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TODAY’S HOLLER: KLAN DOWN

KLAN DOWN🚨 Y’ALL —- the other (HIDEOUS) KKK GRAND WIZARD STATUE on I-65 just south of Nashville (DESIGNED BY A SLAVERY-DEFENDER) has now also COME DOWN… PROGRESS…

Here’s a shot of the hideous I-65 KKK Grand Wizard statue just south of Nashville – built by a slavery defender, defended by Republicans – on its side, removed. 

FLASHBACK: TN Republicans Protected THE UGLIEST KKK GRAND WIZARD STATUE IN 🇺🇸  when Rep. Powell asked to PLANT (DONATED) TREES to obscure it from I-65. It was built by a racist who defended MLK’s assassin, slavery… it would’ve been at no cost- but Republicans refused.

“Somebody needs to say a good word for slavery” 😳 — a direct quote from Jack Kershaw, who built the now-removed hideous I-65 KKK Grand Wizard statue, defended slavery (and the man who killed MLK)… And Tennessee Republicans defended it to the bitter end.

But now, just like that, the I-65 KKK Grand Wizard eyesore is gone. 👋🏽

Symbols matter. If they didn’t, KKK sympathizers wouldn’t have put these things up in the first place. They represent pain and hurt, and removing them is progress. Shout-out to the activists who have fought so hard to make these embarrassing statues go away.

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TODAY’S HOLLER:
TRUMP’S NEXT COUP: “The prospect of this democratic collapse is not remote. People with the motive to make it happen are manufacturing the means… They are acting already.” — 🚨 Don’t 🚨 wait 🚨 til 🚨 it’s 🚨 too late 🚨 to 🚨 be 🚨 alarmed 🚨 about 🚨 this 🚨

“ABSOLUTE AND UNMITIGATED LIARS” — Ex-D.C. National Guard official accuses 2 senior Army leaders (Flynn’s brother) of lying to Congress in a secret attempt to rewrite the history of the military’s response to the Capitol riot… delaying it for hours.

NOT FRINGE: Say it Loud – Boebert & Greene are not fringe in today’s GOP.

LIES KILL: “Since May 2021, people living in counties that voted heavily for Trump nearly THREE TIMES AS LIKELY TO DIE FROM COVID-19” 😷 

 🔥STOP CHERRY-PICKING WHAT HISTORY WE TEACH OUR CHILDREN.” – REVEREND DR. JUDY CUMMINGS tells MOMS FOR LIBERTY (aka “MOMS FOR LYING TO OUR KIDS”) and politicians enabling their crusade against MLK, Ruby Bridges & The Truth to stop whitewashing history and start fully funding our schools.

The new season of “The Office” is gonna be terrible

KANEW ON FOX: “If it was men that carry babies we wouldn’t even be having this discussion.” – The Holler’s Justin Kanew talks about what overturning (popular) Roe V. Wade means to Tennessee on WZTV FOX 17 News, Nashville — and Jasper Hendricks reminds us “elections have consequences”. 🎯

🤦🏼‍♀️

GOV. LEE’S “FIRESIDE CHAT”: Lee, who wouldn’t meet with protestors or the black caucus for 63 days last summer, held a “fireside chat” with Bob Woodson about “civil rights” — who showed why he was chosen by blaming “a deterioration of the race issue in 🇺🇸” on Barack Obama & Nikole Hannah Jones🧐

DANCING COP IN EAST RIDGE: Police officer Jonah Goddard’s musical Tik Tok videos went viral and landed him on the Kelly Clarkson Show.  Watch a few of his videos here.

WASH POST FRONT PAGE: “He’d never heard of critical race theory until he was accused of teaching it” – On the firing of Coach Hawn of KINGSPORT in the anti-CRT furor, the same day the TN GOP passed their anti-truth law. 

