Forgiving Mark Nashi?

Written by Angelina Taramona and Willa Smith

With the recent controversy involving Governor Mark Nashi, many Tennesseans are conflicted on whether or not they should forgive him given comments made by him on Saturday, March 2nd. The 71st Capitol Governor was quoted saying “I don’t care about Tennesseans, I just want my devices back.” When this comment was addressed during the March 3rd press conference, Nashi stated that his comment was taken out of context as he also added that the comment “slipped” during a moment of high stress. When asked about the extent to which he cared for his devices, the Governor gave a reason as he stated that his devices were necessary to access important programs and contacts to handle the “dam crisis”. The Governor and his commissioner’s devices were able to be accessed again after paying a $7 billion ransom and investigation fee, which the governor noted was necessary for gaining access to his devices again. 

Other comments were also made by his cabinet, one made by Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance Taylor Perry saying “I don’t care how cold they are, give them a box.” When asked about this comment, Perry stated that she only claimed the first portion of the comment, and any additions of the “box” were not made by Perry, of which Nashi stated that “the box” was a metaphor for a place of shelter for the 228,000 Tennesseans who had lost power. Both commissioners stated that they just felt “so passionately” and their emotions were “so high” that there was just no other way to proclaim their compassion for the affected Tennesseans. 

During the conference, another comment made by the Commissioner of Corrections in solution for Tennesseans in East Tennessee without shelter stated “Put them in the Bass Pro Shops pyramid”, in response the commissioner, a Memphis native, stated that the West Tennessee outdoor wonderland was the only and best place to house the unfortunate Tennesseans. Governor Nashi responded by saying that his cabinet and himself were looking through catalogs of malls, hotels, and schools and that the glass pyramid was just an option that came up. 

The Governor was even asked to resign by Tennessee mayor, Mayor Warren L. Gooch of Oak Ridge. However, when asked about this resignation during the press conference, he responded that “[he] would not resign and [he] will never back down.” Mayor Gooch even had hundreds of protesters surrounding his house, however no help from the National Guard was given to the Mayor, yet the Guard was deployed to “help direct people to shelter” although volunteers were already helping the distressed citizens.

Now we must ask ourselves during the final day of this conference, is this who we want leading Tennessee and is this who we want representing our state? Nashi proclaims himself over and over again to be a strong leader, yet is he strong enough to overcome crises and his own naïveté?

When we attempted to ask the Governor’s cabinet for comment, they called the Press Corps “Our Opps.”

Not Just a Dam Problem: A Not So Brief Recap of Last Night’s Midnight Crisis

Written by Alianna Jones

Last night, I had the honor of attending and doing a bit of press mischief at the Midnight Crisis. Governor Mark Nashi and his cabinet seemed quite confident going into the event, hoping to put their brains and extra money in the budget together to be done in 30 minutes. Spoiler alert: they were not, in fact, done in 30 minutes. So strap in because this whole meeting was a long and wild ride.

All seemed to be going well until we were informed of a sudden emergency. The Fontana Dam, located in North Carolina, which provides power to around 228,000 Tennesseans had ceased to function unexpectedly. The dam reported no signs of physical damage and had been operating normally just before. To make the situation worse, temperatures were dropping, on their way to freezing, and the hundreds of thousands of citizens without power would not be able to keep warm. 

The team launched themselves into research, trying to find out all they could about how they could get the dam back online. Some questionably helpful ideas about how to help the powerless citizens were also thrown out at this time, with some notable options being building fires fueled by cash to keep people warm or simply “blankets.” 

As the research progressed, speculation about the cause of the dam’s failure arose. Some thought that there could be unnoticed damage, while others suggested that overtopping had occurred, causing water to rise over the dam. Governor Nashi believed that the reason for the failure was a cyberattack, citing the lack of physical damage and the suddenness of the entire situation.

Governor Cab had a strong idea of what might have caused the dam to fail, so they decided to shift their focus toward helping the affected people. They started looking into solutions like temporary housing to provide immediate assistance. However, their plans were disrupted when the mayor of Oak Ridge, Mayor Gooch, informed Governor Nashi that the outage was caused by a ransomware attack. To make matters worse, they discovered that the source of the attack was an email sent by Chief of Staff Ella Kate Harris, which Governor Nashi had opened.

The attackers demanded a hefty sum of 75 billion dollars to halt the cyberattack. They promised to restore control over the Fontana Dam and power to the affected Tennesseans if 35 billion dollars were paid immediately. However, the cabinet discovered that they could not afford to buy their way out of this attack. They decided to focus on cybersecurity and work towards shutting down the attack. 

Up until this moment, I had been taking note of the action of the cabinet, already constructing my story. Unfortunately, the cyberattack had another nasty surprise in store: it was about to take down all the cellular devices in the room. I was left without my trusty notes page and voice memos filled with quotes and observations from the meeting; I would have to resort to stolen paper and a pen I scavenged from the ground, truly a modern journalist’s worst nightmare.

More importantly, the devices of all the commissioners, the chief of staff, and the Governor no longer worked, bringing all research and planning to a halt. We were informed that the attacker(s) demanded 7 billion dollars to regain the use of the devices. This left Governor Cab in a dilemma over whether it was wise to pay the ransom or to prioritize the needs of the people of Tennessee who were facing power outages. During this period of frustration and stress, Governor Nashi began making statements such as “I don’t care about Tennesseans, I just want my devices back.” (It should be noted that the Governor has since attempted to explain these comments.) Several commissioners pointed out how sending money to the attacker(s) to get their devices back might be a bad look, especially with Tennesseans without power or access to emergency communications. While locked in this debate, Gov Cab considered other possible methods of communication but eventually decided that sending out homing pigeons was not viable and that it would be in their best interest to buy back access to their devices.

“Maybe the real 7 billion was the friends we made along the way.”

Hunter Bailey, Commissioner of Human Resources 

The Governor and his team declared a level two state of emergency after the power outage affected a large number of people. They hoped to receive 40 million in funds from FEMA to assist. However, the application for federal assistance was denied, and they decided to look for other options. 

An update came in: the people affected by the outage are freezing and protests are beginning to form, demanding action be taken by their mayor, Warren Gooch of Oak Ridge, who was requesting advice from the Governor as to what should be done. They did not advise the mayor and returned to researching possible shelters, planning to use emergency shelters in schools across Oak Ridge with volunteers to help guide people to the shelters. The National Guard was also called in, assigned to aid in the transportation and guiding efforts into the shelters. 

Governor Nashi then received a call, in which he was informed that Mayor Gooch had begun calling for his resignation, and that people were angered by the comments that I and the rest of the press had published. Oops (we’re not sorry.) The cabinet then decided to follow up their previous controversial statements with even more, with one commissioner crying out, “Let them be cold, just give them a box,” when stressed about the potential costs of running emergency shelters. Finally, the cabinet has begun to take real action, finding suitable shelter for citizens and funding several programs—SNAP, WIC, and Medicaid—by executive order, completely bypassing the legislative branch.
Despite this, the dam remained without power and emergency communications were down for over two hours. When a commissioner was made aware of the potential danger for citizens without access to emergency services like 911, they admitted to having forgotten about it. 

Finally, after a long night of effort, pizza, and yelling, a second application for federal aid was approved, and FEMA assistance got power back to Fontana Dam and emergency communications functions. Governor Nashi issued a press statement, in which he explained the actions taken by the team to solve this crisis, and tried to make amends for the comments made by himself and his cabinet, claiming that they were “taken out of context.”

We eagerly await the Governor’s next moves as he deals with Mayor Gooch’s call for his resignation, a government proven to be vulnerable to cyber attacks, and citizens outraged over the funding of controversial programs without input from the House and Senate. 

Who Are All These Statues in the Capitol?

Written by Matthew Zaremba

Brass statues line the halls of the capitol building. Obviously, these guys are important, but who are they? Figures like Andrew Jackson and David Crockett are recognizable, but names such as Sampson Keeble and Cordell Hull, not so much. 

We all know who Andrew Jackson was, AKA “Old Hickory,” and the seventh president of the United States. He hailed from Tennessee, and there is now a suburb outside of Nashville named in his likeness. Jackson was also an army general, leading his troops to victory in the Battle of New Orleans. He died in 1845.

David Crockett almost feels like a myth to Tennesseans, but he really was quite the Renaissance man. He earned himself the title “King of the Wild Frontier,” being a rough-hewn man of the wilderness, but he was also a Representative of TN in the US House of Representatives, as well as a soldier who fought and died at the Alamo. 

Now, let’s put some focus on the lesser-known busts. Sampson W. Keeble was a politician and businessman and was the first black man to ever be elected to the Tennessee legislature. He served one term in the House on the House Military Affairs Committee and the Immigration Committee from 1873 to 1875. He would then be elected as a magistrate in his home of Davidson County.  Keeble was considered a dedicated republican party member by his colleagues and is still respected today. 

I’m sure that every delegate at YIG knows the name Cordell Hull, being that it’s the name of our main playing grounds. For a long time, I actually thought it was Cordell Hall and not someone’s actual name. Mr. Cordell Hull was born in 1871 in Olympus, TN. Hull started his career serving in the TN House of Reps. After serving in the House, President Franklin D. Roosevelt named Hull Secretary of State. To this day, Hull has been the longest-serving Secretary of State in US history, having served eleven years in the position. Hull played a big part in establishing the United Nations and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize by the Norwegian Nobel Committee for these efforts. The Cordell Hull Building was built and dedicated to Mr. Hull in 1954. Hull passed one year later, in 1955. 

A few other statues are scattered throughout the building, representing the likenesses of Andrew Johnson and James K. Polk and a few others of Andrew Jackson.

Youth in Government: The Perspective of the Advisors

Interviews by Ashlyn Mills and Aubree Pelham

Written by Aubree Pelham 

All Youth in Government delegates have their testimony story of how they became involved in the club, from a mentor teacher to their friend’s persuasion, but what about the leaders and school advisors behind the conference? Today, we interviewed advisors from a range of schools to understand their perspectives and passion behind their jobs here at the conference.  

To understand how their participation in YIG started, we asked the advisors, “What made you want to become a YIG advisor.” Kaitlin Stefanski, a teacher from Fairview High School, gave a story similar to the story of many delegates, everything beginning with a mentor. “The teacher that did [YIG] before me was leaving, but she was my mentor teacher when I student taught and always talked super highly about Youth in Government, so I stepped in,” she stated. Filling in for her mentor teacher led to her finding her own passion within this conference. “I just absolutely love seeing the confidence in my students and seeing them act as professionals and really step into the real world with this.” Many advisors agreed that they found their own joy in advising by seeing their students grow socially and academically. Benjamin Parnell, a teacher from Lebanon High School, became an advisor because “I enjoy spending time with the students, and I enjoy watching them work hard on a bill or in the house committee and see them present that information in an articulate way.”  His co-advisor, Matthew Shrum, continued, “I don’t really do anything here, but I enjoy it. It’s very fun to see that kids are engaged in the process. They have so much agency over what they do here it’s just really inspiring.” Lastly, a common response between advisors was that they simply got dragged along by their students. The students of Kevin Finn, a teacher from The Webb School of Bell Buckle, spoke so highly of Youth and Government that he said, “It was not necessarily something I felt familiar with, but they were so excited about it that I thought I would come along for the ride.” 

The next question we asked advisors was, “What is the best advice you have given your delegates?” Kendra Mclemore from Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts started off strong with, “Do the research and find alliances.” Adam Brooks, a teacher from Central Magnet, agreed with the importance of research and claims that his best advice is to “Be as informed as possible, whether you’re presenting or asking questions.” He also contributed, “Be bold…[stand] up and [have] your person be there and take your place.” Mr. Schrum always reminds his students to “be a goldfish,” an amazing Ted Lasso reference. But also genuinely encourages them to “have a short-term memory” if something is not as successful as they hoped and “roll with the punches.” Ms. Stefanski also tries to keep her students positive with her advice to, “be confident and to have fun with this” reinforcing that, “you’re meant to enjoy yourselves and learn.”

Lastly, of course, we had to get the advisors to make fun of their students, so we asked them, “What is the funniest thing one of your delegates has done at a conference?” Ms. Stefanski gained the most laughter with her response, telling us about how two of her previous students “did a tomfoolery bill on trying to ban toes in public.” She continued to mention that “they talked about having to put the dogs away and all of that. So that was probably one of my favorite moments.” Mr. Finn exposed the group messages between him and his students this morning explaining that “one of our students was panicked because he did not have a black belt,” as in a dress belt, “and it just led to this whole conversation about martial arts in our group message.” 

While this question was asked to gain input on the advisors’ students, it quickly grew into the advisors giving insight into their own chaos. Mr. Schrum states that they witness the most commotion during bed checks, with their students “acting a fool, [having] pillow fights, calling people, running around, and doing all kinds of crazy stuff.” However, Mr. Parnell adds, “The delegates are more behaved until the three of us show up to do bed checks,” with both teachers agreeing, “We make it worse. We do enable them.”

