Contact your Metro Nashville council member now and urge support of Councilman Steine's courageous resolution tonight

The Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition(TIRRC) issued the following statement concerning tonight's Metro Nashville Council meeting and an initiative by Councilman Ronnie Steine.

Authored by Catalina Nieto with TIRRC, the following statement outlines the reasoning behind Councilman Steine's resolution, hopefully pushed tonight, putting Nashville's representatives on the record concerning the English-Only referendum petition driven by Councilman Eric Crafton.

All Davidson County residents are encouraged to call their council representatives and urge support of Councilman Steine's courageous resolution. The following council member names were added at the end of the statement for specific contact. If you can go to the meeting, be there by 5 p.m. to get a seat.

I'll add a personal note: if you don't live in Davidson County, still contact these council representatives as a frequent visitor to Nashville who spends money here or is considering Nashville as tourism/convention/meeting destination.

Councilman Ronnie Steine has put before our City Council a resolution that will be brought to the floor of the Council for consideration and vote Thursday August 6, 2008. The purpose of this resolution is to request that the citizens of Nashville and Davidson County not sign the English-only Charter amendment petition cards and not support it if placed on the ballot.

The people of Nashville deserve to know where the Metro Council stands on the English-only ballot initiative. Councilman Crafton is using his public position as a council member to promote this initiative, and is not acting as a private citizen. Therefore, it is appropriate and necessary for each council member to provide leadership, and clarify his or her position on whether Nashville needs an English-only charter amendment. When explaining the reason for his English-only campaign, Crafton himself has argued that actions of the Metro Council are a good way to gauge public support for this effort.

The English-only ordinance that Mayor Purcell vetoed in 2007 was bad for Nashville . The current English-only ballot initiative is much worse, with no exceptions for public health or safety. The English-only ordinance that passed the Metro Council in 2007 (and was later vetoed by Mayor Purcell) included an important exception: “when necessary to protect or promote public health, safety or welfare." The current English-only ballot initiative is absolutely clear: “all official government communications and publications shall be published only in English.” No exceptions.


Contact these specific council members:

Charlie Tygard
Work Phone: (615) 256-7146
Home Phone: (615) 646-3295
Cell Phone: (615) 243-3295
charlie.tygard@nashville.gov


Carl Burch
Home Phone: (615) 883-3695
carl.burch@nashville.gov


"Rip" Ryman
Home Phone: (615) 859-0409
rip.ryman@nashville.gov


Parker Toler
Work Phone: (615) 376-2952
Home Phone: (615) 373-1512
parker.toler@nashville.gov


Sandra Moore
(615) 386-9246
sandra.moore@nashville.gov


Darren Jernigan
Office: (615) 291-6711
Home: (615) 847-8483
darren.jernigan@nashville.gov


Pam Murray
Home Phone: (615) 248-3556
pam.murray@nashville.gov


Erica Gilmore
(615) 862-6780
erica.gilmore@nashville.gov


Vivian Wilhoite
Home Phone: (615) 589-2003
vivian.wilhoite@nashville.gov


Sam Coleman
Home Phone: (615) 641-5168
sam.coleman@nashville.gov


Lonnell Matthews, Jr.
Office: (615) 291-6701
Home: (615) 876-2319
lonnell.matthews@nashville.gov