The Contributor: July 21, 2021 by the-contributor-live

Buy this paper with Venmo! Include your Vendor’s Name & Badge #:

w w w . t h e c o n t r i b u t o r. o r g

Volu m e 1 5

| Number 15 | July 21-August 4, 2021

On God, Love Death

B Y J I M PAT T E R S O N

IN THE ISSUE

Contributor Board

LOCALES - POLÍTICA - INMIGRACIÓN - TRABAJOS - SALUD - ESPECTÁCULOS - DEPORTES Y MÁS...

GRATIS

Julio

2021

L a N ticia www.hispanicpaper.com

“DONDE OCURREN LOS HECHOS QUE IMPORTAN, SIEMPRE PRIMERO... ANTES”

Año 19 - No. 333

Escanee esta imagen para ver La Noticia newspaper edición bilingüe digital

Nashville, Tennessee

Pagos adelantados del Crédito tributario por hijos

El llamado “Crédito Tributario por Hijos” del Plan de Rescate Económico de la Casa Blanca, proporciona el Crédito Tributario por hijos más grande de la historia y un alivio histórico para la mayoría de las familias trabajadoras que recibirán los Por Yuri Cunza pagos mensuales Editor in Chief automáticamente sin @LaNoticiaNews tener que tomar ninguna medida adicional.

“Para aquellos con hijos, el Plan de Rescate Económico aumentó el Crédito Tributario por Hijos de $2,000 por hijo a $3,000 por hijo para niños mayores de seis años y de $2,000 a $3,600 para niños menores de seis años, y aumentó el límite de edad de 16 a 17. Todas las familias trabajadoras obtendrán el crédito total si ganan hasta $150,000 como pareja o $112,500 como padre soltero (también llamado jefe de familia).” A continuación, conozca qué son los pagos por adelantado del Crédito tributario por hijos y averigüe si califica para recibirlos. Sepa cuándo y cómo se envió su pago de impacto económico. Pagos por adelantado del Crédito tributario por hijos Debido a la pandemia de COVID-19 se efectuaron cambios al Crédito tributario por hijos. De acuerdo con la Ley del Plan de Rescate Estadounidense (ARPA) el IRS pagará por adelantado a los contribuyentes la mitad de la cantidad total del Crédito tributario por hijos de la declaración sobre los ingresos de 2021.

Nonprofit Spotlight

Moving Pictures

The queer women of the Memphis nonprofit My Sistah’s House are leading the future of trans aid in Middle Tennessee.

"... echoes Kill Bill’s themes of mothers and daughters, Cuando usted presente dicha declaración el próximo año, reclamará la otra mitad and deadly sisterhoods del crédito. Si usted está dentro del grupo de conque califican, recibirá este bonded tribuyentes in violence crédito dividido en pagosand mensuales a partir del 15 de julio de 2021. Verifique si es"elegible para recibir los honor. pagos por adelantado del Crédito tribu-

tario por hijos con la herramienta en línea del IRS aqui: www.irs.gov/es/newsroom/irs-online-

Preguntas sobre la vacuna anti COVID-19

¿Cuándo se deben vacunar las mujeres embarazadas?

Ilustracion de la Casa Blanca sobre el “Crédito Tributario por Hijos”(www.whitehouse.gov/es/el-credito-tributario-por-hijos)

child-tax-credit-eligibility-tool-nowavailable-in-spanish-other-multilingualmaterials-help-families-see-if-they-qualify-for-advance-payments

La Noticia + The Contributor

Requisitos para reclamar el Crédito tributario por hijos:

Si presentó una declaración conjunta con su cónyuge en 2019 o 2020 el IRS utilizará la información que proporcionó anteriormente para decidir si cumple con los requisitos y lo inscribirá automáticamente para recibir los pagos. Entre los requisitos se incluyen: *Haber reclamado el Crédito tributario por hijos.

Usted puede reclamar:

*Hasta $3,000 por cada hijo que reúna los requisitos entre 6 y 17 años *Hasta $3,600 por cada hijo menor de 6 años que cumpla los requisitos. Cheques de estímulo económico por COVID-19 para individuos

La Noticia, one ofde the El Servicio Impuestos Internos (IRS, sigla en inglés) emitió tres Pagos de Impacto Económico durante la panleading Spanish-language demia de coronavirus para las personas *Tener una vivienda principal en Estado que eran elegibles: Unidos y vivir más de seis meses al año en abril de 2020, $600 en diciemen ella o presentar una declaración con- $1,200 newspapers junta con un cónyuge que cumpla conin brethe de 2020 nation, / enero de 2021, y $1,400 en ese requisito. marzo de 2021. Nota: Usted brings puede solicitar Spanish los pagos por content topor depósito pagos se enviaron adelantado del Crédito tributario por Estos directo a una cuenta bancaria o por hijos aun si no declara impuestos debido correo postal como cheque impreso o a que sus ingresos son menores del tarjeta de débito. Contributor. límite. Incríbase con The la herramienta para personas que no presentan declara*Haber Proporcionado su información bancaria al IRS para recibir el cheque de estímulo (Pago de impacto económico) por medio de la herramienta “NonFilers: Enter Payment Info Here”.

ciones del IRS (www.irs.gov/es/creditsdeductions/child-tax-credit-non-filersign-up-tool).

Con información de www.usa.gov/espanol/covid-cheque-deestimulo-economico#item-214795

Vendor Writing

Soy un voluntario que trabaja en un hospital. ¿A dónde voy para vacunarme?

Si usted es un empleado o trabaja como voluntario en un hospital y tiene exposición directa al paciente o contacto con materiales potencialmente infecciosos y tiene preguntas sobre cómo recibir la vacuna, comuníquese con su supervisor en el hospital. Soy empleador de trabajadores de la salud, pero no estamos conectados a ningún hospital específico. ¿Cómo pueden recibir la vacuna mis empleados? Los grupos de la fase 1a1 no asociados con un hospital recibirán la vacuna a través de eventos planificados por su departamento de salud local o regional.

In this issue, vendors write about Health Care, the Big Lie, Nashville construction, Esté atento a las comunicaciones sobre family, and what la próxima disponibilidad de vacunas. William is Lee más: https://www.asafenashville.org/es/infor looking forward to. macion-sobre-vacunas/ Envíenos sus sugerencias por e-mail: news@hispanicpaper.com

Conoce tus derechos: ¿Que hacer en caso de una redada? 1. Mantenerse callado 2. Sólo dar nombre y apellido 3. No mentir 4. Nunca acepte/lleve documentos falsos 5. No revelar su situación migratoria 6. No llevar documentación de otro país 7. En caso de ser arrestado, mostrarla Tarjeta Miranda (llámenos si necesita una)

por

Basados en la Quinta Enmienda de la Constitución, los derechos de guardar silencio y contar con un abogado fueron denominados Derechos Miranda luego de la decisión de la Suprema Corte de Justicia de Estados Unidos en el caso Miranda vs. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, de 1966.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! www.juanese.com juaneseUSA@gmail.com

Tom Wills, Chair Cathy Jennings, Bruce Doeg, Demetria Kalodimos, Ann Bourland, Kerry Graham, Peter Macdonald, Amber DuVentre, Jerome Moore, Erik Flynn

Contributors This Issue

Hannah Herner • Linda Bailey • Amanda Haggard • Jim Patterson • Yuri Cunza • Gabo Busteros • Ridley Wills II • Justin Wagner • Joe Nolan • Mr. Mysterio • Jen A. • John H. • Vicky B. • Christy P. • William B. • Tyrone M. Contributor Volunteers Joe First • Andy Shapiro • Michael Reilly • John Jennings • Janet Kerwood • Logan Ebel • Christine Doeg • Laura Birdsall • Richard Aberdeen • Marissa Young • Robert Thompson

Cathy Jennings Executive Director Tom Wills Director of Vendor Operations Hannah Herner Staff Writer Jesse Call Housing Navigator Raven Lintu Housing Navigator Dymin Cannon Housing Navigator Carli Tharpe Housing Navigator Barbara Womack Advertising Manager

The Contributor now accepts Venmo!

Amanda Haggard & Linda Bailey Co-Editors Andrew Krinks Editor Emeritus

Scan the QR Code to the left , or find us: @The-Contributor! Make sure to include your vendor’s badge name and number in the description. If you bought this version digitally, you can still leave your regular vendor a tip. Email Cathy@thecontributor.org for more information or with questions!