Overall, the conference would not be possible without our school advisors leading and teaching us, and we appreciate the amount of time and effort they put in. Make sure to thank your advisors today for all the time and effort they put into supporting your club.

Book Bannings in Tennessee: The Students’ Perspectives

Written by Matthew Zaremba

It’s no secret that as of recent, school boards across Tennessee have been banning, restricting, or otherwise removing access to media deemed unfit for youth. Parents in support of these bannings cry that their child is being exposed to inappropriate content at school, with support from their local governments. Specifically, books in school libraries have been the target of this moral media cleansing, making students the hardest affected (or only affected, for that matter) group. Their parents are fighting for books to be removed, but what do students themselves think?

The Age-Appropriate Materials Act of 2022 requires that every public school library in TN make public their list of materials, and have them reviewed periodically in order to ensure they match the maturity levels of the student body. This legislation faced major backlash from students after being passed, and three students attending YIG have some strong opinions.

Sponsors of Blue Senate Bill 24-1-4, “An Act to Repeal the Age-Appropriate Materials Act of 2022 in Public Middle and High Schools,” Henely Robertson, Marley Harper, and Lily Lawson made clear their thoughts on book bannings in Tennessee.

Pictured above are Senators Harper, Robertson, and Lawson, Sponsors of Blue Senate Bill 24-1-4

In response to my question about the importance of repealing the act, Senator Harper stated “This is how children are able to express themselves and be able to read and get knowledge of what they want to learn, not just what their parents want them to learn.”

On the importance of different viewpoints in children’s media, Senator Robertson said “We think it is important to create well-rounded children by providing them with a variety of perspectives in their media.”

All three senators were in agreement that the repealing of the act would likely result in severe backlash from parents of students. “I think a lot of parents would like to be able to censor what their children read, but we think it’s important that despite this negative reaction, kids are still exposed to many different viewpoints and not just their parent’s perspective,” said Senator Robertson.

“One parent not wanting their child to read a book shouldn’t prevent every child from reading that book.”

Senator Lily Lawson

The three also mentioned how prevalent bannings have been in Tennessee recently, even citing that their school library at Signal Mountain High School has been subject to banned books.

Children are at the center of society because they are the future. If the children of today cannot learn about the world around them, how can we expect them to create a better world for themselves? It is obvious that most students are heavily opposed to the censorship in their media, and that these students recognize how it is hindering them. The fight against book banning in schools is just beginning, but the students are ready for it.

The Legendary Lobbyists: Who Are They and What Do They Do?

Destini Hampton –

Have you ever wondered what’s going on behind the scenes? Who are the masterminds secretly pulling the strings of the government? 

The Lobbyists!

Lobbyists are the movers and shakers of the political world. They use their power and influence to mold and guide individual bills. It is their job to ensure that a bill gets passed, defeated, or amended depending on their clients’ interests. Lobbyists achieve this by providing information, giving speeches in committees, and researching for legislators to help them understand the pros and cons of legislation. Lobbyists are so important to the voting process that they are considered the “lifeline” for Senators and Representatives.

I had a chance to talk with the head honcho, Mark Cole (MC), to get an inside look into their committee. 

DH: Please state your name, grade, school, and position.

MC: Hi, I’m Mark Cole. I am a junior at Hume Fogg, and I am the Head Lobbyist this year.

DH: Can you please explain what a Lobbyist is and specifically your position as Head Lobbyist?

MC: Sure. Actually I am really glad to do this because a lot of people seem to not know. What Lobbyists do is – we write pro/con speeches for bills all over every chamber, every House and Senate, and we also exchange information between House and Senate, trying to get certain bills passed and certain bills failed depending on what we think is the most useful and least useful. As Head Lobbyist, I lead the charge. I help first-year Lobbyists get information and I help the other Lobbyists make new connections and network better. Also I work very closely with the Gov Cab and with Sidd, the Governor, to help her get her dynamic legislation passed and to help them get their budget and things like that passed.

DH: What did you wish to accomplish when you first started?

MC: Two of my major goals – one, I wanted to do a lot of networking here because I feel like one of the main jobs as a Lobbyist is to know people, know a lot of people in a bunch of areas to get things done. But more specifically to what type of goals I wanted to do, I wanted to increase public transportation, that’s one of my main ones. [Which] I would say was successful in some ways and unsuccessful in others but, overall, I think it’s been a success.

DH: What do you enjoy about working with your fellow Lobbyists?

MC: I think that the Lobbyist component is the most fun component because we can go wherever we want to get things done and it’s a lot more free; I can be a lot more casual with them, it doesn’t have to be as formal because we’re all working on the same side.

DH: So, yesterday there was some sort of controversy and uprising against the Lobbyists. Could you possibly give an explanation on what happened and give your perspective on it?

MC: Well, I’m not super familiar with what you’re talking about, but what I think that comes from is that Lobbyists don’t just do pro-speeches for bills, we also do con-speeches for bills we think that may not be useful. We think that sometimes people may take it personally when we do a con-speech. We want them to know that it’s not about you, it’s about we don’t think your bill would be as good as others. So, I just feel like it’s a miscommunication, if that makes sense.

DH: Yes. Well, thank you so much for your time, have a good day!

MC: You too.

What is a Balanced Budget?

Lainey Hunt and Kate Jones –

Governor Siddiqui stayed late along with all of the Governor’s Cabinet to discuss the budget last night. The term “balanced budget” has been thrown around and left many wondering, what the heck does that mean? 

A balanced budget, in simplest terms, is a state in which the total expected revenues are equal to the total spending. This means that there is no deficit or surplus of funds. A deficit is when the government is spending more than they can afford. Deficits are avoided at all cost as it leads to national debt. To pay off the deficit, the government takes out loans to pay it back. Loans, if not paid back on time and in full, lead to a downward spiral.

A recent development as of yesterday: Governor Siddiqui decided to veto RSB/22-4-4 as it would be damaging financially. This veto was overturned in the Red Senate for unknown reasons. Governor Sidd was provided a bill from the Lobbyist, Dynamic Legislation 7, increasing land tax that would have a $500 million revenue benefit. This was passed after heavy amendments in the Blue House as well as the Blue Senate.

An Interview with Daniel Telles Orellana

Jeanna Keltch, McKenna Smythe, and Emma Wiggleton –

Daniel Telles Orellana, who is serving as this year’s Floor Leader of the Blue Senate, wrote a bill that he hopes to pass through both Blue Senate and Tennessee State legislature as he seeks to sign his bill into actual law.

Yesterday, BSB/22-4-11 was passed through Blue Senate, granting CCAPs such as YMCA, YWCA, SCC, and religious organizations after-hours use to public school facilities and playgrounds. This provides low-income communities with better access to safe and functional spaces for child care and after school programs. With the passage of this bill, participation in these enrichment programs is expected to increase by 50% and will benefit the new participants and their families by encouraging social and physical engagement within the community. Not only will this bill have a positive impact on students’ physical wellbeing, but it will also improve their academic and social performance as well, creating a better environment and having a positive influence on future generation.

Below is an interview by Managing Editor McKenna Smythe about Daniel’s bill, his background, and his motivations for writing it.

McKenna Smythe: What was your inspiration towards writing the bill?

Daniel Telles Orellana: One of my inspirations to writing this bill was the fact that knowing that there are a lot of students that could potentially go into one of these activities but cannot because there is a hinderance. Not because they don’t want to, not because it is something that doesn’t appeal to them.

MS: Where did you first see and witness this issues?

DTO: So coming from the hispanic community, extracurriculars were not very endorsed, and I always wondered why. It wasn’t until my freshman year that I encountered it thought, the whole motion that we can use our extracurriculars during the day, but for some reason, even though we can play on the monkey bars after lunch, we cannot play on the monkey bars once we come out of school. And it always struck me to see that this was something that was public, this was at everyone’s reach, but for some reason we cannot use it.

MS: It’s kind of wasteful to not utilize that.

DTO: Precisely. Yes.

MS: What process do you want it [the bill] to go through? Where is your progress standing on the bill?

DTO: So currently our progress is first getting the attention of people, making sure everyone is on track…it’s a pressing problem, and it’s a problem we need to fix. From there on out, we want to work closer not just with the YMCA, but also with local Tennessee officials in order to encourage the bill and the governmental aspect of things. I want to point out that I have recently met with Commissioner Carter. He was very interested in the bill, thank goodness, and we are hoping to see an increase in interest and really awareness of this problem in government.

MS: Could you just tell us a little bit about your YIG/MUN story?

DTO: Yes, so I am a senior at Springfield High School (Go Yellowjackets!). I got involved with the CCE as soon as freshman year, but it really didn’t take speed until sophomore year. I would like to appreciate and give a shoutout to Ms. Beth Stokes. Thank you for all that you do for Springfield, especially education programs, specifically the Rise Program. Thank you very much Ms. Stokes, we love you and appreciate you.

When I first encountered the CCE, it was through Model United Nations, and I was thrown aback on the first day to be honest. I come from a very small town, very dominated by Anglo-Americans. So when I saw the level of diversity and the level of camaraderie between people and the CCE in both Model United Nations and Youth in Government, I was shocked, but I was positively shocked by it. It seemed eccentric, it seemed fun, it seemed a place where you could be yourself without being judged by other people. And, also, in the grand scheme of things, it seemed as we were really advancing these causes, making sure that…the youth of Tennessee understand what are our problems as a planet, as a nation, and how we can advance these.

MS: Do you have any final comments that you want to add?

DTO: I would just really like to address everyone who has been here for their first time and is wondering whether it is worth it or not to continue in this program. I would just want them to look at the person beside them, the person who is sitting in their same chamber, the person who is probably making the jokes on the other side of the table whenever they go to lunch, the person that they are asking to speak on behalf of their bill, whether that’s in Senate or House, and to take a look at how you are relating to that person. That it’s not just someone on paper, it’s not just a political idea. These are human beings, and more importantly, these are human beings that are working with you to achieve a common goal, which is to make our state and our world a better place. So if that’s not motivation enough, I really don’t know what is.

Thank you Daniel for your willingness to be interviewed, your eloquent words, and your dedication to this state and the issues facing it. We wish you and your bill the best of luck as it moves forward!

Small Business Saturday: Featured Farmer’s Market Businesses

Carmen Bryan –

The first featured business is The Longest Thread owned by Mehmet, pictured above,  who we met when we approached his booth to find him weaving one of his Turkish towels. He told us how his company and his designs originate in Turkey and each piece is made ethically, to support families and the environment in Turkey. He was so kind to share his story and his talent with us.

He can be found at:

thelongestthread.com

@thelongestthread

Next, we visited Lynchburg Soap Company and met the owner Jheri Beth, who is a regular at the Nashville Farmers Market. We smelled every one of her seemingly endless line of soap bars, and my personal favorite was the beach scent.

Her social media is:

lynchburgsoapcompany.com

@lynchburgsoapcompany

Skip, from Skip’s Peppers, stopped us on our walk through the Farmers Market to ask us if we wanted to try hot kisses. Hesitantly, we agreed, so we unwrapped a chocolate kiss and he sprinkled some of his signature spice on top for us to try. It was a weird combination, but we enjoyed trying Skip’s spices and meeting him. 

Visit his website at:

skipspeppers.com

All photos by Saky Nguyen.

Join Us at Tomfoolery Committee Tonight

Kaya Selzer –

When is the Tomfoolery Committee?

This Saturday night, April 2, the Tomfoolery Committee will commence at 8:30 PM and will conclude at 10:00 PM. 

What is the Tomfoolery Committee? 

This committee is also known as a joke bill committee. Its main purpose is to be silly, creative, funny, and ridiculous to add some fun to Youth in Government. This is a great experience for everyone and is highly recommended. There is an entrance fee for everyone, priced at $5. The proceeds will go towards the Youth in Government scholarship fund.

Why should you participate in the Tomfoolery Committee?

According to Governor Siddiqui, “One year a delegate proposed that we should smash every Alexa with a hammer. Take that as you will.”

Hope to see you there!

Fun Facts About the Capitol!

Molly Mauldin and Jayda Spencer –

Photo by Saky Nguyen

The Tennessee State Capitol was constructed in the year of 1859. The architect that designed the building was William Strickland, who died in 1854 and was buried in the north wall. There are actually three others that are buried within the Capitol walls. The style of building is Greek Revival Style to go along with the style of Nashville. William Pritchard designed the grounds of the Capitol, and he claimed himself as a “landscape gardener.” The Civil War interrupted the construction of the Capitol and continued after the war was over. Once the building was completed, flower beds were placed in each of the four corners in the shape of three stars to represent the Tennessee State Flag. Along with the flower beds, there are multiple statues of the tomb of President James Polk and Andrew Johnson, Sam Davis, Edward W. Carmack, and Alvin York. “The Tennessee State Capitol was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and was named a National Historic Landmark in 1971.” With that being said, The Capitol is a great representation of the people of Tennessee.