“MOMS FOR LYING TO YOUR KIDS”: The always-great Betsy Phillips re-brands Moms For Liberty, gives context to their anti-MLK anti-truth crusade in WILLIAMSON COUNTY, which epitomizes white flight from desegregation, is STILL just 4% black. TEACH THE TRUTH.

Meanwhile here’s a pic of “Moms For Lying To Your Kids” in the Franklin Christmas Day Parade, being normalized like they’re not out here fighting to keep our kids ignorant. They were also in the Franklin Veterans Day Parade. #TeachTheTruth 

CONFEDERATE COURTROOM: “A Black man whose fate was decided by an all-white jury who deliberated in a room containing Confederate symbols will receive a new trial after a Tennessee’s Criminal Appeals Court ruling.” (In PULASKI, TN — where the KKK began)

REPUBLICAN INDIFFERENCE TO HUMAN LIFE: Conservative Jennifer Rubin tells Dems to “stop shying from a full-throated abortion debate. The more Republicans talk, the more obvious life is not the issue—control of women who do not warrant the right to bodily integrity Republicans claim for themselves.”

Like clockwork ⏰

REMINDER: They don’t actually support “freedom”

“THE PUBLIC GOOD”🇺🇸 🎯 Good oiece on the common thread between so much of the ugliness we’re seeing — “The Public Good” is now a concept lost on most (thanks to a sustained right-wing campaign), and one we need to try to revive if we have any chance of recovering.

CARTOONS OF THE DAY 😳

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INTERVIEW: ASHLEY KING, KKK STATUE PROTESTOR

Ashley King was a presence at the Capitol making legislators uncomfortable to get the KKK Grand Wizard Statue moved. Now it’s gone, and he’s here to tell us how it feels.

“WE HAVE OTHER WORK TO DO, BUT AT LEAST THAT’S ONE DOWN.”

PODCAST

FULL INTERVIEW

Wallen & Combs Should Call for The TN Capitol’s KKK Statue To Be Removed

OPINION: Country Stars Wallen & Combs Should Call for The TN Capitol’s KKK Statue To Be Removed

By

Justin Kanew

By now most of you have seen the recent video of Morgan Wallen using the “N word” in Nashville, which shook the country music world.

His label dropped him. Radio stations stopped playing his songs. The fallout was significant. 

This opinion piece by Charlane Oliver of the Equity Alliance tackles the racial significance of the incident as it pertains to country music. It’s a worthwhile read.

Now this week we heard from another country star, Luke Combs, who says “there’s no excuse” for his use of Confederate flag imagery in his performances, and acknowledges the hurt and pain it caused.

Both artists are apologetic, and seek forgiveness. But apologies are easy. There’s another step they could take that would help bring about some actual progress – not only in country music, but in Nashville specifically, Tennessee in general, and America as a whole.

They could speak out about the KKK Grand Wizard statue that still sits prominently in our capitol.

Yes, you heard that right – Tennessee still holds a statue of the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, Nathan Bedford Forrest, in a place of prominence in the state capitol building. Forrest was a Confederate General who led the Fort Pillow Massacre, during which many black Union soldiers were slaughtered even after surrender, then went on to become the KKK’s first Grand Wizard.

Defenders of the Forrest bust claim he was eventually reformed. That he changed his tune in his later years. Regardless of the veracity of that claim, they can’t erase the harm he caused, and what he represents to the many black Tennesseans who have been calling for the statue’s removal.

Legislators like Rep. Mike Sparks, who refuses to even admit the Civil War was fought over slavery, say they’re against “whitewashing history” – ignoring the fact that it’s the statues themselves that whitewash history, treating Confederate generals who rose up against our country as heroes.

There’s a reason KKK members posed proudly with the statue when it was erected.

The fight to remove the Nathan Bedford Forrest statue has been going on for years. There have been countless protests. Pastors, students, activists, and legislators have all made their voices heard… but still it remains.