Will Connelly, Tasha F. Lemley, Steven Samra, and Tom WIlls Contributor Co-Founders Editorials and features in The Contributor are the perspectives of the authors. Submissions of news, opinion, fiction, art and poetry are welcomed. The Contributor reserves the right to edit any submissions. The Contributor cannot and will not endorse any political candidate. Submissions may be emailed to: editorial@thecontributor.org Requests to volunteer, donate, or purchase subscriptions can be emailed to: info@thecontributor.org Please email advertising requests to: advertising@thecontributor.org

The Contributor P.O. Box 332023, Nashville, TN 37203 Vendor Office: 615.829.6829

Proud Member of:

Printed at:

Follow The Contributor:

PAGE 2 | July 21 - August 4, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

YOU CAN SUBSCRIBE ONLINE TO THE CONTRIBUTOR FOR JUST $99 A YEAR OR $30 FOR 3 MONTHS. DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION AVAILABLE OR YOUR ISSUES WILL BE MAILED MONTHLY AND YOU CAN DESIGNATE A VENDOR TO RECEIVE THE PROFITS — AND EVEN LEAVE A TIP FOR YOUR VENDOR! VISIT: WWW.THECONTRIBUTOR.ORG TO SIGN UP

populist.com

July 21 - August 4, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 3

INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF STREET PAPERS

Sister paper ‘Hecho en Bs. As.’s vendor Noelia Conteras pushes past dark days BY GABO BUSTEROS At nine, Noelia lost her father. Years later, after a long battle with illness, she lost her mother as well. She lived on the streets, her partner was incarcerated, and one of her daughters suffered from a life-threatening tumour. A tireless fighter, she finished high school in her early 30s. Today, she feels blessed and grateful, and wants, through her story, to give encouragement to the people on the street, to tell them that anything is possible “if one believes and has faith.” Noelia was born in Guernica, Argentina in the San Vicente Partido, in April 1985. Although her ID card states she is 36, she says she is 37. She argues that this is not because she is anxious or in a hurry, but because she is looking ahead. She has been with her partner Ricardo for 22 years and they have four children and a grandson. “You face a lot of challenges being a mother, but not having the support of a mother is difficult,” says Noelia, who lost her mother to cancer when she was a teenager. “You don't get over that, but with the help of your family, you get through it.” Between early 2000 and late 2001, Argentina was facing one of the worst crises in its history, as a result of more than ten years of neoliberal structural adjustment programs. During this time, which coincided with the final years of her mother’s illness, Noelia was forced to live on the streets with her partner and her first daughter. With tears in her eyes, she recalls those two difficult years of her life, “I'm over it now, but we know what it means to be on the streets. I was very young, it was terrible. On top of that, I had my daughter who was one year old.” “A few days ago,” Noelia recalls, “we happened to be telling my daughters about the barter club”. At that time, she lived in Flores, and remembers that in “De la Rúa times” they were given some “green patacones”

that they exchanged for clothes and food. “We had a hard time, but we survived”, she adds. Although the economic and social

She believes that “if you do things well, you do well, and if you do things badly, you do badly,” as in when one of her daughters suffered a tumour and

PHOTO BY EUGENIA KAIS

struggles had an influence, Noelia admits to making mistakes at the time. But with the support of God who, she says, never lets go of her hand, “everything in life comes back to you”.

almost died. “Despite my mistakes, which I was able to overcome, God healed my daughter.” Years later, after selling everything on the streets, Noelia was introduced

PAGE 4 | July 21 - August 4, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

to HBA and never looked back. “Thank God the magazine opened doors for me,” she says, acknowledging that the magazine “is a job.” For the last 14 years, she has been working seasonally, especially when construction work drops, and her partner is left without “changas” [temporary jobs]. Noelia goes out to sell with “a good vibe” because she says that if she sells with a bad vibe, she doesn't sell anything. A tireless fighter, Noelia did not stand idly by. She finished her secondary education with the “Ellas Hacen” Program, an initiative of the Argentine state. This was part of the “Argentina Trabaja” plan, which helped women in a vulnerable position. Noelia was one of the 100,000 women from all over the country who took part in the co-operatives and worked to improve their neighbourhoods, get training, and finish their studies. “The idea is to progress,” explains Noelia, “not only for yourself, but so you can use this training to do something later on. It helps a lot because if we are not doing well, we can't give anything to another person.” Noelia is happy today. She feels blessed and grateful because she considers all that she is going through a success. “I’m proud of who I am. I decided to be good to myself, to set my mind on something, and do it,” she praises herself. She believes that she is a good mother as her children show her respect. Those who choose to become parents say that it is the best thing that ever happens to them. But when they become grandparents, they say it’s unparalleled. “It's priceless,” Noelia agrees, and adds, “It's crazy having grandchildren. They are the joy of the house. You forget everything bad.”

Translated from Spanish by Rebecca Thomson. Courtesy of Hecho en Bs. As. / INSP.ngo

NASHVILLE HISTORY CORNER

Colonel A. M. Shook House.

COL. A.M. SHOOK SPENT HIS LAST YEARS IN NASHVILLE BY RIDLEY WILLS II Many of you reading this article, have been to Tracy City, Tenn., most likely to buy salt-rising bread or sweet rolls at the Dutch Maid Bakery. About three blocks from the bakery is the elegant home built by Col. A.M. Shook in the last decades of the 19th century. Who is A. M. Shook, you might ask. Alfred Montgomery Shook was, in 1880, the general manager of the Tennessee Coal and Railroad Company, headquartered in Tracy City, then the largest town between Murfreesboro and Chattanooga. Born at his father’s farm in

Franklin County in 1845, Alfred was sent by his parents at age 13 to live with his uncle in Winchester, where A.M. went to school. His uncle was postmaster and had a drug store. A. M. clerked in both these establishments to pay for his room and board. During the Civil War, he served in the Confederate Army of Tennessee. After the war, A.M., still a young man, moved to Tracy City where he became interested in the coal and coke industry. By the 1870s, he occupied a position of responsibility with the Tennessee Coal and Railroad Company. By 1880, he was general

manager, a position he held for a number of years. A generous man, Col. Shook encouraged his company’s miners to build their own homes in Tracy City rather than live in the company’s rough mining camp. In 1888-1889, he gave $39,700 dollars to build an imposing brick school, which served the children of Tracy City until May 1976, when it burned to the ground. A local historian said that Shook built the school to benefit the children of his employees and the other children in Tracy City. To finance the school, Tennessee Coal and Railroad Com-

July 21 - August 4, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 5

pany, deducted 50 cents to a dollar from the paychecks of its employees to insure that the school had the funds needed to operate for nine months every year. This continued until 1915 when a more conventional means of school financing was instituted. In his later years, Col. Shook’s widening financial interests took him to Birmingham and Nashville though he continued to summer at his home in Tracy City until late in his life. Col. Shook spent his last years in Nashville, where he died March 18, 1923.

PAGE 6 | July 21 - August 4, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

NEWS

Officer Mary Hall & Mental Health Co-Op Clinician Michael Bjoralt prepare to begin an evening shift in the North Precinct as part of the new co-response program. PHOTO COURTESY OF MNPD.

COPS, CLINICIANS, CO-RESPONSE Nashville introduces police and mental health clinician co-response model BY HANNAH HERNER A year-long pilot program called Partners in Care is bringing a new approach to helping people in crisis in the North and Madison precincts. Starting on June 28, mental health clinicians from Mental Health Cooperative joined Metro Nashville Police Officers in co-responding to calls — especially those involving mental health calls for service, suicidal, overdose, and psychological evaluations that come to the police. Sixteen police officers and four clinicians, plus one follow-up specialist volunteered to participate. In the United States since 2015, there were 1,475 people killed by police who also had a mental illness, according to a database kept by The Washington Post. That’s 23 percent of all people shot and killed by police in that timeframe. It happened here in Nashville, when a Brentwood mother called 911 for help for son Jacob, who had schizophrenia, was in possession of a gun and threatened to kill her and others. After a standoff with the Metro Nashville Police Department SWAT team, he was killed, after firing his gun twice, according to a police spokesperson. No officers were harmed in the incident. A crisis team from Mental Health Co-Op was on the scene, but they didn’t get the chance to talk to Jacob, as officers were trying to convince him to drop his gun, first. The partnership between the non-

profit and the police that existed on that night will become a more integrated part of the response in these two precincts. In its first three weeks, the Partners in Care co-response unit has seen over 120 calls through emergency communication channels including hub Nashville, 911 and the police non-emergency line. Leaders of the program say this leaves the door open for a program that works in lieu of police presence, like the CAHOOTS, a long-running program out of Eugene, Ore., that takes calls for people experiencing homelessness who aren’t experiencing a crisis where they could harm themselves or others. CAHOOTS is housed in nonprofit White Bird Clinic. Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake charged inspector David Imhof with the task of researching policing models around the country, and Imhof landed on Denver as a top choice, as it’s a similar-sized city to Nashville. It has a co-response model that started in 2016 as well as a separate team called STAR that comes in lieu of police that began in 2020. “My viewpoint on it is it doesn't have to be an either/or, it can be both,” Imhof says. “I don't think there's an issue with having both. I think there's a need for both. I think our program deals more specifically with people that have severe acuity, and that also is better in crisis. The CAHOOTS model doesn't deal with people in crisis. It deals more with low level offenses or low level acuity.”

And for now, those in crisis are more of a priority to this administration, Imhof says. A co-response model was recommended by the mayor’s Policing Policy Commission and Behavioral Health and Wellness Advisory Council. Imhof said MNPD actually sees more of these types of calls in the south precinct, but North and Madison were chosen because they’re the largest and because of their proximity to Mental Health CoOp’s home base. This program is using $561,816 of federal funds for pandemic response, according to a press release. It is unclear where funding will come from for extending this program into more areas of the city and beyond its pilot year. For 2021, Denver has allotted $1.4 million of city dollars for its STAR program. It’s co-response program is funded through the Colorado Department of Human Services and the Mental Health Center of Denver. Imhof says he’d like to see positive outcomes, including fewer involuntary committals, and help for those that are frequent callers due to mental health crises. “[Success looks like] limits in the number of people that have to go to the hospital, limiting the number of people who have to go to jail,” Imhof says. “Limiting the number of people having to continually call because they're in crisis. I think those are really the goals — to

July 21 - August 4, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 7

give people access to care, and continue to manage that care, I think is really what we want to see you get done. Bottom line, we just want help folks.” Metro Public Health Department will be collecting statistics not only on the calls and follow-ups performed by Partners in Care, but also how many qualifying calls there are in other precincts in the next year. Michael Randolph, MHC’s crisis supervisor, says having the two disciplines in the same car brings up more discussions about discretion of arrest for low-level offenses like trespassing or failure to appear in court, and bypassing that in favor of treatment if possible. In cases where people are arrested, there is the option of the sheriff ’s Behavioral Care Center, a voluntary alternative to jail centered on mental health treatment that opened in 2020, which is also staffed by Mental Health Co-Op clinicians. “I wish police didn't have to respond to any calls involving mental health crises and we could just send a mental health professional,” says Randolph. “And until we get there, until we improve the whole system to get to that point I think this kind of program is needed to give those people the best chance of success and link them to the best services. Then hopefully we can get in front of some of these crises, to decrease the number of serious acute crises in this city that involve police response.”

