Home & Garden Show 2014? Do you know what Emilys favorite flavor cupcake is, or what cuisine she loves the most? Well, be sure to check out my blog www.vintageinspiredpassionista.com to read more of this fabulous interview with Emily Ellyn! Also, check out the VIP Facebook page for exclusive sneak peeks and more! www.facebook.com/vintagepassionista. Stay Fabulous!
Abby Hathorn is a freelance writer, fashion stylist, and blogger. Her blog, www.vintageinspiredpassionista.com, is a platform to showcase her love of vintage and modern apparel, fashion tips and trends, DIYs, community events, and anything else that strikes her fancy.