Learn more:

https://nashvilledistrictenergy.com/tennessee-state-capitol-building/

https://www.tn.gov/museum/exhibitions/tennessee-state-capitol.html

https://www.tclf.org/tennessee-state-capitol?destination=search-results

An Interview with Lawyers Domonique Woods and John Morris

Destini Hampton –

Sketch of Domonique Woods (left) and John Morris (right) by Paige Fernandez

The Tennessee YMCA Youth in Government Conference is not all about presenting and passing bills. We also have lawyers fighting for cases. I was fortunate enough to interview one of the lawyer teams. I met with Domonique Woods (DW) and John Morris (JM) to learn more about them and their position. 

DH: State your grade, school, and position.

DW: I am a senior, I go to Lookout Valley Middle/High School, and I am a lawyer in the Supreme Court.

JM: I’m also a senior at Lookout Valley High School and I am also a lawyer in the Supreme Court.

DH: Have you guys done YIG before?

DW: Yes, this is my second year doing YIG; I did YIG my sophomore year.

JM: Yes, this is my fourth and final year.

DH: Alright, can you guys explain what you do in the Supreme Court?

DW: [In] the lawyer position you basically argue a case, whether you are an appellee or appellant and the Supreme Court Justices decide on the case.

JM: We basically argue the same case for about fourteen rounds. We argue both sides against two different teams … arguing using different pieces of case law to determine and help convince the Justices that this side is more correct, whether that is the appellant or the appellee.

DH: Why did you guys choose to be on the Supreme Court?

JM: I always wanted to do lawyer just because it was sort of something I got dragged into by someone who graduated a long time ago, but they encouraged me to do this because they were one of the justices when they went to my school. So, I joined and now I’ve just been doing it for a really long time.

DW: Well, my sophomore year was my first year of doing YIG and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do a bill or some other component, and I was convinced by someone in my grade that year to do it along with him, and this is my second time doing it with him.

DH: What is your favorite part of YIG so far?

DW: My favorite part of YIG would have to be feeling like little adults just walking around Nashville, completing all these things that people in our government do.

JM: Yeah, it’s always nice to go around Nashville in a much more relaxed state and do things that are actually enjoyable and being places that you normally don’t get to be.

DH: Have you guys argued a case yet? If you did, how did it go?

DM: We did already do our part of the argument. We represented the appellee side and, luckily for us, we won our case.

JM: There were some comments the Justices made that we needed to improve on; there are certain pieces of case law we should probably expand on more that we cited. But overall, we won our case really well.

DH: What do you guys think is the real world significance of your position?

DM: I feel like being a part of YIG gives you insight into what actually goes on in our government, and a lot of the people who participate in YIG will go on to help Tennessee and make big changes in the world, and this is just a stepping stone to get them there.

JM: And, to kind of expand on that, even if the students here don’t go into government or law, or any form of it, it’s a good way to give them experience to know how everything works, to get them to see how the government functions and see how it would move on.

DH:  Thank you guys for your time, good luck on your future cases.

April: Keep America Beautiful Month

Paige Fernandez –

“The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart.” ― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

During the month of April, the “Keep America Beautiful” organization coined the month of April as “Keep America Beautiful Month.” For this month I decided to give out flowers to delegates in hopes of raising awareness for Tennessee’s environment and now it is crucial to keep it clean for the citizens and wildlife. Governor Sidd gave her insight on this month and what cleanliness looks like in practice to her, stating “We are working towards reducing our carbon footprint and promoting environmental sustainability for the state of Tennessee. Which will hopefully be implemented through policies soon.”

Learn more:

https://kab.org/celebrate-keep-america-beautiful-month-with-these-10-tips/#:~:text=April%20is%20Keep%20America%20Beautiful%20Month&text=The%20Keep%20America%20Beautiful%20Great,Keep%20America%20Beautiful%20Volunteer%20Portal.

Featured Bill: RHB/22-3-3 Prohibits the Banning of Books

Molly Mauldin –

The banning of books has become a very serious issue within Tennessee and the specific counties involved. When books become banned, it prevents the children from reading and learning about the book’s deeper message about life. There are people like Martin Overholt and Carolynn Huber, Red House Representatives, who believe that banning books should be prohibited. Prohibiting the banning of books allows kids to learn more about the things around them. RHB/22-3-3 states that a committee would be formed in order to age-restrict certain books.

With the age restrictions, the bill was said to allow kids to read what is deemed most appropriate for that age group. This being said, parents are able to opt their kids out and they would then be able to read any book they wish. Overholt and Huber felt very strongly about prohibiting the banning of books and stated that it would hinder the learning of the children around us. They would also give every book the same chances and would only review them once every four years. They are advocating for themselves and the kids around them to read more books.

The Infamous Capitol Connector Tunnel: A History

Kaya Selzer –

The Capitol Connector Tunnel (Photo from McMillen Jacobs Associates)

As we move into the weekend’s events with some delegates in the Cordell Hull and others in the Capital, it might be a smart idea to take the Capitol Connector Tunnel and learn more about its purpose.

What is it?

The Capitol Connector Tunnel is used as an underground transport to connect the Cordell Hull and the Nashville Capitol Building. The overall trip should take around 5-7 minutes depending on how fast you walk.

How is it connected?

The Capitol Connector Tunnel is connected from the bottom of the Cordell Hull to the bottom of the Capitol Building.

Facts about the Cordell Hull and Tunnel :

• The Cordell Hull was named after the 47th United States Secretary of State who held the position for 11 years (1933-1944). Before that, he represented Tennessee for 2 years and 22 years in the House of Representatives.

• In 2013, Jones Lang LaSalle suggested the demolition of the Cordell Hull. After protests from the Preservationists, it was estimated that it would cost more to demolish and build anew, so they just remodeled it.

• The Tunnel is 435 feet long and consists of 90,000 pounds of steel fiber and 2,600 pounds of synthetic macro fiber.

Press Corps member Kate Jones poses in the Capitol Connector Tunnel. (Photo by Saky Nguyen)

Learn more:

https://www.penetron.com/projects/view/Cordell-Hull-Capitol-Connector-Tunnel

https://www.atkn.com/news/skanska-awards-atkinson-underground-cordell-hull-capital-utility-connector-tunnel-contract

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordell_Hull_State_Office_Building

https://fox17.com/amp/news/local/legislative-tunnel-cordell-hull-renovations-to-cost-estimated-118-million

Featured Bill: BSB/22-1-12 Argues for Relocation of Confederate Statues

Abigail Englert –

“People walk past a monument to Confederate soldiers in Centennial Park Monday, June 17, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Police discovered Monday the monument was vandalized with red paint and the phrase “They were racists” was painted over the names of Civil War soldiers.” – The Washington Post (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

From North Carolina to Nashville, Tennessee, you might recall the vandalism and removal of Confederate statues. BSB/22-1-12, a bill by Shay Oliphant and Houston Hughes, states in section two, “The legislation amends article one of the 2013 Tennessee Heritage Protection Act to allow the relocation of historical items with racist or hateful meanings.” If we were to relocate these monuments, there would be no immediate cost, also stated in the bill. In this article, we will be looking at both sides. Ever since the death of George Floyd two years ago, more than two hundred Confederate monuments have been removed. Two examples of the removal and vandalism, both in Tennessee, are the Nathan Bedford Forrest and Jefferson Davis monuments. 

We will first examine Nathan Bedford Forrest, what his life was like, and how the Ku Klux Klan originated. It’s stated on history.com that “Nathan Bedford Forrest was a Confederate general during the Civil War.” Forrest never had any form of training, but he went from being a private to lieutenant general and even a cavalry officer during numerous wars. Transferring to his childhood, Forrest was born in Chapel Hill, TN and was rather poor. He had little to no formal education as a young child until he went into his uncle’s business. As an adult, Forrest became a planter and owned a stagecoach company. In the year 1852, he moved him and his family to Memphis, TN. He then became involved in the Civil War and the rest was history, literally. In his later life, Forrest became involved in the Ku Klux Klan society. He is noted as the first grand wizard in history. In 1998, the well known Nathan Bedford Forrest statue was erected. The statue stood twenty-five feet tall with Forrest placed upon a horse with a gun in one hand and sword in the other. In 2017, almost twenty years after the monument was placed, the monument was vandalized with hot-pink paint. This caused the removal of the Confederate monument. It was soon put in storage, after being removed by a helicopter. 

Now, moving onto the Jefferson Davis monument. Also stated on history.com, “Jefferson Finis Davis, the first and only president of the Confederate States of America, was a Southern planter, Democratic politician and hero of the Mexican War who had represented Mississippi in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate and served as U.S. secretary of war.” Unlike Forrest, Davis was not born into a poor family. Davis was born in Kentucky and raised in Mississippi. He was the tenth and last child his parents bore. His older brother, who was a wealthy lawyer and planter, was an influence to him. Davis joined the Military Academy in 1824, and four years later he graduated. Davis then began working at a cotton plantation in 1835 after he and his wife became ill with malaria. His wife sadly passed away from the illness right after they got married. Eight years later, Davis began his political career. He was known to support state rights and slavery, and also served as a delegate to the Democratic Convention. In 1865, Davis won the election to the House of Representatives from Mississippi. In the year 1846, he resigned and served as colonel of the First Mississippi rifle reignment. In August of 1847, Davis filled a spot in the senate. The article on history.com also states, “A strong supporter of Manifest Destiny, Davis advocated for the extension of slavery into the new Western territories and the protection of slaveholders’ property rights. He opposed letting the Oregon territory bar slavery, and battled against the Compromise of 1850, especially the admission of California to the Union as a free state.”

Through the next few years, Davis struggled to balance leadership during the Civil War with challenging domestic tasks involved with running a country. Critics charged him with neglecting rights in his efforts to form a more effective central government, favoring certain military leaders despite their shortcomings, and sidelining those who opposed him, one being Joseph E. Johnston. Later in his life, David was imprisoned, most likely due to treason. In 1909, Jefferson Davis’s monument was dedicated. One hundred and ten years later, in 2019, blood-red liquid was discovered on the monument along with the phrase, “They were racists.” The incident took place in Centeral Park, located near Vanderbilt University.

While researching, I have realized that we are going through a cultural and political battle, and it needs to be stopped. If we completely stopped judging others based on appearance, race, and gender, we would come to realize that we are all one people. We all have different emotions and views, but we were all made by the same divine creator. So what side will you choose?

Learn more:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/06/18/they-were-racists-confederate-monument-nashville-sprayed-with-blood-red-graffiti/

https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/jefferson-davis

https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/nathan-bedford-forrest

https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2021/12/07/nashville-forrest-confederate-statue-removed/

Featured Bill: An Interview with the Delegates Behind RSB/22-4-5

Jayda Spencer –

Jayln Hodge Shaw (left) pictured with her partner Grace Olson (right)

Jayln Hodge Shaw (JHS) and Grace Olson (GO) created RSB/22-4-5 to require sex education in Tennessee high schools. Sex education gives young people the knowledge and skills they need for a lifetime of sexual health. 40% of U.S. teens are sexually active according to the CDC. Many teens are sexually active and without proper sex education, leading to consequences like accidental pregnancy and the spread of STDs and STIs. We all need to be aware of these things, especially our youth.

In sex education classes, children “learn how to have healthy relationships, make informed decisions about sex, think critically about the world, be a good ally to those who are marginalized, and love themselves for who they are” according to Planned Parenthood. Sex education supposedly works best when it’s “taught by trained professionals, taught early and often throughout the lifespan, includes both information and skill-building actives, evidence-informed, inclusive of LGTBQ+ youth, rooted in anti-racism practices, trauma-informed, and adapted to the needs of the community.” I personally felt like these last statements went well with the bill that these two ladies wrote because their bill is inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community. 

I asked these two ladies  a couple of questions about their bill and why they decided to write it.

JS: What kind of books and resources would this class course need? 

JHS: So we planned on making our books [and] taking part of the current curriculum. So taking the family life, the STIs, the contraceptive information from the curriculum, and then adding information from resources we pulled from accredited universities and their studies to try to get reliable information for students so that it’s actually helpful for everyone. [It] teaches people on what they need to know.

GO: The section in the current lifetime wellness as Jayln mentioned does not include anything along the lines of LGBTQ+ per the current standards of Tennessee.

JS: Why is it important that you make the LGBTQ+ community inclusive within your sex education programs?

JHS: Personally, when I go into my wellness class, I don’t think I’m represented and some things like STI information are good to know because I personally would like to avoid getting anything that would cause me or anyone else harm. But it’s good to be inclusive for everybody so that everybody can feel represented in the classroom…[and] people will actually be able to engage into what they are learning.

