Goodbye Tennessee

[dbackjon]

When I moved to Tennessee four years ago, I was very apprehensive about the social/political climate. Last night was the capper - with 81% of Tennesseans saying FUCK YOU to me and my partner, the decision I made to take a job in Arizona last week becomes all the better.

Tennessee regressed last night - passing the anti-gay amendment by the largest margin of any state last night, a night where similar measures lost in Arizona, and barely passed in South Dakota and Colorado.

Even more disturbing was the 90+% it passed by in most rural counties. Only FOUR counties passed with less than 80% - Anderson, Williamson, Knox, and the best showing in Nashville (68% for).

And Ford would have won by 5% or more if he was white, no doubt about that.

So the hell with TN. I pity those 19% decent people stuck here.

[Ian David]

1. Davey Crocket was a coward and had to be forced to fight at The Alamo.

They put him up on a bale of hay with a noose around his neck, and guns pointed at his back to make him fight.

Make sure you remind your neighbors of that when you give them all a rightfully deserved finger.

[NashVegas]

2. They Just Don't Understand

We were working against two mindsets.

1. The usual rednecks.
2. The religious / fundie rednecks.

It's not called the buckle of the bible belt for nothing.

The other day I was in a usenet conversation with a fundie, trying to impress upon them that it could never be a sin to share love in a positive, open environment.

They're so accustomed to the idea that sins are sins against *god* and whatever you do to harm another human isn't that big a thing, as long as you have Jesus as your spiritual pin cushion, that there's really not any form of logic you can use to argue with and persuade them.

Leaving is not the answer, though. Take yourself away, out of sight, out of mind, and nothing changes.

[foxeyes2]

3. They may not understand

If they don't understand it is because they don't want to. They don't want to have think for themselves, they don't want to have to examine their beliefs because it is a fragile house of cards that would come tumbling down if they actually thought anything through. So while I am not leaving anytime soon I can understand why some people want to. I get tired of being treated like a 3rd class citizen, I am discouraged by the percentage of my fellow citizens that voted yes, I am disenefranchised from the system and there is nothing I can do.
I do want to thank our straight allies who voted no. But not enough did and look where we are.

[dbackjon]

4. I thought I could make a difference here

But Tennessee will not change from within. It will only be from the outside that TN will leave the dark ages. Just like Slavery and Civil Rights (both things that Southern Baptists were on the wrong side of), acceptance of gays will only happen here when the rest of the nation forces TN too.

[SouthernBelle82]

6. Oh I see now

So you think running away is the answer. Nope. Not me. I'm not a coward and I'm staying and fighting even if that means people will not like me even within my own church which did this whole stupid "vote yes for amendment one" sermon and I had to sit through that shit. And you think that's going to do anything outside? LOL! Remember slavery? Same thing but Tennessee eventually joined the Confederate states. It took a lot of struggle from within to change things. Look at the history. So you're wrong.

[dbackjon]

9. TN was dragged kicking and screaming into the 19th and 20th Centuries

While the Southern Baptists in 1840's, 1950's and today try to force their bigotry on the entire state. It took the pressure of the rest of the nation to change it.

[SouthernBelle82]

13. Oh I see now

You want other people to fight your battles and not you yourself while you go and enjoy a nice life somewhere else and than when it does happen you'll want to repeat the benefits of hard work. I'm not gay or even bisexual and I'm as straight as can be and I'm staying and fighting because I know it's the right thing to do. Even if it changes outside the nation if you don't change people's minds and hearts on the issue they will be fighting to change it for the rest of their lives. Look at people on the far right with abortion. Do you think my right to choose as a woman is still safe here in Tennessee even though it's law? Hell no but I'm staying and fighting! I'm NOT going to let them take over the place I love and call home.

[SharonAnn]

18. Here in East TN, I don't think we're in the 20th century yet. That would

be progress.

[Claire Beth]

10. Good girl!

We have to work TOGETHER to change TN. Running away is not the answer. I believe we should ALL have the same rights. My husband, son and everyone else I know in my family voted against the amendment.

[tnlefty]

11. Had to sit through that shit? Why didn't you get up and leave?

That would've made a statement of sorts, and saved you the agony of sitting through it.

[SouthernBelle82]

14. Made a statement?

No it wouldn't have made any sort of statement. Nobody would have known I was leaving and why I left. My bumper stickers on my car make hell of a lot more statement than that. My church has 500-600 members. If little me ever left a service do you think anybody would know? No. Plus it's good to know what they talked about so I can do the research on my own and know how they think and combat it. You do research their "evidence" right?

