Commentary
Column: They shall not pass this way again
Words are hardly sufficient to describe the pain and loss of Friday. First came the news that the Rev. C.T. Vivian had died at the age of 95. Less than 12 hours later, the news that U.S. Rep. John Lewis had died was a gut-punch of an exclamation point to what has become a surreal […]
Commentary: What the prenatal care bill means for incarcerated pregnant Tennesseans.
Imagine being pregnant — you’re thinking about your child’s health and nutrition and your own health and safety. Now imagine being pregnant in jail or prison in Tennessee, where policies around prenatal care and nutrition are as varied as the county jails and prisons across the state. “Being pregnant and incarcerated was the hardest thing […]
Commentary: “A tourniquet of concrete”
Tennessee appears set to remove the Nathan Bedford Forrest bust at the State Capitol. This move was long overdue—Mississippi managed to remove their Confederate symbol before we did—but it is a significant victory, especially for the activists who have long pushed for this change. Much work remains to be done, though. Another tangible symbol of […]
Commentary: Forrest debate has wasted time, marred Tennessee’s reputation
Thursday was a momentous day in Tennessee, more momentous than it should have been, for a decision was reached that should never have been difficult. The Tennessee Capitol Commission voted to remove the bust of Civil War General Nathan Bedford Forrest from its perch on the second floor of the Capitol. Much pain and drama […]
Commentary: Home invasion
We can think of what Donald Trump has done to the Republican Party over the last four years as a perverse sort of home invasion: He kicked in the door, forced his way in, tied up the occupants, grabbed the silver, and busted up the place. Did the victims summon assistance? Did they call 911? […]
Commentary: It’s time to reallocate law enforcement resources
Over the past few weeks, I have watched as the sentiment of “Defund the Police” has broadened throughout the country. At first, this idea was off-putting to me and I was frustrated “all” law enforcement-related jobs were being villainized by the absolute horrendous actions of a few. Throughout Nashville and this nation, there are excellent […]
Commentary: Tennessee’s sweeping abortion ban will kill Black women and girls
I went to bed the night before Juneteenth ready to wake up and commemorate the freedom of African people in America from chattel slavery. I was anticipating celebrating how far we’ve come despite our intersectional oppression. I wanted to remember the history of African women during the slave trade, who were tragically abused and robbed […]
Commentary: Green and Van Huss Unmasked as Disinformation Purveyors
As June drew to a close two Tennessee Republicans, one congressman and one state legislator, unmasked themselves as purveyors of pandemic misinformation mixed with unhealthy doses of blather. On Friday, June 26, Congressman Mark Green led a Republican refuse-to-wear-masks revolt at an in-person oversight subcommittee hearing. Green represents Tennessee’s 7th District. He formerly served in the […]
Commentary: Maybe it’s time to let the old ways die
The Civil War ended 155 years ago but controversy about its ramifications continues across the country and nowhere is it more prevalent than in the South, the area that – let’s be honest – started the war of insurrection. Before continuing, I’ll share my own history. My McCall ancestors moved to Williamson County in the […]
Commentary: Islamaphobia in Tennessee is nothing new
According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Tennessee ranks second in the nation for largest number of hate groups with 38 based here, four of which are dedicated anti-Muslim groups. The Anti-Defamation League, an organization that exposes extremism and delivers anti-bias education, says that from 2018 on, Tennessee has experienced more white supremacist incidents than […]
Commentary: State legislature fails us
Now that our state legislature has finished its session, it’s time to tally the damage—not only from what Tennessee legislators did in our name, but also from what they failed to do. Let’s start with the COVID-19 pandemic. Both the legislature and Governor Bill Lee were hell bent on ignoring expert-crafted health safety precautions, despite […]
Commentary: Legislature lacks basic human decency
Let’s cut right to the chase. There’s a lack of basic common, human decency in the legislature. For the last five or six years, Tennessee political watchers have observed the General Assembly devolve. Members have been expelled for campaign finance malfeasance, accused of sexual harassment or assault and too often laws pursued have focused less […]