Green Party's McKinney in Tennessee this week

A press release from Chris Lugo says that Green Party presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney will be in Tennessee this week with stops in Memphis, Jackson, Dickson, and Nashville on Wednesday and Thursday. Stops in Nashville include Tennessee State University, Fisk University, and Carver Food Park.

As the Green Party candidate, issues of environmental and racial justice will
highlight her Tennessee visit. “Cynthia has chosen to visit people and places

that the Democrats and Republicans would would rather forget, such as

the victims of environmental racism in Dickson, Tennessee. I think this is why

Cynthia is the best choice this election season, because it is clear that she is

the people's candidate," said Chris Lugo Green candidate for the US Senate.

Make it public, says Odom

House Majority Leader Gary Odom (D-Nashville) is calling for the names of those who were the subject of background checks said to be run by Lt. Ronnie Shirley of the Tennessee Highway Patrol to be released.

Odom said the list could contain "as many as 300 names," according to multiple sources he has spoken with. He would not disclose the sources. "I think once we know the names, then we will have a better understanding of the motives for these activities, and then we will know what needs to take place next," said Odom, D-Nashville. "We need to know if these were private citizens, politically active individuals or just acquaintances of the officer."

The THP is conducting an investigation and says that the results will be handed over to the District Attorney when completed.

In unusually informal, frank, and editorializing language, the Tennessean describes the THP's past "disciplining" of Lt. Shirley when he assisted then Deputy Governor Dave Cooley with a ticket:

A resulting investigation ended in reprimands for Cooley and Shirley. Shirley was then transferred to an assignment closer to his home in Wilson County. The transfer was part of a ruse by the THP's top brass at the time, as it tried to fake a punishment for Shirley to throw off the press and the public, The Tennessean later reported.

Internal notes obtained by the newspaper said the idea was to reassign Shirley from Rutherford County to Wilson County so that, according to the notes, "the media will be satisfied thinking we did something to him." The reassignment would actually only be "on paper."

It is seldom that one sees "fake" as a verb, "ruse," and "top brass" used in the body of a story. Still, given the clear contempt for the media, the public, and the discipline process referenced in the memo, perhaps the shift in language is justified. It just might have worked better in the "Voices and Views" segment than in the text of the story.

And given the issues and the perception of issues in the department's past, a little sunlight on the background checks in question is justified. As Rep. Odom points out, "I sincerely hope these checks haven't been used for political or personal vendettas. If they were, we could be talking about official misconduct here."

Reactions to the Noose

Yolanda Putnam gives us a sample of some of the community reactions to the second noose found a Blue Cross Blue Shield building site in Chattanooga.

...the city’s Office of Multicultural Affairs is launching a marketing campaign to advertise its discrimination hot line. “This type of demonstration will not be tolerated,” said Multicultural Affairs board member Norma Hansen at the group’s monthly meeting Wednesday.

But the office is doing even more:

The group also is establishing a citywide policy for responding to hate crimes, and it has been conducting events such as the Sweet Diversity neighborhood meetings that celebrate ethnic differences. “If you plant hatred, those weeds will attempt to drown out the good seeds,” Ms. Hansen said. “We want to plant seeds of harmony and respect throughout the community.”

Blue Cross Blue Shield has also spoken out in a memo to employees:

“Blue Cross BlueShield of Tennessee will not stand for this behavior,” wrote President and CEO Vicky Gregg in an e-mail to employees this week. “BCBST has a proud history of diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age or faith.”

These responses are extremely positive. They indicate that hate crimes must be taken seriously by the entire community. It is also encouraging that government and a major corporation are taking the lead. Some might consider a couple of nooses a joke, but they should be construed as a threat of violence based on bias.

TN group said to have opposed Oregon partnership law

A group allegedly based in Tennessee, Restore America, helped with an unsuccessful challenge to Oregon's domestic partnership law. Opponents of the law passed by the Legislature attempted to get enough signatures to bring the issue to the ballot. The Oregon Secretary of State ruled that they failed in their effort, a decision upheld by a federal appeals court.

"This was a backdoor attempt by out-of-state interests to overturn a law passed fair and square," said state Rep. Tina Kotek, D-Portland, who supported the domestic-partnership law.

Restore America's website shows an Oregon address as does their 2006 990.

Update: Apparently the executive director lives in Tennessee.

Gratuitous jab at marriage equality of the week: Becky Ruppe

Earlier in the week, Sean Braisted blogged about Democratic Senate candidate Becky Ruppe's radio spot. Thanks to Sean, you can find the audio of the spot here. The ad tells the struggles of her life and then ends with a list of conservative stances including her opposition to "gay marriage."

