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The Equality Herald - East Tennessee's source for LGBT community news |
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Out with the old and in with the old? Backroom deals and nepotism now fully transparent Editor and Publisher Equality Herald
Throughout the process Knox County government recently endured in the wake of the Tennessee State Supreme Court decision upholding the 1994 term limits vote and applying it to our elected officials, I was struck by the brazen disregard for the people and their will as exhibited by local office holders. It seems that democracy is only a good thing when the decision goes in your direction, judging by the flaunting of the people’s will of a sort never before observed by this Knoxvillian. Having been born in this burg and living near or in Knoxville for 44 out of my 54 years, I have had occasion to observe our local government for quite some time. My family has always emphasized the importance of the electoral process and the duty of every eligible citizen to register and vote. After watching these recent shenanigans, I wonder if I should bother. Combine this local fiasco with the questionable Ohio and Florida outcomes in the 2004 and 2008 elections, and you have the makings of the basis for some real cynicism on the part of the voters. We all joke about how “crooked” the government is, but seeing it with your own eyes clears the cobwebs and forces us to reckon with the corruption that is evident in high (and low) places. Backroom deals and nepotism do not a healthy government make, whether you are talking about city, county, state, or federal regimes. Yes, I said “regimes.” When people wrest control of governmental bodies from the people defying the will of the voters, that seems to fit. Article 1, Sec. 1.05. speaks to rights reserved to the people as follows: No provisions of this Charter, and no action by any officer or employee of the County acting under its authority, shall infringe upon rights, privileges and powers now or hereafter reserved or guaranteed to individual persons or to the people by the Constitution of the United States of America or the Constitution of the State of Tennessee. It is a stretch at best and blind faith at worst that could lead the voters to believe that Knox County is a representative government. With all the spouses, children, and various other relatives and chums of the angered outgoing Commissioners and other elected officials, there will not be much need for a family reunion for most of them. They will have one at every County Commission meeting. What does this all have to do with the LGBTQ community? It has lots to do with us. On March 22, 1993, the Knox County Commission passed a resolution stating that we do not need protection from ”discrimination on the basis of affectional or sexual orientation” and that such legislation would provide “an implied approval to an immoral and unacceptable lifestyle.” They go on to say that we already have enough protection and do not need nondiscrimination policies to protect us from discrimination such as that need in employment or housing. The resolution further states that “bestowing legal status as minority citizens is morally offensive to the citizens presently protected by the 1964 Civil Rights Act of 1964.” This law is still on the books, folks. The people that placed it there are, for all practical purposes, still running our local government. If this is satisfactory representation, then I have some great Florida swamp land that you may wish to purchase. Please register to vote. We need new blood in our local, state, and federal governments. We can see to it that no longer should candidates expect to inherit their positions from family members. No longer should it be legal to hire your family, directly or on contract, in order to line your pockets with taxpayer’s money. We need real representation by candidates that are lawfully elected. I do not believe that is too much to ask.
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