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Two Years Too Many

The City of Knoxville has never been considered a center of political activism. Rather, if anything, it has the reputation of being a city of apathy and acquiescence. Even during one of the most volatile and prolific periods of our nation's history, usually referred to as the Civil Rights era, most of Knoxville passively observed. When asked if he would include Knoxville in his "Poor People's Campaign," the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King responded that Knoxville was too passive for the movement to waste valuable time on such a visit.

In recent years, complacency and "patience" have become the rule. Leaders too often preach simply, "prayer, patience, and continued hope that someday, things will change".

Knoxville's downtown, once a vital lifeline, was bled dry by big shopping malls and urban sprawl. Grand old buildings, jewels of architecture, were left to rot, ruin, and decay...and Knoxville watched. Large employers such as Levi Strauss left our community and no industry or business has yet replaced them...and Knoxville watched. Before Nashville got the Titans, Knoxville had the opportunity to have our own hometown professional football team; that chance came and went...and Knoxville watched. Promoters of the International World Soccer League considered Knoxville for the premiere event. They came; they visited. No one responded, so they left...and Knoxville watched. Then there's the Knoxville Smokies, or rather, the Tennessee Smokies, now located in Sevierville, packing a brand new 6,500-person stadium. Bill Meyer Stadium now sits empty...and Knoxville watched.

So imagine the surprise (and chagrin of some), now that suddenly an impassioned, bi-partisan, grassroots group of citizens have banded together to insist upon change, to demand accountability from our elected officials, and to return our government to the people!

Actually, this action is not all that sudden. For quite some time, the mayor has instituted a policy of forced annexation. He has refused to respect the thoughtful decisions county residents made to be county residents. Victor Ashe continued his conquer-and-rule mentality within the city limits, threatening to take by eminent domain the most precious parcels of land such as those on Market Square Mall, so that he might present them to big private developers as evidence of his power and prestige. The Ashe administration has completely misconstrued and abused the original intent of those provisions of law that allow for the taking of private property to insure the safety and welfare of the public. Those laws were originally written for war times, to provide food and shelter for troops, and were usually temporary in nature. The only war being waged now is by private citizens to maintain their right to own property, do business, and pursue happiness, fundamental principles of capitalism.

Citizens are tired of watching as building codes and licensing requirements are indiscriminately and unfairly enforced. Knoxvillians did not appreciate the way in which the owners of the Platinum Club were maligned and inaccurately accused of trying to open an "unseemly" establishment, and then were held to a different standard regarding their beer license application. In reality, that family wanted to open an up-scale jazz and Sunday night gospel music club (City Council Meeting 3/21/00; Knoxville News- Sentinel; WBIR news broadcast 3/21/00).

Perhaps this is an appropriate time to examine the allocation of the Empowerment Zone funding. How is it that the numbers of people living in near-poverty, trapped for generations by archaic patterns in housing and lending industries—the very people who qualified Knoxville to receive this funding—have yet to reap any of the benefits?

A growing number of Knoxville residents reject the leadership of a person convicted in federal court of violating the civil rights of the very men and women who risk their lives daily to protect this city. If city employees don't want to campaign for the mayor, that's their right! Who is in a better position to decide whether an elected official warrants their support? Victor Ashe is scheduled to be back in court again, this time to answer allegations of refusing to obey the court's injunction against retaliatory behavior (Knoxville News-Sentinel 4/4/01, 4/7/01). Because of his conviction in federal court, Victor Ashe is no longer considered qualified to serve in a cabinet position at the federal level. Why should Knoxvillians be forced to endure this unacceptable behavior for two more years?

We will make democracy work the way it is supposed to work! You see, we too have a dream.

Lizajean Holt
Knoxville