NEWS

Jefferson Street Camp resident, Terry, stands next to his generator. PHOTO BY HANNAH HERNER.

UNCERTAINTY REMAINS AT JEFFERSON STREET BRIDGE ENCAMPMENT BY HANNAH HERNER On July 13, outreach workers with Open Table Nashville waited with the remaining few residents of the Jefferson Street Bridge encampment for police and Metro Public Works to come and clear out the camp, as they said they’d do that afternoon. An email from Metro Homeless Impact Division went out to homeless service providers connected to the camp one week before, encouraging them to let residents know of the scheduled cleanup date. This email also stated that a rumored fence around the property would not, in fact, be built. The police and public works never showed on July 13. That evening, the outreach workers attended a meeting about another camp that is in jeopardy, near Lowe’s on Charlotte Pike. On July 14, MNPD spokesperson Kris Mumford told The Contributor she was not aware of any new schedule regarding a cleanup. Public Works spokesperson Cortnye Stone responded to say that she wasn’t sure the reason for the delay, but the cleanup was rescheduled for the morning of July 15. On July 15, both entities didn’t show again. But by the end of that day, India Pungarcher with Open Table said that everyone they knew of had found other arrangements — be it another camp, or staying with a friend or family members.

Open Table stepped in to help residents who chose to leave move their belongings. Mumford with MNPD said on July 16 that the organization had no plan of enforcing the trespassing laws on new potential arrivals at that time. Metro Public Works, now known as Nashville Department of Transportation & Multimodal Infrastructure, also commented that they don’t have any scheduled cleanups for the location, but that the Mayor’s Office may be coordinating an effort in that location. The Jefferson Street Bridge camp has been in limbo since June 1, the date posted on a sign near the camp, saying that trespassing laws would start to be enforced at that time. Terry, one of the three camp leaders, moved there in March of 2020. His home was deemed unsafe due to the March 3 tornado, and he lost his job due to the pandemic. He stayed in a boarding house for a bit, but his income was $100 short of what he needed to earn each month and the landlord kicked him out. He showed up just as the size of the camp swelled, filled with people like him, affected by Nashville’s double disasters. “It's almost like nothing but destruction is following me. Before I know it, something is happening,” Terry says. “I look up and somebody is doing something

to destroy me. I don't worry about that because I'm a Christian. I believe in God. He always makes a way out of no way.” Terry shared a tent with his daughter, and using his social security check, he bought and maintained a generator, helping supply electricity to the whole camp. He also set up a “free table” where camp residents can give and take extra food. He’s 67 years old, and an Army veteran, though is having trouble securing the paperwork he needs. He can rattle off details of his service, but was sent to a couple of area organizations to try and secure his discharge paperwork to no avail. “I’m a veteran, but for some reason they can’t find my records so I can get up off the streets,” he says. Terry spoke to The Contributor at 2:30 p.m. on July 13. “Actually, I give thanks to the police, because they come down and tell us that we're gonna have to eventually move, but they tell us if we got no place to go, they ain't trying to enforce it. I like them for that. But they say we supposed to be out here the 13th. Today's the 13th. So I'm waiting to see, do we got to go?” he said. “When they come down here with the bulldozers and the fence, I’ll believe it.” Area service providers have helped to house individuals under the bridge, but haven’t come out to say exactly how many,

PAGE 8 | July 21 - August 4, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

and with the transience of homelessness, it’s hard to know if everyone who would stay under the bridge was reached. Terry says he and the camp leaders have run off people bringing crime to the camp. “We keep the peace,” Terry says. “We make sure that if you want to fight and do drugs, you gotta take it out there. We don’t want that in our community. We try to live in a peaceful, God-driven community. That’s why there are so few of us. We ran off the people causing issues. We don’t want it down here.” Terry is of the mindset that he’ll believe it when he sees it, he’ll pack up his truck and leave when someone in power comes to ask him to, he said at the time. On the afternoon of July 13, he was planning to pick up a car battery to get the truck up and running again. By the end of the day on July 14, he got tired of waiting, and he and his daughter moved on to a nearby camp. As he spoke to The Contributor, he gestured to some newly constructed condominiums across the street from the camp. “These people pay a lot of money. And they don't want to look out the window and see homeless people. I can understand that. But at the same time, if we keep everything clean and keep everything neat, we're not hurting y'all, why are you running us off?” Terry said.

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT: MY SISTAH’S HOUSE

How queer women are leading the future of trans aid in Middle Tennessee BY JUSTIN WAGNER All Illyahnna C. Wattshall needed was a truck. “My thinking was, ‘the main three things that I can't seem to keep — that I need — are an income, a roof over my head, and food to eat,’” Wattshall said of her time as an unhoused person in 2014. “If I drive a truck, I instantly have a place to live ... I’ll have money, because I have a job, and therefore, I'll eat on a regular basis.” There’s a vicious Catch-22 at the heart of involuntary homelessness; without cash or a steady job, landlords will shrug you off. Once you’ve got no place of residence, employers will shut you out. It seemed like a clean solution, at least in the short term. But once she applied for a three-week grant program to gain the skills she needed, there was one last, all-too-familiar obstacle in Wattshall’s way. She’s a Black transgender woman. Opportunities like these are a challenge to cinch in a country where discriminatory attitudes hold an authoritative cultural seat. “They kept stereotyping me,” she said. “They were saying, ‘well, go and do makeup. You look like you’re gonna do makeup.’ … I was like, no, that’s not gonna give me what I need.” This kind of treatment wasn’t new for Wattshall, nor was it even particularly severe. Rather, it was a quiet affirmation of the harsh reality keeping Wattshall and others like her down, she said. “Trans people, we weren’t even getting jobs in places,” she said. “I came out in 2008. There was no Laverne Cox on TV, there was no trans person working at the Circle K, or at Walmart, there were no trans people in my classroom in school … any things that were LGBT-oriented that supposedly included trans people didn't really include trans people at all.” Despite the pushback, she got the position and the truck she needed. But America’s transgender community has always depended on its ability to triumph over the violence it faces outside of common perception, Wattshall said. That’s why she and friend Kayla Gore founded My Sistah’s House. The nonprofit provides emergency housing, resource assistance and advocates for the expansion of solutions for queer and trans people of color in Memphis. Since its founding in 2016, My Sistah’s House has gone from a bare-necessities resource center to a thriving nonprofit with 20 tiny homes providing safe spaces for queer people of color. Around the time of Wattshall’s house-

PHOTO COURTESY OF MY SISTAH'S HOUSE

lessness, there were only 71 beds available in Memphis’ metro area emergency shelters, according to My Sistah’s House’s website. Only a portion of those beds didn’t discriminate against trans people. None of them were trans-specific. “It’s hard to believe it’s come so far,” Illyahnna said. “I can remember nights just sitting in the park at night, because I didn’t have anywhere to go, no job, I was cold, hungry … if you had walked up on me one of those nights and told me that what is now is gonna be, I would not have been able to see it because things were so bleak.” Undeterred by the pain she’s faced, Wattshall loves little more than passing on a sense of hope to whoever she can. “I like to keep people's morale up,” she explained, “And I think right now, the morale is really, really low. Sometimes I feel like an old war survivor, I'm like, ‘sweetie, I've been through some shit. We're gonna get through this, OK? I remember days when I thought it was the end, too. Alright? It wasn't the end.’”

As Wattshall’s personal ambitions evolve to include her own graphic novels, music, and a coffee shop under her own name, she said her intentions remain the same. “It will give me a greater platform to offer that hope. I think that's probably what I have the most of to offer.” Hope and realistic solutions go handin-hand for advocates like Wattshall, and many of the sentiments she shared ring true for others combating Tennessee’s problem of anti-queer discrimination in housing. Samantha Rae MacAlpine is a caseworker for Launch Pad, a resource center and seasonal emergency shelter for Nashville’s queer youth. A trans woman herself, MacAlpine sees the hopelessness Wattshall describes on a daily basis and is well-versed in the pressures which target trans people. “There are a lot of situations that we run into where people have been kicked out of the house and disowned by their families ... that is a story I hear over and over and over again,” she said. “If you're trans, it can also be harder to find gainful employment. The workplace becomes that much more complex to navigate … what legal protections we do have are pretty flimsy, especially in a right-to-work state.”

July 21 - August 4, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 9

These factors are nothing new for the trans community, and at times it can feel like any proposed solution is incomplete. “I have likened this sort of work to trying to bail water out of a sinking ship with a spoon,” she explained. “For every one person that you help, 10 more are going to take their place. The resources aren't out there, and a lot of people are going through a hard time right now; change has to come from ordinary people taking a stand and saying, ‘this is not acceptable anymore.’” But even if caseworkers like Mac-Alpine can’t single-handedly root out the issue at its heart, they can still enact meaningful triumphs. If it ensures a queer couple can put food on the table for a few weeks, affirms a trans person’s sense of self by seeing the pronouns on their identification changed, or provides a bed for someone who’s lost their home, MacAlpine and others at Launch Pad are meeting marginalized people where state solutions fail to account for them. As Wattshall put it, incremental change is how the trans community has gotten as far as it has. “We've been through worse, some of us are going through worse. And somehow, we still manage to crawl forward,” she said. “Somehow, we still live… so let’s not lose hope now.”