GO: Our bill includes how to teach yourself what to identify as because we believe that is something important, and you should embrace who you are. Going to a very diverse school, we see this firsthand everyday, and we want to include those types of people.

Learn More:

https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2020/05/06/CDC-40-of-US-teens-are-sexually-active/8811588709258/

https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/for-educators/what-are-goals-sex-education-youth

Featured Bill: RHB/22-1-3 Fights for Women’s Autonomy and Contraceptive Rights

Destini Hampton –

It is no secret that women’s autonomy has been under significant threat as of late. This has been such a pressing issue that even the youth are concerned about their future rights to their own body. With Women’s History Month coming to an end, Red House Representatives Kennedy Gienapp, Pia Schulte, and Emily Webb have decided to address this women’s rights issue in their bill.

RHB/22-1-3 is a bill that will prohibit physicians from denying contraceptive procedures based on marital status for patients over the age of 18. Gienapp, Schulte, and Webb have all expressed how they believe that this issue, though affecting a lot of women, is often overlooked. Their bill also proposes that physicians will be required to give a “full and reasonable medical explanation to the patient as to the consequences and risks of the operation, as required by Tennessee code 68-34-108.” Physicians who fail to follow this bill will have a six-month long suspension of their medical license and be fined $5,000 that will go toward state healthcare facilities.

Though women have fought long and hard for their rights, they are still very limited, especially when it comes to their own bodies. Gienapp, Schulte, and Webb intend on changing that reality. These young women, like their fellow delegates, are fighting hard to get their bill passed and take a step toward women getting the rights they deserve.

Is 65 the New Sweet 16 When it Comes to Driving?

Nadia Wade –

Many professionals – Doctors, Nurses, Teachers, Lawyers – must renew their licenses in order to continue practicing within their profession. The risk of malpractice rises as we age, as motor skills, sharp memory tactics, and quick thinking skills do not always last us a lifetime. In order to protect patrons of the services they provide, professionals must go through a process to keep their certifications once obtained. Though this practice of renewing a license through testing certification currently lies within the professional aspect of one’s life, there were two delegates from Clarksville Academy that thought the license renewal process was needed in one more aspect of everyday life.

The inseparable pair stood before the House and Presented Bill: RHB/22-2-4. Their bill was titled, “An Act to Require Residents Above The Age Of Sixty-Five to Renew Their Driver’s License In Person By Taking The Driver’s Test And Vision Test Every Five Years.” If passed, their bill would require licensed drivers over the age of 65 and older to retake both driver’s test and vision test in order to keep their license. The two delegates included that if an older person fails this renewal test, they will have 30 days to retake the test. They have stated that mail-in renewal and online renewals are no longer an effective way to keep other drivers safe, and hope their bill will change this safety issue.

On Saturday Morning, The delegates presented their bill before the house and blazed through all of the Pros, Cons, and follow-up questions of the assembly. Throughout the day, their bill passed through both the House and the Senate committee, and now they are awaiting Governor Comfort’s approval. They explained their $30 cost for older citizens having to retake the test and explained that state funding was not necessary for the implementation of their bill. An interesting part of their bill is that it is expected to generate revenue without state funding.

This bill raises one important question. If implemented, would 65 become the new 16 when it comes to driving? 

Learn more:

https://www.careeronestop.org/ExploreCareers/Plan/licensed-occupations.aspx

2022: Year of the Lobbyists

Lilly Ann Brown –

“The Lobbyists are the most sneaky and secretly powerful component in the whole conference” – Lobbyist Grace Harris

This year at YIG there was one component that stirred up tumultuous and dynamic action unlike any other: the Lobbyists. I’ve been following the Lobbyists closely, and from undercover operations to a drama-filled luncheon, to passing all of their dynamic legislation bills, the Lobbyists have truly changed the atmosphere of the conference this year. 

My journey with the Lobby started on Friday. I conducted an interview with Grace Harris and Drew Hogan to get to know the component and what they had been up to on their first day. When asked to explain the role of the Lobbyist component, Hogan and Harris stated, “We go around to different chambers, we talk to senators, we talk to representatives, we talk to delegates, and ultimately we try to gather support for bills we particularly enjoy. If we have an issue with a bill, we can pull those sponsors aside and work to amend the bill and then help them gain passage and get them moved up the docket.”

Looking back, I think they were understating their influence, or maybe they didn’t even know yet. Here are a few events spearheaded by the Lobbyists that have shaped our conference.

Dynamic Legislation

One main focus of the Lobbyists this year has been dynamic legislation. Essentially, they take bills written outside the conference and work to strengthen them. Cases of this are Senator Phoenix Caruthers’ bill on solitary confinement and Simon Lewis and Preston Selby’s bill on TCAP. This serves to make our conference more dynamic (it’s in the name) and reactive. These bills evolve to fill holes in the legislature we have, and they use observations of what works and what doesn’t to make a strong case.

Lobbyist Luncheon

Another big Lobbyist-endorsed event was the Lobbyist Luncheon. This year’s luncheon followed some controversy with Gov. Markwei’s veto and a pending budget meeting, so it was a little heated. Rep. Cherry and Sen. Caruthers argued in strict opposition of the budget, while some insiders who wish to remain nameless gave me a play-by-play of White Senate and the veto. 

Moving Forward

As we move toward the final budget meeting and the culmination of the conference, the Lobbyists gave me a very vague tip that they have something planned, so look forward to that. When we examine the events of our conference, there’s always a Lobbyist pulling the strings behind the scenes. 

Lobbyists like Drew Hogan, Grace Harris, Cade Miller, and Rowan Felton have been doing excellent work and their influence over the controversy and conversation of the conference is profound. Moving forward, I predict the Lobbyist component growing exponentially, and in the short term, I think they have something up their sleeve no one can see coming.

An Interview with Carleigh Hughes and Aubrey Katzenmiller

Marvy Nessim –

Carleigh Hughes and Aubrey Katzenmiller from Wilson Central High School had a first-year YIG experience like no other. Not only did their bill pass, but with no debate whatsoever and an endorsement from the governor herself. Since a motion was passed to skip the debate, the two just moved to their summation. It was also a unanimous vote, though there were a few delegates who were not present. 

Bill WHB/22-1-7 is an act to protect the safety of Tennessee’s drinking water; it would include adding an additional two inspectors under environmental regulators in the Tennessee Oil and Gas Program, updating state fracking regulations done by the TDEC, and changing the method from hydro-based to nitrogen-based fracking in the Chattanooga Shale. High-pressure water fracking would be monitored on a case-by-case basis and anyone who violates regulations would be fined or face imprisonment carried out through task forces.   

When asked how they came up with the seemingly foolproof bill idea, Representative Hughes responded, “Given the current state of the environment, especially in Tennessee, there aren’t many bills protecting our natural resources- which is really important. So, we knew we wanted to do something environmentally based.” Though policymakers have implemented a number of regulations, Tennessee is still ranked #39 in Natural Environment. Hopefully, with these two environmentalists, the state can be encouraged to start passing a greater number of bills focused on natural resources and real change can be achieved. 

Getting ready to go up and speak behind the podium involves severe stomach aches and intense hours of researching. Hughes and Katzenmiller were able to power through to insure their bill had no holes and their hard work paid off in the end when they dominated the playing field. Their tips to future delegates are to research your topic thoroughly and to make sure to take very detailed notes to have in case someone tries to take your idea down. 

Hard, tiring weeks go into researching and finalizing bills, so seeing your bill make it through each component and finally pass must be a heavenly experience. As the representatives’ bill progressed further, the two still continued learning and looking more into their topic. They were finally able to feel relief once their bill got to the final step and successfully passed. Hughes states that they felt surprised, “especially because we went into it expecting to debate and we didn’t even have to do that because we didn’t have anyone try to object to it.” 

Next year’s YIG is sure to be as eventful as this one, so watch out for these two again. When asked why they are interested in attending the conference next year, Katzenmiller explained that with the success they gained in only their first year, they are further motivated to keep exploring what else they could achieve.

The Budget Meeting: Play by Play

Perry Kleinlein –

Last night I was offered the honor of sitting in on the Govcab’s budget meeting. After editing articles all day about controversies that arose among the White Senate, Lobbyists, and Govcab, I was eager to cover the event. 

A pile of snacks, pizzas, and some energy drinks scattered about the table signified the delegates’ preparation for a long night of hard work. Fatigue and delirium were setting in, and the Govcab members were not overly optimistic after the disapproval they faced earlier that day. However, behind the exhausted glaze over their eyes, each delegate had a spirit of determination towards passing the budget successfully. 

A Spotify playlist entitled “Don’t Pass the Budget” is made, and a document “Overturn the Veto of the Overturned Budget” is shared. Making light of the challenges they’ve faced so far, the Govcab is ready to face their biggest challenge yet.

“If you don’t laugh about it, you’ll cry about it, and crying isn’t fun,” says Cade Miller, Head Lobbyist who has been invited to collaborate with the Govcab.

Even with their frustration with how events have played out at the conference, I notice a collective caution in the Govcab. In organizing the budget, members are meticulous in their funding calculations, considering other delegates’ skeptical attitudes and ensuring that their descriptions of where the money is going and how it will be used are thorough. 

10:59 – Around an hour into the meeting, my writing is interrupted by a notification reminding me of my AP Macroeconomics homework that’s due in two hours, prompting me to begin tracking the time.

11:03 – Gov. Markwei says, “my eyes are so sore right now.” I can relate.

(Note: some delegates’ masks are pulled down in these photos because they are eating)

Accumulated exhaustion from the conference is apparent in every face in the room, but the pressure of writing this budget drives the delegates to push through.

11:08 – Cade asks, “can I be completely honest with you?” to Gov. Markwei. “One of the main reasons I’m here is due to the confidence of my lobbyists; some of them believe they will be spending the morning opposing this budget, by some I mean all of them… I’m here to make sure this budget reflects what my lobbyists’ value as much as possible” 

Cade’s statement sparks discussion about resistance to Govcab earlier that week and throughout the conference. Gov. Markwei explains, “the oppositions we’ve been facing haven’t been spirited, they’ve been detrimental.” 

11:13 – From here on, it was difficult to transcribe every conversation because there were so many going on at once. As the delegates worked diligently, a state of productive delusion set in. Gov. Markwei would occasionally start laughing maniacally.

11:23 – The mood of the room becomes serious as an Conference Staff announces that she has new information to share. 

Allison Jennings emails a document to Gov. Markwei and anticipation fills the room. It’s the budget crisis. Gov. Markwei reads the document: the Russia and Ukraine conflict has created detrimental damage to Tennessee’s government and economy, creating even more detrimental challenges for our Govcab’s budget. A recent cyberattack has cut access to one-half of Tennessee’s rainy day funds. Additionally, the conflict caused a shortage in both oil and gas, causing an increase in prices and a 15% increase in demand for the limited resources. The Govcab is assigned to solve three problems facing the state: they must accommodate for inaccessible rainy day funds, cover project costs to regain access to the rainy day funds and heighten cybersecurity for future protection, and adjust demand to account for inflation of gas and oil. I am again reminded of my Macro homework’s approaching deadline.

11:33 – I learn that, contrary to rumor, Govcab was not put on trial for an abuse of power. A lot of false rumors have been spreading about Govcab, so don’t believe all that you hear. 

11:55 – listening in on conversations between Govcab members, I learn that this meeting is a pivotal moment for them – obviously because creating a budget is their job, but also because their unity is important now more than ever. While previously, Govcab members could focus on their individual tasks, here, collaboration and cooperation are vital. Some delegates are seemingly getting to know each other for the first time. The Govcab as a whole has adopted a surprisingly optimistic attitude; as soon as any problem arises, delegates immediately offer their insight and assistance. 

12:01 – It’s officially my last day at the conference. The Govcab members are occupied, but for me, an outsider looking in, I feel somber. Most of the members of Govcab are seniors; this night, or morning, marks the beginning of their last day ever at yig. After all of their hard work, this year and at past conferences, the Govcab is approaching the finish line. 

12:06 – The gas and oil crisis is solved and so is the rainy day fund problem. Sen. Markwei recruits Cade to draft a bill that would establish cybersecurity infrastructure. This legislation will address the Russia-Ukraine crisis in full, offering solutions to all three tasks assigned to the Govcab.

I conclude my stay in the Govcab budget meeting with reflection. After seeing first-hand the diligence, cooperation, and innovation of the govcab members, they have gained my upmost respect. As delegates navigate their last day at the conference, they should consider the democracy they value. Remember the purpose of this conference; the actions we take here reflect our values of government and mirror the fate of our future. Whether in agreeance with the budget or not, delegates should advocate respectfully for what they believe in, remaining mindful and appreciative of the hard work the Govcab has put into it. Remember, dissent is necessary for the progression of democracy, but unfounded animosity is detrimental. 