Last year a big hurdle was overcome, as the Tennessee State Capitol Commission finally voted to move it despite “NO” votes from Senator Jack Johnson on behalf of the TN Senate Republican caucus and Rep. Matthew Hill on behalf of the TN House Republican caucus.

The next step was supposed to come this week, when the Tennessee Historical Commission was scheduled to vote on the Capitol Commission’s recommendation, but because of the cold weather it has been delayed until March 9th.

Meanwhile, Lt. Governor Randy Mcnally and Speaker Cameron Sexton have been busy trying to delay it even further, claiming the issue isn’t properly before the Historical Commission and asking the attorney general to weigh in with an opinion.

Delay, delay, delay. It’s obvious Mcnally and Sexton and their caucuses are doing all they can to keep this hurtful statue in place because the cries of black Tennesseans and their allies are not enough.

But what if they were to hear from entirely different voices? What if Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs were to show they truly do understand how much pain their words and actions have caused, and speak out about the bust, encouraging Mcnally and Sexton to drop their challenge to its removal, and asking the Historical commission to vote to remove it once and for all?

It would be a healing moment for country music, our state, and their souls.

“These elected officials aren’t listening to black Tennesseans,” says Pastor Chris Williamson of Strong Tower Bible Church, who has been involved with the statue issue for quite some time, and recently spoke out about it at a hearing. “They aren’t even listening to their black colleagues who have to walk by that statue every day and be reminded of what it represents. Maybe white country music stars are exactly who they need to hear from. Words of encouragement from Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs for them to do the right thing could go a long way.”

A long way indeed.

Taking a position on this controversial topic probably wouldn’t be easy for country music stars like Wallen & Combs. But very often doing the right thing isn’t.

 

Justin Kanew is the founder of the Tennessee Holler. Foller him on Twitter here.

REP. RAGAN DECLINES TO DENOUNCE THE KLAN

This was originally a Facebook Post by Chad Riden. Re-posted with his permission.

REP. RAGAN DECLINES TO DENOUNCE THE KLAN

State Representative John Ragan (R-Oak Ridge), representing District 33 in Anderson County, made it clear in an exchange with Chad that he has no intention of distancing himself from the KKK, despite being given every opportunity.

Chad emailed each of the 11 legislators in the ‘Naming, Designating, & Private Acts Committee’ who voted NO on HJR0686 (General Assembly, Statement of Intent or Position – Suggests removing Nathan Bedford Forrest bust from State Capitol and replacing it with tribute to more deserving Tennessean.).

His email said the folowing:

“Did you realize you’re becoming internet famous? The attached image has been posted to Reddit Instagram Facebook Twitter and probably other places.

People are saying that by voting NO to remove the Nathan Bedford Forrest bust you are standing strong in support of the KKK. Are you a member of the Klan? Or are you merely in support of continuing to honor the murderous slaver who served as their first grand wizard? Is there a difference?

I would like to know why you think it’s a good idea to honor this murderer in our state capital.”

This is the image Chad included:

According to Chad, the offices of Rep. Jerry Sexton and Rep. Mike Sparks responded with a generic “thank you for your message” type email.

Rep. John Ragan, however, responded personally by sending him the text of this entire article defending Nathan Bedford Forrest, the KKK’s First Grand Wizard, as an “activist for black civil rights”.

According to Chad…

I responded:

“I have heard that NBF changed his mind near the end of his life but this is the story about him that haunts me:

‘The Battle of Fort Pillow on April 12, 1864 ended with a massacre of African-American Union troops and their white officers attempting to surrender, by soldiers under the command Nathan Bedford Forrest.

Union survivors claimed that even though all their troops surrendered, Forrest’s men massacred some in cold blood. Surviving members of the garrison said that most of their men surrendered and threw down their arms, only to be shot or bayoneted by the attackers, who repeatedly shouted, “No quarter! No quarter!”