On God, Love Death

B Y J I M PAT T E R S O N

PAGE 10 | July 21 - August 4, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

PHOTO BY CLAUDIA CHURCH | COVER PHOTO BY SAM ESTY RAYNER PHOTOGRAPHY

ike many, Rodney Crowell is indecisive about the right thing to do when he encounters a homeless person. On “The Girl on the Street,” a song on his profound new album, Triage, he describes an encounter he had with a young woman who asked him for money in San Francisco. “So with the loose change in my pocket, I let myself off light / When I could have helped her find some food and shelter for the night,” Crowell lacerates himself, accompanied by some sonic textures a bit alien to the Texas honky-tonk music he grew up hearing and performing. “I went back to try to find (the homeless woman),” Crowell said in an interview with The Contributor. “And I couldn't. She had disappeared into the night, and I really regretted it.” "Triage" is a medical term for the process of deciding which patients get treated first when there’s a backlog. Similarly, Crowell, 70, has been asking himself about what’s really important at this stage in his life. “Universal love is, from my perspective, a real healing agent that we don't put to use very much,” Crowell said. “And it seems like religion has fallen off the map as a healing, unifying mindset or belief system. So, here we are.” The result is an album about the big questions. The nature of love, how we treat each other and the regrets and priorities that crop up as the prospect of death starts to hover. It walks the line between the earthy and ethereal, much like the work of singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, especially the last album released during his life, You Want it Darker (2016). “There are a finite number of days left,” Crowell said. “I'm a man with no religion, but I have some sort of magical faith in one God. I knew I wanted to write about that.” The challenge, he thinks, is “to make sure my language is grounded in some sort of realist point of view.” Triage balances the spiritual with immediate physical threats. In the trippy “Transient Global Amnesia Blues," written when Crowell had a brief scare with memory loss, he tackles climate change alongside more personal demons. “Though a red dawn in an angry sky portends blue rue and ruin / It's that wanna be a rich guy who pretends there's nothing doing,” he sings. “Climate change … is the real existential threat that we do face in the not too distant future and should be an apolitical consideration,” he said. “How do we prioritize the things that we need to work together on?” Preaching won’t work, he believes, so Crowell reveals himself in songs like “The Girl on the Street” in hopes others going through the same things might relate.

COVER STORY

Triage co-producer Dan Knobler, believes Crowell has pulled off something special. Crowell wrote nine of the selections alone with one, “Hymn #43,” co-written with John Leventhal. “I think it's exceptionally difficult to write ‘big picture’ songs,” Knobler said. “It's really hard to write broad horizon songs that still feel poetic and meaningful and personal… I think he managed to do that.” Knobler, who has earned notice for his production work with artists including Allison Russell, the band Front Country and jazz duo Vilray & Rachael, said nepotism played a small role in his getting the opportunity to work with

of Tom and editing them together and getting the best possible performances,” Knobler said. “So we spent about six weeks doing that together, which really solidified our working relationship.” Knobler went on to produce or engineer several Crowell projects, including Crowell’s 2014 album Tarpaper Sky and a Christmas album of original songs penned by Crowell. “If I were working with somebody of Rodney's age and caliber [who] wasn't my father-in-law, I think in the beginnings of our relationship I would be more hesitant to speak my mind,” Knobler said. “Being family made it easier to get a close working relationship.”

“Universal love is, from my perspective, a real healing agent that we don't put to use very much,” Crowell said. “And it seems like religion has fallen off the map as a healing, unifying mindset or belief system. So, here we are.” Crowell. He is married to Crowell’s youngest daughter Carrie Crowell. “We'd come down (from New York) to visit my wife's family and stay with Rodney,” he recalled. “I would sort of putz around his studio and help him out with stuff.” The couple has since relocated to the Nashville area. When Crowell was hired to work with actor Tom Hiddleston on the soundtrack of the Hank Williams Sr. biopic I Saw the Light he needed help from someone who knew their way around Pro Tools, a popular software for music recording. “I'm quick with Pro Tools, and we needed to be able to be really organized about capturing a whole bunch of takes

For a time in the 1980s, Crowell was a mainstream juggernaut, scoring five No. 1 hits from his 1988 album Diamonds & Dirt. His own hits include the ballad “After All This Time” and “She’s Crazy for Leaving,” and he has written hits for many other artists including Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, George Strait, Tim McGraw and Keith Urban. Crowell has won two Grammys and is a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He’s also the author of a memoir, Chinaberry Sidewalks. “During my commercial peak, I wrote broad-stroke love songs, because I wanted broad-stroke recognition,” said Crowell, who has written 15 No. 1 songs. “It

July 21 - August 4, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 11

was probably a subconscious yearning.” He knew his time as a chart-topping artist wouldn’t last, and has no regrets. Crowell said he wasn’t interested in recreating what had worked in the past as he went forward, which is de rigueur for singers defending their turf on the hit parade. “He did have record-shattering commercial success,” Knobler said. “His reaction was, ‘I'd rather have a long and meaningful career than a short and prosperous one.’ “I think that's amazing.” Crowell said he considers Knobler “a worthy adversary,” in a good sense of the term. “You need a worthy adversary to bring out the best in you,” said Crowell, who co-produced Triage with Knobler. “Somebody who's not afraid to tell you you're full of (crap).” Crowell sings a lot about love on Triage. But instead of offering it as a panacea to the world’s problems like The Beatles, Crowell delves into the nitty-gritty of exploring what the term means, beyond the context of romance. On Triage, he ponders definitions for love like “forgiveness” and “a chance to do the right thing when there's no one keeping tabs.” He says he loves Vladimir Putin, Benedict Arnold and he “even loves Donald,” because we need to make “room for those you love to hate somewhere inside your heart.” The inf luence of Cohen weighs heavy on Triage, Crowell said. “I do believe that as we get older, our psyches start to prepare us for transition out of the body,” Crowell said. “That was very much what I was drawn to from Leonard Cohen, and I thought he just articulated it beautifully. And, and I want to articulate it myself.” On album closer “This Body Isn’t All There is to Who I Am,” Crowell sings “What you see is the least of what you get / When my time runs its course, I’ll return to the source.” Another ref lective number on the album, “Here Goes Nothing,” is also directly inspired by Cohen. “The thing is, I don't really know what I have to offer, if anything, but here goes nothing,” Crowell said. “I'm going to dive in and try. … It's less about regret than willingness. Willingness to dive in to try to do something good when you have no idea what that is.” Now that COVID-19 seems to have ebbed, Crowell plans to return to live shows this month. He will tour throughout the summer and fall, and is set to perform Oct. 27 and 28 at the Franklin Theater in Franklin, Tennessee. “I have an audience,” Crowell said. “It's not a large audience, but it's a loyal and seemingly dedicated audience… I trust that.” Jim Patterson is a freelance writer in Nashville.

ARTS

BROTHERS IN ART A two-person exhibition of drawings, paintings and photographs brings Vietnam veterans full circle BY JOE NOLAN Oliver Stone’s film Platoon was released in 1987. Platoon is the first of three narrative movies the director made about the conflict, and it stunned audiences who were used to seeing Vietnam war films like John Wayne’s flag-waving The Green Berets and Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo movies. Platoon doesn’t wave flags, and though it depicts fighting and violence it’s much more of a drama than an action film. In fact, one of the things that still makes Platoon unique is that it mostly focuses on soldiers' lives between ambushes and altercations: on friendships, rivalries, revelries and many long hours of drudgery, boredom and loneliness far from home. An art exhibition at Monthaven Arts & Cultural Center in Hendersonville also documents the stories of soldiers in the Vietnam War, but it does so without picturing politics, patriotic pomp, violence and its aftermath. Instead, it’s an exhibition that pictures the hopeful young faces of the young soldiers caught up in the conflict; the joyous, curious and proud

expressions of the Vietnamese people; and the beautiful water, sky and mountains of a land that was decimated by conflict only to be restored and renewed by the resourceful and resilient folk who call it home. Vietnam: 2 Soldiers. 2 Artists. 2 Journeys. Then & Now features photography, drawings and paintings by David Wright and Chuck Creasy. It’s an ambitious display that takes-up all of the gallery rooms on the first floor of the historic 18th century building the center calls home. The display separates the works of the artists into two distinct sections, and includes an ambitious short documentary that informs viewers about Wright and Creasy’s service in Vietnam, and explains how this exhibition came together. Monthaven has even put together an impressive catalog of the show which viewers can take home in exchange for a $20 donation. There is no admission fee for the exhibition. David Wright arrived in Vietnam in 1964, and spent a year as an advisor with Military Assistance Command Vietnam.

In the exhibition video Wright says that he was able to see how the war was playing out from the border between North and South Vietnam all the way down to the Mekong River Delta. “It opened my eyes to what war really was,” says Wright. “But at the same time it gave me an insight into the people who live in a country at war, which is so different of course to what we’ve experienced in our country.” Wright’s work makes-up the “Then” portion of the exhibition, consisting of drawings, paintings and photographs created during his time in-country. Wright is an exquisite draftsman and the fact that he refers to these drawings of soldiers and civilians as “sketches” only underscores his tremendous technical skill. Wright’s brush and ink works look like illustrations from a graphic novel, and his portraits of smiling villagers, playful babies and his brothers-in-arms give viewers an insight into the experiences that inspired his artistic documenting. Creasy’s “Now” section of the show

PAGE 12 | July 21 - August 4, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

includes the vivid watercolor paintings and a small selection of photographs that capture his experience of traveling back to Vietnam with his youngest son and daughter in 2018 — 50 years after he’d first deployed to Vietnam as an artillery forward-observer in 1968. Creasy’s paintings burst with color and look like still frames from animated films about life in contemporary Vietnam. One unique piece is a stylized map of the country complete with gorgeous 10 cent Military Payment Certificate collaged into the composition. Creasy pictures lots of people here as well, but his strongest works in the show capture the natural beauty of the water, mountains and sky of Vietnam in impressionistic washes of color and light. Monthaven Arts & Cultural Center dedicates one exhibition a year to U.S. military veterans and it also has an arts outreach program which offers creative classes at V.F.W. locations. Vietnam: 2 Soldiers. 2 Artists. 2 Journeys. Then & Now runs through Aug. 29.

