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Rep. Justin Pearson and two other Democratic state legislators – now being called the “Tennessee Three” after their involvement in a House protest that has triggered an ouster move by Republicans – are getting mounting support.

Pearson, along with Democratic Reps. Gloria Johnson and Justin Jones face possible expulsion for taking to the front of the House and chanting back and forth with gun control supporters, who packed the gallery days after The Covenant School shooting in Nashville that killed six people, including three children.

House Speaker Cameron Sexton, a Republican, quickly promised the lawmakers would face consequences, warning he would not allow them to set a new precedent for breaking decorum.

Three Republicans members filed resolutions to expel Johnson, Jones and Pearson and successfully set the deciding vote for Thursday.

In Memphis, a caravan of supporters was set to head for the state capitol early Thursday morning.

Pearson and Jones are both first-term lawmakers. Johnson has served in the House since 2019 after previously being elected to the chamber for a term in 2013. All three have been highly critical of GOP leadership.

In a released statement, the Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators voiced its objection to “any effort to expel members for making their voices heard to end gun violence. This political retribution is unconstitutional and, in this moment, morally bankrupt.”

The Caucus statement also included this reference:

“The people who elected us are calling for meaningful action to end gun violence and the people have a right to be heard through their duly elected representatives. The House Speaker should be leading a real, bipartisan discussion to generate reforms that could stop the next school shooting.”

House Minority Leader Karen Camper described her Democratic colleagues’ actions as “good trouble,” a nod to late U.S. Rep. John Lewis’ guiding principle on civil disobedience.

“When I saw thousands of people – mostly children and teenagers – protesting and demanding action from us after the slaying of six innocent people, including three 9-year-old children, it was impossible to sit idly by and continue with business as usual,” Pearson wrote in a letter to House members on Monday.

House Democrats, who number just 23 vs. 75 Republicans, say the GOP is more eager to take action against colleagues than address gun access and other systemic issues that led to the fatal shooting in Nashville.

In Memphis, students have been demanding action, with some walking out.

The Rev. Dr. Earle J. Fisher, founder of UPTheVote 901, voiced support for growing efforts to back Pearson, Johnson and Jones and those calling on the lawmakers to act affirmatively to curb gun violence.

“It is the people responding to the ridiculous and regressive white nationalist congressional supermajority,” he said. “They seek to expel duly elected congressional officials for exercising their duly protected First Amendment right to protest. It’s only right that the people show up, stand up and speak up in support of Pearson, Jones and Johnson.

“In fact, if the expulsion passes in a completely partisan vote, the entire Black Democratic Caucus should protest on the House floor and force them to expel them all.”

Deidre Malone, president of the National Women’s Political Caucus Tennessee, noted that Johnson is the group’s past president.

“These three advocated for gun reform and school safety issues as elected officials,” said Malone in a statement. “Their constituents voted for them to go to Nashville to represent their interest. The legislature should NOT remove them from office for doing what they were elected to do: be the voice of those they represent.”

She said the trio’s voices should be heard and called upon the House to “act in the best interest of this state’s residents and make gun reform and school safety a priority.”

Gloria Sweet-Love, president of the State NAACP Conference, said, “These elected officials are doing their jobs advocating for gun reform laws in our state. These laws continue to put us all in danger. …

“The NAACP State Conference stands with these elected officials and are asking residents across the state of Tennessee to call and email the Leader Sexton and ask him to rescind his efforts….”

Congressman Steve Cohen, a former state senator, said he understands “the need for compliance with rules in a legislative body. But I would hope that the Tennessee House leadership would consider a lesser consequence for members whose passion on the issue of gun violence in the wake of the Covenant School shootings may have briefly clouded their concern for decorum.”

In his released statement, Cohen added that the expulsion of Pearson,  Johnson and Jones would result in “the disenfranchisement of their constituents in Memphis, Knoxville and Nashville who voted for them, and result in the unnecessary expense of primary and general elections. While I appreciate that order must be maintained in a legislative chamber, the heightened emotions prompted by the horrific Covenant School shootings should be a mitigating factor in any disciplinary response.”