The Bill That Shook Cordell Hull: The Debate of White House Bill 22-1-10

Rayna Taylor – 

Delegates Raise their Placards as they await their turn to speak in in House Committee 2

On February 26th, my fellow Press Corps members and I had the privilege of being invited to get exclusive one-on-one with this year’s Governor, Comfort Markwei. While I and photographer Emily Morgan conversed with Governor Markwei, our interview was soon cut short with news from White House Committee 1 Floor leader, Sally Gaither, alerting governor Markwei that White House Bill 22-1-10, presented by patrons Joshua Dullin and Jesse Ekong of Signal Mountain High school, in which the governor had already vetoed, could possibly be overturned within the house.  

Cordell Hull Senate I was lively upon entrance as the delegates’ mixed opinions erupted within the room. I was able to talk with some of the delegates within the room among the chaos to get a clear first-hand opinion on what was occurring within the committee.

Delegate Lila Martin from Mount Juliet High School provided a summary of the situation:

“So basically, there is a bill (WHB 22-1-10) that the Senate passed unanimously. We had two votes against it here and I believe I was actually one of those. It was sent to the governor as it was passed, and she vetoed it. The decision came back and they (the patrons and fellow delegates in favor) were trying to overturn the veto through motions, wanting to debate the bill again.” 

Delegate Martin added that she personally felt that attempting to debate again was a “waste of time,” as she believed there was very little chance of the overturn.

The Signal Mountain students’ bill was originally introduced as “An Act Incentivise the Opening of New Small Businesses,” an idea most of the committee had voted for originally, stating that they believed it would better the economy within the state. However, Governor Markwei and her cabinet were skeptical of logistics considering the annual budget. The bill would potentially require thirty million dollars, doing a dent on the state’s annual budget, another topic that had already raised mixed reactions among delegates before formally being announced.

 Floor leader of Committee 2, Sally Gaither, added that this price may be unreasonable, as it would take away from small business owners in the long run; the thirty million would take a chunk out of grants offered to small businesses already. 

The Governor’s cabinet entered committee 2 with a round of applause and sat as the motion to debate the bill was in order. Both pro and con speakers were quick to address the floor, with some delegates having changed their stance on the bill as a whole. Patron Ava Gordon of Independence High School, who had presented his bill just earlier, was one of the first con speakers to address the floor, urging failure as she stated the bill was not sustainable. In addition, her partner, Jackson Hayes stated:

“At first I was strongly for the bill because I’m a very pro-business person. but after hearing what Comfort (governor) had to say about the bill, I am now against it, because in the end, it takes away small businesses within Tennessee and favors big business,” adding their definition of small business was unclear and “skewed,” in his words:

“They had businesses that were doing several million dollars in net income within a year, which I do not consider small…” with Gordon adding: 

“I also feel they withheld some key information for passage of the bill, and based on calculations that Govcab did, in which I trust more than that of delegates, I believe the bill is not sustained enough for the veto to be overturned.”

However, delegate and former candidate within the 2021 gubernatorial election, Collin Fischer, urged for an overturning of the veto as he stated “do not let anybody tell you, including the governor, choose to overturn your voice” as he felt this was ultimately Governor Markwei speaking over rather than for her people. While this ultimately empowered some of the committee’s decision, it led some to question Fischer’s intent, as they believed the governor’s state of the state address clearly showed her humanitarian approach within her role. 

Within that session, the overturn was enacted, which only furthered tensions within Governer’s Cabinet and House committee 2. Meanwhile, the Press Corps and White Senate were hard at work.

We returned to the governor’s to get a full statement on the situation from Governor Markwei herself. She said, 

“The bill itself will cost the state 300 million dollars, that’s 300 million dollars that I had to pull from the budget, 300 million dollars that we could have paid for education programs, infrastructure remodeling, that we now…”

Her chief of staff, Abigail Hopper interjected, “That we are potentially going to lose grants that they have from the state.[…] So, money that was originally allocated to them they won’t have because we don’t have another place to pull from.”

The cabinet members added their frustration towards the overturning as they stated there was originally no logical and fiscal evidence presented earlier for the amount of money to be generated, as the data presented within the committee and the White Senate was information unbeknownst to the Governor’s Cabinet.

I took a minute among the franticness to ask staff member Garrett Schnieder about the discussion, and he happily shared, “this is what makes me want to come back (as a student), to see the debates, this is how we learn about how to run democracy”.

Following the delegates’ return from lunch, gubernatorial candidate and speaker of the White Senate, Will Severn, was kind enough to tell us about the status of Bill 22-1-10, as it was his chamber that had originally passed the bill onto the governor’s cabinet (interview with Severn is available on the blog). In the interview, he clarified that the governor’s veto would overall stand, meaning the decision made by Govcab was final.

The Lobbyist Luncheon 2022: Here’s What Happened

Lilly Ann Brown – 

I went into this year’s Lobbyist Luncheon excited for a free meal and an opportunity to understand a little more about what’s been going on with Governor Markwei’s veto. I did not expect a hot budget debate, an anonymous first-hand account of what happened today in the White Senate, and a fun ASMR session with Lobbyists Grace Harris and Drew Hogan.

Today, I attended the Lobbyist Luncheon in Hartmann Gallery on February 26th at 12:45. At the time, the conference was progressing pretty amiably, and I was preparing for some light conversation about the Lobbyist endorsed bills this year has seen develop. I’ve been working with the Lobbyists a lot, but I was in no way prepared for the discussion that would occur.

The lunch began with a lovely speech from Head Lobbyist, Cade Miller. Cade commended the work of our delegation and our lobby this year, making special mention of Phoenix Caruthers, Simon Lewis, and Preston Selby, three delegates who have changed their bills with the help of the Lobbyists this year. Miller was excellent, but after his speech, the conversation progressed from an appreciation of what has been done, to a focused discussion of what’s to come.

A few things I learned while eating are that before the White Senate adjourned for lunch, they entertained the motion to override Markwei’s veto. According to the rules and procedure the officers followed, the message sent with the veto must be read to the delegation. However, Governer Markwei did not initially send the veto message with the veto, so without the message to read, it became a sticky situation. Currently, we know that Markwei’s veto stands, but at the time it was very interesting to hear the origin of this controversy.

Interestingly, the veto was not the only part of Gov. Markwei’s agenda being discussed at the Luncheon. Rep. Cherry and other anonymous delegates are still concerned with the state of this year’s budget, and as we approach the culmination of these concerns, the debate is only getting more heated. In a previous interview, Rep. Cherry stood firm, stating, “Govcab and Governer Markwei have too much power with the budget this year because of incomprehensible fiscal lines and vague bill writing.” The discussion was not very affirmative of the budget, and it seems that Red Senate and House members see too many inequities and failures in the budget to let it stand easily.

In the midst of all this business talk, some hard-working Lobbyists have made time for fun. Drew Hogan and Grace Harris of Central Magnet gave me quite the ASMR show, and Gubernatorial Candidate Will Severn showed out in some beautiful Ruth Bader Ginsburg Socks. Lunch is always a great time to catch up with what’s been happening and let loose, but this afternoon’s discussion was too interesting to keep to myself. The Lobbyist Luncheon was an incredible insight into what’s been happening this year concerning the Lobby, Gov. Markwei, and, of course, foot fashion.

(note: Drew and Grace wore masks before and after the luncheon – they are not pictured with masks because they were eating.)

Budget Controversy: Sen. Caruthers and Rep. Cherry Stir Up Questions and Concerns

Lilly Ann Brown – 

Governor Comfort Markwei and her cabinet have been developing this year’s budget, but some of our delegates disagree with the direction they are taking. Senator Phoenix Caruthers and Representative Garner Cherry shared some bold dissent on Markwei’s budget, elaborating on its shortcomings and how to address them. 

After a brief introduction, our delegates explained their basic concerns about Markwei’s budget. Senator Caruthers feels that “this year’s budget is just spread too thin” and he wants to see “more money going towards education and prison reform, with specific acknowledgment to where that money goes within those programs.” Representative Cherry shares those sentiments, Cherry boldly stated, “we have bills passing with incoherent fiscal lines.” They went even further, asking “how will the budget be of any value if the bills passing are nonsensical, with such quotes as “this bill will be of minimal cost to the state.”

Caruthers’ claim was interesting to me; in this year’s State of the State address I felt that Markwei endorsed a large number of bills focusing on education and prison reform, but Sen. Caruthers feels those areas are lacking in the budget. When asked, Caruthers elaborated on his claim, stating that this year’s budget places inordinate focus on the administrative side of education, and that “the money Markwei wants to put into education would not be going to the classroom.” Caruthers feels the funding is being directed towards administration and wide reform, but not the classroom. He even went so far as to say that administrative staff is “pretty unnecessary,” and that funding should not go anywhere but the classroom itself.

Cherry was more concerned with the vague nature of the budget, elaborating that passing bills that do not state explicitly where money will go, who will have the license to use the money, and what department that money is going to, give the Governor’s Cabinet too much power. Cherry stated, “when writing a piece of legislature you must be specific, especially when it concerns money.” Cherry went further, “the budget may lay out a specific amount to be spent on any given bill, but if the bill didn’t explicitly state how much the bill would cost then the Governor has essentially taken action that was not voted on or approved. That’s not fair, and it certainly isn’t justice.”

Senator Caruthers and Rep. Cherry agree that the bills being passed are far too vague and that the budget is allocating funds in a way that is not democratic or equitable. Cherry closed with the following statement: “bills are being passed based on the quality of the idea, not the text, but this gives the Govcap and Governer Markwei too much power with the budget.”

Later, after the Lobbyist Luncheon where both Caruthers, Cherry, and myself were present, I received an anonymous tip that the Lobbyists and delegates in the Senate are attempting to mobilize enough people to overturn Governors Markwei’s budget tonight. This, and the recent action surrounding the veto and subsequent overturning, is solid evidence of some strong disagreement with Gov. Markwei’s administration. We should all watch closely at the obvious, and more hidden, actions by some of our strong delegates this year.

Overview of WHB/22-6-9

Maggie Chenoweth, Ana Suarez –

White House Bill 22-6-9, An Act To Prevent Bans or Restrictive Measures on Reproductive Healthcare, was written and presented by delegates Kaelyn Nuckoles and Clayton Morrow and was passed by the White House. This bill’s main purpose is to prevent unnecessarily restrictive laws and bans mainly in women’s reproductive health and dealing with abortions. This bill makes specifications about abortion legalities, including Trigger laws, Heartbeat bills, and more. The requirement of manipulative tactics to urge the patron to not have an abortion does not include education on abortions related to breast cancer or other health issues, waiting period requirements, interference with discrete minor abortion access which covers minors over the age of 13, or interference with abortion through pills.

While this amendment was being presented, there was an unfriendly amendment presented to get rid of lines 16-19 which would remove the piece of section 2 that makes heartbeat bills illegal. Debate was limited to one round of pro and con debate following the motion, and the amendment failed. Some delegates of the White House believed this bill was too extreme, with lines 16-18 saying that a pregnant person can have an abortion up to the final 4 weeks before the expected due date.

Later in the debate, after the amendment was failed, delegate Braude from Webb High School stated, “…less than 2% of abortions happen in the third trimester and they’re only when the mother is in danger… if abortion is banned, people won’t stop having abortions, they will just have them in an unsafe manner that puts the mother in danger.” This bill will be of no cost to the state, as the people getting the abortion will pay for the procedure.

Another pro speaker, who addressed the floor and may have helped sway people to pass the bill, was delegate Conard from Valor College Prep, who brought up the statistic that 95% of women do not regret their abortion and believe it had to be done. The presenters of the bill also believe that their bill will give power back to the women who are having abortions and help the overcrowded foster care and adoption agencies. These amazing pro addresses and efficient and effective debate are why bill WHB/22-6-9 was passed by the White House. 

The following is an interview with delegates Kaelyn Nuckoles and Clayton Morrow:

AS:  Thank you for your interview! Could you do a short introduction of your bill?

KN: Yeah, of course! So we wanted to write a bill on reproductive rights, but we wanted to make sure that it appealed to people pro-choice and pro-life because we had a major emphasis on the safety of women. Because abortions are going to happen no matter what, it’s just a matter of whether women have the option to do it safely or not, so we wanted to write about that.

AS: Alright! So … how do restrictions against abortions negatively affect women?

KN: Well, it definitely increases the maternal death rate, which is something I brought up in my bill quite a lot. 8-10% of the maternal death rate is made up by women who die during childbirth or die during at-home, illegal abortions. It negatively affects them because they will not go to hospitals to seek treatment, possibly for fatal complications, because they will get arrested, and it will also protect children from being in the very toxic and over-filled foster system.

AS: Line 16 through 19 [of your bill] caused quite a controversy. Why did you decline to amend your bill to erase these lines?