A letter from one of Forrest’s own sergeants, Achilles V. Clark, writing to his sisters on April 14, reads in part:

“The slaughter was awful. Words cannot describe the scene. The poor deluded negros would run up to our men fall on their knees and with uplifted hands scream for mercy but they were ordered to their feet and then shot down. The whitte \[sic\] men fared but little better. The fort turned out to be a great slaughter pen. Blood, human blood stood about in pools and brains could have been gathered up in any quantity. I with several others tried to stop the butchery and at one time had partially succeeded but Gen. Forrest ordered them shot down like dogs and the carnage continued. Finally our men became sick of blood and the firing ceased.”‘
###

I’m uncomfortable celebrating a man who ever did that. The only people I hear defending Nathan Bedford Forrest are white supremacists. How do you feel about the Black lives matter movement? Will you go on the record denouncing the KKK?”

Rep. Ragan wrote back:

“Dear Mr. Riden,

Your description of Fort Pillow is questionable when considered objectively. It remains unclear whether Forrest ordered the massacre, encouraged it, ignored it, or — as he later claimed — was unaware of it. He was never charged or tried for the events at Fort Pillow.

Please consult any of the following sources and you will see that Forrest was never convicted of any of the accusations you posited:

These trials can be found via a link on the catalog records on the Library of Congress Online catalog. The military trials encompass several departments:

Military Trials: Middle Department, 1862 – 1866

General Court Martial Orders: Department of the South, 1862 – 1868

General Court Martial Orders: Department of the Cumberland, 1866 – 1870

General Court Martial Orders: Department of the Missouri, 1861 – 1863, 1866 – 1867, 1868, 1869 – 1870, 1871 – 1872

General Court Martial Orders: Department of the Gulf, 1862 -1867

General Court Martial Orders: Department of Texas 1861, 1865 – 1866, 1870 -1872

The military trials are viewable in PDF and Page turner versions. The name indexes have been included and tabbed in the PDF view, and in some of the volumes a subject index is available.

Relative to your other questions: you may consult my record and you will have your answers.

Good Day,

John D. Ragan

State Representative”

I wrote back:

“Thank you for responding I do appreciate it.
However you have not answered the questions I asked very directly:

How do you feel about the Black lives matter movement?

Will you go on the record denouncing the KKK?”

Ragan responded:

“Dear Mr. Riden,

Neither I, nor any of my direct forbearers, going all the way back to the one exiled by Oliver Cromwell to Jamestown in 1690, ever owned slaves. While I condemn that institution unequivocally, I owe no one an apology for it.

Moreover, my children have ancestors who fought for both the Union and the Confederacy. However, none of those ever owned slaves, either. Therefore, neither they, nor I, owe anyone apologies for slavery.

Furthermore, there were atrocities as well as heroes and villains on both sides of the Civil War. Additionally, there were black slave owners and blacks fought for both the Union and the Confederacy. There were slave owners in the North and the South including Union General U.S. Grant.

Your historical research relative to Confederate General Forrest is inadequate. If you refuse educate yourself, it appears future discussion on the topic is futile.

Finally, your juvenile attempts at insults to a veteran of two theaters of conflict though 24 year of military service, of which 8 were overseas, are ridiculous. I have served in deserts and jungles and picked up body parts of a comrade-in-arms from blood soaked ground. Moreover, while on active duty, I have had the very sad duty of escorting my squadron mate and best friend’s widow down a funeral isle to stand before his flag draped casket…an active duty fatality. Consequently, I do not need you to churlishly challenge my loyalty to the US Constitution, especially the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments.

You may consult my record for answers to your other questions.”

I guess I struck a nerve. I replied:

“Sir,

I didn’t ask if your family owned slaves but thank you for that information. Sorry if you feel insulted, that was never my intention. I just want to know:

How do you feel about the Black lives matter movement?

Will you go on the record denouncing the KKK?”

His response? You guessed it:

“You may consult my record for answers to your other questions.

Good Day,

John D. Ragan

State Representative”

John D. Ragan, State Representative REFUSED to denounce the KKK multiple times and told me to consult his voting record for my answer.