If Johnson, Jones or Pearson are expelled, the county commissions in their districts would get to pick replacements to serve until a special election in several months. The three would remain eligible to run in those.

(This story includes a report by the Associated Press.)

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

For 30 years, the Tennessee Tribune and its publisher Rosetta Miller-Perry have set the standard for news covering Nashville and beyond.

During a sold-out celebration on Sunday, December 5, Miller-Perry, the trailblazing 2019 National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, captured another high honor.

“Yes, the 30th anniversary of the Tennessee Tribune certainly has to be celebrated here in Nashville, but this is global,” NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. declared to the hundreds gathered at the Lighthouse on the Lake in Hendersonville.

“As of this day, we claim [Miller-Perry] as the Queen Mother of the Black Press of America,” Dr. Chavis exclaimed as the crowd rose to its collective feet, responding with a thunderous ovation of approval.

The crowd featured several notable dignitaries, including NNPA Chair Karen Carter Richards, Houston Forward Times Associate Editor Jeffrey Boney, Tennessee State University President Dr. Glenda Glover, Nashville Mayor Jim Cooper, and U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.).

Ambassador and Gospel Legend Dr. Bobby Jones served as the introduction speaker, while Dr. Chavis provided the keynote address.

“This is a tremendous honor for me to celebrate with Rosetta Perry,” Dr. Glover told NNPA Newswire.

“We’re so pleased to have someone so courageous and eager to assist in making things right here in Nashville. We really appreciate her because she’s such an institution here and throughout the state of Tennessee.”

In November, The Tennessee Tribune, which opened a store in the Nashville Airport, remains as integral today as it was when it began 30 years ago, Dr. Jones asserted.

“Perhaps even more so,” Dr. Jones remarked.

“The impact of health disparities, the educational gap, and the voting rights are among the other critical concerns that this wonderful media piece has exposed in our city,” Dr. Jones continued.

“The Tennessee Tribune is pressing on and still here, and we want it to be that way for a long time.”

A longtime supporter of the Tribune, Mayor John Cooper, called Miller-Perry “a force of nature.”

“She began as a pioneer in the industry, and she’s been speaking the truth no matter what,” Mayor Cooper stated. “That’s why, 30 years later, her words speak to our conscious. She advocates passionately for the future of our city, for affordable housing, for HBCUs, for our communities, and for us to have a better city.”

The Tribune reaches more than 150,000 readers with its unique perspective on the issues and concerns of African Americans.

The weekly newspaper has become a lifeline for many who desire the unvarnished truth. It also provides a window into the historical life of Miller-Perry.

She joined the U.S. Navy in 1954, and Miller-Perry supported the Civil Rights Movement and joined Dr. Martin Luther King in marches from Selma to Washington.

As a federal observer for the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, Miller-Perry arrived in Memphis during the 1968 sanitation workers strike when an assassin’s bullet cut down Dr. King.

She remained in government service until she started the Tribune in 1991.

Determined to bring a Black perspective and speak truth to power, Miller-Perry remained steadfast in operating the Tribune even after banks repeatedly turned down her loan requests.

“I’ve been in this business for 30 years, and it was tough,” Miller-Perry insisted.

“Many times I’ve had to fight with advertisers, and one time, it almost broke me,” she said.

Miller-Perry relayed a story of integrity and activism when Sen. Barack Obama sought the presidency in 2007.

“When Obama ran for office, I was so naïve that I went and got the names of every unregistered Black voter in the city of Nashville, and I had the nerve to print those names,” she recalled.

“I had a company that paid us over $100,000 a year to advertise, and I banked on that [money],” she continued.

“We had to bank on that to print, and they closed me down. [However], when they did that, another company came and paid the same amount. Eventually, the other company came back to us, but it has been a struggle for all Black newspapers.”

Miller-Perry said there’s a quintessential lesson all Black-owned newspapers must learn.

“We have to struggle together,” she declared. “I’ve never in my life said it’s about me. Everything I’ve done in this city is to help other people. I didn’t open the news store just for me. I’m 87 years old, and if I haven’t made any money, I’m not going to make any now. So, we’ve got to be together.”

