Comment Archives: stories: News: City Limits: Last 30 Days
Re: “With marriage equality in Tennessee, a change is gonna come — but sloooowly”
only religious myth believers persecute gays.
Re: “With marriage equality in Tennessee, a change is gonna come — but sloooowly”
@Keith:
Polygamy is a different issue. "Traditional marriage" has historically allowed both polygamy and pedophilia, and if you think that it will be "polyamorous" couples taking advantage of polygamy, you're unusually optimistic. It will be men from conservative cultures marrying much younger women (some states allow marriage at 16) from the same cultures.
Re: “A Nashville man's surprise proposal highlights the optimism surrounding the marriage equality movement”
Such a sweet story!
Re: “A remarkable new oral-history project documents LGBT life before Stonewall in Middle Tennessee”
Real history is not about the Presidents and Generals. Real history is about the people on the ground finding a way through life.
Re: “With marriage equality in Tennessee, a change is gonna come — but sloooowly”
There is no good reason to deny that we must keep evolving until an adult, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, monogamy or polyamory, race, or religion is free to marry any and all consenting adults. The limited same-gender freedom to marry is a great and historic step, but is NOT full marriage equality, because equality "just for some" is not equality. Let's stand up for EVERY ADULT'S right to marry the person(s) they love. Get on the right side of history!
Re: “A Nashville man's surprise proposal highlights the optimism surrounding the marriage equality movement”
My partner and I moved from N Illinois to Nashville 8 yrs ago, thru a job transfer, expecting the South to be very difficult to adjust. As we made more friends, it became more and more our new home.
After 27 yrs together, were anxious to see Illinois pass Marriage Equality we would definitely go back and marry there, with all our ole friends and family's, but of coarse come back and have a gathering here with all our new friends and new family...
Re: “With marriage equality in Tennessee, a change is gonna come — but sloooowly”
Fantastic post Chris and thanks so much for all the difficult and often soul-wrenching work you and others do at TEP. I'm proud to know you and believe you summed it up best on Advancing Equality Day on the Hill..."This is OUR Tennessee too." It is only a matter of time and when that day arrives, you'll see this Tennessean dancing in the street.
Re: “With marriage equality in Tennessee, a change is gonna come — but sloooowly”
I don't know that polling data is as inaccurate in the recording of the question at hand as it is in identifying people that will actually vote. You can think a certain way all you want, but if they (whoever 'they' is/are at the time) get more people to the polls than those who think like you, it won't matter what people thought or felt when the phone rang.
The only poll that ever matters is the one we do in a little booth. Lesson to everyone is do not take pre-election polls for granted - just because your issue or candidate is leading in a poll, someone still has to be elected.
Re: “With marriage equality in Tennessee, a change is gonna come — but sloooowly”
North Carolina had similar polling showing that 54% wanted marriage equality. Yet when the constitutional amendment defining marriage as one man to one woman came to vote last May, the marriage equality people could only muster 38% of the popular vote. This defining amendment was passed 62% to 38%. My message with this story is that polling data is wildly inaccurate on this issue, particularly in the South.
Re: “With marriage equality in Tennessee, a change is gonna come — but sloooowly”
Just remember folks; if you don't agree with your elected officials opinions, beliefs, or voting records, YOU have the power to remove them by VOTING. Get to know your district, local council, representatives and, yes, even senators. These are people who are elected, and supposed, to be representative of the people from where they were elected. They can't claim ignorance if you speak up; email them, call them, write them letters, write them open letters in publications, and invite them to meetings of civic organizations to civil discussion of issues. Don't roll over and say the system is against you if you don't like where it's headed; the small can never truly control the large, the few are FAR outnumbered by the many.
Re: “2013 Nashville Pride Events”
Watch for the Gypsay in the Pink Fedora!
Re: “With marriage equality in Tennessee, a change is gonna come — but sloooowly”
Great post, Chris. We've got a lot of work to do here in Tennessee, but the momentum continues. Thanks for all you do for LGBT people in our state.
Re: “Facing dire poverty statistics and a series of civic slights, North Nashville demands attention”
>>that locks up massively disproportionate levels of minorities<<
How about they actually ABIDE by the law rather than become criminals, thugs & gangbangers? Gee, what a novel concept, eh?