Thanks for sharing, Ms. Ruppe. Is your district a hotbed of GLBT activism? What exactly prompted you to include that item in your ad? You have heard, I hope, that the Legislature and the voters have already decided this matter in Tennessee.

The ad is also posted here at the Tennessee Democratic Party's blog. Interestingly, it is posted without comment and no one has complained in the comment section.

On her website, she says, "Marriage, as so defined, is a union between one man and one woman: I will make all my decisions regarding this issue based on Christian values." What would she say if she were to learn that some of us who want marriage equality were pursuing it because of Christian values?

Ruppe's ad is pernicious for at least one of two reasons. Either she is misleading the voters into thinking that marriage is an issue in Tennessee or she is whipping up prejudice against GLBT people to bolster her conservative credentials.

If you'd like to share some of your own gratuitous opinions with Ms. Ruppe, you can do so in a variety of ways here.

Dormition

Tonight is the eve of the Feast of the Dormition. Related to the Feast of the Assumption in the Western Church, the Dormition marks the passing of the Theotokos, the Virgin Mary, from death to everlasting life. One of the twelve great feasts of the Eastern Church, the Dormition includes the beautiful story that as the Virgin was dying, the Apostles were gathered by the clouds from the ends of the earth and brought to Mary's deathbed.

The end of one of the prayers from the morning service is said in St. Peter's voice as he looks with fear and cries to Mary: "Pray, then, fervently to thy Son and God to save thy flock from harm." (Festal Menaion)

People gathering for the feast in Orthodox Churches in Eastern Europe and the Trans-Caucasus will find new depths in the service as they mourn their loved ones and struggle to come to terms with the fratricide of inter-Orthodox conflict. In the midst of debating issues of territory, who was the aggressor first, and natural resources, this profoundly tragic aspect is often lost.

To his credit, Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II called for a cease fire early in the conflict:

"Today blood is shed and people are killed in South Ossetia and my heart deeply laments over it. Orthodox Christians are among those who have raised their hands against each other. Orthodox peoples called by the Lord to live in fraternity and love confront each other," the Church primate stresses.

Referring to the appeal of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II of Georgia who urged to peace, Patriarch Alexy also turned his "ardent call" to those "who are blind with enmity": "Stop! Don't let more blood shed! Don't let today's conflict boil over! Show wisdom and courage: come to negotiating table to respect traditions, outlook and hopes of Georgian and Ossetian people."

The Patriarch has stated the Russian Orthodox Church is ready to unite its efforts with the Georgian Church to help peace come. "May Our God, Who is "not a God of disorder but of peace," be our Assistant in it," Alexy II statement says.

See also this statement from Metropolitan Herman of the Orthodox Church in America.

Another noose found at Blue Cross Blue Shield building site

Noose number 2 has been found by construction workers at a Blue Cross Blue Shield in Chattanooga. The FBI continues to investigate. The construction company is attempting to deal with the situation.

Skanska, the company in charge of the construction project, is offering diversity and sensitivity training. So far, said John Reyhan, general manager for the project, morale has not been affected.

“We’ve added a tremendous amount of security at the site,” Mr. Reyhan said. “And at our jobwide meeting every morning we are encouraging anyone to come forward with any reports of intimidation.”

No one is speculating about the motive. I wondered in my last post about the subject whether the crew were being targeted. We don't have any information about the racial and ethnic makeup of the workers. It's interesting that the construction company is offering sensitivity training. Does that mean that they're not ruling out the possibility that someone on the crew is involved?

Nonprofit civic engagement up despite few resources

A recent Johns Hopkins University Center for Civil Society Studies-Institute for Policy Studies survey indicates that nonprofits are becoming increasingly active in policy advocacy, particularly at the State and local level. But sustainability of their efforts is a living question since resources for policy advocacy and lobbying in this sector are few.

872 nonprofits were surveyed. Almost 75 percent of the respondents were involved in policy advocacy or lobbying. Of those, about 60% did so once a month or more. 85% of responding organizations said they devoted less than 2 percent of their resources to policy work. Typically, the executive director of the organization was the key policy representative. The vast majority of the work was done in the State and local arenas.

The piece sees the growing policy work as a positive trend and suggests ways to support advocacy:
• Strengthen the policy advocacy and lobbying capacity of field-specific nonprofit intermediary organizations. These organizations have assumed a crucial role in backstopping
the policy involvement of local service organizations but often lack the resources to support this functionas effectively as is needed.

