Tennessee governor signs proclamation honoring early KKK leader, sparking backlash

[jpak]

Source: CNN

Washington (CNN)Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed a proclamation declaring Saturday "Nathan Bedford Forrest Day," in honor of the Confederate Army general who was a slave trader and an early member of the Ku Klux Klan.

Under Tennessee law, governors are required to proclaim six dates as "days of special observance" including July 13 as "Nathan Bedford Forrest Day"; June 3 as "Memorial Day" or "Confederate Decoration Day"; and January 19 as "Robert E. Lee Day."

The Republican governor signed the proclamation on Wednesday, sparking backlash on social media from some lawmakers and local leaders.

The controversy sprung up as there's a nationwide debate about removing some of the country's Confederate monuments, memorials and symbols. Defenders say the memorials mark history and honor heritage, while critics argue they are racist symbols of America's dark legacy of slavery.

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Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/13/politics/bill-lee-tennessee-governor-kkk-nathan-forrest/index.html

[DiverDave]

1. They have a state park:

https://tnstateparks.com/parks/nathan-bedford-forrest

[exboyfil]

3. And a city named after him in Arkansasforr

Forrest City. We stayed there a couple times going down to visit my parents.

[JohnnyRingo]

2. "Robert E Lee Day"?

I know exactly what Tennessee is doing there in the middle of January.

Sometimes I want the secessionist states to go ahead and leave, but I'd rather stay and help pay for food stamps in Detroit, welfare in East Los Angeles, and public schools in Harlem because I know that bothers them

[ROB-ROX]

4. STINKING TRAITORS

All those people who went to war against the USA were TRAITORS. Those shitty losers caused a war which they lost because they were all traitors. The families of the traitors tried to fake the war history. We should all remember that those people who went to war against the USA were all yellow cowards who were all traitors. Traitors count on terror tactics to continue to be coward traitors after they are losers.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

5. Nathan Bedford Forrest much loved by the hard right (incl alt) & white supremacists/nazionalists. nt

[RVN VET71]

14. Well, Forrest Gump was named after him.

So there's that.

[Hotler]

6. Asshole! nt

[nycbos]

7. In response here are some pro union civil war songs.

Battle Cry Of Freedom

Marching Through Georgia

And the tune of Dixie with Pro Union lyrics.

[Maxheader]

8. Fits right in with the states other "heros"

Tennessee Ranks No. 2 With Most Hate Groups In US, Analysis Shows

White supremacists and nationalist groups thrived in President Trump's first year in office, according to a new report that showed a 4 percent increase in the number of hate groups nationwide. An analysis of the Southern Poverty Law Center's report showed Idaho, an overwhelmingly white state where only 5.8 percent of the population is the most hateful state in the country, with 12 active hate groups.

Tennessee ranked No. 2 on the list with 37 hate groups (5.6 per million people), according to a report by 24/7 Wall Street. The states ranks higher than almost all other states when adjusted for population.

[Ponietz]

9. Worth the read and all the more reason to think traitors should face justice

[link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Bedford_Forrest|

[cstanleytech]

10. While he "might" have a legit point about it being the law it is nonetheless reprehensible

and cowardly of him to not push for the law to be changed.

[Cryptoad]

11. All The Trumpsters must keep the Hate Alive!

What could be more noble than fighting for the right to enslave other Human Beings...... BTW they have a High school named after him,,,,

[70sEraVet]

12. An idea: Tennessee Serial Killer Observance day

Oh, what a great gimmick to draw businesses to the state (dripping with sarcasm). They should put it on their Interstate signs that welcome people to the state (SOME people, anyway). Oh, here's an idea for a law for FUTURE Tennessee governors -- a day of special observance for Tennessee serial killers! I've even got a link that the legislature can use for research -- https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/nashville-serial-killer-paul-dennis-reid

[beachbum bob]

13. why I avoid spending time and money in Tennessee as much as possible, in my book

this is just like honoring Adolph Hitler

[RVN VET71]

15. Ole Nathan would have gotten along famously with Herr Adolf

[beachbum bob]

16. As we know most conservatives would

[RVN VET71]

17. And did, in fact.

Conservatives early on loved them some Hitler because he offered fat contracts, meaning money, to their corporate coffers, and also because Hitler and Mussolini both favored a blending of the corporate and state powers. In fact, I think Il Duce actually defined fascism as a government run by the shared powers of a governmental administration and corporate boards.

Prescott Bush was deeply involved in supporting the nascent Nazi movement and assisting its rise to power. Henry Ford received the Grand Cross of the Supreme Order of the German Eagle after Hitler had risen to power. And many of the wealthy corporate associates of these men were also deeply involved in funding and promoting Nazi interests throughout the world, helping the nation of Germany, struggling under the harsh edicts of the Treaty of Versailles, re-establish itself economically and, not incidentally, militarily.