What About Us?

Franklin High School’s mascot is a colonel and if you wonder if he is a Confederate - the school colors of blue and grey, fight song “Dixie” and the depiction of the bars and stars of the battle flag on the school seal make it obvious. Their mascot is a rebel against the United States to maintain slavery and a rebel against an order to desegregate schools, so no wonder African-American students and alumnae have asked for decades to have these symbols of oppression and exclusion removed. Guest Shanae Williams knows her history, and so do the hearts of community members who have signed a petition for change (change.org/changeFCHS). How will they fare with the county school board and conservative residents in this time of sustained desire to end to systemic racism in all its forms?

What About Us? is honored to be a part of the TN Holler Podcast Network.

What if we studied a truer version of history, with all its failed and bloody battles, gruesome beatings, lynching, slavery and theft of land from Native Americans? Would we be a better nation, a better people?  Dr. John Willis, professor of Southern History at the University of the South tells a true story of what residents of a rural Tennessee town experienced in the lawless conditions late in the Civil War.

The TN budget was cut by $1 billion in June due to reduced revenue from the COVID 19 and financial crises.  The rainy day fund and Gov Lee's pet voucher program are  "safe" but public school teachers and schoolchildren were kicked to the side of the curb. But public school teachers and children were kicked to the side of the road again. State Senate candidate for District 14 Chase Clemons discusses how rural Tennessee values for quality education are not shared by our representatives in the General Assembly.

Candidate for State Senate District 16 Sheila Younglove talks about how TN policies affect the lives of mothers and women in the state. From unspent federal dollars for temporary assistance, high rates of gun violence against women, refusal to expand Medicaid, or even post-partum benefits, the health and safety of women is not a priority for our legislators.

Dr. Susan Andrews, Medical Director of Beersheba Springs Medical Clinic in underserved Grundy County laments the sluggish national and state responses to the Covid 19 and economic crises. The least Tennesseans can do is wear a mask, social distance and avoid gatherings. Why can’t many even do that?

A Black American died under a policeman's knee on May 25 and the country said "enough".  Will we as rural Tennesseans say enough as well?  For over 150 years, the uplifting of symbols and leaders of a lost Civil War defined the South but now we have to choose how we define our future.

Are we anti-abortion, pro-choice, or pro-life? It's an issue we have debated, fought over with cruelty and violence, and divided ourselves over at least since Roe vs. Wade in 1973.  Why, when we all agree that life is precious? What does it truly mean to be pro-life?

Refugee policy from the US to a rural Tennessee county government.

What is a virus, why is hand washing so important, and aren't vaccines dangerous too?  You've heard what to do to prevent coronavirus but why? Dr. John Palisano is a biologist with experience in studying viruses and will give us the science and history of viruses and tell us what we can do to protect ourselves.

Dr. Jon Evans, Botanist at the University of the South reminds us that we need to know about science in order to demand legislation that reflects our values-like clean water. The Clean Water Act of 1972 and other environmental policies are rapidly being rolled back. Is a dirty planet what we want?