Tennessee Tribune Staff Report

When Gracie Rosenberger was 17 years old, she was in a terrible car accident that shattered a large percentage of the bones in her body. Multiple amputations, 80 surgeries, and 35 years later, she has spent a lifetime working to recover from that tragic accident. In lieu of spending her time feeling sorry for herself, she prefers to spend time helping others who are experiencing challenges similar to her own.

For the last eight years, Gracie’s health issues have forced her to stay close to home to fight her battle. During that time, surgeries, pain medications and infections were a constant challenge. But, she relates, “Step by step, my health has improved. While my pain remains relentless and I can no longer stand up straight, I am coping better. The infections and inactivity took a bit of steam out of me, while also leading to significant weight gain. With the help of quality prosthetics and a clearer mind, I started walking. In three years, I’ve dropped a lot of weight and am working to get back in shape. While not where I want to be and still in a great deal of pain, I have a different outlook and perspective.”

Though Gracie is a strong woman, Gracie’s husband Peter is always there to offer his support. He has been her caregiver since their marriage 32 years ago – and he is the co-founder of their non-profit simply called Standing With Hope. 

Their shared mission is to help others “stand with hope.” How do they accomplish this? Standing With Hope has two program areas: a family caregiver outreach and a prosthetic limb ministry to help others an ocean away. Through Standing with Hope’s prosthetic limb program, the Rosenbergers regularly work with Ghana Health Service in the Republic of Ghana. Recruiting volunteer US prosthetists and gathering and purchasing supplies, Standing With Hope trains and equips local workers to help build quality prosthetic limbs for their own people. This is a huge undertaking but the results are well worth all the work. “When you see the looks on their faces, you know this is the right thing,” says Peter.

This ministry is strenuous for Gracie, and she’s not been able to visit Ghana in eight years due to surgeries and setbacks. But once again, she is back on her own two prosthetic feet, and she is happy to return to Ghana with her team in August 2018.

The overseas prosthetic limb outreach has local ties as well. Through a unique partnership, inmates at a local correctional facility administered by Green Hills based Core Civic, volunteer to disassemble used prosthetic limbs collected around the country.

“While the socket of a prosthetic limb is custom made for the patient, the adapters, connecters, feet, pylons, knee units, and even screws can be recyclable.” Peter shares.

For seven years, inmates have helped recycle these valuable components which are then shipped free of charge to Ghana Health Service.

Core Civic’s managing director of communications Steve Owen stated, “Faith-based programs like Standing With Hope serve as a wonderful outlet for inmates at our facilities. Standing With Hope is unique in that it is the only program of its kind to incorporate inmates with recycling prosthetic limbs.” He further added, “Our commitment is to provide a variety of positive programs that help reduce recidivism. We’re proud of Standing With Hope’s prosthetic limb recycling ministry and the way it instills a sense of community service, pride and compassion in all the inmates who participate.”

The other program of Standing With Hope works to strengthen the family caregiver. Gracie inspires many with her incredible strength, talented singing voice and phenomenal will to overcome the challenges of each day. Alongside Gracie, Peter works to offer hope for the caregiver via his nationally syndicated radio show and his numerous books. Gracie and Peter’s determination to survive and thrive with the challenges facing them have been an inspiration to many. Many celebrities have come alongside the Rosenbergers, doing all they can to help further their mission to help those in need. Comedian Jeff Foxworthy partnered with Peter in a video helping to support family caregivers entitled…you guessed it… “You Might Be A Caregiver If…”

The Rosenberger’s mission has also inspired other celebrities and well-known individuals. Legendary Contemporary Christian artist Amy Grant and Joe Bonsall of the Oakridge Boys have both endorsed Peter’s book “Hope for the Caregiver.” Fellow decades-long caregiver Ken Tada wrote the foreword that draws upon his 30 years of caring for his wife and well-known speaker and author Joni Eareckson Tada through her journey of quadriplegia.