KN: So … they wanted to erase everything about the not letting trigger bills, heartbeat bills, or waiting periods pass; and they wanted to only leave the parts about … say … no one is able to intervene with Plan B or birth control, or insurance providers have to offer insurance for abortion and can’t deny it. The problem is that the title of our bill literally focused on the part that bans the bills against abortion, and they were trying to delete the entire basis of our bill … which is those few lines.

AS: How would you respond to the people that consider your bill polarizing?

KN: Apparently a lot of people had a problem with me trying to take away the man’s choice as to whether the woman has this baby or not, and I highly disagree. I know someone asked me a question like “why do you think this is okay?” and I was like, well, the man didn’t carry the baby for 9 months, but I genuinely think it’s about bodily autonomy and it should be the women’s choice … 

AS: Is there anything else you would like to state about your bill?

KN: I am very excited it did pass. I am very concerned about it passing Senate, but I really was super interested in writing this bill … I am very passionate about the topic. I’m very glad that so many people agreed.

AS: Thank you for your statements and good luck!

You Have The Right To Learn! The Plan to increase the Budget for Prison Education

Rayna Taylor –

In September, The Prison Policy Initiative gave Tennessee a failing grade within its handling of the COVID-19 within prisons, jails, and detention centers, as there was little to no policy ensuring the health and safety of inmates. 

This however has been only one of the failing grades upon our state’s prisons system’s progress report. Tennessee’s jails have been ranked within the bottom eight in categories such as hygiene, education, and racial discrimination, with over half of those incarcerated being Black Americans. 

Some of us take education for granted, viewing it as easily accessible. Some of us even disdain school. However, for those within detention centers, education may be their ticket to bettering their post-incarcerated, or incarcerated, lifestyle. 

The general public, especially high school seniors, has a view of where they want to be when they grow up. The college of their dreams, their dream job, the picture of the house they want to spend the rest of their life within. However, some people don’t have the luxury to dream. About 50% of lower-income students are expected to serve some amount of time within a prison or jail, and of the prison population, only 28% percent of the incarcerated population has received a college education, with a fourth of that community being educationally underserved, as they have either dropped out or come start from a juvenile detention facility. 

Red Senate Bill 22-3-2 proposes a plan to increase the budget that contributes to the education and vocational programs offered to those incarcerated. These programs such as the GED program, culinary classes, public speaking, accounting, even the offering of certain college courses, would not only increase the quality of the standard prison programs that were being offered before but potentially save money within the state budget as delegate Acosta (author of this bill) stated within her summation. This bill has been endorsed by Governor Comfort Markwei in hopes that it can overall change the tune of life for those behind bars. The Governor stated, “We can not leave marginalized groups behind.” 

Learn more:

Education Opportunities in Prison Are Key to Reducing Crime

Senator Pheonix Caruthers Champions a Powerful New Dynamic Bill

Lilly Ann Brown –

You’ve all studied your conference books from front to back, but here’s some breaking news on a new dynamic bill written by Senator Pheonix Caruthers and our strong team of Lobbyists. 

So, what is Dynamic Legislature?

In a recent interview, Lobbyist Grace Harris gave a brief explanation of dynamic legislation. She stated, “if there is a bill idea you come across or you want to write a bill you didn’t think about prior to the conference, you can team up with us Lobbyists and we can work together to write that bill or rewrite an idea you love in a more effective way.” Dynamic legislation is a unique opportunity provided by our Lobbyists. It provides a mechanism by which our Congress can evaluate itself and adjust laws depending on how well they are performing and what delegates feel compelled to argue. According to a Penn Law study about dynamic legislature in United States legislative proceedings, dynamic action “does not impermissibly entrench the current majority, and it is not as susceptible to the pathologies of the political economy.” This unique perspective allows any delegate to amend their thinking and push for a new bill they think our conference needs.

What is this new bill?

Senator Pheonix Caruthers took full advantage of this new opportunity, and with the help of our Lobbyists, has penned an act to reform the solitary confinement system in Tennessee state correctional facilities. Caruthers’ bill argues that no prisoners in Tennessee state correctional facilities should be subject to punishment by solitary confinement unless in extreme cases decided by a judge. Concern in this realm is well-founded; according to the American Psychological Association, “inmates who experience solitary confinement are more likely to develop anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and psychosis.” Identifying this specific need, Pheonix Caruthers saw the hole in the bills brought to the conference and decided to work with our strong Lobby to develop his dynamic bill.

One of the unique facets of the bill is that inmates can commit themselves to voluntary confinement. Once committed, psychiatrists will perform a mental health evaluation and determine the needs of the inmate. Inmates that need the solidarity of the rooms are free to use them and can receive the mental help and support they need. In a quick interview, Sen. Caruthers said, “we want to use those cells to help people, not hurt them.” Caruthers’ bill is an excellent example of dynamic legislature in action, and with the help of our Lobbyists, we get to hear new bills tailored to overlooked yet critical topics here at YIG. 

As we head into our last full day of YIG, be sure to keep an eye out for Senator Pheonix Caruthers’ new Lobbyist endorsed dynamic bill, and pay attention to the Lobbyists as they write and amend some of our first ever in-person dynamic bills.

Pictures by Lilly Ann Brown

Learn more:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/solitary-confinement-effects#summary

https://scholarship.law.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=9657&context=penn_law_review#:~:text=Dynamic%20legislation%20also%20provides%20a,design%20is%20not%20too%20costly.

What to Remember from the All-Conference Session

Lilly Ann Brown –

We were all there, but here’s a rundown of what you don’t want to forget from the All-Conference Session at 2:30 on Friday, February 25th.

Despite minimal issues with technology, our officers, including Hardy Gardner and Gubernatorial candidate Will Severn, did an excellent job getting the ball rolling at this year’s joint session. 

Following the theatrical start, Susan Moriarty shared her gratitude for our diligence, the exceptional work of our officers this year, and of course our beautiful capital building. Profound moments from her speech include an apt reminder to keep our spaces clean and safe, a reminder that this space is shared with our Legislature and Governor, Bill Lee, and a final thank you to YIG alumni and YMCA staff.

Next up was Chris Tointon, the Middle Tennessee YMCA CEO. Chris discussed the virtue of the program and again reminded us to not take the friends and connections we make through YIG for granted. Furthermore, he addressed the perseverance the delegates this year have had, and the great work done by everyone today. Tointon closed with a strong sentiment, stating, “your debates this weekend maybe mock, but they have the ability to inspire real change.”

Next, after a lovely introduction from Tyler, youth governor Comfort Markwei began the State of the State Address. Markwei is endorsing a bill that encourages the teaching of race and race education in schools. Markwei states, “History is uncomfortable”, and promises to fight censorship of history and racial inequality. Comfort also supports several other education-related bills, including an online school-based bill to further funding in those areas, and other bills furthering progressive and modern change to the education system. Her platform is wide and multi-faceted; Governor Markwei is fighting for prison reform, the LGBTQ+ community, Covid relief for the Tennessee homeless population, CRT training for the Tennessee police force, free menstrual products, environmental sustainability, regulation of the adoption system, and more.

She closed appropriately, stating, “I ask you to picture a better future for Tennessee and make it happen.”

And with some help from Yao Xiao, the meeting was adjourned.

Adoption Rights: An LGBTQ+ Avenue

 Nadia Wade –

The modern family is an ever-changing aspect of society. In the mid-1900s, most families followed the typical family structure and maintained families with at least 2 or more children. Oftentimes, the family life would be one of a husband who works and provides for the family financially and a wife who takes care of the domestic duties of the home. Fast forward to the present, and the modern-day family has no specific look or label that one could identify. There are people with two mothers or two fathers, or one mother and one father. There are so many different types of families that make up the typical modern-day family.

Since–Biologically–same-sex parents are unable to procreate on their own, many will turn to fertility specialists, and most commonly will utilize the adoption system to fulfill their dreams of having a child. There are roughly 594,000 same-sex couple households in the  United States, only 115,000 have children. That being said, this percentage could be so low because these couples simply do not want children or the adoption process makes it harder for same-sex couples to adopt. This struggle may take place because some Americans believe that “children need both a mother and a father to raise them, but there are many others who believe that gender does not matter when parenting” (LifeLong Adoptions). So, there is a possibility that same-sex couples will experience some form of scrutiny or even difficulty in getting through the adoption process in many states. Tennessee is a state that currently lacks laws protecting these same-sex couples that may face discriminatory treatment or difficulty in the adoption process based on their sexual orientation.

This afternoon, I had the opportunity to listen in on the committee four senate meeting. Here I was able to listen in on Brithny Speraw’s Bill titled, “An Act to Ensure Equal Adoption Opportunities for LGBTQ+ Couples.” This delegate was inspired to focus on this topic because of her “personal experience with adoption and LGBTQ+ adoption in specific.” Her response was also inspired as a reaction to when Tennesee governor Bill Lee signed a piece of legislation that allows adoption agencies to deny or refuse to cooperate with same-sex couples. Speraw informed the committee that Tennessee should consider implementing certain laws to protect all LGBTQ+ adopters from experiencing discrimination during the adoption process. She even explained that there is a need for certain laws in place that make sure that same-sex couples must meet the same criteria as heterosexual couples.

Within Speraw’s bills, she expressed where her concerns that an act that offers greater protection for same-sex couples when working with adoption agencies is needed. She even went as far as explaining that fines should be in place for people who violate these laws. The specifics of the bill would be that state funding would be revoked and a $23,5000 fine would be given to the violators of this law. Speraw included that state funds would be relocated to other organizations if an organization decided to violate this law.

As the land of the free and the home of the brave, Americans are often very progressive– as we’ve shown in the evolution of the typical family– and could even be considered equal opportunists. Having a way to protect the opportunities of others would be available if Brihtany Speraw’s Bill was taken under careful consideration by the legislature. Though Ms. Speraws’s bill was one of the first bills I was able to listen in on at this conference, I look forward to hearing more interesting topics from all of the wonderfully diverse candidates that are attending the conference this year.

Learn more:

https://www.lifelongadoptions.com/lgbt-adoption/lgbt-adoption-statistics

The Evolution of American Family Structure

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/01/24/tennessee-gay-adoption-gov-bill-lee-signs-anti-lgbt-measure/4570788002/

PSYCH! -The Bill to Legalize and Regulate use Certain Psychedelics

Rayna Taylor –

February 24th, 2022, in the Red Senate, chaired by gubernatorial candidate William Severn and Speaker Pro-Temp of the White Senate, Rudra Patel, delegate Samuel Harper of Central Magnet was the third within his committee to approach the podium with a bill that stirred a bit of controversy within the committee. 

Within Harper’s bill, the delegate proposed a plan to aid one of the most devastated populations in not only the state of Tennessee but throughout the United States. 1 in 3 U.S. Veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, with 90% reported to have an increase in anxiety by 12% and depression by at least 9.9% within their first few months of return from service. While Tennessee is one of the better states to contribute aid to those who fought for the good of our nation, there is still a large portion of veterans who are homeless, battling addiction, or suicidal. Perhaps there may be a “magical” solution!

Samuel Harper’s bill proposes an act to “Legalize and Regulate the Sale, Production, And Use Of Psilocybin and Lysergic Acid Diethylamide,” within the state of Tennessee. The delegate’s hope is that by legalizing center psychedelics (LSD, “magic” mushrooms, etc.), reasonable prescriptions may be offered for those suffering from severe anxiety and other mental health issues. Additionally, the proposal could provide a safer market for purchasing these psychedelics to prevent severe addiction and deaths caused by overdose. 

“There are a lot of veterans suffering, who are pushing for passage as they say these drugs help quite a bit,” says Harper in a post committee interview. However, he continued that their concern is safety, as the drugs can often be laced with lethal doses of fentanyl or addictive narcotics that may further cause pain and addiction for those simply wanting relief. Within section three of Red Senate Bill 22-2-3, Harper provides his outline of possible criteria for those receiving access to Psilocybin and LSD, which calls for background checks of both buyers and sellers, as well as mental health and medical testing that qualifies those wishing to receive treatment.

This bill raised questions within both rounds of Con debate, as Delegate Mark Ciampa of White Senate not only questions the abuse of this potential passage in regards to recreational use, but also the effect of the legalization of Tennessean drug crises as a whole. While Harper did answer that the bill’s passage would account for both medicinal and recreational use, he once again stressed the background checking for those within the market of these Psychedelics, to which Ciampa still remained indifferent, his main concern being increased drug use overall.

Delegate Harper concluded within his interview that he truly believed his bill may do more help than harm economically, as it would provide more jobs, and medically, with a firm standing on “potentially saving lives of those who have fought for us.”

Learn more:

https://www.research.va.gov/topics/mental_health.cfm#:~:text=The%20team%20found%2011%20percent,12.3%20percent%20for%20non%2DVeterans.

https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/Default.aspx?tsid=11585&ovr_acv_id=11898&campaignsource=ONLINE&source=BS22010AAANBHAA&gclid=Cj0KCQiAmeKQBhDvARIsAHJ7mF7npq-9YqtoHbfYpW2nLLREiDyLExr2MLTQVk5m5KDD8YREzn23NIcaAiytEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Cold Weather Warfare: Lessons in History

Lilly Ann Brown –

Cold weather warfare: Military operations affected by snow, ice, thawing conditions, or cold, both on land and at sea.

