Williamson County Votes to Remove Confederate Flag

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The Williamson County Commission voted to REMOVE the Confederate flag from their county seal by supporting the task force’s recommendation in a 16 YES, 7 NO vote. The next and final step will be whether or not the Historical Commission approves the change.

“It’s disheartening to think that we would even contemplate saving a symbol that is a universal symbol of hate.” – Commissioner Keith Hudson speaking in favor of removing the Confederate flag from the county seal. Hudson is the only Black member of the Commission.

Some were not so keen on the idea of removal. Commissioner Bert Chalfant of District 7 made a fool out of himself by cursing on a hot mic during the vote.

Full Vote Breakdown:
 

Poverty Is The Pandemic

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The Equity Alliance Co-Founders and Co-Executive Directors Tequila Johnson and Charlane Oliver are back for the third episode of the real, raw, and unapologetic podcast, Porch Politics. Tune in for the Porch Pop-up segment with guests Robert “Black Rob” Higgins, a culture catalyst and owner of Minerva Avenue and The WKND Lounge, and Curtis “C Shorty” Story, the CEO of BeYou, a lifestyle brand and clothing line.
Be sure to fill out The Equity Alliance’s Our Fair Share survey if you or your small business has been affected by COVID19.
Porch Politics is recorded LIVE from our porch every other Thursday at 6 pm CT. You can stream it on The Tennessee Holler or wait for it to drop as a podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever else you like to listen.

Cops Let a Violent White Trump Supporter Go

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SALEM, OREGON: White Trump supporter BRUTALLY ASSAULTS 2 PROTESTORS and PUNCHES A COP — the Salem Police Department lets him WALK FREE WITHIN AN HOUR.

Question for Trump/Kenosha Killer supporters — would it have been ok to shoot this guy in the face? Or any of these people chasing these protestors, for that matter? Cool to open fire on all of them? We’re just wondering how the rules work.

Our original post. Footage from Sergio Olmos.

Pence’s RNC Speech & Nationalism

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Pastor Kevin Riggs and Kevin Sage discuss the final few minutes of Vice President Pence’s RNC Speech mixing scripture and nationalism.

Q Anon Won’t Save the Children

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Does your aunt Karen believe Tom Hanks is running a child sex ring in his basement, and that Trump will save the children? Join QAnon expert Chris Coleman for this deep dive into the “deep state”. #WWG1WGA

FULL PODCAST available on Apple Podcasts, and wherever else you like to listen.

Mark Lee, Alleged Student-Harassing Overton County Teacher, Sues Accusers

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If you’ve been follering us for any amount of time you’ve likely seen us talk about OVERTON COUNTY teacher Mark Lee, who taught at Livingston Academy until his recent 90-day suspension without pay and eventual transfer – which was supposedly tied to years worth of sexual harassment allegations by multiple students stretching back to 2003. (He’s tenured, so he’s likely back on payroll now)

Here’s our interview with 2 of the girls and their mothers:

It was also discussed at an Overton County school board meeting, during which multiple parents expressed their disgust that the school board had done little to protect the girls, and in fact had plans to transfer Lee to an elementary school until people hollered about it – yes seriously.

There was also talk of him being placed at an Alternative School, which is almost worse because that’s often where the most vulnerable students end up.

The District Attorney Bryan Dunavant, who we spoke with, says he didn’t bring charges against Lee because he had no proof of physical touching (although one of the girls says he rubbed his head on her stomach). He also told us he “wouldn’t want his daughter in Lee’s class.

A mother of another one of the alleged sexual harassment victims of the LIVINGSTON ACADEMY teacher (Mark Lee) in OVERTON COUNTY Says she spoke up since 2017, nobody listened. Multiple girls signed sworn affidavits on that occasion, including a cop’s daughter.

Lee is now suing the families and those who have stood up for them for “damages arising out of the defendants’ pattern of intentional, malicious, tortious false and defamatory statements impugning the plaintiffs’ character and reputation and published to the world on social media” as well as “invasion of privacy”.

This guy has some nerve.

HERE IS THE LAWSUIT if you’d like to read it. It includes the posts below, which it cites as defamation.

As a reminder, the director of schools suspended him for 90 days related to all of this.

If you or anyone you know has stories about Lee, or witnessed any of his behavior, feel free to holler at us on social media or at [email protected] – and follow The Cookeville Holler for developments

Be Better Belmont

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Aftyn and Anna interview Claire and Safara, organizers with the Be Better Belmont campaign, which is pushing Belmont’s college administration to divest from the private prison system. #CancelCoreCivic.
FULL PODCAST available on Apple Podcasts, and wherever else you like to listen.
Links:
Be Better Belmont Linktree
Tennessean article about the campaign
History of Belmont’s legacy with slavery and incarceration

We Are On Stolen Land with Crystal Cavalier

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Hosts Hale Masaki and Owen Reed are joined by Crystal Cavalier of the Indigenous People’s Movement to talk about the deep intersections between environmental justice and Indigenous rights and what IPM is doing to fight for a better world. We can’t fully realize a Green New Deal until we root out the injustices committed against Native Americans by white colonizers, injustices that still continue through the present day. The impulse to destroy our natural environment for fossil fuel is the same impulse that drives colonization, which is directly tied to white supremacy. If we don’t fully understand these connections and attack them head-on, we won’t be able to create the society we desperately need through a Green New Deal.
Check out and support Radicalize The Vote.
Find out what Native Land you are living on and familiarize yourself with tribal history.
Sunrise Tennessee Interest Form

Follow Sunrise Tennessee on Twitter and Facebook.

FULL PODCAST available on Apple Podcasts and wherever else you like to listen.

Flip That Seat with Mariah Phillips

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Mariah Phillips joins The Holler to talk about her race for State House in one of the most flippable districts in the state – House District 37. They also dig into the failures of the Tennessee Republican Party to support Tennesseans during COVID19 and beyond.

FULL PODCAST available on Apple Podcasts, and wherever else you like to listen.

Bill Lee to sign Protest Criminalization Bill

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Governor Bill Lee announced that he will be signing a draconian anti-protest bill which includes making it a felony punishable by up to six years in prison to pitch a tent outside the Capitol overnight. This flies in the face of his claims of wanting to pass meaningful criminal justice reform, a term that House Majority Leader William Lamberth had the gall to use when referring to this bill.

Not only will this legislation have severe implications for protesters, but it will have far-reaching ramifications on the people in Tennessee who are experiencing homelessness.

Republican Legislators drafted this bill with the protesters who have been occupying the plaza outside the State Capitol in mind in an effort to silence them and their demands. We are left wondering if any members of the Tennessee Republican Party have learned from the late great John Lewis, or if they have considered that perhaps they are participating in government overreach, which they are so quick to decry when Democrats propose regulations.