We’re in the spotlight! The Dawgs and Rebels have brought the press to the Magnolia State. There is an amazing revival going on in the football world as we wake this morning to a 13-0 record. Who would have thought it? I’m thinking that Robert and Dot Farish, Walton Fulton, David McCool, Martha Daly, S. W. Pearson, Ken Dotson, Chucky Mullins, Dotty Sullivan, the McLeods, Jack Cristil, Stan Sandroni, Tony Fein, and many more are in the Hallelujah Choir. And the rest of us dont think were too far from heaven either. What a year! Two football teams have placed us in the media’s bulls-eye. Don’t get me wrong. We somehow make the news often. Some poor fellow up north who sadly believes everything he reads or hears from the press thinks we can’t read, are all overweight, and hate everyone whose skin is a different color. Okay, so I’m one of the three. But hey, my mama could cook better than his mama. No matter what the news story it is going to have a twist of the race issues and the 1960’s. We do have a history. But the media keeps telling the same stories over and over. Most of what gets dug up happened when I was a preschooler. Not that it should stay buried, but why not a story from Mississippi with a different slant. My high school English teacher, Mrs. Teresa Blount, would have counted off for me not coming up with something fresh to tell. I’m here to give the press a few pointers. First, why not report a story of how far we have come since the 1960’s? We have good friends who have different color skin than us. And guess what. We don’t pay attention to skin color. We see a person. We love each other. We work together to make our town, county, and state a better place for generations to come. I can give you some directions to find amazing stories of helping each other heal from a vicious storm of April 28th, 2014. Call me. Tell about the jewels of our landscape: the delta cotton fields that look as though they are covered with snow; the Grand Canyon of Mississippi near Columbia with soil colors varying from purple to red to white; the lakes and streams where canoeing, fishing, and gator watching abound; or historic sites on the Mississippi River such as Natchez or Vicksburg. The press makes it seem that our ancestors were sitting on the porch of our southern mansions sipping sweet tea while all the work was being done in the fields. Truth is very few of us have that bloodline. Our grandparents and great-grandparents were sweating and working with callused hands just to have enough money to buy one pair of shoes for each child to begin school. They were hustling to get enough meat, potatoes, and firewood to make it through the winter. Their shotgun style houses were a far cry from Rosalie. However, there were rockers on the porch; and if our ancestors were lucky their tails might get to hit them on Sunday after church. Do a little research. From the pine forests to the rich delta dirt, Mississippi is one of the most beautiful states around. Travel our back roads. Report it. Do a story about Dak Prescott and find out what the bracelet he’s wearing is all about. Make the world aware of MPS III/Sanfilippo Syndrome. A thirty mile trip from Starkville will get you an awesome story that needs to be shared. Find out the priority list of Hugh Freeze. He stands firm on his Christian faith. Hes a great witness on and off the field. Shout it from the mountain tops. When the dust settles from the season there is so much more to life than a football. Dig up information on our authors, actors, musicians, and other talented Mississippians: William Faulkner, Jimmie Rogers, B. B. King, Elvis, Gerald McRaney, Faith Hill, Morgan Freeman, Sela Ward, Oprah Winfrey, Jim Henson, Eudora Welty, Tennessee Williams, Shelby Foote, John Grisham, and Bo Diddley. That list should get you started. To be such poor readers we surely have some talented Mississippians. Did you know we are at the top of the philanthropist list? Not at the bottom, but at the top. Find out what makes us give and give and give. God-loving, Bible-following, good-heart folks describe us best. To be so poor, we dig deep into the wallet to share. Get to know us. Talk about our food. We have some of the best cooks around. Get a good sample plate: fried catfish at Taylor, tamales at Doe’s, chicken at Peggy’s, Mrs. Flo’s caramel cake at The Lake, Johnny’s fried green tomato hamburger. Or put your feet under someone’s mama’s table and enjoy the cuisine. Pack some elastic pants for the trip. Hopefully, this list will get you started. Hope you have a Hotty Toddy good visit in our state. If you don’t do a fresh story I’ll have to report you to Mrs. Blount and I’ll get someone to let the dawgs out on you. Carry on.
Posted on: Sun, 19 Oct 2014 13:36:40 +0000
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