• Expand foundation support for nonprofit involvement in policy advocacy and civic engagement. Many foundations take at best a “hands-off” posture, and at times an actively negative one, toward nonprofit policy involvement and civic engagement. This puts an unnecessary damper on what should be a major function of the nation’s nonprofit institutions—giving voice to the voiceless and raising unaddressed issues to national policy attention. More than that, since the major impediment to more thoroughgoing nonprofit engagement in the policy process is the lack of resources, and therefore the lack oftime, that even the large organizations have available for this function, foundations need to re-think their hands-off
position toward nonprofit advocacy and increase their financial support for this important function. To be sure, the constraints under which foundations operate put limits
on such support, but those limits are often far less severe than many overly cautious foundations may assume. As government policy has become increasingly central to the
fiscal health of the sector and to the well-being of the people the sector is serving, foundations need to recognize the important role they must play in helping organizations participate in the shaping of this policy.

• Encourage and equip nonprofi t organizations to engage their boards and the publics they serve in their advocacy and lobbying activities. Nonprofit executives need help in performing the advocacy and lobbying responsibilities of their organizations. These responsibilities therefore need to become a bigger part of the responsibilities of nonprofit
boards, integrated into board mission statements and board training. In addition, organizations need to be encouraged, and trained, to engage the citizen base of their operations in their advocacy activities. This will require training and support for staff to perform this function.

• Strengthen the sector’s capacity to equip small and mid-sized organizations to operate in the policy arena. Smaller organizations clearly have special challenges in
operating in the policy arena. From the data presented here, these organizations tend to be less well-informed about the existing laws and regulations in this field. What is more, they are less likely to be members of advocacy coalitions and have fewer staff resources to devote to this function. Since these organizations are far more numerous than the large organizations, ensuring a voice for them in the advocacy arena is thus especially important. Expanded programs specially targeted at this segment of the sector thus seem needed.

12,500 jump to the defense of English

Tomorrow Councilman Eric Crafton will turn in his petition with about 12,500 signatures from Davidson County voters, according to the Tennessean.

It's another story of the success of his campaign. Apart from discussing the Council resolution, the piece doesn't really reveal anything about the opposition.

The lawsuit question was raised in the article, but it was presented inconclusively:

Crafton and other supporters of the English-only measure have said that it would encourage those who do not speak English to learn the language and would protect Metro from potential litigation brought by individuals who believe they can demand translation services.

Jim Boulet Jr., executive director of the Springfield-Va.-based English First said he is not aware of any such lawsuits. A Kansas Catholic school has been sued because it banned, in most instances, the use of foreign languages at the school.

Perhaps a lawsuit will prevail after this is all over. But those opposing the measure should become visible immediately after it qualifies for the ballot and start spoiling all the "earned media" Crafton has received.

Victory Fund to hold fundraising event in Nashville

Out & About Newspaper reports that the Victory Fund, a national organization that supports openly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender candidates for local, state, and federal office, is holding a fundraiser in Nashville on September 12.

All money raised during the event will directly aid the following "out" candidates: Jim Roth, who is running for corporate commissioner in Oklahoma; Mark LaFontaine, who is running for state representative, District 92, in Florida; and Lupe Valdez, who is running for sheriff of Dallas County, Texas. "We would love to raise money for a candidate from Tennessee but there isn't one running during this cycle," Taylor said. "Until we can support candidates from Tennessee, we're going to support other southern, national candidates." Kathy Webb, the first openly gay official elected to Arkansas state legislature, and Keith Durbin, Tennessee's first openly gay official elected to state [sic] office, will be at the event.

*Note: Durbin's office is actually local.

Hopefully this event will inspire other members of the GLBT community to explore running for office.

That's so 36 years ago

In another press release, the GLBT Libertarian group, Outright Libertarians Nashville-Middle Tennessee, responds to the news of the most inclusive Democratic Party platform ever.

The Democratic Party Platform , which is to be presented to the Democratic National Convention in Denver later this month for approval, finally adds what party officials described as language opposing the Defense of Marriage Act and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,”

Outright Libertarians Nashville would like to extend a warm welcome to the Democratic Party to 1972. For the last thirty-five years the Libertarian Party Platform has included equality in marriage, adoption, military service, and immigration for all regardless of their sexual orientation.

If either the Democrat or Republican Parties are looking for more great ideas to include in their party platform, they are more then [sic] welcome to check out the Libertarian Party Platform and take ideas on individual liberties and personal responsibilities.

The final draft of the Democratic platform has not been released yet. Although it does not include the words "gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender," it addresses specific policy issues of concern to the GLBT community and does use the terms that are increasingly appearing in legislation such as sexual orientation and gender identity, according to those who helped draft the document and those who participated in a conference call explaining its details.