MOVING PICTURES

“The Murderous World of Underground Crime” ‘GUNPOWDER MILKSHAKE’ CONFIRMS ACTION LADY SUMMER AT THE MOVIES BY JOE NOLAN, FILM CRITIC

Netf lix released Gunpowder Milkshake on the heels of Black Widow, bringing back the Marvel Cinematic Universe and breaking multiple pandemic screening records. I didn’t know this was going to be Action Lady Summer, but I’m here for it. The Gunpowder Milkshake trailer looked like an all-women action film with promise — like the rather masterful Black Widow which we compared favorably to the definitely masterful Kill Bill saga in our last review. Gunpowder Milkshake isn’t a film that really makes you believe in lady assassins, but that’s not the point. Gunpowder Milkshake takes on the accoutrements of a gritty crime flick, but it constantly subverts the genre with goofy dark humor and a flair for the fantastic. It’s also full of fun movie and book references, and lots of slowmo for slow-mo’s sake, and go ahead and make some popcorn already. Sam (Karen Gillian) is an

assassin born into a world of underground crime. When money goes missing from The Firm crime syndicate’s coffers they deploy Sam to fix the problem and bring back the dough. She enlists the help of three librarians at a secret archive: Anna May (Angela Bassett), Flora (Michelle Yeoh) and Madeleine (Carla Gugino). Ever y thing that can go wrong does go wrong, sometimes, in the murderous world of underground crime, and when the smoke clears Sam finds herself with a pint-sized sidekick after rescuing a kidnapped 8-year-old girl named Emily (Chloe Coleman). Sam ends up on the wrong side of her clients and her targets, and she and Emily must go on the run to survive long enough for Sam to get her revenge on The Firm’s head of HR (Paul Giamatti) for throwing them to the wolves. Israel i Writer/Di rec tor Navot Papushado is known for his knack for blending comedy and horror. The auteur’s de-

but feature, Rabies (2011) won a Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Screenplay, and Big Bad Wolves (2013) won raves from Quentin Tarantino who dubbed the movie “the best film of the year.” Gunpowder Milkshake borrows its atmosphere from the John Wick films, materializing a subterranean universe of crime complete with its own secret societies, secret arsenals, secret emergency rooms, secret markets and secret wars. But ‘Milkshake shows us this world through the eyes of women, and echoes Kill Bill’s themes of mothers and daughters, and deadly sisterhoods bonded in violence and honor. Gillian is mostly good here, but there are many moments

where her angry daughter, badass gangster and deadly assassin vibes are more affected than embodied. Still, she hits enough true notes that I want to blame the inconsistencies on Papushado, who’s got writing and visual chops, but may still be developing as a director capable of inspiring consistent nuanced performances out of his actors. Luckily, Gillian is surrounded by legendary screen power queens like Yeoh and Bassett, and even Lena Headey — who makes one of the movie’s most memorable entrances as Sam’s mother, Scarlet. Gunp owd e r Milk sh ake might be a one-off, but — like the Kill Bill saga — its last frame trails possible loose ends, and it’s possible that we’ll see

July 21 - August 4, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 13

another chapter. This movie is a self-conscious collage of bits from other films and ideas from other directors, married to an unabashed celebration of crime genre tropes. But Papushado brings enough of his own sensibility to make it all feel fresh enough to engage and entertain all over again. Maybe you’re as surprised as I am that movies would be fighting their way back out of the pandemic lead by a phalanx of femmes fatales? Happy Action Lady Summer.

Joe Nolan is a critic, columnist and performing singer/songwriter based in East Nashville. Find out more about his projects at www.joenolan.com.

LA NOTICIA “The Contributor” está trabajando con uno de los principales periódicos en español La Noticia para llevar contenido a más lectores en Middle Tennessee. Nuestros vendedores de periódicos han pedido durante mucho tiempo que nuestra publicación incluya contenido que apele al interés de residentes de habla hispana en nuestra comunidad.

“The Contributor” is working with one of the leading Spanish-language newspapers La Noticia to bring content to more readers in Middle Tennessee. Our newspaper vendors have long requested that our publication include content that appeals to the interest of Spanish-speaking residents in our community.

LOCALES - POLÍTICA - INMIGRACIÓN - TRABAJOS - SALUD - ESPECTÁCULOS - DEPORTES Y MÁS...

L a N ticia 2021

GRATIS

Julio

Escanee esta imagen para ver La Noticia newspaper edición bilingüe digital

www.hispanicpaper.com

Año 19 - No. 333

“DONDE OCURREN LOS HECHOS QUE IMPORTAN, SIEMPRE PRIMERO... ANTES”

Nashville, Tennessee

Pagos adelantados del Crédito tributario por hijos

Preguntas sobre la vacuna anti COVID-19

¿Cuándo se deben vacunar las mujeres embarazadas?

Ilustracion de la Casa Blanca sobre el “Crédito Tributario por Hijos”(www.whitehouse.gov/es/el-credito-tributario-por-hijos)

child-tax-credit-eligibility-tool-nowavailable-in-spanish-other-multilingualmaterials-help-families-see-if-they-qualify-for-advance-payments Requisitos para reclamar el Crédito tributario por hijos: Si presentó una declaración conjunta con su cónyuge en 2019 o 2020 el IRS utilizará la información que proporcionó anteriormente para decidir si cumple con los requisitos y lo inscribirá automáticamente para recibir los pagos. Entre los requisitos se incluyen: *Haber reclamado el Crédito tributario por hijos. *Haber Proporcionado su información bancaria al IRS para recibir el cheque de estímulo (Pago de impacto económico) por medio de la herramienta “NonFilers: Enter Payment Info Here”. *Tener una vivienda principal en Estado Unidos y vivir más de seis meses al año en ella o presentar una declaración conjunta con un cónyuge que cumpla con ese requisito. Nota: Usted puede solicitar los pagos por adelantado del Crédito tributario por hijos aun si no declara impuestos debido a que sus ingresos son menores del límite. Incríbase con la herramienta para personas que no presentan declaraciones del IRS (www.irs.gov/es/creditsdeductions/child-tax-credit-non-filersign-up-tool).

Encuentre más información sobre los pagos por adelantado del Crédito tributario por hijos en la página de preguntas y respuestas del IRS ( w w w. i r s . g ov / e s / c r e d i t s - d e d u c tions/2021-child-tax-credit-andadvance-child-tax-credit-payments-frequently-asked-questions). Usted puede reclamar: *Hasta $3,000 por cada hijo que reúna los requisitos entre 6 y 17 años *Hasta $3,600 por cada hijo menor de 6 años que cumpla los requisitos. Cheques de estímulo económico por COVID-19 para individuos El Servicio de Impuestos Internos (IRS, sigla en inglés) emitió tres Pagos de Impacto Económico durante la pandemia de coronavirus para las personas que eran elegibles: $1,200 en abril de 2020, $600 en diciembre de 2020 / enero de 2021, y $1,400 en marzo de 2021. Estos pagos se enviaron por depósito directo a una cuenta bancaria o por correo postal como cheque impreso o tarjeta de débito. Con información de www.usa.gov/espanol/covid-cheque-deestimulo-economico#item-214795

por

www.juanese.com juaneseUSA@gmail.com

PAGE 14 | July 21 - August 4, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

Las mujeres embarazadas no se incluyeron en los estudios para estas vacunas. Se piensa que la vacuna es segura y efectiva en mujeres embarazadas y el embarazo no se considera una contraindicación. Ni los CDC ni TDH han incluido a las mujeres embarazadas en la lista de condiciones preexistentes de alto riesgo. En base a esto, las mujeres embarazadas deben vacunarse cuando llegue su fase laboral. Metro recibe la vacuna de TDH según el plan estatal de asignación de vacunas y se espera trabajar dentro de esa estructura. Soy un voluntario que trabaja en un hospital. ¿A dónde voy para vacunarme? Si usted es un empleado o trabaja como voluntario en un hospital y tiene exposición directa al paciente o contacto con materiales potencialmente infecciosos y tiene preguntas sobre cómo recibir la vacuna, comuníquese con su supervisor en el hospital. Soy empleador de trabajadores de la salud, pero no estamos conectados a ningún hospital específico. ¿Cómo pueden recibir la vacuna mis empleados? Los grupos de la fase 1a1 no asociados con un hospital recibirán la vacuna a través de eventos planificados por su departamento de salud local o regional. Esté atento a las comunicaciones sobre la próxima disponibilidad de vacunas. Lee más: https://www.asafenashville.org/es/infor macion-sobre-vacunas/ Envíenos sus sugerencias por e-mail: news@hispanicpaper.com

The New Christian Year Selected by Charles Williams

Charles Walter Stansby Williams (1886–1945), the editor of the following selections, is today probably the third most famous of the famous Inklings literary group of Oxford, England, which existed in the middle of the 20th century, and which included among its ranks the better-known and longer-lived Oxford Dons J.R.R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis. First published in 1941, this series of profound quotations, encompassing all walks of life, follows the sequence of the themes and Bible readings anciently appointed for contemplation throughout the church's year. It is hoped that the readings reproduced here will prove beneficial for any who read them, whatever their place in life's journey. — Matthew Carver

8th Wednesday after Trinity

The Feast of St James

TO love one another as oneself is only the halfway house to Heaven, though it seems as far as it was prudent to bid man go. The "greater love than this" of which our Lord speaks, though He does not command it, is to give oneself for one's friends. And when one does this, or is ready to do this, prayer even for "us" seems too selfish—and it is unnecessary, for we then possess all that God Himself can give us. The easy renunciation of self for the Beloved being the very breath of Heaven. Patmore: Life.

