Booing DuPree - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Nov 6, 2004

Booing DuPree

Date: Nov 6, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Shocked
"We are now a divided divided community. How responsible is USM's administration for all of this?"

Very.

But don't fret. It represents the "political philosophy" of the vast majority of voters in South Mississippi.

The more things change, the more they remain the same.

Date: Nov 6, 2004

Mayor Dupree is a USM graduate and has always been a friend of USM, at least up until today.

Date: Nov 6, 2004

It's imperative that SFT be in the paper and on the news ASAP, loud and clear, renouncing this.

Date: Nov 6, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Chicken Soup Lady
"It's imperative that SFT be in the paper and on the news ASAP, loud and clear, renouncing this."

He won't. Bank on it.

Date: Nov 6, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Chicken Soup Lady
"It's imperative that SFT be in the paper and on the news ASAP, loud and clear, renouncing this."

In another universe, SFT would meet publicly with the mayor and both men would mend
the differences. They would announce to the community how, by working together, both Hattiesburg and USM will attain our goals.

But not in this universe.

Date: Nov 6, 2004

This is very disturbing. It frightens me more than the upheavals at USM.

Date: Nov 6, 2004

Friends, we must know it by now, USM has declared war on the mayor of Hattiesburg. With the bond issue failing, SFT has taken steps to expand his web of influence. (1) Angie in the ADP, (2) Lee Jarrell Davis announcing his run for the mayor's office FROM THE STEPS OF THE LUCAS ADMINISTRATION BUILDING with the USM banner above his head and his words of support for USM. Face it, we are in the middle of Shelby's war with the Mayor and the people of Hattiesburg. As an earlier post said, we've lost "community". In terms of "support" for USM, it's going to be a long road before these fences are mended.

Date: Nov 6, 2004

To quote Prof. Wilbur Moreland: "The President is not the University."

Date: Nov 6, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Charlotte the spider
"To quote Prof. Wilbur Moreland: "The President is not the University.""

But in Shelby's world -- the President is the Universe.

Date: Nov 6, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Emma
"But in Shelby's world -- the President is the Universe."

In a worst-case scenario Angie D would control the ADP and entrench herself for years to come. Shelby would support a mayoral candidate and have extreme (control) input of local politics and the city of Hattiesburg...........To paraphase Clint Eastwood as "Dirty Harry" SFT is a legend (in his own mind) and as Emma stated "is the Universe" Take heart that Angie may not last at the ADP and that SFT's handpicked candidate will not make it out of the primaries.

The fact is that SFT is doing just what IHL wanted, to bring down USM because it was a threat to Ole Miss and State.

Date: Nov 6, 2004

DuPree doesn't realize that he lost re-election by not supporting the USM bond issue. No clearer could the town/ gown divide be seen but through the bond issue.
I voted for DuPree for his first term because I thought he had the city's best interest in mind. I'll be much wiser with my vote this election.

Date: Nov 6, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: disgusted
"DuPree doesn't realize that he lost re-election by not supporting the USM bond issue. No clearer could the town/ gown divide be seen but through the bond issue. I voted for DuPree for his first term because I thought he had the city's best interest in mind. I'll be much wiser with my vote this election. "

Disgusted, you're a troll, Busted.

(it wasn't the position of the post, it was the language in the post.)

Date: Nov 6, 2004

sorry, auntie emma. we can have differing opinions here, even those different from yours.
the city of h-burg was wrong not to embrace usm. dupree will see how wrong it was this summer.

Date: Nov 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: disgusted
"sorry, auntie emma. we can have differing opinions here, even those different from yours.
the city of h-burg was wrong not to embrace usm. dupree will see how wrong it was this summer. "

Disgusted,
What does it mean to say that the vote of free people was "wrong"? Mayor DuPree may not be reelected, but it was the people of H'burg that rejected the bond issue. And please don't make the mistake that it was the people of east H'burg.

As one of the letters in todays paper put it:

"Having carried only three of 14 polling sites at the needed 60 percent level, this bond issue does not just represent a conflict with east Hattiesburg, as all involved seem to want to make it. For the best the bond supporters achieved was only a 68.4 percent pass rate in one Ward 1 site. Simply put, this bond issue was voted down soundly by residents citywide."