Council will appoint new public defender

With the tragic death of Metro Public Defender Ross Alderman, the Metro Council will appoint his replacement. Chris Echegary explains the process (fact-checking myself since I had originally attributed the piece to Michael Cass):

Under council rules, Vice Mayor Diane Neighbors will announce the vacancy at the council's next meeting, a week from today.

Council members and the public then will have one week to submit nominations.

The council's appointment must be held at least four weeks after the announcement of the vacancy, meaning it won't happen before Sept. 16.

One fact check on the piece, though. Echegary says that Alderman had faced no opposition in 2002 and 2006. Alderman beat Kelvin Jones in the May 6, 2006 vote.

PUBLIC DEFENDER

Candidate	ABS	EV	FSV	ED	TOT
R ALDERMAN	250	2037	0	15450	17737
K JONES	196	1355	0	10464	12015
TOTALS	446	3392	0	25914	29752

Hickory Hollow Mall gets new tenant

It's hard to know whether to call this announcement a ray of hope or another indication of the downward slide of Hickory Hollow Mall. The Metro Police Department is setting up an office and a recruiting kiosk in a shopping venue that has seen its share of trouble over the years.

As well as security issues and store closings, Hickory Hollow Mall has been in the news because Metro Council members representing Antioch have called for tax increment financing in response to the deal that was finally cut for the Bellevue Mall.

There's no doubt that shoppers and employees at Hickory Hollow need added security. 37013, the Zip Code for the mall, has one of the highest crime rates in the city and it increased from 2006 to 2007. Hickory Hollow Mall was also the site of Antioch's Night Out Against Crime rally.

But how will a police presence play with prospective retail clients? Will it give them confidence or confirm that they ought to look elsewhere? Regardless, safety comes first. I hope it's one of many steps to improve the quality of life for the residents of Southeast Davidson County.

What to do with your war chest when the battle's over

Matt Wilson looks into what former State Sen. Ward Crutchfield (D-Chattanooga) is doing with his campaign fund.

No money other than about $2,000 in interest has been added to his campaign funds in the year since he pleaded guilty, records show.

Over that time, Mr. Crutchfield has used some of the funds for campaign contributions to Hamilton County Board of Education members Debra Matthews and Janice Boydston, as well as state Reps. Joanne Favors and Tommie Brown, both D-Chattanooga. His campaign contributions totaled $1,000, according to records.

The piece retains a neutral tone, carefully noting what kinds of contributions from political committees are permitted and which are not.

Rep. Joanne Favors stands by the former senator, who was brought down in the Tennessee Waltz sting, in her comments.

Rep. Favors said she saw no problem with accepting the $250 contribution, though she did not ask for the money. “It was done openly,” she said. “I still consider Sen. Crutchfield a friend of mine.”

Other recipients are less flattering: Marilyn Harrison, vice president of Allied Arts, said she was not familiar with the contribution. She said many donors support Allied Arts.

I think that response is pretty bad. Granted, it's an awkward thing to have to explain. But what message does it send to donors when you say, "Gee, I don't know. Lots of people give"? If someone with a nonprofit is asked and decides to comment, it might be best to check the database or send the reporter a copy of your donor report for the year in question. Or maybe it might be best not to discuss donors at all. But to take the money and comment that there are just so many supporters says individual contributions don't matter. I guess her organization won't be seeing much more of the $166,000 that remains in Sen. Crutchfield's account. It's a shame, too, because that would be a great use for the money. Kicking a man when he is trying to redeem himself is a lost opportunity.

Coriolanus: Relevant but nonpartisan

Bill Friskics-Warren previews the Nashville Shakespeare Festival's Coriolanus in today's Tennessean.

As celebrity and war hero, Coriolanus hits images in the current presidential campaign. According to artistic director Denice Hicks, "The contemporary relevance of the play is undeniable," said Hicks. "Coriolanus is a celebrity who the people insist on becoming a role model/politician." She goes on to say:

"We haven't taken this play and said, 'Look how great our Republicans are' or 'Look how great our Democrats are,' " she said. "Between McCain and Obama, we have a war hero and an outsider/newcomer. You see those qualities in Coriolanus, as well. He has to show his 27 war wounds to the people before they'll elect him."

The Nashville Shakespeare Festival

in collaboration with Naked Stages

presents

CORIOLANUS

August 14 - September 7, 2008

FREE & Open to the Public

Suggested Donation: $5

(click for more info)

Hating the Speaker doesn't get you very far

Tom Humphrey has an interesting piece today that is a mixture of post primary analysis and projections about the general election in November. One of the conclusions is that Republicans who campaigned as if they were running against House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh didn't get very far.