Despite their own ongoing challenges, the Rosenbergers remain enthusiastic about their dual mission of “ministering to the wounded and those who care for them.” Their deep Christian faith fuels their passion. “We received support and help from many along our own painful journey,” reflects Peter.  “We’d be poor stewards of that grace if we didn’t extend it in a meaningful way to others.”

“Gracie understands the value of quality prosthetic limbs, and I understand the need for caregivers to be healthy—in every area of their life,” Peter added. “We both equally understand the importance of the message of God’s love and provisions for us in our difficulties.  As the hymn states, ‘Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.’”

Peter and Gracie Rosenberger live in Nashville, Tennessee, where they have raised two amazing sons and a dog named Mac. Gracie Rosenberger is co-founder of the non-profit “Standing With Hope” and director of the Ghanaian Limb Program. Peter Rosenberger is a 30-year caregiver, host of his syndicated radio talk show “Hope for the Caregiver” and author of the books “Hope for the Caregiver” and “7 Caregiver Landmines.”  For more photos and information on Standing With Hope and their mission, visit www.standingwithhope.com

A tender moment with Gracie Rosenberger, left, co-founder of Standing With Hope, and Abu before Gracie and the prosthetic limb team get to work treating amputees. This is Gracie’s vision following the loss of her own legs. All photos courtesy of “Standing With Hope”

Gracie with Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare, Director General of Ghana Health Service. That’s the equivalent of their Sec. of Health and Human Services

The moment you realize you’ll walk again after losing your leg.

Gracie, left, with Abraham in Ghana – talking with him about fitting his prosthetic limb.

Gracie Rosenberger, left, co-founder of Standing With Hope, with Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare, Director General of Ghana Health Service.

Many young people are also in need of prosthetic limbs. This is a fulfilling result of the Standing For Hope program.

Standing With Hope is an ongoing dream and mission – but today… our mission is complete.

This article originally appeared in The Tennessee Tribune.

By Peter White

NASHVILLE, TN — Because of an $8.7 million budget shortfall, the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) is raising fares and cutting 8 bus routes. Regular bus fare will increase from $1.70 to $2.  WeGo’s door to door paratransit service will increase from $3.40 to $3.70 per trip. The fare increases will go into effect August 2. Route changes will occur in late September.

Magnetic stripe change and fare cards will be in use until December 2020. WeGo will then switch to stored value fare cards which are like EBT debit cards. So-called smart media will automatically provide a two-hour transfer. Buses will still accept cash but no longer sell tickets in order to speed up boarding times.

The bottom line is that bus riders will pay more for less service. At a board meeting last week, the MTA directors decided to cut its two free downtown circular routes, and instead will ferry commuters from the Music City Star train station to a few downtown stops. The part of Route 29 which goes down Jefferson Street to TSU will be retained but cost a normal fare.

The increased fares will bring in an extra $300,000 and that will keep Sunday service on the 25 Midtown route. It will also allow expanded service on Routes 8 and 17 on 8th Avenue South. Other changes are listed at WeGo’s website: nashvillemta.org.

“I think it’s going to be a transit crisis. A lot of people have limited funds who are depending on the buses to get to work or hospitals,” said Kutonia Smith, MCR spokesperson.

About 100 Music City Riders rallied in front of the central bus terminal on Tuesday, June 18, and marched to City Hall in support of a substitute budget that would have raised teachers’ wages, continued certain bus routes, and extended hours of operation. The city council failed to pass that budget by one vote forcing the cutbacks to Metro’s bus service.

“We need a new mayor who’s for the Nashville workers,” Smith said. “We don’t feel like the ones who are here are for the people so they need to be replaced. They’re not for the Nashvillians who live here. They’re just for the tourists,” she said. 

“The riders union is consistently and regularly raising hell about these things, as they should. And they have been focused where they should be focused—on the council and the Mayor,” said Walter Searcy. Searcy is a MTA board member and chairs MTA’s operations and finance committee.

“The access ride community is really is bus dependent. They come out to these meetings. You can expect that they will be well-represented,” Searcy said. 

MTA’s paratransit service uses smaller buses for people with disabilities and the elderly who are picked up from their homes. About 100 people attended the MTA board meeting on Thursday, June 27 at Music City Center. About 25 bus riders took three minutes at the microphone to address the five-member MTA board.