Again, please explain how the vote could be "wrong"

Date: Nov 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: disgusted
"DuPree doesn't realize that he lost re-election by not supporting the USM bond issue. No clearer could the town/ gown divide be seen but through the bond issue. I voted for DuPree for his first term because I thought he had the city's best interest in mind. I'll be much wiser with my vote this election. "

You might be right -- Dupree might lose the election over this. But you should also acknowlege that it is just possible that he knew the risks and took them anyhow because he IS looking to the city's best interest which include parts of Hattiesburg that, despite all the promises of the folks at USM, probably won't see any change from the so called ED benefits of the bond. There is little evidence that the bond would help those communities.

USM has made at least two claims that are contradictory at best: (1) that voters should support the bond because it is manifestly clear that the ED from the bond would help everyone and (2) that whether or not the ED actually benefits the poorest sectors voters shoud support the bond because it is a show of support for USM only and should not be tied to stream of revenue that might be targeted to improve those areas. You can't claim to be the city's second largest employer asking for the city to support a bond and then act as though that request exists in some sort of neutral context. People who aren't making a lot of money can't help but wonder at the city's priorities when they see their streets unpaved; inadequate sewrage systems while the city goes to bat for 12M for USM. I repeat -- there is not any evidence that the money generated by the the predicted ED will go to help those communities -- and that is an issue USM could use its influence on. Instead, it acts as though it is a political neutral and that it is should not be asked to take sides in what it wants to present as a "political" issue.

Now that USM has lost -- we are seeing just how fast USM can take sides in local politics. And that was the point of the opposition to begin with -- USM was never truly neutral in its request for bond money. By refusing to deal with the crosstown opposition, it was taking sides in a political and in a class issue.

USM lost a real opportunity here to acknowlege that it has some responsibility to examine its relationship to the community as a whole. It hasn't. Please note that I did not say that it needs to agree with or give in to specific requests or demands.

This reminds me of the "What's good for General Motors is good for America" attitude. It wasn't true then -- it isn't true now.

Date: Nov 7, 2004

out of curiosity--why was Dupree's name announced over the PA system? what was the context, if any?

Date: Nov 7, 2004

Just what this town needs: even more hostility between blacks and whites.

That Thames thought he'd get a 60% vote on a bond issue that explicitly excluded the concerns of black residents in a town that is 47% Afrcian-American tells me that he can't do simple arithmatic, or he doesn't know that black people can now vote in Mississippi. If USM had brought DuPree on board by addressing the mayor's legitimate concerns, this thing would have been a slam dunk. Defeating DuPree next year will not get USM any closer to that 60% figure. Boycotting small businesses and declaring war on the Mississippi Restaurant and Hospitality Association wil not get USM anywhere, either.

Date: Nov 7, 2004

This was never a race issue until Kenny Fairly made it into a race issue. This was never an issue of class warfare until Kenny Fairly decided that he was getting no cut from the deal and decided to make it an issue of class warfare.

This was an issue of giving the Community a chance to support the University and the community, many of you included decided, that supporting the University was not a priority.

The decisions were made for many reasons. Many of you didn't support the bond issue, because you would have viewed it as a win for SFT. Some in the resturant association didn't support the issue because they don't like industry specific taxes. Many in East Hattiesburg didn't support the bond issue because they were told not to by Fairly. Many other residents didn't support the issue because they are supporters of other colleges and had no intention of voting for anything that could improve Southern Miss.

I personnelly see nothing wrong with Southern Miss almuni turning their dollars to businesses who support Southern Miss. As for you guys making the accusations that SFT is behind the boycotts of Sweet Peppers, I would like to point you to EagleTalk.net where discussions started and to www.ShowYourGold.com where alumni can find a listing of some establishments that supported the bond issue. Both of these websites are not controled in any way by Thames.

As for defeating Dupree, I agree it won't get USM any closer to 60%, but it is my understanding that USM will not be asking the city for any contributions for any funds. They are currently exploring other avenues to obtain the needed funding.

Do not be fooled into thinking that the city would have supported any sort of bond that would have funded academic programs on the campus either, the result would have been exactly the same.

Date: Nov 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Seeker
"This was never a race issue until Kenny Fairly made it into a race issue. This was never an issue of class warfare until Kenny Fairly decided that he was getting no cut from the deal and decided to make it an issue of class warfare. This was an issue of giving the Community a chance to support the University and the community . . . decided that supporting the University was not a priority."

