As a progressive leaning voter in the state of Tennessee, it is easy to feel alone. While I may live and work in the politically moderate Nashville area (compared to the rest of the state), it is difficult to find elected officials that represent many of the things I hold as core values. We are a state that is overrun with conservative zealots whose only priority is to crush any and all opposition to their points of view. To these people, it isn’t about finding compromise. It’s about complete domination.

Let’s use Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey as Exhibit A. With a recent tweet to his followers, he made it clear he doesn’t mind sticking it to his political opponents. This example of shameless antagonism is a microcosm of the conservative mantra. Belittle your opponents. Make them out to be the enemy. Claim liberal bias in the media. Rinse and repeat.

A worse example of feeling unrepresented is Jim Cooper. He is my congressman, and I helped vote him into office. He has embraced many things I support. Others, not so much. The worst example of the latter is his support for the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). I understand why he is supporting this legislation. While he may represent the aforementioned politically moderate city of Nashville and surrounding areas, he also has big monied entertainment companies amongst his constituency. He is merely playing to that. However, this legislation will have a chilling effect on free speech.

Democrats in this region are feeling under siege. Anyone cast as “liberal” could possibly lose their position in public office. At least that is the fear. This fear of losing one’s elected office is causing my elected officials to vote with their jobs in mind, rather than their consciences.

I want the people I vote for to champion equality. I want the people I vote for to stand up for free speech. I want my elected officials to stand up for those that don’t have a voice. A functioning democracy should represent all people. Not just the majority. Not just the richest. They should absolutely represent the minority and the marginalized. This is why I feel profoundly unrepresented in Tennessee specifically, and the South in general. Who is going to speak for me?

Apparently enacting a law that prohibits municipal governments from making more stringent anti-discrimination laws than the state already has was not enough for the group of clowns that is our state legislature. They felt the need to criminalize college kids who share their Netflix, Napster or Rhapsody passwords with their friends. At last! We have found what was destroying the music and movie businesses. It was those damn college kids!

Rather than solve actual problems, the motley crew of fools that make of this state’s government decided to put the screws to the very people who will least be able to defend themselves. This is simply another instance of state-sponsored protection for a private business that has no clue how to innovate. Wouldn’t it be better for Ron Ramsey and company to find a way to make Tennessee a leader in education, transportation and energy.

Nah. It’s much easier to go after the low hanging fruit. I mean really…who actually has the time to make a difference in our society these days?

What’s with the right-wing, Glenn Beck-types, and their fixation with the non-existant threat of Islamic Sharia law in the United States? In fact, I feel quite sure that it is not fear of this so-called threat, as much as it is simple, naked bigotry. Islam is a religion that has been around nearly as long as Christianity. And, contrary to what the dis-honerable Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey says (full disclosure: I am a Tennessean, but this man does not represent me.), Islam is not a cult.

Bills being put forth in state legislatures across the country are Islamaphobia, pure and simple. Islamaphobia’s suffix is defined as (courtesy of Wikipedia) “a persistent fear of an object or situation in which the sufferer commits to great lengths in avoiding despite the fear, typically disproportional to the actual danger posed, often being recognized as irrational.” Either these elected officials have an irrational, disproportionate fear of Islam, or they are simply fear mongering.

For my money, fear mongering seems to be the more likely truth. Even worse, it plays on the worst in us. Rather than stand up for the marginalized people in our society, we allow our fears to be stoked by these snake oil salesmen cloaked as elected officials.

If we as Americans believe our nation to be founded on Christian principles (and that is debatable), then we should be treating all people just like Christ did. He commanded his followers to love everyone unconditionally. Not once in the New Testament did Jesus say, “Love only those who follow me.”

I call on all of us to stop this religious bigotry. Don’t listen to people like Ron Ramsey, Peter King and the host of other politicians screaming about Sharia law. Love those around you who disagree with you. As for me, I must do the same.

Okay Ron Ramsey…Gimme a hug!

I know. As if they all aren’t. In my 33 years, however, I don’t think I’ve ever seen more vicious and inflammatory rhetoric. Here in Tennessee, you’re seeing heated battles for Governor and U.S. Representative.

I’m sure most Tennesseans have seen the campaign ads from the likes of George Flinn, Diane Black, Zach Wamp and Ron Ramsey. Anyone who has read this space before, knows how I feel about Ramsey. The candidates have been disappointing with the almost cartoon-like tone of their campaigns.

In my mind, all this does is divide the people. Not one of them has said how they would like to bring us together. To me, this is the problem with politics. These politicians work at stoking the flames of fear without giving any concrete plans for how to solve the state’s and the nation’s problems. My vote will go to those who demonstrate true leadership. I don’t want the loudest voice. I just want the fairest one.

Here is the email that so inflamed Lt. Gov. Ramsey, he felt he needed to “address” it.

This email is in concern to the recent action of Senate Finance to dismantle pre-k by moving $22 million to a non-recurring funding source next year.

I am writing to  advise you of a news conference to be held on Tuesday, June 26 (tomorrow) at 1:00 in Room 30 (tentative room number) of Legislative Plaza. We are requesting Pre-K leaders and advocates from across the state to join those legislators who are committed to fighting these cuts in this news conference. We especially would like the areas of Anderson, Knox and Rutherford Counties to be represented at the news conference.

