Tennessee Anti Racist Network
For Immediate Release
October 28, 2013
Contact: NotInOurState@gmail.com
Click HERE for our Fact Sheet: TN Legislators and the Southern National Congress (SNC)
For Immediate Release
October 28, 2013
Media Contact: NotInOurState@gmail.com
Tennessee Legislators Urged Not to Address Neo-Confederate Conference
Email and Phone Campaign Initiated
NASHVILLE — Two of Tennessee's elected officials, Sen. Frank Niceley (R-Strawberry Plains, District 8) and Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma, District 47), are scheduled to keynote the convention of the Southern National Congress (SNC) at pristine Fall Creek Falls State Park next week, November 1-3.
Nicely and Matheny will address tactics they can use in office to further the neo-Confederate, white supremacist goals of the Southern National Congress. The SNC is the political wing of the openly militant League of the South, an overtly militant white supremacist group that recently organized rallies in Tennessee. The League has been identified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an extremist hate group.
David O. Jones, SNC chairman, is also chair of Tennessee's League of the South affiliate. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the League of the South is a neo-Confederate group that advocates for a second Southern secession and a society dominated by who they refer to as “European Americans.” The league believes the nation it wants to form should be run by a white elite that would establish a Christian theocratic state and politically dominate blacks and other minorities. Michael Hill, president of the League of the South has tweeted “To us, Southerners are of European descent. They [non-whites] can either go along with it, fight against it, or get out.” (http://bit.ly/HjISzJ)
The all-volunteer Tennessee Anti-Racist Network has called for a phone and email campaign urging Nicely and Matheny to withdraw their endorsement of this racist organization.
"Tennessee's elected officials have a responsibility to work for all of their constituents equally. Endorsing a white pride conference and working together with those who would advocate for secession goes against the oaths they took when they were sworn into office and borders on treason," said Drost Kokoye, recent Middle Tennessee State University graduate.
The Tennessee Anti-Racist Network urges Tennesseans who disagree with their elected officials speaking at a racist convention to contact Sen. Niceley and Rep. Matheny to voice their concerns about how speaking at the event of white-power organizers is a misuse of time and resources that does not best represent the diverse population of Tennessee.
"Maybe Rep. Matheny and Sen. Niceley are simply unaware of the Southern National Congress' openly racist goals, in which case they should cancel their appearances. If they do in fact support separation of the races in Tennessee, let them go on the record saying so," said Callie Garner, of Murfreesboro, Tenn. "This isn't a partisan issue. This is a racist issue, and we believe Tennessee can be inclusive of everyone."
Contact Information for Nicely and Matheny:
Rep. Judd Matheny, District 47, R - Tullahoma, Coffee County and part of Warren County. http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/house/members/h47.html
Email: rep.judd.matheny@capitol.tn.gov
Phone: 615-741-7448 Fax: 615-253-0226
Sen. Frank Niceley, District 8, R - Strawberry Plains
Claiborne, Grainger, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, and Union Counties
http://www.tnsenate.com/members-1/senator-frank-niceley
Email: sen.frank.niceley@capitol.tn.gov
Phone: 615-741-2061
The Tennessee Anti-Racist Network, a coalition of community members, students, and civic organizations committed to keeping these hate groups out of Tennessee, is coordinating the email and phone campaign. The Network previously organized a rally in response to the League of the South's rally in Murfreesboro, where anti-racist protesters outnumbered the League of the South more than six-to-one, and a conference in response to the white nationalist group American Renaissance when they visited Tennessee earlier in the year. For information, please contact the TN Anti-Racist Network at NotInOurState@gmail.com or visit the website http://tn-anti-racist.wix.com/tnarn
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