His voting record shows he wishes to honor Nathan Bedford Forrest, the first grand wizard of the KKK.

As far as I’m concerned, that’s a confirmation that John Ragan from Oak Ridge, representing District 33 in Anderson County, fully supports the KKK.

PARKINSON RIPS LAMBERTH’S ANTI-RIOTING BILL

Watch Rep. Antonio Parkinson (D-Memphis) Rip House GOP Majority Leader William Lamberth’s anti-rioting bill for completely ignoring the ROOT CAUSE of the reason people are upset.

 

Senator Gilmore: Move “Hurtful” KKK Grand Wizard Bust

“I’m not certain those in favor of leaving that bust there recognize how hurtful it is to African-Americans.”

Senator Brenda Gilmore spoke with us after the state Capitol Commission’s meeting about moving the KKK GRAND WIZARD BUST out of our state capitol.

Chairman Stuart Mcwhorter & Governor Lee have STILL not set a date for the vote.

VIDEO: WILLIAMSON REPS OGLES & CASADA FINALLY SAY “MOVE THE KKK GRAND WIZARD BUST”

Ogles stresses “distraction” & activist “yelling”?says moving it is “respectful”—suggests putting crosses in the capitol.

Newly woke disgraced ex-speaker Casada now says “change is painful but good”.

Senator Jack Johnson: “THE GOVERNOR HAS NOT WEIGHED IN YET” — Johnson reminds us Governor Lee controls 7 of the 12 state Capitol commission votes on MOVING THE KKK GRAND WIZARD BUST out of our Capitol.

You know who also hasn’t weighed in? SENATOR JACK JOHNSON.

VIDEO: “A Historical Day” #MoveTheKKKBust

“December 18th, 2019 was a historical day.”

Pastor Williamson of Strong Tower Bible Church tells his congregation about delivering 50,000 signatures to get the KKK GRAND WIZARD BUST removed from our Capitol with Pastor Kevin Riggs, and chairman Stuart Mcwhorter committing to discuss it by February. ??????

PASTORS TO DELIVER THOUSANDS OF SIGNATURES TO CAPITOL COMMISSION RE: KKK BUST

Pastors Chris Williamson (Strong Tower Bible Church), Kevin Riggs (Franklin Community Church) and supporters will deliver a petition that has garnered over 40,000 signatures in less than 1 week to the State Capitol Commission meeting Wednesday, calling for the Commission to take up a motion to move the bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest, the KKK’s First Grand Wizard, out of the Capitol.

Pastors Williamson &
Riggs

Here are the event details, for those who would like to join.

The Petition was started by the Tennessee Holler, and can be viewed HERE.

40,000 and climbing

Although Forrest was a Democrat, Tennessee Democrats have unanimously called for the bust’s removal, and in recent weeks even Republican leaders have begun to as well – including House Republican caucus leader Jeremy Faison, grandson of a confederate colonel, who says conversation with Rep. GA Hardaway and reading Forrest’s own writings helped convince him.

Governor Lee has said he would ask the Capitol Commission to take up the issue, but has not done so.

WHY PEOPLE SIGNED

He also said he will work to change the law declaring July 13th Nathan Bedford Forrest Day, but has not taken measures to do that yet either.

Pastors Williamson and Riggs have asked to be able to speak briefly at the commission meeting.

MEMBERS OF THE Capitol Commission

 

VIDEO: Rep. Tillis “Doesn’t Necessarily Agree” with Moving the KKK Bust

NEW: Rep. Rick Tillis (R-Lewisburg) “doesn’t necessarily agree” with GOP house caucus leader Jeremy Faison’s call to remove the KKK Grand Wizard bust from the Capitol.

Tillis worries about “whitewashing” history, wonders where the line would be.

All reps should be asked about this. Contact THE STATE CAPITOL COMMISSION to ask them to move the bust.

OR SIGN OUR PETITION.