Rhonda Clark is glad the on-demand service won’t be cancelled. “You can‘t go anywhere in this town for $2. You can’t go anywhere in this town for $4. You can sit in traffic and waste $2 in gas,” Clark said. Clark is okay with paying a bit more to get where she wants to go and back again when she wants to return. She has lived in Nashville for 23 years.

“Nashville is one three cities out of the 40 largest cities in the country that does not have a dedicated funding stream for mass transit,” Searcy said. That means MTA does a yearly dance adjusting fares and services, as well as its workforce, from its piece of Metro’s operating budget.

“Future growth requires predictable and reliable funding to sustain the services we provide to our communities. This year’s budget only further serves to highlight the need for a long-term, dedicated funding source for transit, one that relieves pressure on a Metro General Fund budget crucial to so many community priorities,” said Steve Bland, WeGo Public Transit CEO. 

This article originally appeared in The Tennessee Tribune. 

By The Tennessee Tribune

Mrs. Rosetta Miller Perry, a long-time Civil Rights activist has been named the recipient of the 2019 Tennessee Human Rights Commission’s Jocelyn D. Wurzburg Civil Rights Legacy Award.  The award was presented, Friday, July 19, 2019 at 11:30 a.m. at the Supreme Court Chamber of the Tennessee Capitol.

This award is named in honor of Jocelyn D. Wurzburg of Memphis who has a long history of volunteer civil rights accomplishments, advocating for equity, equality and non-discrimination. She served on the Tennessee Human Rights Board of Commissioners on two occasions— in 1971 and again in 2007. During that time, she began extensive work and research to write the model for the Tennessee Human Rights Act, which she continued to promote after her first term.  In 1978 her actions were responsible for transforming the Tennessee Human Rights Commission from an advisory to an enforcement organization. The very first Wurzburg Award was presented to Jocelyn for her continued efforts in civil rights and women’s rights.

The Jocelyn D. Wurzburg Civil Rights Legacy Award is given to individuals who have demonstrated long term advocacy to human rights. Beverly Watts, Executive Director of the Tennessee Human Rights Commission said, “Award recipients are selected because his or her life’s work embodies the ideals and principles of inclusion, equity, equality, access and diversity and Mrs. Rosetta Miller Perry exemplifies those characteristics. Mrs. Miller Perry stated that she had worked with  Ms. Wurzburg when she was a member of the Tennessee State Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights and she was a field investigator.  She said Ms. Wurzburgh was always there in Memphis working to better relations within the community and state then and now and she is deeply humble to receive this award from a person she has always for more than 50 years.   The Tennessee Human Rights Commission Board of Commissioners selected Mrs. Perry as a recipient of this award because of her dedication and leadership in cultivating more inclusive and equitable communities,” Watts added.

The Board of Commissioners will hold its Commission meeting to discuss the goals of the Commission for the 2020 fiscal year on that day, Friday, July 19, 2019, and to publicly recognize Mrs. Perry and her outstanding work. 

Mrs. Perry, is the founder and publisher of the Tennessee Tribune newspaper, which has operated for more than 25 years.  Additionally, she served a Field Coordinator of the Equal Opportunity Commission and worked in pivotal roles in Nashville and Memphis during the 1960’s Civil Rights era.  Her work has been chronicled in various publications, including the book, A Spy in Canaan: How the FBI Used a Famous Photographer to Infiltrate the Civil Rights Movement by Marc Perrusquia.

For more information, contact Veronica McGraw at 615.253.1608 at the Tennessee Human Rights Commission.

This article originally appeared in The Tennessee Tribune. 

By Rosetta Miller Perry

For over 25 years the Tennessee Tribune has proudly chronicled the good things happening in North Nashville and across our city, region and state. Over that time we’ve not ignored or tried to pretend that ugly, vile things weren’t also occurring, and when necessary we stood up and identified them. But we’ve always spent a lot more time emphasizing the good things, celebrating the accomplishments, and noting the firsts and breakthroughs than we have reporting about the negative and backward elements that remain in our midst.

