By Rosetta Miller Perry It has been clear from his first day in office that Donald Trump’s primary agenda was to undo all the progress that was made during Barack Obama’s two presidential terms. The latest example of that occurred at the end of July with the announcement that the Trump administration’s latest move would be rescinding the affirmative action policies that were among the cornerstones of President Obama’s tenure. These policies encouraged colleges and universities to consider race during their admissions decisions. They were NOT quotas or set-asides, no matter how much right-wing commentators claimed they were. Instead, they…
Author: Rosetta Miller Perry
By Rosetta Miller Perry Even before the tragic shooting of Daniel Hambrick July 26 by Andrew Delke it was time for the Nashville Police Department to thoroughly examine how it was doing business. The Jacques Clemmons incident left a very bad taste in the mouths of many citizens, especially the Nashville Black community, and indeed in the mouth of all persons who cares about justice and fairness. There were many of us upset that no charges were ever made in that case, but the amount of outrage evident after that is mild compared to reactions people have had since the…
By Rosetta Miller Perry Few mid-term elections have been more crucial than the one coming this November. It should be apparent to everyone with any degree of intelligence that the current person in the White House is totally and completely unfit to serve as President, and may well need mental health counseling. While nothing can be done about the latter, there is something that can be done about the former. If the Democrats can regain control of the legislature, they can stop the total unraveling of every good thing that occurred during the Obama administration. Trump’s already done major damage…
By Rosetta Miller-Perry MEMPHIS, TN — Memphis is making strides towards diversity and economic inclusion that should be noticed statewide, and particularly in Nashville. This is the main observation of Ashford Hughes, Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion office, Office of the Mayor. Hughes made a fact-finding trip last week to Memphis which included several discussions with West Tennessee colleagues and observers regarding the implementation and improved opportunities for MWBE’s (Minority and Women Business Enterprises). Memphis City Mayor Jim Strickland and his team were extremely hospitable. They opened City Hall’s doors, and provided specific insight into his agenda in this…
By Rosetta Miller Perry Nashville has a growing and severe problem with violence and crime, something that is reflected by the 107 criminal homicides that occurred in the city last year, the most since 1997. It is an issue that requires serious attention and leadership from those in positions of power and leadership who were elected and are supposed to be dealing with it. Given the seriousness of the problem, one would think Metro council members would be particularly careful to say exactly what they mean whenever discussing anything around these problems. But that certainly wasn’t the case with At-large…
By Rosetta Miller Perry — The Declaration of Independence asserts, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” Despite that idealistic statement, slavery was legal, and 20 percent of this nation’s population was held in brutal bondage without liberty or happiness or a real life. NASHVILLE, TN, June 28, 2018 — Nashville General Hospital has been held in brutal bondage by the city without liberty or happiness since 1890. Nashville General Hospital at…
By Rosetta Miller Perry I spent my entire professional career fighting for equality and economic justice while employed by the United State Commission on Civil Rights in Washington, D.C. and then as director of the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Memphis and Nashville, where I retired. I understand equality and economic justice better than some of those hooked on Jungle Juice. I am also supportive yet, I am carefully studying the effect of having an Equity Alliance and a proposed Black Women’s Political Pac. Equity Alliance is a group that has united to advance an agenda that certainly…
By Rosetta Miller Perry Nashville has already had a large dose of questionable behavior from its political leadership. The entire nation was treated to the spectacle of seeing a mayor resign from office, and the city required to hold a special election to fill out that term. In the wake of that fiasco, one would expect that any and all candidates for any office would conduct themselves in the highest possible manner, both publicly and privately. But the Tribune has observed at least two candidates, one for Mayor and one for Register of Deeds that is more interested in grabbing…
By Rosetta Miller Perry NASHVILLE, TN — April 19, 2018. Throughout its long and distinguished history the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), not only its national but also its state and local branches, has been very cautious and careful in regards to involvement in partisan politics. In fact, as a tax-exempt entity, the organization always has to make certain it operates in the highest ethical manner. It wasn’t all that long ago (2004) that the NAACP was under fire from the Internal Revenue Service. They announced an investigation was underway of the organization’s tax-exempt status because…
By Rosetta Miller Perry NASHVILLE, TN — Any good public servant has a healthy ego. But when it only serves their personal goals rather than the community’s best interests, it becomes something toxic and negative. In the case of the ‘Gilmore Girls,’ both Erica and Brenda, their raging egos have reached the point to where both are much more the problem rather than the solution for Nashville. First, there’s the specter of Erica Gilmore being the first African American to announce she was running to be the next Mayor of Nashville. That set off a wave of calls to the…