HERE we may see the great virtue of true belief in that the faith and the belief of one man helpeth and saveth another: as the faith of the bearers of this paralysed man saved him. And also in the next chapter before the faith of the centurion gave healing to his servant. And also hereafter the faith of the woman saved her daughter. And so it falleth now that children baptised, and after dead before the years of discretion, be saved in the faith of their godfathers through the merit of Christ. The Mirror of the Blessed Life of Jesus Christ, tr. by Nicholas Love.

8th Thursday after Trinity AN old man said, "One man is thought to be silent, and yet his heart judgeth and condemneth others, and the man who acteth thus speaketh continually; another man speaketh from morning till evening; and yet keepeth silence, that is to say, he speaketh nothing which is not helpful." The Paradise of the Fathers.

9th Monday after Trinity

WE love ourselves, because we are members of Jesus Christ. We love Jesus Christ, because He is the body of which we are members. All is one, one is in the other, like Three Persons. Pascal: Pensées.

I CANNOT pray in the name of Jesus to have my own will; the name of Jesus is not a signature of no importance, but the decisive factor; the fact that the name of Jesus comes at the beginning is not prayer in the name of Jesus; but it means to pray in such a manner that I dare not name Jesus in it, that is to say think of him, think his holy will together with whatever I am praying for . . . So too with prayer in the name of Jesus, Jesus assumes the responsibility and all the consequences, he steps forward for us, steps into the place of the person praying. Kierkegaard: Journals.

8th Friday after Trinity

9th Tuesday after Trinity

TO the Christian love is the works of love. To say that love is a feeling or anything of the kind is really an unChristian conception of love. That is the aesthetic definition and therefore fits the erotic and everything of that nature. But to the Christian love is the works of love. Christ's love was not an inner feeling, a full heart and what not, it was the work of love which was his life. Kierkegaard: Journals.

IF thou desirest to have this intent lapped and folden in one word, so that thou mayest have better hold thereupon, take thee but a little word of one syllable, for so it is better than of two; for the shorter the word, the better it accordeth with the work of the spirit. And such a word is this word GOD or this word LOVE. Choose whichever thou wilt, or another: whatever word thou likest best of one syllable. And fasten this word to thine heart, so that it may never go thence for anything that befalleth. The Cloud of Unknowing.

8th Saturday after Trinity WHAT time we call to Jesus in our need bodily or ghostly, though we find it not anon but rather hardness and contrariety we shall not leave therefore to call upon him by good hope. Till through his mercy and grace the unsavoury water and cold of adversity and penance be turned into wine and comfort and ghostly liking. The Mirror of the Blessed Life of Jesus Christ, tr. by Nicholas Love. SCARCELY any one is contented with that measure of the spirit which God gives; they are very disconsolate and querulous because they do not find the comfort they desire in spiritual things. St John of the Cross: Dark Night of the Soul. GOD will be all in all; that is, since God is love, love will bring it to pass that what each has will be common to all. That which one loves in another is one's own, though one have it not. There will be no envy at superior grace, because of the unity of love. St Augustine, quoted in Aquinas: Catena Aurea.

Eighth Sunday after Trinity STOP, therefore, all self-activity, listen not to the suggestions of thy own reason, run not on in thy own will, but be retired, silent, passive, and humbly attentive to this new risen light within thee. Open thy heart, thy eyes, and ears to all its impressions. Let it enlighten, teach, frighten, torment, judge, and condemn thee as it pleases, turn not away from it, hear all it says, seek for no relief out of it, consult not with flesh and blood, but with a heart full of faith and resignation to God pray only this prayer, that God's Kingdom may come and His will be done in thy soul. William Law: The Spirit of Prayer.

9th Wednesday after Trinity PRAYER in itself properly is nought else, but a devout intent directing unto God, for the getting of good and removing of evil. And therefore, since it so is that all evil is comprehended in sin (either by cause or by being), let us therefore, when we will intently pray for the removing of evil, either say, or think, or mean, nought else and no more words, but this little word SIN. And if we will intently pray for the getting of good, let us cry, either with word or with thought or with desire, nought else and no more words but this word GOD. For in God all is good, both by cause and by being. The Cloud of Unknowing.

9th Thursday after Trinity IT is no base and beggarly shift (arguing a narrow and necessitous heart), but a piece of holy and heavenly thrift, often to use the same prayer again. Christ's practice is my directory herein, who the third time said the same words . . . a good prayer, though often used, is still fresh and fair in the ears and eyes of heaven. Thomas Fuller: Good Thoughts in Worse Times.

9th Friday after Trinity

GOD usually answers our prayers so much more according to the measure of his own magnificence than of our asking that we do not know his boons to be those for which we besought him. Patmore: The Rod, the Root and the Flower.

A MARTYRDOM is not the design of man; for the true martyr is he who has become the instrument of God, who has lost his will in the will of God, not lost but found it, for he has found freedom in submission to God. T. S. Eliot: Murder in The Cathedral.

9th Saturday after Trinity IF it be the earnest desire and longing of your heart to be merciful as He is merciful; to be full of His unwearied patience, to dwell in His unalterable meekness; if you long to be like Him in universal impartial love; if you desire to communicate every good to every creature that you are able; if you love and practise everything that is good, righteous, and lovely for its own sake, because it is good, righteous, and lovely; and resist no evil but with goodness; then you have the utmost certainty that the Spirit of God lives, dwells, and governs in you. William Law: The Spirit of Prayer. GOD is all centre as that he looks to all, and so all circumference as that he embraces all. Donne: Sermons.

Ninth Sunday after Trinity LORD Jesus Christ! A whole life long didst thou suffer that I too might be saved; and yet thy suffering is not yet at an end; but this too wilt thou endure, saving and redeeming me, this patient suffering of having to do with me, I who so often go astray from the right path, or even when I remained on the straight path stumbled along it or crept so slowly along the right path. Infinite patience, suffering of infinite patience. How many times have I not been impatient, wished to give up and forsake everything; wished to take the terribly easy way out, despair: but thou didst not lose patience. Oh, I cannot say what thy chosen servant says: that he filled up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in his flesh; no, I can only say that I increased thy sufferings, added new ones to those which thou didst once suffer in order to save me. Kierkegaard: Journals.

10th Monday after Trinity OTHERS again, perhaps truly awakened by the Spirit of God to devote themselves wholly to piety and the service of God, yet making too much haste to have the glory of saints, the elements of fallen nature—selfishness, envy, pride, and wrath—could secretly go along with them. For to seek for eminence and significancy in grace is but like seeking for eminence and significancy in nature. And the old man can relish glory and distinction in religion as well as in common life, and will be content to undergo as many labours, pains, and self-denials for the sake of religious, as for the sake of secular glory. There is nothing safe in religion, but in such a course of behaviour as leaves nothing for corrupt nature to feed or live upon; which can only then be done when every degree of perfection we aim at is a degree of death to the passions of the natural man. William Law: Christian Regeneration.

10th Tuesday after Trinity THOUGH the devil be transformed into an angel of light and suggest thoughts of a good appearance, the heart will still feel an ambiguity, some agitation in the thoughts and disturbance of feelings. St Seraphim of Sarov. MEN never do evil so fully and so happily as when they do it for conscience' sake. Pascal: Pensées.

July 21 - August 4, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 15

FUN

HOBOSCOPES LEO

It’s hot, Leo, and you need a pool! Oh, sure, a swimming pool would also be nice, but I was talking about you needing a deep pool of emotional resources. For instance, have you been practicing being present and in the moment? That’s a great place to start. Notice where you are. Notice that it’s hot. Notice how the sky looks and what the sweat feels like on the back of your neck. This kind of grounding is really going to help you out in the long run, Leo. In the meantime, you also might call Kevin and see if you can borrow the key to the pool in his apartment complex.

VIRGO

I’ve been told that grief comes in stages. In the classic model you’ll go through denial, anger, depression, bargaining, and then finally acceptance. But it’s never that clean, Virgo. For one, your denial might be mixed with guilt. You may skip bargaining and roll into pain. Acceptance might start as numbness and then fade back into depression. I wish it was a straight line, Virgo, but it never is. The good news and bad news are the same: grief isn’t finished with you. When the circle starts again, just let it come.

LIBRA

Are mangoes in season right now, Libra? I never keep up with those things, but on Tuesday I was at the store and absolutely every cart I saw had a box of mangoes in it. Seriously, every person was buying mangoes. I figured they must know something I didn’t know, so I picked up a box too. And I’ll tell you what, Libra, they’re absolutely perfect. I’ve never had mangoes this good. Sweet and smooth and mellow. It’s healthy to be a little skeptical of following the crowd, Libra. But sometimes the crowd knows what’s good. And there’s only one way to find out.

SCORPIO

Cars are way more fuel efficient than they used to be. You know what that means, Scorpio? That means if you’re on a road trip, you don’t have to stop for gas as often. But it also means you don’t have as many excuses to get out of the car, stretch your legs, and move around. I’ll tell you what you need, Scorpio. You need a rest stop. Everybody expects you to be

so efficient these days and, true, you’ve got plenty of fuel. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take a break. Pull over. And don’t get back on the road till you're good and ready.