But sometimes we have to stand up and say there are certain things that must be eradicated and eliminated if Nashville is ever going to truly be the kind of place that deserves to be branded the “It City.” It has be the kind of place where people both in and out of power publicly let it be known certain views are not welcome in our midst, and that any and all forms of bigotry and hatred will not be tolerated. Whatever you may think as a private citizen is your business, but if you espouse hatred, racism, sexism, any form of religious bigotry or homophobia, you speak for yourself, and do not represent the Nashville that we want to see and celebrate.

Some of the reaction last week to Zulfat Suara’s candidacy for Metro Council should be an embarrassment to any and all Nashville citizens who claim they believe in human dignity, equal justice and Civil Rights. The fact that a Nigerian woman who also happens to be a Muslim has decided to run for public office is apparently too much for the bigots, racists, and just plain morons to handle. Never mind she has the perfect legal right to run for public office,. or that she’s entitled to do so as a citizen of this city. The bigots are out in force, with comments like “You will never, ever be on Metro Nashville Council. I am on a personal mission to stop it and make sure it does not happen. I will make sure of it.  I’ve got your picture. I’ve got your face. and everyone is going to know to not vote for you.”

Or this piece of brilliant advocacy from another enlightened soul who says “Just like Christian’s (sic) in your home country, Muslims are not welcome here.” Suara’s home nation of Nigeria has more Christians than any other African nation, but of course this idiot either doesn’t know or doesn’t care about that fact. Suara is also dealing with people stealing or damaging her campaign signs. While she’s alerted law enforcement about these threats, she’s  going to continue her campaign, and the Tennessee Tribune says to her “don’t let the racists and bigots drive you out.”

Stephanie Teatro, who co-directs the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition and its political arm — TIRRC Votes, which recently endorsed Suara — said in a Nashville Scene article that Muslims, immigrants and Black women face a backlash when they decide to step up and run for public office. “Zulfat happens to be all three,” she said. So she wasn’t surprised that Suara is facing major harassment as she seeks one of five at-large Metro Council seats.  “The only way we’re going to get to the other side of this political moment where people feel emboldened to be so hateful is to have effective and capable leaders like Zulfat,” Teatro added. “The most powerful rebuke to any of these xenophobic activists is for her to win a countywide election.”

The Tribune commends Suara for trying to remain positive. “For every bad comment, there’s 1,000 positive comments,: she has said. “For every nasty encounter — someone looking at me funny — there’s 100 more that have embraced me.” “I truly want to give back to this city, and I believe I have the means to do that. Nashville has been very welcoming. I hope that those that have never met me will not let a few people make them unwelcoming. I hope people will stand up and say, ‘This is not our Nashville.’ ”

We stand solidly behind her, and defend her right to run for Metro Council, and we also ask where is the public condemnation of these actions by those in power? Silence by implication is agreement, and while we don’t think the vast majority of people in power in Nashville back this type of vicious hatred, there should be unanimous and widespread response to it. Don’t let the voices of hatred and bigotry seem to be consensus by not responding. You don’t have to be a supporter of Suara to condemn the ignorant and bigoted response she’s gotten from that segment of the population that hates anyone who isn’t white, male, and fits their definition of an American. 

The Tribune doesn’t think those comments represent the Nashville we know and love. But they represent voices in Nashville we’ve been battling against throughout our existence. These are people who repeatedly try to  marginalize the voices of women, of Blacks and other people of color as well as the poor. They want to keep things the way they were centuries ago. These people know that in 2019 their views aren’t considered tolerable, so they mostly keep them to themselves, at least until something or someone comes along that brings them out of the sewers where they normally reside. This time it’s the Metro Council candidacy of Zulfat Suara. Tomorrow it may be something else.

But we say enough, and we also say let everyone who’s sick of this kind of bigoted nonsense speak out against it, and let these people know they not only don’t run anything, but they can’t decide who can run for political office based on their bigoted reading of the law. It’s just a matter of simple justice and fairness. Best wishes to Zulfat Suara, and be strong. There are lots of good people out here behind you.

This article originally appeared in The Tennessee Tribune.