[SouthernBelle82]

5. While it is sad

running away will not cause any changes in this state. If you want to change this state and the people's minds with the issue than you have to stay and fight. What about those gay people here in Tennessee who can not afford to move to a state like Arizona or some other more liberal state? How do you think they feel? I voted against it and was proud to be a part of that 19%.

[dbackjon]

8. But it will change my sanity

It is all well and good to say stay and change, but only ONE, ONE Democrat up for election in TN came out against Prop 1 - Steve Cohen.

The majority of Democrats in TN gleefully voted YES.

And unless you have faced the pressures that gays face in a state like TN, the constant bombardment on EVERY frickin TV channel that you are a sinner condemned to hell, where you're local Council was more worried about po'ing the Southern Baptists than to give you minimal protection, you can not understand what it is like.

Tennessee will not change in my lifetime, but Arizona, and most of the rest of the US will.

[SouthernBelle82]

15. Hey I understand where you are coming from

I'm a liberal in a conservative area where even in my Spanish class it was just me and another girl who were the only one's on the same side while everyone else was a Bushie. Well one girl didn't really make any comment so I don't know but anyways I know how it feels to be treated by other people because of your beliefs of this and that. But you think going away is going to change anything? No? Have you tried getting a gay political group together and work on changing these politicians minds? Have you tried working with the guy who did support you? Nothing will change in Tennessee unless you change people's hearts and thus change their minds. Even if it becomes law people will still try to change it unless their hearts and minds are with you. Look at Roe v Wade as an example. If you want to run away than fine but I'm not and I'm staying and fighting.

[tnlefty]

7. I think that you should send an invoice to the state of TN for your and

your partner's relocation expenses to a more gay friendly state. A friend of mine mentioned this to me over a year ago, and the more that we talked it through the more it made sense. When the taxpayers begin to realize the cost - not only financially, but in terms of talent - it might make an impression!

I was stunned to hear the numbers of elderly people that I drove to the polls telling me that they had voted no on that amendment, I suppose I was thinking it would've been the opposite.

Good luck to you!

[NashVegas]

12. "In Terms of Talent"

That's the saddest part of it all.

The country music industry is filled with queers, and I can only wonder what it might do to change attitudes if some of them started quietly coming out.

[SouthernBelle82]

16. How interesting

Now that would be interesting to have happen.

[tnlefty]

17. Ahhh, I didn't know that. My conversation with my friend dealt

more with small business owners, writers, thinkers in general, construction workers, skilled laborers, etc. and the intelluctual drain that would be so costly to states that keep passing these draconian admentments.

[SharonAnn]

19. Hmm, creative types, advertising, IT, TV production, etc. All of them

are industries that we've now told to go "F*** off".

BUt then, so have many other states.

I believe it will be like the volstead Act, prohibiting alcohol. It didn't last either.

[SouthernBelle82]

21. That could be a good idea

In the end the original poster has to make a decision what's best for them. Even though I wouldn't leave it's not my life to say and everything. I do agree that you should let the governor and the mayor of the town you're in know you're leaving and why you're leaving.
I remember there was a boycott not long ago on South Dakota and look how that helped? Like I said you have to change hearts and minds before you can change the law and keep it changed. It's like Barry Goldwater said: "You can't change how people live and think through the law." I know it's something like that anyways.

[dbackjon]

23. Oh, I intend to let

Breseden, Purcell and the Democratic Party in TN know.

And we are not the only ones. Another gay couple I know are making plans to move as well - that is over a quarter million in yearly salaries leaving the state.

[Malee]

20. What about us

who like living in Tennessee? How do you suggest we change people's hearts and minds?

I've lived here most of my life and my family and friends are here. I couldn't imagine living anywhere else particularly since I love friendly people and the beautiful countryside. It's not in me to be mean to people, at least not most of the time, but how do I convince people to learn to accept others even if they don't agree with them?

[SouthernBelle82]

22. That is a tough choice

While I sometimes dream of living in Massachusetts I still love it here in Chattanooga. You just have to open people's eyes about what they're doing. People for a long time didn't accept interacial marriage so how did people change on that? I think that's the only thing you can really compare the fight for gay marriage with honestly. :shrug: It'll just take time and talking to people. Each person has their own buttons you can press so to speak.

[tnlefty]

24. Welcome to DU and to the TN forum, Malee!

Speak up and ask for help when you need it. People turned out to protest a Klan rally in Rhea Co. and again for an anti-gay rally there. If some of us know what's going on and where we'll try VERY hard to show up in support!

peace.

[NotGivingUp]

25. my husband and i were planning on moving to tennessee

within the next couple of years. i am having some doubts now after reading this. is all of tennessee like this? we were thinking of moving to the gatlinburg area.