SAGITTA R IUS

I was gonna go for a bike ride this morning, but the weather guy said it was about to rain. So I figured I should just wait till the storm passed. Not a cloud in sight, but I waited. I figured I’d go in the afternoon. But the weather guy said the storm was on its way. So I waited. No thunder. No lightning. And I waited. And the sun went down and I realized all I’d done today was wish I could go on a bike ride while I waited for a storm that never came. Maybe you’ve waited long enough, Sagittarius.

CAPRICORN

My cat, Lilah, died this week, Capricorn. She was 17 years old. I don’t want to reduce her whole life down into a neat little lesson, but I will say that our pets are, among other things, reminders of impermanence. It turns out, Capricorn, that none of us are going to be around forever. You can’t live in the future. The future isn’t even a real thing. But you can live in this moment right here. And then in the next one. That’s how Lilah did it and I think she did a pretty great job.

AQUA RIUS

Like you were saying earlier, Aquarius, everybody loves a good listener. Wait, were you the one saying that or was it Pisces? In any case, I think we need more good listeners in this world. You’ve already been practicing the listening part, which is great. I think it’s a good time for you to let somebody else practice. That means you have to talk about what you really think and what you really feel. Maybe try it out on Pisces.

PISCES

Every time I go shopping, I buy bananas. I like to get them green, so they last longer. But then I need to wait a couple of days before they’re really good. And around the time they turn bright yellow, I think, “I should really eat those tomorrow.” And then when I remember to get one the next day, they’ve already turned brown and gotten too soft. I know you want things to be just right, Pisces. But you can’t make the perfect banana by trying. Perfection will find you if you go ahead and take a bite.

ARIES

What even are electrolytes anyway? Apparently, just because I’ve been outside sweating all day, I’m supposed to replenish my electrolytes. But that sounds kinda made up, right?. Instead I’m just gonna zip up my hoodie and finish eating this bag of pretzels real quick and...I’m really not feeling so great, Aries. Sometimes you have to take the advice of experts, even if you don’t completely understand it. Eventually you have to trust somebody. Trust the somebodies with experience. And, at the very least, drink some water.

TAURUS

Would you like a carwash with your destiny today? Press Y/N. I know, Taurus, I know. You just came here for enough wisdom from an amateur astrologer to propel you to your next destination. But, while you’re here, why not take advantage of this opportunity to do something nice for yourself. Get a carwash. Call a friend. Take a walk around the lake. I know you think you don’t have time and you’d rather stare at your phone until it’s time for food or sleep. But it seems to me like a good day to take care of yourself. Wouldn’t you agree? Press Y/N.

GEMINI

People have been asking me lately, “How do you do it, Mr. Mysterio? How do you balance your career as a successful amateur astrologer with your full social life and numerous civic obligations?” Look, Gemini, I put my pants on the same as everybody else, over my Crocs and under my oversized astrologer’s robe. What I’m trying to say is that you can’t assume other people have things anymore together than you do. We’re all just people. Don’t compare yourself to others at a distance. Get in closer and see if you can make a friend instead.

CANCER

I’m swinging by the drive-thru on my way home, Cancer. You want me to get you some fries or a soda or anything? Tell you what, I’ll just order a #3 combo and a #7 combo and whichever one you want, I’ll just eat the other one. I’m trying to narrow down your options, Cancer, because you’ve got so many. Sometimes it helps to eliminate a few possibilities so you can more clearly see what you really want. Think about what options you might need to take off the table altogether. I’ll be there in 10 minutes. I got you extra ketchup.

Mr. Mysterio is not a licensed astrologer, a trained desert ecologist , or a licensed dessert technician. Mr. Mysterio is, however, a budding intermediate podcaster! Check out The Mr. Mysterio Podcast. Season 2 is now playing at mrmysterio.com. Got a question, just give Mr. M a call at 707-VHS-TAN1

PAGE 16 | July 21 - August 4, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

VENDOR WRITING

I DIDN'T GET POLIO BY JEN A.

"Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality" - Jonas Salk Back in the day Before political Crackpots and blowhards (Who don't know anything about Well...anything) Ruled the world A Jewish virologist The son if immigrants Used tens of thousands of Immortal HeLa cells From a Black woman Then replicated at Tuskegee Carver Research Foundation (The research facility that George Washington Carver Built with his own savings) Under the supervision of Two Black doctors To gift the world The groundbreaking Lifesaving vaccine For the poliomyelitis virus

THEME: K IDS CL A SSICS

Because of their scientific skill And imagination I didn't get polio And neither did you

SOMETHING TO SAY BY JOHN H.

When my mind seem a bit cloudy Many times our attitude is a bit rowdy

ACROSS 1. E-wallet content 6. Pen ____ 9. *Rubik's ____ 13. Bryan Stevenson's "Just ____" 14. *____-Wan Kenobi 15. Egyptian falcon-headed deity 16. Top of a steeple 17. *"____-I-Am" 18. Vernacular 19. *"Walking" spring toy 21. *Purple dinosaur 23. Foot the bill 24. Smidgen 25. *KIDZ ____ 28. Like a mattress? 30. Stay clear of

35. *Dumbo's were huge 37. *Arnold Lobel's "Frog and ____" 39. Emotional punishment 40. At the summit of 41. Young hooter 43. Shakespeare's hometown river 44. Increase rpms (2 words) 46. *Pinocchio or Baron Munchausen, e.g. 47. Retired, shortened 48. Soft palate vibrations 50. Bob of the boxing world 52. Bovine hangout 53. Give the cold shoulder

We have to know that Jesus is always here Trust and believe and have no fear Of all the things to do, we must love Only way we can spend eternity with our father up above All through the day we find time to pray Jesus loves when his children have something to say.

July 21 - August 4, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 17

55. Unagi on sushi menu 57. *Place called Sesame 60. *Place for Pong and Pac-Man 63. Semolina source 64. It would 66. Mourning fabric 68. Arterial blood vessel 69. Atlantic catch 70. Partner of pains 71. Emeralds and rubies 72. *One of "Little Women" 73. Haul something heavy

DOWN 1. German river 2. Large edible mushroom, pl. 3. Seed covering 4. Substitute for tender 5. *Shenzi, Banzai and Ed in "Lion King" 6. *One in a pocketful 7. Lawyers' league 8. Horizontal bar dance 9. It's knee high by the Fourth of July? 10. Strong desire 11. Channel marker 12. Eastern Standard Time 15. What bullies do 20. City in Japan 22. Past tense of eat

24. Popular salad dressing 25. *Winnie and Paddington 26. Derived from oats 27. Utah city 29. Thanksgiving turkey, e.g. 31. Burn to a crisp 32. V·clav of Czechoslovakia 33. Be theatrical 34. *One of the Darling children 36. Horse prod 38. Letter opener 42. More true 45. Bygone Spanish money 49. "He said, ___ said" 51. Place that attracts visitors, pl. 54. Ancient city in Africa 56. Cooler clime conifer 57. *"One, two, buckle my ____" 58. Four years in the White House, e.g. 59. *"____ of NIMH" 60. *____ Walker, American Girl 61. *"Matilda" and "The Gremlins" author 62. *"The Three Musketeers" sword 63. Tail action 65. *Huck's friend 67. Sixth sense

VENDOR WRITING

Gimme Shelter! BY JEN A. With so much construction going on in Nashville over the past several years, meant to lure folks from other places to come to our wonderful, entertaining city to spend their money, it seems as though those of us who call this special place our home have been overlooked and disregarded. All of this destruction and major inconvenience has left many of us clicking our heels together three times and calling out for Auntie Em. You want to tear down a church or an historic rock block? Go for it! You want to cut down all the old growth trees in a neighborhood? Not a problem! You want to hack a gaping hole in a main thoroughfare and leave it that way for weeks, or months, or years? Hack away! You want to build a race track in

a residential neighborhood? Yeah, that's bad but we're doing it anyway. Since before the beginning of the pandemic, we WeGo riders have been routinely inconvenienced without care. At construction sites WeGo simply pulls up vital bus stop signs at some of the most convenient stops for riders. When we attempted to adjust by moving down the street beyond the construction, sometimes drivers stop and sometimes they just drive by as we frantically wave our arms and call out for them to stop to no avail. It's maddening — especially if you're an old woman lugging groceries and packages and her transfer will expire before the next scheduled bus is due to arrive. We riders pray there isn't an unexpected pop-up downpour because they took down

most of the shelters; at least on the lines I depend on. Traveling west on Jefferson, there isn't a single shelter left. And there are no shelters in either direction at the stops for our Tennessee History Museum or Archive. That sounds like an opportunity for a lot of wet, angry tourists to me. Several years ago WeGo put a lot of effort into erecting shelters only to come by shortly after to take them away. Where did all those shelters go? It seems that every year there is a new "study group" to propose "improvements" to Nashville bus service. It is obvious to me that those groups are not made up of citizens of Nashville who actually NEED reliable bus service or who have ever tried to navigate Nashville on our bus system. Thinking back