Would you help us spread the word? We need LP 30 to be filled to capacity tomorrow with Pre-K supporters. We realize this is short notice but the budget is an urgent matter and will most likely be voted on this week.

The following is a message that needs to be diffused throughout the Pre-K community and state:

We’ve spent years trying to educate legislators about the value of early childhood education. Unfortunately, some of them continue to work to dismantle pre-K. Most recently, the Senate Republican Caucus is proposing to move $22M in pre-K funding to a dwindling source of non-recurring funds. In doing so, they are clearly setting up pre-K for future cuts. This move would jeopardize future funding for as many as 250 pre-K classrooms.

Bottom line: It’s not just disappointing and ill-advised; it’s reckless and short-sighted.

We hoped lawmakers would be statesmen this year. Instead, some seem intent on dismantling a nationally recognized pre-K program and undermining local efforts in some of the most forward-thinking education communities in our state — places like Anderson County (which has perhaps the longest history of pre-K in Tennessee); Rutherford County (which now has the highest pre-K demand in the state); and Knox County (which plays a perennially pivotal role in advancing sound policies, partly because of UT but also because it’s an intellectual capital that takes pride in its thoughtful approaches to education).

Thank you for your support of our state’s youngest learners!

Bobbi

Bobbi Lussier
Executive Director
Office of Early Learning
TN Dept. of Education
9th Floor Andrew Johnson Tower
710 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN   37243
ph.  615-253-3167
fax: 615-532-4989

Lt. Gov. Ramsey’s email: lt.gov.ron.ramsey@capitol.tn.gov

The Lt. Governor of Tennessee, Ron Ramsey, made the evening news recently when he interrupted a news conference being held by advocates of Pre-K. Here is the story from WSMV Channel 4. During the budget finalization this week Senate Republicans, including Mr. Ramsey, tried to change the funding for Pre-K in our state. Their idea would have made it very easy to cut funding for Pre-K outright in future years. Department of Education Commissioner Tim Webb, alarmed at the budget amendments, sent an email out to other Pre-K advocates, and called a press conference to raise awareness. Mr. Ramsey and his cohorts, offended by the negative publicity, crashed the news conference in order to “set the record straight”. Naturally, I am pissed at this obvious attempt to bully people with a different view point. So, I wrote him an email, and told him so.

Dear Mr. Ramsey,

I was very troubled to see you on Channel 4 news interrupt a news conference involving Pre-K. I found it very unprofessional. My wife, a Pre-K teacher, was at the news conference, and she was extremely offended by many of your comments. As a lawmaker, you have a responsibility to lead this state and set an example for personal conduct. It doesn’t concern me that you were offended. You hold public office. Being criticized is part of the job. In fact, it’s one of the true joys of our nation. We get to speak our mind when we’re unhappy with the way we’re being governed. Disrupting a news conference held by people with differing viewpoints is childish and wrong.

I would like to explain why I think it is short sighted to change the funding for Pre-K. Your proposal would make it extremely easy for the program to be cut in the future. Our state seems to be in a perpetual budget crisis, and making a program susceptible to the chopping block is tantamount to actually cutting it. Do you not understand the value of education, even at the early childhood level? I have seen what it does for children with my own eyes. It is NOT “subsidized daycare”. These children are leaving their classrooms with knowledge and self-confidence.

It troubles me that our state ranks in the 40′s for education. We should aspire to be a leader in education. That absolutely starts in Pre-K. You should be crafting a budget that safeguards Pre-K from any future cuts. There are few things more important to the development of a human being, and by extension, the population of a state, than education.

While I understand that the budget has already been sent to the governor, the citizenry of this state will be watching our elected officials closely. If we find you are making decisions that aren’t in the best interest of the people, we will make our own decision at the ballot box.

Respectfully,

–
Jonathan Sanders

a very concerned Tennessean

To his credit he actually responded.

Dear Jonathan,

I am all for ensuring pre-k education is available to all at-risk students. Beyond that, it comes down to how to best use our money. Every dollar spent on pre-k takes a dollar away from the rest of our educational system such as our K-12 program and Higher Education. I just want to get the best possible return on investment toward the education of our children. In addition, since Pre-K has been established it has always been funded by “non-reoccurring” lottery and general fund dollars. Thanks for your input! 

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.

 

Sincerely,

Ron Ramsey

Certainly, he seems to not comprehend some of the issues. So, I told him so.

While I appreciate your response, you seem to think that the two are separate entities. As if giving to Pre-K necessarily takes away from K-12 and higher education. My position is Pre-K should be linked with the rest of the education department. It is an invaluable precursor to kindergarten that will aid these children for their entire academic careers.

Too many people view Pre-K as a daycare like experience. This is evidenced by the wide range in the education levels of Pre-K teachers. My wife has a Master’s degree from the University of Tennessee. Trust me, she does not do it for the money. She’s basically a paid volunteer. However, she does it because she truly believes in the value of Pre-K, and the potential of the children in her class. I believe in it too, and support her 100%. I truly wish lawmakers could see its value as well.

Pre-K should not be thought of as a luxury. It is an investment that will repay itself tenfold. If we in Tennessee truly value education, then we must champion all levels of education.

–
Jonathan Sanders