[SharonAnn]

26. It's pretty red in Sevier County (Gatlinburg area), all of East Tennessee

[Claire Beth]

27. Well, it varies in TN

Davidson county (Nashville) is a BLUE county and some other counties in middle TN are blue. East TN is pretty much red so that would include the Gatlinburg area. However, we need more democrats to move in those red areas and help change them to BLUE!!!!

:dem:

[Clark2008]

28. You could move to Knoxville-proper - but not anywhere outside

of the city, including in the County of Knox - most counties in East Tennessee are red and proud of it.

Knoxville, however, is fairly progressive. Heck, in my area of town, Fountain City, you'd be hard-pressed to find any Republicans. Fountain City is mostly white, too - I don't mean that as a racist statement - but people expect the "black side" of town to be Democratic in the South, but not a blue-to-white-collar bastion like Fountain City.

[southerncrone]

29. Please remember that this state has more to offer than just a

political atmosphere.

It is a GORGEOUS state!
Fabulous climate
Good location for travel
Friendly, neighborly people
no income tax, but sales tax is high, especially in Gatlinburg

There are rednecks all over the state, but I've met people with just as biased & backward opinions in states in other regions. Most of ours are just uninformed.

Don't turn your back on TN yet!

[section321]

30. Great climate? I'm freezin my arse off!

Of course, the weather will change again soon.

My California self is cold.

[southerncrone]

31. You Californians are just too spoiled by the weather there!

Compared to North & super hot SW & Deep South, we have a pretty good deal.
You must have lived here for a while to know that famous TN saying: "If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes & it will change!"

Are you in the mountains?

[tnlefty]

34. But that was last week. This week has been lows in the 40s and

60+degrees in the afternoon!

One of my rwing neighbors wrote a short LTTE stating that there couldn't be any global warming BRRRR it was cold. I saw him this morning walking his dog in a short-sleeved shirt. Climate change caused by global warming? I'm thinking yes, because things have changed quite a bit during the last decade, and that doesn't compare to the weather we had when I was a child growing up just over the state line in GA!

These extremes from one week to the next do wreak havoc on some of my plants, though!

[peacebuzzard]

32. Hope you find what you are looking for. I know this country inside out

have been to every state and most major cities with airports and I can report that most places are about the same.....same malls, same type road systems, inner cities, suburbia and same tinsel town build ups....True, TN ranks almost dead last in averages of education level of the population, so thus it is hard pressed to strike up an interesting dialog with a stranger in line at the bank or grocery.
If the social political discussions are your forte' I can understand your departure. However, Arizona is not known for its progressive agenda either and that state is in a rapid-fire development frenzy.
When I saw that bill come to the voting booths I knew it didn't stand a chance and I am one of the 19% voters who tried to give a progressive slant to the tally.....(sigh) But I had a quick, short, pleasant and visually exciting ride to the voting location and back home to my old country farm house.
Can not say the same about going to work in the noisy, stressful Big Apple tomorrow......but I know I will have interesting conversations there.

I have lived in Knox County very contentedly in a home and property I could never afford the payments on anywhere else in this country. I am fortunate to have the kind of space I require for a bargain price. Since I am in Customer Svc I get more than enough interaction with the public and my dear friends at work from my two jobs I need to support my family. I do not require human interaction away from the workplace so I just love it here with the open spaces and since I now reside in the eastern part of the state (Knoxville) the hills and greenery are breathtaking to me, every day.

the most important aspect of this state is that: you are never far from tranquility and all the services you need are within a comfortable non-stress drive......

Good Luck in your searches......Report back to the Tennessee forum when you get there and let us know how you fared!!!!

[southerncrone]

35. Glad you like it here, neighbor.

We do have a beautiful state, and as you so eloquently put it, that makes one's life at least psychologically better most of the time. Grew up in Chattanooga & have lived in many rural areas of Middle TN & spent a number of years in sales traveling the state, so I know a good bit about TN. I have not traveled to EVERY other state yet, but have been in enough to know it's good here.

My mission now is to EDUCATE the populous. I have a big job, but the outcome will be worth it. :hi:

[peacebuzzard]

36. I was in a sales job for a year which took me to every county in East Tenn.

and, I was mesmerized by many of the views. This was in 1989 and I know it is ancient history now, but I am so sure that many of those places have remained unscathed because of the remoteness.

I retire this year from a job which takes me out of state 25 days of the month. I hope to revisit those areas in East Tn. with plenty of time on my hands.

[peacebuzzard]

33. duplicate entry....