"What does that say about Tennessee?"

Late yesterday I gave three interviews to the Nashville media about the Senate's vote on repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. When the topic of the NO votes of Tennessee's Senator Lamar Alexander and Senator Bob Corker came up, two of the reporters asked me,

"What does that say about Tennessee?"

That's the question a lot of us have been asking over the last couple of years as Tennessee's elected officials have said and done so many things that make us wonder just who is welcome here.

But I got to thinking that if two reporters who don't spend 24/7 thinking about equality issues could independently ask me that question, do all of us who care about our state and its leadership need to be asking that question more often and raising the volume?

I think the question is particularly acute in Nashville right now because so many of us are embarrassed at how Belmont University is handling issues of discrimination against faculty, staff, and students on campus. More than a few straight allies have said something like this to me: "Right now the national media is looking at Nashville through the lens of Belmont."

Nashville isn't alone. Many residents of Memphis have been exasperated at Mayor A.C. Wharton's trumpeting of "City of Choice" rhetoric while the City Council has failed twice to pass a basic non-discrimination ordinance. Instead the city opted to hire an image manager.

We don't need image managers. We don't need to focus primarily on the talk outside the state. We need to stop letting our elected officials get away with doing and saying stupid, harmful things. And if that means USING what the rest of the country thinks about Tennessee as a gong, so be it. But the goal is (a) stopping the negatives and (b) starting to build up positive public policy. Then image will take care of itself. If the goal is complaining, then we won't get very far.

-Chris Sanders

Tennessee Senators fail LGBT soldiers in DADT filibuster

Both Tennessee Senators failed their LGBT constituents and all U.S. service members with their votes to filibuster the "Don't Ask, Don't" Tell repeal today. More than three-fourths of Americans favor allowing gay and lesbain service members to honorably serve their country in the U.S. military. With today's filibuster vote, the U.S. remains in the company of oppressive dictatorships like Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Venezuela and Saudi Arabia.

Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker are out of step with the mainstream, and their votes do not represent the values of a free and fair democracy.

What a dishonor to the soldiers currently serving our country. Alexander and Corker insinuate that the bravest, most highly trained military officers in the world can't handle a gay person in their midst. Disgusting. Today, we are the laughing stock of the rest of the developed world.

- Jonathan Cole, TEP Board Chair, 901.301.3306

Saturday Brunch on the Go: Probable Hate Crime in Vonore and more

Brunch came from Hardee's today. Cancel that. It was breakfast. It's too early for brunch and the ballcapped customers would have looked at me like I was crazy if I had asked them, "How's your brunch this morning?" Our president, H.G. Stovall, is on the road today and he and I always make a stop at Hardee's when we travel for TEP. So I raise my cup of Diet Coke to you, H.G., and wish you safe travels.

Hate crime in Vonore, TN: A fire that destroyed the home of a lesbian couple in Vonore about a week ago is finally getting some media attention. Here's WATE's coverage complete with a photo of "Queers" spraypainted on the house. More coverage is available from The Daily Times (Blount County). The couple had been harassed by a neighbor in the weeks leading up to the incident. The only fortunate, though ironic, aspect of the story is that the couple and their daughter were in Nashville celebrating their 5th anniversary of moving into the house while it burned to the ground.

PFLAG Maryville, the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, and the East TN Equality Council have offered support to the family. If you would like to help, Knoxville Pridefest's blog offers specific ways to do that.

We are all hopeful that the family remain safe and that they get justice under the Tennessee hate crimes statute and the new federal hate crimes law. The matter is in the hands of law enforcement and we will all be watching how they handle the matter.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell: As many of you heard, a federal judge has declared the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy unconstitutional. It's good news, but it's not stopping advocacy groups around the country from pressing the Senate for a legislative repeal. Tomorrow the TEP Nashville Committee is holding a Don't Ask, Don't Tell Barbecue at Stirrup to get our members to contact Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker to support repeal. That will be an uphill climb, but we believe they still need to hear from us so that they know people in Tennessee want to see this outdated, harmful, discriminatory policy changed.

Volunteers are signing up: This week TEP PAC started recruiting volunteers for pro-equality candidates for the General Assembly. We're getting a great response. What I'm noticing is that candidates are having a tough time getting all the help they need. We believe that they will be a valuable resource to candidates who deserve the help. If you would like to volunteer 2 hours between September 20 and November 2 to help a good candidate, contact us at chris@tnequalityproject.com and we'll try to find a match for you.

Have a great weekend!
-Chris Sanders

Clinton says discrimination hampers HIV/AIDS efforts on eve of World AIDS Day

In extensive remarks on eve of World AIDS Day, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton identified discrimination against the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community as a barrier to the fight against HIV/AIDS:

"Obviously, our efforts are hampered whenever discrimination or marginalization of certain populations results in less effective outreach and treatment. So we will work not only to ensure access for all who need it, but also to combat discrimination more broadly. We have to stand against any efforts to marginalize and criminalize and penalize members of the LGBT community worldwide. It is an unacceptable step backwards – (applause) – on behalf of human rights. But it is also a step that undermines the effectiveness of efforts to fight the disease worldwide."

No doubt, she had in mind the discriminatory, oppressive legislation being discussed in Uganda. This legislation would go well beyond criminalizing homosexuality; it would intensify witch-hunts against gay people. Clinton's statement is an important step in putting the breaks on this kind of government-sponsored terror against its own citizens.