This is Messed Up BY VICKY B. I’ve always been rather confused by the health care issue; it just seems so political when it should be so easy. Most people I’ve spoken with seem to think health care is free or as one woman said to me, “Tennessee has free health care. It’s called TennCare.” I really wish that were true, but for 46,000 residents living in Tennessee without health insurance, there really is no such thing as free health care for the poor. Two years ago, when I had my stroke, I needed medications and also to be under a doctor’s care, to prevent another event from happening, however I had no medical insurance. Many told me to get on TennCare, but I was denied and let me tell you why. The criteria for being accepted into the TennCare program is as follows: 1. You have children under the age of 18 years old. 2. You are pregnant 3. You have either breast or cervical cancer Clearly a man wrote these criteria for obvious reasons. I fall under none of these categories, so I’d keep getting denied. It’s not as easy as lawmakers or politicians would have you believe. A fellow vendor told me about Neighborhood Health and I have been going there every three months for my medical care because they at least have a true sliding scale. Obamacare is too costly for me to get health care through, however 30 million Americans have found health care through the government website. The Affordable Care Act has greatly reduced the number of Americans uninsured and given them

peace of mind and comfort in having health insurance. Many don’t have to worry about making the choice of buying food for their families or affording that prescription. Three weeks ago, after several days of some very ill and draining symptoms, my son took me to the ER. I later found out they were actually life threatening if they hadn’t been taken care of. I found out that I had an infection called C. Diff. OK, no big deal I thought, get some antibiotics and bam it’s done. Well not so easy I found out. The ER doctor informed me that the type of infection I had could only be treated with two antibiotics and they were not cheap. He gave me helpful info on GoodRX that dropped the 10-day antibiotic treatment down from $1,036 to $87. Not really affordable but obtainable with some great friends helping out. Three days after completing the 10 day treatment, the infection came back. I kept hearing in my head what the ER doctor told me, “If you can’t get the antibiotics, we’ll have to put you in the hospital for the 10 days. You could die from this.” I didn’t know how I’d be able to afford another prescription of the antibiotics, but I had to try. I didn’t want to leave my apartment and my dog Faith for 10 days plus my recertification was coming up on my affordable housing lease and I didn’t want to lose my housing either. Frantic and sick, I had no other choice but to return to the hospital. They told me this time they would be putting me on two different antibiotics that would roughly cost about $5,000. I couldn’t afford it. There was no other choice but to be admitted into the hospital for the duration of the much-needed antibiotics.

I had reached out to friends in the social work field to see if they had any resources to help pay for this and there were none. I called the manufacturers of the antibiotics to see if assistance was available, but they could assist only if I had insurance. Ten of my days spent in a hospital bed during a crucial time when I needed to be home to recertify for my affordable housing. Would I lose my housing because I needed to be in the hospital? A call to the apartment office took care of the recertification until a later date. That stress is gone. My kids could take care of Faith so that was one less thing for me to stress about. After the 10 days, I was discharged from the hospital and I’m happy to say I’m all better for now. I worry about the next time I’ll need the care of a hospital and without health insurance what massive bill will I encounter. Something has to change in Tennessee and health care. An expansion has to take place or more elderly and poor people will have to endure the stress of opening up their mailbox to find thousands of dollars’ worth of medical bills laying inside. I was given wonderful care by the hospital staff and doctors who knew that I wouldn’t be able to pay the bill, however, without them I could have very well died. It’s just messed up that so many are out there in need of health care and Tennessee lawmakers turn their back on them. They’d rather have the hospitals and the very health care professionals we call our heroes eat this cost. [Editor’s Note: The day after Vicky sent this piece to us, she was approved for TennCare.]

PAGE 18 | July 21 - August 4, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

on the many plans those groups have come up with, the most effective was the one that gave us shelters, benches, and the free bus. The free bus was a boon for tourists, townies, and downtown office workers. Bring those folks back. They knew what the heck they were doing. I would ask city planners to remember that people with ordinary, real lives live here. We have little interest in and will likely not be able to afford the attractions at the Nashville tourist wonderland they're building. Surely, with a little forethought, they can do more to shelter citizens of our once fair city from the negative consequences of their lust for bigger and more. Please! Be more thoughtful! Gimme shelter!

The Definition of Family B Y C H R I S T Y P. Some say family is based on genetics, blood, lineage, etc. To me “family” is just like these three points Bishop T. D. Jakes explained. Confidant. This one is key. A confidant is an individual who listens, pays attention to you. Thinks of your needs (even before their own). A confidant will be there for you expecting nothing in return. They will never run and tell your secrets. You can trust them. Usually a confidant is one or two people, not a large group; although there are exceptions. Constituent. This can however be one or more people. With this group they seem to care for you, but have something of an ulterior motive. They usually get something for themselves out of the deal. Their own selfish goal is to “be nice” to you so they can use you or receive a reward for the “job” or “good deeds.” You cannot trust these people nor confide in them. Honestly, a lot of so-called “family” are like this. The best way I believe to deal with this is speak, say hello, help them when needed, but keep distance and silent. You may have yourself been used, hurt, badmouthed or even worse. Comrade. With this particular group, the works “suck it up buttercup.” come to mind. These people are in no way friends or confidants. They are people you have to be around, maybe work alongside or fight in battle with. They have one purpose. Setting the goal for themselves. We both have to make quota or fight the same enemy so we have to get along for the goal. Someone once said, “I don’t have to like you, but we have to come together as a team.” Of course never trust them and never confide in them, but always show respect. Unfortunately, a lot of families don’t like each other. For example, a holiday when all members are present for the purpose of their own. Most only see each other then, they never speak outside of the dinner table, or a funeral. Now back to the subject of “family.” I would say family is number one. Confidant. Genuine unconditional LOVE. Whether blood relation or not.

VENDOR WRITING

What William is looking forward to BY WILLIAM B. I want to keep on bettering my life. I'm 71, I'll be 72 at Thanksgiving Day this year. And I'm looking very forward to having me a good cold drink, Dr. Pepper or a tea. I want a pecan cake. And I have a lot of problems with my family. I've not been able to see them because of this pandemic going on. And I really miss them. It's breaking my heart, I can't see them, I mean I've offered them gas money to come see me. And it hurts so bad because with all these medical problems, how long am I being in this world but the Lord's got meaning for me. That's why I'm still here. I've been offered an opportunity to play in front of a big restaurant, and I'm looking very forward to doing that.

The Big Lie told by the Big Liar (Donald J. Trump) BY T YRONE M. The (Big lie) told by Donald Trump after he got defeated by Joe Biden. Trump is still spreading (The Big Lie) to his followers and any one who will listen. He hates to lose. His father told him nobody loves a loser. He lost the election by 7 million votes, but Trump can’t accept the truth. The riot at the Capitol was carefully planned by Trump himself after Biden kicked his ass. He tried very hard to get these various white supremacist groups to overthrow our democracy! It bent, but it didn’t break. He told his supporters to come to Washington on Jan. 6 and it will be wild! So on the Jan. 6 they came bearing sticks, homemade weapons, bull horns and any and everything that would cause harm to another human being. The Proud Boys, the Oak Keepers, the KK, the Patriots of the Revolution, the Rebels of the Civil War, the Neo-Nazis, the Rebel of the Confederates, Q-Anon folks, the brotherhood against the government, and about 15 other white supremacist groups. He took to the podium and said if you don’t fight for your country, you won’t have one! He also said we will march to the Capitol and he would march with them. Another (Big Lie) coming out of the mouth

of one of the biggest liars, con-man, racist and morons in the country! What I imagine he actually done was go into the White House and proudly fixed himself a half dozen cheeseburgers and sit down in front of a TV and jumped up and down while the riot tried to overthrow our democracy. He had no intentions whatsoever to march with them. Just another (Big Lie) coming out of the mouth of a traitor! Yes, that’s what he is! These (domestic racist terrorists) were acting on this traitor’s commands. The Bible teaches us that in these last days, don’t be deceived by no man! Trump has lied on his bank loans, his contracts, his whole political life has been one (Big Lie). He’s always saying the Dems are trying to take people’s guns away, that’s what he uses scare tactics to influence his (cult-like) followers. Donald Trump wants to be worshipped, and he feels good inside his (corrupt) heart, he says, as people call his name. There have been revealed now that William Barr said, Trump (Big Lie) was nothing but a clown show! Now the Republican governors are

putting suppression voting laws in place in order to take us back to the racist days of “Jim Crow.” There have never been a former ex-president turned (traitor) because he lost the election. He should have been handcuffed by the FBI and taken to jail for his part in this (riot). I hope these agencies now that are coming for him and his organization will finally lock this traitor up! We don’t need a terrorist in this country running for a public office! Back to the riot at the Capitol. Police officers were killed, 141 officers were severely hurt, and meanwhile, this racist 3rd generation (Evil) German is still running around telling the (Big Lie) that everyone including his children know is further from the truth. Trump and his cronies are going along with this filth that is clogging up the airways in our America. After William Barr told Trump and the entire nation he could not find no cheating or any irregularities in the 2020 election. After that, Trump fired Barr. Then they both got together and Barr signed a document of resignation to play the firing off. This moronic racist wants to be a modern-day Adolf Hitler. He wants to dominate everything! If you don’t agree with his distorted say, he tries to either destroy you or your family. Open your eyes, America, and stop following this racist demonic being! And can somebody tell me why the Republicans in the House and Senate don’t want a commission to investigate the riot at the Capitol. I’ll tell you why! Because some of them got knowledge of this (attempted overthrow).

Let Us Negotiate Your Future First you see what you see and hear. Second you see what you hope for and fear. Third you see what’s real and near. Fourth you create the future. Will you negotiate your future or suffer from it? Let’s connect. I’ll buy your coffee. Text LIFNAV to 484848.

Major Ethan Frizzell serves as the Area Commander of The Salvation Army. The Salvation Army has been serving in Middle TN since 1890. A graduate of Harvard Kennedy School, his focus is the syzygy of the community culture, the systems of service, and the lived experience of our neighbors. He uses creative abrasion to rub people just the wrong way so that an offense may cause interaction and then together we can create behaviorally designed solutions to nudge progress. Simply, negotiating the future for progress that he defines as Quality of Life in Jesus! July 21 - August 4, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 19

The Contributor: July 21, 2021

Articles inside

VENDOR WRITING

VENDOR WRITING

VENDOR POETRY

HOBOSCOPES

MOVING PICTURES

ARTS

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

NEWS

NEWS

HISTORY CORNER

VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

ON GOD, LOVE & DEATH