A black rose on this Halloween day to all those who celebrate America’s quirkiest holiday. Halloween arrived in the United States in the mid-1800s, brought here by Irish immigrants for whom the holiday had deep roots in their Celtic traditions. Those traditions included dressing in costumes, asking for “treats” from their neighbors and pulling pranks on Halloween night. Halloween stands apart from our other main holidays, all of which are expected to be treated with a degree of reverence and introspection. It’s not the case with Halloween. We are expected and encouraged to indulge our fantasies and be a little naughty, in a harmless way. We hope all of you will enjoy a fun and safe Halloween no matter how you choose to celebrate.
A rose to Mark Alexander Jr. for his service as the city of Columbus interim COO. Alexander stepped into the role at a critical time — COO David Armstrong retired on June 30, just ahead of the swearing in of a new city administration. With the departure of CFO Deliah Vaughn in September, Alexander took on the responsibility of managing the city’s daily operations as the new administration, led by mayor Keith Gaskin, was settling in. And he did it for no pay. Alexander’s last full day on the job was Friday, but he’ll remain available on an as-needed part-time basis as the search for a new COO continues. It would be difficult to overestimate the importance of Alexander’s role in helping the city during this transitional period. We thank him for his service.
A thorn for regrettable tactics used by some of those who protested mandated COVID vaccines at Mississippi State on Tuesday. MSU is requiring the vaccinations for all employees on the order of the IHL, which said refusing to comply with President Biden’s order could mean sacrificing more than $270 million in federal education grants. Along the Drill Field dozens of protesters held up signs emblazoned with swastikas and pictures of university president Mark Keenum with a Hitler mustache. We are not opposed to protests, which are as American as apple pie. But equating Keenum with Hilter is beyond the pale. Health reasons aside, violating the mandate would risk hundreds of millions of dollars and would have been grossly irresponsible of Keenum. Those who invoked Hitler in this case are making an argument that no rational person should be obliged to respect.
A rose to the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office Community Benefit Committee, which will kick off its annual turkey drive on Tuesday. Each year, the group provides Thanksgiving turkeys to members of our community who might otherwise face a “birdless” holiday. For recipients, it’s about more than just having a turkey as the centerpiece of their Thanksgiving meal. It’s a message that they are not forgotten, that the community recognizes their needs and is ready to help. The success of this effort relies largely on how our community responds to this event. We encourage everyone to participate by dropping off a turkey at the Sheriff’s office (527 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Columbus). The turkeys will be distributed on Nov. 19. Let’s make this year’s turkey drive the best one yet.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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