Although I would not count on Secretary Clinton having the backing of the Congressman from Tennessee associated the Family/Fellowship, which may be supporting the Uganda discrimination bill, I hope she will have the support of another Chattanoogan, Senator Bob Corker, who sits on the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Chattanooga hate crimes vigil recalls victims, urges passage of Matthew Shepard Act

This evening Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition President Marisa Richmond and I observed the 10th anniversary of Matthew Shepard's death by making the trip to Chattanooga for the annual hate crimes vigil, which is one of the opening events of Tennessee Valley Pride. Several of the recent Tennessee hate crimes involving members of Tennessee's gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community were remembered. Speakers urged Chattanoogans to do more to persuade Tennessee's congressional delegation, especially former Chattanooga Mayor and current Senator Bob Corker, to be more supportive of the Matthew Shepard Act. At the end of the event, the crowd drew close to share their hopes for working together to make all citizens of our State safe from bias-motivated violence and finally extinguished their candles.

The vigil was an important step in breaking the isolation that members of our community often feel outside Memphis, Knoxville, and Nashville. This isolation is a major obstacle to greater advocacy for equality.

Matthew Shepard and Coming Out

Sunday marks the 10th anniversary of the death of Matthew Shepard, the Wyoming college student who was brutally attacked and left for dead hanging on a fence in the cold night air. Tomorrow is National Coming Out Day that celebrates the often difficult decision that people make to be honest about their sexual orientation.

Events around Tennessee will provide an opportunity for the GLBT community to reflect on both. Today I'll be speaking to a group of Vanderbilt medical students and on Sunday I'll be in Chattanooga for their annual hate crimes vigil that kicks off a week of activities for Tennessee Valley Pride.

The pairing of the two reminds us of the risks to our lives. We've seen a rash of hate violence already this year in Tennessee. Given the danger we face, I'm amazed and humbled that our movement makes progress. And I'm amazed and frustrated that there is not a national consensus that violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity should be covered in federal hate crimes laws.

Coming home from Kentucky last weekend, I heard a radio preacher fulminating against the Matthew Shepard Act that would add these two categories to federal law. He violated a commandment in the process. He repeated the common fear tactic that hate crimes laws would restrict the freedom of the pulpit to denounce the "abomination of homosexuality." The proposed law criminalizes behavior and it adds law enforcement resources to deal with the problem. Pure and simple. It does not restrict speech or religion.

At one level, I'm comforted that all our opponents have left are lies as their last defense against a just law. On the other hand, I'm angry that these lies generate enough calls and emails to Tennessee's U.S. Senators to prevent them from voting for the Matthew Shepard Act.

So Lamar, Bob, and Bob, I hope 2008 is the last year in U.S. history that federal law overlooks the violence against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. Whoever among you enters the Senate chambers next year, have the courage to defend all your fellow Tennesseans. In most places in Tennessee, local law enforcement are either uninformed or unwilling to devote the resources to investigating and solving hate crimes in our state. We need the involvement of the FBI if we're going to put a dent in the problem. That won't happen unless you and your colleagues support the Matthew Shepard Act.

The Senatorials on the Knoxville Church Shooting

I've been looking around for what our U.S. Senators and candidates for Senate have had to say about the tragic attack on the members of the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. Since it's this week's biggest story out of Tennessee and since the Senate voted in September on the Matthew Shepard Act, which would have added sexual orientation and gender identity to federal hate crimes laws, I think it's important to know what they have to say. While statements may not seem like much, at times like this, it helps the community heal when leaders reach out, whatever their positions may be on the specifics of policy.

Senator Bob Corker: As far as I can tell, Senator Corker was the first to issue a statement. He says that he has reached out to Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam. Although Senator Corker did not vote for the Matthew Shepard Act, he deserves praise for making his support of the Knoxville community and for local officials known so quickly. It's the right example.

Mike Padgett: I looked on the campaign site and at first didn't find anything. I also didn't recall the shooting being mentioned in any emails. So I contacted Terry Quillen, who pointed out the Knoxville Democrat's blog post dated July 28. His own First Baptist Church hosted a service of prayer for the community. Highlighting the bridge building between two very different congregations is also the right response.

Chris Lugo: Chris Lugo reacted to the news Monday by calling Tennessee Valley UU a "beacon of joy and hope in East Tennessee" and by urging comprehensive gun control.

Bob Tuke: I haven't found a statement yet, so I've asked the campaign for comment.

Kenneth Eaton: I didn't see anything on the main campaign site or on his blog. I've requested comment.

Senator Lamar Alexander: I couldn't find a statement at the Senate or campaign site and I've asked for comment from his campaign, too.

Again, I want to point out that a statement in itself isn't everything. The candidates may have reached out in other ways. I also want to be sure to add that I could have missed their statements. I hope to have updates on all the campaigns whose information I'm lacking.

The Debra and Bob Show

State Rep. Debra Maggart (R-Hendersonville) is having a little fundraiser in Gallatin on July 11 and the "special guest" star is Sen. Bob Corker.

TVA turns 75, still controversial

A rare color photograph from the Library of Congress in today's Knoxville News Sentinel shows a carpenter working on TVA's Douglas Dam. The accompanying story discusses the current efforts to reexamine TVA's place as a quasi-government agency as well as the efforts of TN Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker to protect it.