This is a term I’ve been familiar with since my 4th-grade history class, and as we were walking to Cordell Hull this morning it was running through my mind. Some great things have happened in the cold, and as we head into our sessions today, it can certainly feel like we are heading to war. Here’s a brief history of some cold weather warfare to get you in the mood for some freezing battles.

In World War II, the Finnish Army used ski troops during the Winter War and the Second World War. Despite being severely outnumbered by the Soviet forces, the white-clad ski troops navigated the frozen terrain expertly and won the day. Let this be a lesson to dress well and be unashamed to use tools and tricks to fight for what you believe in.

At the Battle of Sarikamish, Ottoman troops were incredibly unprepared for winter fighting and suffered major losses. Over 25,000 soldiers froze to death before the battle even began. For us, let this be a lesson to wear a coat, socks, and pants as we head into long sessions today. 

On December 25, 1776, General George Washington and the Continental Army famously crossed the Delaware River. Washington’s aim was to levy a surprise attack upon a group of 1,400 soldiers located in and around Trenton, New Jersey. Washington hoped that a victory at Trenton would bolster morale in his army and encourage more men to join the army. The victory was not particularly significant in the grand scheme of the war, but news of Washington’s initiative raised the spirits of the American colonists, who feared that the Continental Army was incapable of victory. This classic American story reminds us that our victories inspire others; your success uplifts your school and partners. 

Today’s cold weather warfare may be brutal, but after examining the history of winter warfare, there’s a lot to learn. Remember to stay positive and fight hard for what you believe, even if your teeth chatter as you do.

Learn more:

https://artsandculture.google.com/entity/cold-weather-warfare/m0586_9?hl=en

https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/the-revolutionary-war/washingtons-revolutionary-war-battles/the-trenton-princeton-campaign/10-facts-about-washingtons-crossing-of-the-delaware-river/

Ranked Voting System

 Liya Patel –

On thursday afternoon, Floor Leader of the Red Senate Caroline Johnston from Clarksville Academy presented her group’s bill. According to the bill, it is, “An act to change Tennessee voting procedures to a ranked voting system.” A ranked voting system is a system that implements ranks for the candidates based on popularity. The candidates are picked solely by an outright majority. If there is no outright majority, then the candidate with the least votes is pulled out and their first preference votes will be given to the second preference votes. 

Tennessee currently implements the plurality system. With this system, a candidate can win based on the number of votes without winning the outright majority. This has been the only voting system that Tennessee has used. A pro of using the plurality system is it gives the option of two clear parties. However, this also poses an issue because many third-party candidates don’t get the chance to gain the same popularity as the two existing parties. This was an argument that Johnston stated in her claim. With the passing of the bill, all candidates running would be able to get equal representation. The elections wouldn’t pull towards any two specific candidates. Johnston also stated that implementing this bill would not cost any money, and it would be enforced right after the bill is passed. 

Alaska and Maine are the only two states that have fully built in the use of the ranked voting system in all elections. Maine became the first state to implement the ranked voting system on November 8, 2016. Alaska made the switch in 2020 and found that there was a greater voting turnout.  According to, “Alaskans For Better Elections,” “Ranked-choice voting promotes fuller representation and greater accountability, as candidates know they must win the support of a majority of voters in their community, not just a narrow base.” If this bill was implemented in Tennessee, it would allow for more equal representation of all candidates running and can also increase voter turnout. 

Learn more:

https://aceproject.org/ace-en/topics/es/esd/esd01/esd01a/esd01a01

https://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/RCV.php 

https://legislature.maine.gov/lawlibrary/ranked-choice-voting-in-maine/9509

https://ballotpedia.org/Electoral_systems_in_Tennessee 

https://alaskansforbetterelections.com/about/ranked-choice-voting/ 

The Thin Line Between Youth in Government and The Typical Horror Film

Nadia Wade –

 “Midsommar,” “Halloween,” “Chucky,” “Final Destination,” “The Shining,” “The Mummy,” “The Leprechaun,” etc. In every good horror film, there are certain characteristics that make it a memorable experience for the audience. There is often a great deal of gore, jumpscares, and mounting suspense. The really great films will have the audience biting their nails, covering eyes and ears, and hoping that the film will be over soon. There is actually not much of a difference between one’s first time at Youth in Government and the uneasy feeling that one gets while watching a horror movie.

Between the jam-packed schedule filled with various meetings, TomFoolery Committee’s, the need to exercise one’s public speaking skills, and just the many introductions to new people, Youth in Government can be a very anxiety-inducing event for a first-time delegate at this exciting conference. Though gore itself is not necessarily part of the “YIG x Horror Movie experience,” the jumpscares and suspense are surely there. One experiences a jumpscare when answering questions during bill presentations, arguing in front of the court, and even when answering simple icebreakers. 

Though Youth in Government and horror films can both make a person very anxious, it is important to remember the purpose of this conference as a first-time delegate. One’s mission should be to learn as much as one can about Youth in Government, meet as many new people as possible, and simply remember to have fun and make memories that will last a lifetime. Though the first-time experience of Youth in Government can be a lot like watching a great horror movie, it is one that many are willing to watch over and over again, no matter how difficult it may be for a first-time delegate.

Learn more:

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/horror-movie-guide#what-is-horror  

What does Youth in Government mean to YOU?

Liya Patel –

February 24, 2022, marks the start of the 69th Youth in Government Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Over 400 delegates from all across Tennessee assemble to learn and understand how the court system works. However, with great power comes great responsibility. Delegates will put countless hours of work into constituting bills that can be implemented into Tennessee law. This is what the conference is meant to be, but what does Youth in Government truly mean to the delegates? 

Youth in Government to Abdoulaye Charles from Antioch High School represents being able to be more social and outgoing. He states that it is a way to discuss topics that have never been seen before and be able to implement changes in the Tennessee Community. Ada Vance, Lang McDaniel, and Megan Zhao from Central Magnet School state that YIG represents youth empowerment in government. Colin Fisher from Signal Mountain Middle-High School notes that the conference is a way for everyone from across Tennessee to come together and share ideas on what they want to see Tennessee become in the future. Youth in Government to Amna Alam of Valor College Prep is a way for students to stay connected on important decisions and keep up with crucial events that are occurring in the community. She further explains how this allows people of our community to be better prepared for the future. Aman also states that it is a creative way to meet new people and build connections.

From these interviews, it can be seen that Youth in Government is not simply just a learning platform for students. It is an experience, where they can form new relationships and collectively move towards making the Tennessee community stronger. What does Youth in Government mean to you?

Is the Tennessee State Capitol Building Really Haunted?

Lilly Ann Brown –

David Carpenter, building and facilities management specialist of the Tennessee State Capitol, stated in a recent interview, “Many people do not realize that we have four bodies buried on the Capitol grounds.” Upon further investigation, I found that the bodies in question include the following four individuals: William Strickland, Samuel Morgan, and, in the east garden of the Capitol, President James K. Polk and his wife Sarah Childress Polk. This unique combination of individuals shouldn’t be a problem, I mean, they’re dead right? Well, the long history of ghoulish activity says differently. As lucky as we are to have our Youth in Government convention in the Tennessee State Capitol, here are a few supernatural things to look out for and a final answer to the question on all our minds, “Is the Tennessee State Capitol Building Really Haunted?”

Architect William Strickland – who designed and oversaw the construction of the Greek- revival structure, was the first person to be buried within the Capitol. Strickland passed in 1854, before the building’s dedication, but made sure everyone knew where he wanted to be buried. However, he should have clarified who he wanted to be buried next to. 

Samuel D. Morgan – the second interment – joined the same southeast corner of the Capitol in 1880. While the building was under construction, Morgan was chairman of the Capitol Commission, working with Strickland to manage the project. The two couldn’t agree on anything and would always fight over expenses and building costs. Legend has it, their feud continued even in the afterlife, especially after being buried at the same location.

One of the best-known ghost stories of the Capitol is the clearly-audible quarrel between the two, usually starting at 9 p.m. Some say the two scream at each other so loudly, you can hear them fighting from outside the building. 

Legislative Librarian Eddie Weeks verifies these tales, claiming, “two men engaged in a heated argument…yelling and cursing in a most heated manner.” Later, Weeks continued with more detail, “For some reason, the sounds always began around 9 p.m. when a loud argument would erupt seemingly in the area of the north foundation wall and continue for several minutes.” Think about it, how annoying must it be to have to put up with your enemy even in death.

The 11th president of the United States, James K. Polk,  is also said to haunt Capitol grounds. According to several accounts, a man dressed in a dark suit has been seen kneeling in front of James and Sarah Polk’s tomb. Apparently, as passers-by get closer, the man seems to slowly dissipate, until he disappears completely.

Those who have witnessed the occurrence swear it’s James Polk staring at his gravesite, including downtown ghost tour operator Frankie Harris. Harris claims, “most common is to see Polk in a darker suit kind of kneeling here at the base, and then as people walk down the path getting closer to that spot, the image sort of evaporates.”

Considering all these ghoulish tales, I think it’s safe to say our beloved Tennessee State Capitol really is haunted. Keep this information in mind as you work this weekend, and dress your best – you may meet a former president.

I just hope there’s no one buried in the DoubleTree.

White Sauce: The American Story of White Supremacy in Food

By: Rayna Taylor 

While Europe may be the second smallest continent, European standard has had an impact on the way most of the world operates. The Eurocentric view shapes everything from television, advertising, music, and even food. Not only is much of the United States food produced through the labor of immigrant workers, often of Latinx descent, but the very food coined as “Classic American Dream Cuisine” may have been an altered version of its parent food, or a substitute for a cultural dish. 

As many people may not realize, racism can be seen even in the veins of the average American body, standing as the foundations for several United States cultural staples, and subsequently the outline of many procedures. For example, the “food pyramid—Introduced in 1992 by the United States Department of Agriculture—the guide stated the healthy human being’s diet consisted of 6-11 servings of grains, two thirds’ vegetables, one third fruits, rarity in fats, oils, and sugars, and an equal fourth of proteins and dairy. In conjunction with this structure being disproven as a ploy to increase bread and dairy sales in the US, there was also a gap in knowledge of nutrition for those not of European descent as most minority groups are lactose intolerant. 

Likewise, the pyramid assumed that all US citizens have access to the listed food groups. As idealistic as that sounds, it proves to be unrealistic as more than 12% percent of Americans currently live below the poverty line, a decrease from the 15.6% of 2014. Over half of those in that 12% are of Black, Hispanic, or Asian descent. As this diagram’s intention may have been too idealistic that every child would have access to this kind of stability in their diet, others may argue that there is little to no execution of aiding diets, rather simple dictation of what to do. 

Children being misled by these lunch time lies are mixing over consumption of irritable foods, with consumption of affordable foods, often being a classic American McDonald’s meal, over a “balanced” home-cooked steak and veggies dinner. 

While the pyramid has been removed and revised, this nutritionally fault is evident in the statistics that 13% of the minority are said to develop irritable bowel syndrome from their lactose intolerance, as well a third of the minority population developing diabetes, opposed to the decrease in statistics a of White diabetic Americans. 

Change is difficult, so it is no fault of Americans themselves. In ways America has owned up to the name melting pot with the diversity of foods from taco trucks of California to the introduction of hamburgers from Germany. However, it is important to remember the other American philosophy, ‘Justice For All,” even if that applies to the food on your table

Works Cited

“Food Justice and Racism in the Food System.” rootsforchange.org, https://rcschools-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/personal/rtaylor2939_student_rcschools_net/EcvDTpJlV_tPlSo69aIdrsIBf4WzoVKy1IF-qBhhYUFpXg?e=fgejOG.

Minocha, Anil. “Racial differences in epidemiology of irritable bowel syndrome alone, un-investigated dyspepsia alone, and “overlap syndrome” among african americans compared to Caucasians: a population-based study.” pubmeb.gov, January 2006, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

Molider, Jennifer. “The Food System is Built on White Supremacy.” sentientmedia.org, October 2020, https://sentientmedia.org/the-food-system-is-built-on-white-supremacy/.

“Poverty Rates for Blacks and Hispanics Have Reached Historic Lows in 2019.” census.gov, 15 September 2020, https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2020/09/poverty-rates-for-blacks-and-hispanics-reached-historic-lows-in-2019.html.

The Minds of MUN

By: Paiton Wiles 

It is always interesting to see so many diverse backgrounds and nationalities in one place from many different areas all aligning for a common goal. After talking to many interviewees about their first day at Conference A, I gathered many fun facts, pieces of advice, and feedback. Many people outside of the MUN conferences tend to think it’s only for people with nothing else to do or only for people who want to work in government. The reality is many of the interviewees along with MUN, also participated in many different varsity sports and clubs at their schools.

