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Ohio Valley History Conference Closes with flourish

By Turner McCullough Jr. | November 6, 2008 |

The conference banquet dinner featured John Seigenthaler Sr. as keynote speaker. Panel presentations on Day Two prove diverse and expansive in scope.

The 24th annual Ohio Valley History Conference continued on a high note with the banquet dinner on Friday night, October 30th. The keynote address was given by John Seigenthaler Sr. in the Morgan University Center Ballroom. Seigenthaler shared his remembrances of Bobby Kennedy and the Kennedy Presidential era in his address, “Conversations with Bobby Forty Years Later.”

Among his many remembrances, he recounted the young attorney general’s zeal in pursuing union corruption and the tumultuous tension of the Civil Rights struggles, particularly in Alabama and Mississippi; the Selma Bus Boycott, and the lead-up to the March on Washington. When U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy agreed to speak at the Law School of the University of Georgia, following their confrontational desegregation battle the year before, the university administration did not want him to meet with either of the two Black students that had been admitted in its desegregation battle. However Bobby did precisely that and met with Sharlene Hunter Galt.

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Religious Right power greatly diminished in Washington, AU says

November 6, 2008 |

Watchdog group’s election analysis suggests religious right may target state and local government for next advances.

The Religious Right’s access to power in Washington, D.C., has been seriously diminished, but its divisive influence at the state and local level remains deeply problematic, according to an election analysis by Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

“Religious Right forces did everything in their power to demonize Barack Obama and maintain their influence in the White House,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director, “but it didn’t work. The majority of white evangelicals voted predictably Republican, but most other Americans ignored the Religious Right’s shrill and partisan message.”

Lynn noted that Religious Right groups distributed grotesquely biased voter guides, goaded evangelical pastors into issuing partisan appeals from the pulpit and made dire predictions about the consequences of an Obama victory.

“James Dobson, Tony Perkins, Richard Land and Company did everything but declare Obama the Antichrist. In the end, they kept their own flock in line, but the majority of Americans were unmoved. On Jan. 20, the Religious Right’s eight-year run of the White House will come to a screeching halt.” ~~  Rev. Barry W. Lynn

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Pinch me: A message from Michael Moore

November 5, 2008 |

Filmmaker and activist Michael Moore

Friends,

Who among us is not at a loss for words? Tears pour out. Tears of joy. Tears of relief. A stunning, whopping landslide of hope in a time of deep despair.

In a nation that was founded on genocide and then built on the backs of slaves, it was an unexpected moment, shocking in its simplicity: Barack Obama, a good man, a black man, said he would bring change to Washington, and the majority of the country liked that idea. The racists were present throughout the campaign and in the voting booth. But they are no longer the majority, and we will see their flame of hate fizzle out in our lifetime. «Read the rest of this article»

County leaders opt out of downtown development plans

By Christine Anne Piesyk | November 4, 2008 |

Mayor Johnny Piper and the Downtown District Partnership will be going it alone when it comes to downtown development.

County Mayor Bowers, center, in anad hoc meeting with concerned minority citizens (CO archive photo)

Montgomery County mayor Carolyn Bowers, in letters sent to Piper and DDP chair Scott Giles, said the county will not participate in the controversial Clarksville Center Redevelopment Plan, which had been dubbed “the blight bill.” The proposed plan which was approved by the City Council earlier this year had been strongly opposed by the Clarksville Property Owners Coalition, a grassroots group that has challenged the legality of the program and process of eminent domain and an assemblage clause. The redevelopment plan would offer tax increment financing for certain property developments. «Read the rest of this article»

24th annual Ohio Valley History Conference honors Dr. Richard Gildrie

By Turner McCullough Jr. | November 4, 2008 |

The 24th annual Ohio Valley History Conference, was held at APSU’s Morgan University Center over the October 31 - November 1 weekend. As a special highlight, this year’s conference is dedicated to Dr. Richard Gildrie. Dr. Gildrie, a professor emeritus of history at APSU, retired after a thirty-eight year career of full-time academic instruction with the university.

The two-day conference was filled with over 120 essays and presentations covering a wide range of history topics and subjects. Presenters came to Austin Peay State University from across the country for this intense and detailed conference.

APSU Dr. Greg Ribidoux moderated the panel on Development of the Constitution in American History. APSU President Tim Hall gave a engrossing presentation in this session. His topic, “Against Ecumenical Impulse: Religious Separatism and the Value of Factions” was a revelatory review of the thoughts and beliefs of the early leaders of the new nation, the United States of America and how to best deal with the feared tyranny of the majority that could result under democratic rule.

James Madison, Thomas Jefferson and Sam Adams all felt that religious sectarian diversity would be the best means by which to frustrate the tyranny of a religious majority in a democratic style government. Research shows that claims that ours is a Christian nation are well off the mark, as the early settlers showed themselves to be equally guilty of religious intolerance as it had been practiced against them in England. In terms of government, many of our founding leaders believed that religious separatism ensures liberty for others in the pursuit of a civic toleration of differing perspectives.

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Obama: The right man for America’s future

November 3, 2008 |

On this day before the historic Presidential Election 2008, Clarksville Online is endorsing the Barack Obama and Joe Biden ticket.

Obama, with a background of service to community and country, has proven to be an inspiration to millions of people across all demographics. He has conducted himself with ability, honor, and dignity, but most of all has offered clearly workable plans to rebuild America’s economy and military. He has shown qualities of leadership that can mend global fences and re-instill America’s honor around the world. «Read the rest of this article»

Had enough? Don’t fail to VOTE!

By Turner McCullough Jr. | November 3, 2008 |

• When tax cuts are labeled as tax increases.
• When natural born citizenship is labeled as non-citizenship.
• When believing that basic health care is not privilege but a human right is called elitist socialism.
• When respecting the human value of our precious military forces is labeled as being anti-military.
• When recognizing that our national prestige has been run into the toilet is labeled as naivete and weakness.
• When global warming and melting Arctic icecaps is labeled as fantasy.
• When declaring having rejected a federally funded construction project. but not declaring that the federal funds for that project were received is hailed as a model of leadership and fiscal responsibility.

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Religious leaders tell pollsters that their churches do not endorse political candidates

November 2, 2008 |

Most clergy have rejected religious right drive to push churches into partisan politics, says AU’s Lynn

The overwhelmingly majority of America’s religious leaders have apparently rejected the Religious Right’s efforts to politicize their pulpits, according to Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

A new poll by LifeWay Research has found that 95 percent of pastors strongly disagree that their church has provided any endorsements. Baptist Press, the news service of the Southern Baptist Convention, reported Oct. 30 that 53 percent of Protestant pastors affirmed that they have “personally endorsed candidates for public office this year,” but only outside of their church roles.

Said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director, “I have always believed that the vast majority of America’s clergy had no interest in politicizing their houses of worship. Pulpit partisanship divides congregations and communities and jeopardizes the integrity of religious institutions.” «Read the rest of this article»