Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian | Erica May

Opinion: Why immigration enforcement is not the same struggle as the Civil Rights Movement

erica.a.middleton@gmail.com (Erica May) — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 19:26:46 -0600

“Supporting local charities and advocating for legislative reform are reasonable paths forward; interfering with active law enforcement is not.”

Opinion: The good side of going viral

erica.a.middleton@gmail.com (Erica May) — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 04:00:15 -0600

“Social media provides profound community benefits: the power to spread messages, support causes and connect neighbors.”

Opinion: Working toward civil discourse on social media

erica.a.middleton@gmail.com (Erica May) — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 15:52:43 -0600

“Growing up, many adults in school and in church impressed upon us ‘character counts.’ Today, I wonder if the messages of character, kindness and respect resonate.”

Opinion: Protecting public safety from digital manipulation

erica.a.middleton@gmail.com (Erica May) — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 17:27:10 -0600

“The internet isn’t just a separate world we visit; it is now an inseparable part of our streets, schools and homes. The ultimate safety app is awareness.”

Opinion: The high price of the social media highlight reel

erica.a.middleton@gmail.com (Erica May) — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 17:43:21 -0600

“I am a proponent of the Shelby County’s school board’s decision to ban phones from school and wish it would have been done sooner.”

Opinion: Beyond the scroll — what social media is really doing to us

erica.a.middleton@gmail.com (Erica May) — Sat, 8 Nov 2025 04:00:07 -0600

“Research shows ‘fake news’ spreads significantly faster than the truth. Why? Because the social media algorithm is structured to reward engagement.”

Opinion: What the federal task force proves about the council’s traffic-stop policy

erica.a.middleton@gmail.com (Erica May) — Sat, 1 Nov 2025 18:41:48 -0500

“Instead of treating a horrific tragedy as an isolated incident and holding those specific officers accountable, the council put the entire MPD culture — and legitimate policing — on trial.”

Opinion: On STD rates, we need to start having 'uncomfortable conversations'

erica.a.middleton@gmail.com (Erica May) — Wed, 7 May 2025 04:00:01 -0500

“If middle school students are having unprotected sex and contracting sexually transmitted infections, do we really think they are going to log onto a website and order a test?”

Opinion: A responsible imagining of the Memphis hip-hop museum has a sad soundtrack

erica.a.middleton@gmail.com (Erica May) — Mon, 9 Dec 2024 18:13:37 -0600

Opinion: I am a millennial and grew up on this music. However, as a public-safety professional, I cannot reconcile my nostalgic feelings with the cries I hear from Memphians when they call 9-1-1 in distress. Because then the lyrics come to life.

Opinion: Memphis Police Department culture is on trial in Tyre Nichols case

erica.a.middleton@gmail.com (Erica May) — Thu, 3 Oct 2024 23:24:19 -0500

“We may make our choices alone, but we share the consequences with others. The actions of these officers have impacted multiple families, a police department, a city and a profession.”

Opinion: We have to be able to spend money in peace

erica.a.middleton@gmail.com (Erica May) — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 04:00:08 -0500

“We need leaders who will be ‘smart on crime and tough on crime.’ From the consumer, to the corporations and all the way to the entrepreneur – crime is tough on our economy. We don’t have soft criminals and we cannot have soft leaders.”

Opinion: Violence celebrated in music connected to violence in streets

erica.a.middleton@gmail.com (Erica May) — Fri, 7 Oct 2022 09:15:37 -0500

“I absolutely hate that we have a city filled with seemingly responsible and respected people that will not acknowledge the connection between what we celebrate and what we see in our news reports.”

Opinion: Debate over Trump security example of 'low politics'

erica.a.middleton@gmail.com (Erica May) — Wed, 8 Jun 2022 13:46:18 -0500

“The Secret Service coordinates protection detail procedures with law enforcement agencies. A few of our city council members were excited to intervene and put themselves in the middle of federal and local law enforcement’s customary procedures.”

Letter to the Editor: Denying security to former President Trump is an effort ‘filled with hatred’

Guest column: Let's fight crime, not each other

erica.a.middleton@gmail.com (Erica May) — Sat, 20 Nov 2021 04:00:11 -0600

While we have a small segment of our population wreaking havoc across the city, the “stand-up” citizens argue with each other about what to do and who’s to blame.

Opinion: I am not an anti-vaxxer; I just don’t want the vaccine

erica.a.middleton@gmail.com (Erica May) — Sat, 26 Jun 2021 09:17:05 -0500

Now more than ever, America is a country of choice. The efforts to persuade and coerce citizens into taking the vaccine just do not sit well with me.

Opinion: A primer on 911 – how to 'help us help you'

erica.a.middleton@gmail.com (Erica May) — Fri, 9 Apr 2021 04:00:13 -0500

In the past year I have taken over 1,900 calls to 911, and I’m convinced that a refresher course is in order for children and adults alike. Here are some tips to help you become an effective 911 caller.

Opinion: What is the citizen’s role in 'Reimagining Policing'?

erica.a.middleton@gmail.com (Erica May) — Wed, 16 Sep 2020 09:44:27 -0500

“We have one of the best police forces in the country. As we reimagine police work, we have a responsibility as citizens to remember our part in creating a civil society.”

Opinion: MPD makes 98% of arrests 'without incident.' Why was Brandon Webber's different?

erica.a.middleton@gmail.com (Erica May) — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 15:55:20 -0500

Sometimes it seems our memory is as selective as our outrage. Black men are taken into custody every day without incident. Two young Black men accused of killing Memphis police officers – Tremaine Wilbourn and Justin Welch – were arrested without incident.

From premium to basic: So you want to defund the Police Department?

erica.a.middleton@gmail.com (Erica May) — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 17:46:47 -0500

Let us not use the death of George Floyd as an opportunity to scapegoat and launch an unfair assault on an entire profession. I’ve spoken to police officers. They too are disturbed and hurt by that tragic event.