Rep. Doug Overby beat Sen. Ray Finney for Finney's Senate seat. He had voted for Naifeh for Speaker. Rep. Kent Williams won an easy reelection victory against Jerome Cochran, who explicitly used Naifeh as an issue. Williams states the lesson clearly:

"I think that should be a wakeup call for our Republican party," said Williams. "We don't need to be running campaigns based on cartoon characterizations and get back to the days of Ronald Reagan, when we were treated with respect.

"People could care less who I voted for, for speaker. People are tired of partisan politics and want candidates who stick with their values and watch out for their interests."

Speaker Naifeh himself brushed off the tactic: "I think maybe that has run its course and they won't be using that anymore," he said.

And why doesn't it work? I guess the better question is, "Why would it?" In an election that drew very little media attention, an election in which few people voted, it's a stretch to expect most voters throughout the State to be fired up about the Speaker of the House when they may not even know who is running in their own district.

Public defender dies in motorcycle accident

Metro Public Defender Ross Alderman has died in a motorcycle accident, according to the Tennessean.

He last won election to the post in 2006. The office's website includes biographical information about him and the office's accomplishments.

Please, keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Bridging the liberal-orthodox divide

The Rev. Gail Seavey, minister of First Unitarian Universalist in Nashville, discusses the tragic shooting at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville. She mentions the 2006 marriage summit at First UU, which equipped Unitarians across the state to get involved in the Tennessee Equality Project's Vote No on 1 campaign.

She also mentions some of the bridge building that occurred across the liberal-orthodox divide:

We were grateful, but not surprised by the respectful support the Knoxville police and about 40 mental health institutions have given. But I confess, I was surprised by the outpouring of food, sanctuary, love and public support from the Knoxville religious community, liberal and orthodox.

Noose found at Chattanooga Blue Cross Blue Shield site

A noose has been discovered at a Chattanooga Blue Cross Blue Shield workplace in Chattanooga. The FBI is investigating the incident and trying to determine whether it constitutes a hate crime. It occurred the same day four workers became ill, but so far the noose and the illnesses don't appear related.

The story mentions that it is a building site and that employees of Skanska, a construction firm with a presence in Nashville, had been there and were to report back for work on Monday. Even though the illnesses don't seem to be related to the noose, I wonder whether the crew was targeted.

It has been a tough summer for hate issues in Tennessee. In June, there was a cross burning in Scott County. Revelations of a February police beating of a transgender woman in Memphis came to light in June, closely followed by the murder of a transgender woman in July in the same city. And just two weeks ago what should have been a peaceful Sunday was ruptured by the attack at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church.

When is a sex scandal a political story?

I don't feel the need to mention the names of any of the characters in these dramas because they are being portrayed as just that--characters. And apart from endorsing Coriolanus for Consul, TEP doesn't find theatre criticism to be our forte.

Generally, these sex scandals are political stories accidentally and not essentially. You Thomists and Aristotelians out there will get the distinction. But our media culture isn't very interested in questions of being, only questions of what a story can become. As a result, sex scandals involving politicians always become political. The story breaks and we wait for the political fallout. By God, if it's not a political question to begin with, we know how to make it one. We ask the following questions: Can the accused be a viable candidate again? Can she speak at a political event? Do other politicians have to distance themselves from him?

Here's when it is a political story--if the politician broke the law (prostitution) or used public funds or position to advance a love interest. Also, if the politician caught with his or her pants down has droned on and on about the sanctity of marriage and advances policy that restricts the definition of marriage and family, then that's probably a story. But even then, not in every case. Questions about hypocrisy as they relate to policy can be instructive, but they are not final. At some level, policy has to be advanced on its merits. Hypocritical personal rhetoric is only enough to throw the policy into question, not enough to stop the debate.

More than a few preachers and politicians fighting marriage equality have played around outside marriage. But exposing them all is never going to be enough to get legislatures around the country to adopt same-sex marriage. Lawmakers and the public are going to have to get comfortable with the idea and be convinced that it's the right thing to do. Putting your opponents in the penalty box gets you a few points and buys you time, but it doesn't win the game. Both sides in our public debates ought to consider well before they crow too loudly about these family matters.

I remember vividly when one former lawmaker in Tennessee who worked for the marriage amendment in the Legislature was having a marital crisis. Reporters wanted us to take his guts out. It wouldn't have gotten us anywhere with the amendment. We would have looked vengeful and become just another group of characters in a drama of destruction.