 I loved hearing different people’s “why’s” for MUN. Such as why are they here, why did they choose their bill, and why did they choose their assembly if they did one. One of my favorites was a brutally honest guy. He wasn’t afraid to say what his real answers to my questions were. His main “why” was that it looked really good to colleges. Many other people said that they come to the conferences to meet new people and bond with people who share the same interests. Another “why” that stuck out to me was from a girl in the General Assembly. She came because she wanted to grow in her rhetoric and speaking skills. 

As a first-year MUN attendee, it was liberating to hear people’s advice for others. As a whole, everyone said the best piece of advice was don’t be afraid to talk! Whether that be by asking questions, speaking up in your assembly, introducing yourself to others, or needing help. It was brought up multiple times that the first day of MUN is nerve-racking, but if you stay hydrated and level-headed you’ll do amazing.

Governor Nashi Puts the “Mid” in the Handling of the Midnight Crisis

Written by Adie Norris

Last night, there was a call for Governor Mark Nashi to resign after his handling of a crisis left much to be desired by both citizens and politicians like Mayor Gooch of Oak Ridge. Nashi headed the crisis-resolution effort dealing with the “Midnight Crisis,” during which the Fontana Dam was suddenly shut down and 228,000 were left without power or access to emergency services. The incident was quickly discovered to be a cyberattack by an unknown party, and the Governor was faced with some options: pay the 75 billion dollar ransom to the attacker, who was threatening to shut down communications, or spend 35 of the 75 billion dollars to instantly restore devices, or publicly address the crisis. 

Nashi opted instead to pay the suspected terrorist group to restore state-owned devices, saying “I don’t care about Tennesseans, I just want my devices back.” Nashi also claimed that the money was used to restore devices for “all Tennesseans.” However, this only meant power was restored to government devices. 

Although billions were expended to recover government devices, Nashi has heard claiming “We do not have any money whatsoever.” Shortly after devices were restored, Nashi called for the National Guard to be mobilized to provide disaster relief for Tennesseans, despite the lack of need for disaster relief of this level. In the meantime, however, the identity of the terrorist(s) was unknown, and little was being done to discover it past providing funding for a TBI investigation of the incident.

Eventually, FEMA was able to get power back to the dam and restore emergency communications, after the Governor’s Cabinet claimed they “totally forgot” about the lack of emergency communications. The crisis was resolved, although at the expense of billions of tax-payer dollars and the prolonged suffering of the Tennessee residents impacted by both the blackout and the lack of access to emergency services.

When questioned later about his government’s vulnerability to cyberattacks and reminded of the fact that he was the one who had opened the email containing the malware, Governor Nashi shared that he would be funding more cybersecurity for the government to prevent further attacks. The question is, can we trust the governor’s word to keep this state safe after this, or should he heed Mayor Gooch’s call for him to resign for the good of the people?

The Unintended Consequences of Rapid Growth in Nashville

Written by Nick Allison

To most people, population growth is a good thing. It is usually a sign that things are going well in the county/city/state/country that you run. However, when growth gets too big, it leads to a poorer quality of life for residents. In this case, Nashville is a primary example of this. According to CNBC, the city has seen 35,624 new people make it their home which was roughly 98 new people per day.¹ Because of this growth, Tennessee’s population is now beyond 7 million.² Because of this, there have been some changes in the cost of living. A family in Nashville now needs to earn $124,095 per year to be able to afford a median-priced home in Nashville which is 19% higher than before. Before, it was $114,627 a year to purchase a median-priced home.³ That is due to the concept of supply and demand. In this case, the thousands of people flocking to Nashville would be the demand, and the housing market would be the supply. In simple terms, because so many people are moving to Nashville and the housing market is not big enough to accommodate everyone, it becomes scarce and prices go up. It becomes unfair to actual residents when they can’t afford to buy a house or do anything because of this. It leads to increased homelessness.⁴ We need to build more affordable homes in the city and make it easier and cheaper to do so. 

1. Dore, “Nashville added nearly 100 new residents per day in 2022. Here’s why people are moving to Music City”, CNBC, November 30, 2023 ↩︎
2. Fitzpatrick, Beharaj and Tamburin, “Tennessee now has more than 7 million residents”, Axios,  May 15, 2023 ↩︎
3. Anderson, “Homebuyers must earn $115,000 to Afford the Typical U.S. Home. That’s About $40,000 More Than the Typical American Household Earns”, Redfin, October 17, 2023 ↩︎
4. Carrion, “Nashville facing an affordability crisis, real estate adviser warns”, Fox Business, November 17, 2023 ↩︎

A Roadmap to YIG Food

Written by Adie Norris

Mealtimes during YIG can sneak up on you, and it can be overwhelming trying to find a decent place to eat during your limited time at dinner and lunch. So, here are my top 5 picks of places to eat during your time at the YIG conference!

1. 417 Union – Super cute 40s-themed diner, great for breakfast but they serve lunch and dinner too. Classic southern food and great service!
2. Assembly Food Hall – Basically a cafeteria for big kids, food options inside include tacos, poke bowls, hot chicken, and even cookie dough.  
3. Baam Burger – Big, sloppy greasy burgers for when you’re dying of hunger. The wait is usually pretty long, but the sweet potato waffle fries are worth it.
4. Farmers Market Food Court – The food court in the farmers market offers everything from vegan options to sushi, and everything in between. Great for vegetarians or people looking for a healthier option. They even have a boba place!
5. Starbucks – This one goes without saying, but if y’all need an easy caffeine fix there’s a Starbucks located right inside the hotel lobby. Also a great option for a quick easy breakfast on your way to Cordell Hull!

YIG Tips and Tricks

Written by Evan Lyke

Ann Baker Tolsma, Eesha Sutharshan, Eva Muresan, and Meg Atkins

As we start near the end of the 2024 YIG Capitol Conference, the question of what to do next year becomes relevant. Here are some helpful tips from delegates of the Red House and our Commissioner of Agriculture. All these students are seniors with varying degrees of experience, ranging from first to fourth years. They have some wise words for you as you think about your role at YIG next year! 

Alexis Barton is the Commissioner of Agriculture in the Governor’s Cabinet and has attended YIG since she was a freshman. Here are her three tips for upcoming members of the Governor’s Cabinet: 1. Know the bills in your department, the cost content, etc. 2. Bring a pair of running shoes! 3. Be prepared to be frantic!

Eesha Sutharshan is a first-year member of YIG. As a senior, she presents her bill in the Red House with Meg Atkins. Here are her three helpful tips for anyone new to YIG: 1. Bring an energy drink because you will be awake and busy from 8 am to 10 pm. 2. Pack an umbrella in case it rains, as you will be doing a lot of walking outside. 3. Create a bill that would be morally wrong not to pass.

Aditi Singh, a Red House Representative

Meet Aditi Singh. This is her second year at YIG, and she is presenting her bill with Ann Baker Tolsma in the Red House. Here are Aditi’s three helpful tips for anyone going into Red House next year: 1. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or mess up! This is all for fun, and you will enjoy YIG so much if you get out there and participate! 2. Be prepared for people to challenge you and try to trip you up, but as long as you genuinely believe in the purpose of your bill, you can back up nearly any argument. 3. Make sure to talk to other delegates during free time and become friends with new people! This will make the whole process more engaging, and you will gain more support for your bill’s passage.

As you approach the 2025 Youth in Government Capitol Conference, I encourage you to look over these helpful tips to make sure your experience is the best it can be!

The Haunting of Capitol Hill

Written by Angelina Taramona and Willa Smith

As we stroll along the streets of Nashville this weekend, we may take a moment to appreciate the architecture of Capitol Hill and its surrounding grounds. While admiring the two-story high limestone ceilings and wooden doors of the Capitol’s architecture, along with its 1800s roots and Grecian pillars, one may not guess that it has a haunted history. 

Built in 1845 and officially opened in 1859, Tennessee’s state capitol has had a dark past since the architect William Strickland’s death in 1854. Strickland passed during the building of the Capitol and is now buried inside in a mausoleum under the Capitol floors, his “remains…[being] in the northeast wall,” says Chris Bungaard. The haunted halls of the Capitol have continued to grow over the years, as Strickland is not the only one buried within these walls. With him is Samuel Morgan, the Chairman of the Capitol Commission. The two had argued extensively over the project’s cost and design during their life, and when Strickland passed, it was Morgan who wanted his remains in the walls. Strickland did not remain in solitude for long, and Morgan was placed in the Southeast corner wall after his passing. The dueling architect’s relationship is embedded into the Capitol walls, and arguments are still heard by some even today.

The list of bodies does not end there, as the construction of the hill used slave labor to develop the $900,000 project. As construction was occurring, their bodies were buried under the building. Following the opening of the Capitol and during the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1866, there was a duel in the Capitol on the stairs between the first and second floors. Bullet holes and marks are still present in the Capitol walls, pillars, and railings, leaving their mark on history. This altercation stemmed from an argument in the legislature over the ratification of the 14th Amendment, which soon escalated into a bitter duel. 

Stickland’s and Morgan’s voices are not the only notable voices heard throughout these grounds; with them lies the body of President James K. Polk, with the faces of many said to vanish in portraits around his tomb, which lies within the Capitol grounds. The former President died of cholera on the way back to Tennessee, where his grave wasn’t even completed till shortly after his passing, a result of his remains being too infectious to reside in the city’s graveyard. The state then built him his own tomb. His voice is said to be heard within the halls, and his figure can be seen walking around pillars and through doors. 

The Tennessee state capitol is the only state capitol in the United States to double as a mausoleum, and with that comes the many accounts of experiences shared by visitors and government officials as they may hear or see the voices of Nashville’s lost souls that continue to haunt these limestone hallways. Think about it as you walk between Cordell Hull and Capitol Hill, and maybe you will hear or see them out of the corner of your eye.

Dolly Parton Day: “Working 9 to 5 to Get This Bill Passed”

Written by Jaclyn Owens

Dolly Parton is an iconic figure in Tennessee culture. From her music to her philanthropy, she is a kind, generous woman who changed the world with the power of her voice. 

Two representatives, Weiler Powell and Trace Nystrom, presented bill 24-2-12 to the Red House on Friday afternoon titled “Dolly Parton Day.” In summary, the goal is to replace Robert E. Lee Day on January 19th with Dolly Parton Day. During their presentation, the delegates cited their reasoning for proposing this day as a state holiday is that the day would honor the values of Dolly Parton: “compassion, generosity, and cultural harmony.” In addition, they argued that Robert E. Lee Day reminds citizens of the tragic history of slavery in the country. The bill would replace this day, therefore shifting the focus away from a time when the country was divided. 

During the pro-con debate, many different perspectives were addressed. During the first pro round, a delegate questioned, “Do you believe replacing Dolly Parton Day with Robert E. Lee Day will create a better message of inclusivity to the state?” The delegates answered yes to this question, saying that Dolly Parton is a symbol of inclusivity. Her organization “Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library” is a nonprofit organization that gifts free books to children no matter the family’s income. The organization has donated over 2 million books to children across the world. Powell and Nystrom used her organization as an example of her charitable work and inclusivity. Their hope is that the establishment of Dolly Parton Day will encourage Tennesseans to donate to the Imagination Library. 

In their presentation, the delegates said that Dolly Parton Day will “encourage people to join in on the philanthropic endeavors that she has made throughout her career.” Dolly Parton promotes inclusivity with the example of the Imagination Library, and she is a strong example of the character that Tennesseans should uphold. 

During the final pro round, a speaker addressed the floor stating that, “While this bill may appear trivial[…]it sets an important precedent to celebrate those who have benefited our state. While Lee was an important historical figure,[…]he has no connection with Tennessee[…]. Dolly Parton, on the other hand, is one of the most famous Tennesseans of our time. She has helped millions of children, including myself, gain access to quality books in addition to aiding in the horrid forest fires that struck the Smokies four years ago. I urge the passage of this bill to ensure we celebrate Tennessee heroes now and for years to come.” This speech describes who Dolly is to many Tennesseans and who Robert E. Lee is. While he was an important figure, his ideals do not align with those of today. However, Dolly Parton serves as a symbol of Tennessee through her compassion and philanthropy. 

In the summation of their presentation, the delegates urged the passage of their bill to leave the past behind and look toward the future. They acknowledged the positive effect that Dolly Parton has had on the state. She has changed the lives of people in the state of Tennessee and the world. They reminded their peers that the day would remind citizens of her charitable work and encouraged them to donate to her organizations. 

To end, Powell and Nystrom promised to work “9 to 5 to get this bill passed.” Not surprisingly, the bill passed with flying colors, highlighting the impact that Dolly Parton has had on the lives of Tennesseans.