Just because the university did not intend it to be a race issue does not mean that the racial inequities were not there to begin with. It is disingenuous at best to say that the university benefits the community, as if the community is one homogenous group. Seems to me that the realtors, bankers, lawyers, restaurateurs, and businesses near USM benefit a lot more than the guy selling used tires down on East Hardy Street. True, Fairley pointed that out; but he did not create the situation in the first place.

I wish some anthropologist type would comment on racism. It seems to me that there are at least two kinds of racism: active and passive. The active racist says, "I hate people of a different race." The passive racist never even gives a passing thought to the rights or interests of people unlike him or herself, then declares that he or she is not a racist. It is possible that the latter may be more arrogant than the former.

Date: Nov 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: stinky cheese man
"out of curiosity--why was Dupree's name announced over the PA system? what was the context, if any?"

SCM, During all football games (usually in the first quarter), the PA Announcer will state: "On behalf of Mayor Jonny Dupree and the City of Hattiesburg ......" a general announcement is made to visitors to MM Roberts and those attending the game, promoting the City of Hattiesburg.

Date: Nov 7, 2004

ram--where do you think a lot of the cleaning people on USM's campus live? Canebrake? the pay not be great, but the state health and retirement system is a pretty good benefit for those who might not have such benefits otherwise. I'm always amazed at the people at USM who forget those who clean the toilets, mow the grass, and the like.

Date: Nov 7, 2004

green hornet--thanks. tells you how many football games i go to.

Date: Nov 7, 2004

The President of the University of Southern Mississippi, the President of the Student Government Association, and Mr. Richard Gianinni (sp, sorry) all owe Mayor Dupree a formal, written apology, and there should be a prominent newsstory in the Hattiesburg American when said apologies are delivered. Statements on the 6 o'clock news wouldn't hurt, either.
I know that it may not happen, but it SHOULD. Whatever our different positions on the bond issue, the fact is that at a formal public occasion, it was ugly and unseemly for the students of USM to boo the Mayor of the City in which they live. I feel very strongly on this issue, and I am not a particular fan or supporter of Mr. Dupree. I do, however, believe that the level of incivility in this community and in this nation is alarming. It would be a good thing for the aforementioned gentlemen to behave in a gentlemanly, magnanimous, and appropriate manner.

Date: Nov 7, 2004

I'm sorry -- I said the students behaved badly. I'm sure they had lots of helpers. I wasn't there.

Date: Nov 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: LVN
"I'm sorry -- I said the students behaved badly. I'm sure they had lots of helpers. I wasn't there."

I was sitting directly opposite the student section. The booing was so loud in my section I didn't even hear the student section. I think the community people booed more than the students, but I could be wrong.

Date: Nov 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Green Hornet
"SCM, During all football games (usually in the first quarter), the PA Announcer will state: "On behalf of Mayor Jonny Dupree and the City of Hattiesburg ......" a general announcement is made to visitors to MM Roberts and those attending the game, promoting the City of Hattiesburg."

I bet the folks from Ohio were really impressed with the fiddle dee dee booing that accompanied that announcment.

Date: Nov 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Emma
"I bet the folks from Ohio were really impressed with the fiddle dee dee booing that accompanied that announcment."

All 27 of them were visibly shaken. According to Tim Doherty of the Clarion Ledger that's how many Cincinnati fans were in attendence.

Date: Nov 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Seeker
" All 27 of them were visibly shaken. According to Tim Doherty of the Clarion Ledger that's how many Cincinnati fans were in attendence."

27, 270, 2700 - does the number matter or the fact that Nero fiddles while the fans boo??

Date: Nov 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: stinky cheese man
"ram--where do you think a lot of the cleaning people on USM's campus live? Canebrake? the pay not be great, but the state health and retirement system is a pretty good benefit for those who might not have such benefits otherwise. I'm always amazed at the people at USM who forget those who clean the toilets, mow the grass, and the like. "

SCM--

Thanks. Of course you are right. My point was simply that the perception in east Hattiesburg was that the proposed bond issue would not have benefited everyone in "the community" equally. It is difficult for me to believe that the opportunity to clean more toilets and mow more grass would have been perceived as a powerful incentive to vote for the bond.