Re: “Facing dire poverty statistics and a series of civic slights, North Nashville demands attention”
@Brendan O'Connor: Minorities commit massively disproportionate amounts of the crimes. Considering that most criminals get away with many crimes before they ever do jail time, I too would say the system is flawed. Half of young black men will be arrested for criminal activity. These young black men are a blight on their race and their communities and it is racial cowards/bullies such as yourself, who keep making excuses for their bad behavior, who are partly to blame. You condone criminal activity because of skin color. It is easy not to break the law...or does that make too much sense? You think you're doing blacks a favor with your attitude? Here's a link to Bill Cosby and his take on the situation. You might learn something. In fact, it should be required reading for all white liberals. Skip the first couple of paragraphs about smoking and health issues if you want. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedc…
Re: “Facing dire poverty statistics and a series of civic slights, North Nashville demands attention”
Take a read of this bobsguns to weigh how much we should trust the equity of a system that locks up massively disproportionate levels of minorities, creating the felons you seem sure are so deeply flawed:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michelle-ale…
Re: “Facing dire poverty statistics and a series of civic slights, North Nashville demands attention”
Futhering my argument is the "esteemed" EEOC. I'll quote from today's fishwrap Tennessean:
"In a civil lawsuit filed in Chicago on Tuesday, the federal agency said the Goodlettsville, Tenn.-based retailer has “engaged in ongoing, nationwide race discrimination against black applicants” for nearly a decade.
The suit contends the company’s practice of using criminal background checks disproportionally affects blacks, who have higher arrest and conviction rates than whites.
“Dollar General’s criminal background check process is structured to foster a safe and healthy environment for its employees, its customers and to protect its assets in a lawful, reasonable and non-discriminatory manner,” the company said.
The suits are the first since the EEOC revised guidelines last year that included urging employers to stop asking about past convictions on job applications and allow applicants to explain past criminal conduct before they are rejected."
So, NEVER mind an applicant is a convicted felon, NEVER mind an applicant might be a convicted drug dealer, the EEOC wants Dollar Gen to STILL hire them!
Re: “Facing dire poverty statistics and a series of civic slights, North Nashville demands attention”
"Your personal experiences aren't necessarily representative of the neighborhood."
Yeah, what was *I* thinking that 30+ years of interaction with the locals would count for knowing them. Glad you could set me straight on that, eh?
"Pearl Cohn has a drop out problem and underpeforma city schools in English but its students outperformed the suburban high schools in math last year."
I believe if you'll go back & check you'll find out it wasn't their general student body whom did the English honors. I believe it was the magnet mini-school students who scored that.
Re: “Facing dire poverty statistics and a series of civic slights, North Nashville demands attention”
Your personal experiences aren't necessarily representative of the neighborhood. Pearl Cohn has a drop out problem and underpeforma city schools in English but its students outperformed the suburban high schools in math last year. It's not black and white.
Re: “Facing dire poverty statistics and a series of civic slights, North Nashville demands attention”
>>Is it because the district is comparatively poor<<
Somewhat, but mostly via personal, firsthand experience. I have worked in North Nashville off & on for around30 years now. I see firsthand the idiots who cannot hold a simple job, the idiots who REFUSE to put down the drug pipe and/or malt liquor bottle in order to become gainfully employed.
I also point out that the highest % of HS dropouts are located (guess where?) in this same exact area. I could also point out the highest % of convicted felons are (guess where?) also in this same area. I could also point out that the highest % of single mom families are located (guess where?) in this area.
But pointing out all this stuff gets me accused of being "racist" because it's clear that it's whitey holding the black man down..............
Re: “A remarkable new oral-history project documents LGBT life before Stonewall in Middle Tennessee”
As a lesbian in the mid 80's in Nashville I understand completely the atmosphere described here. I lost my child in an ugly custody battle with my ex-husband and my family because of my "affliction". I'm so happy that these days I can hold hands with my partner in a restaurant. We live in East Nashville so that helps. I look forward to reading this history. Bravo to the author!