Gov. Lee Proclaims June ‘Great Outdoors Month’ in Tennessee

Peter D'Abrosca

Gov. Bill Lee (R) Monday released a proclamation marking June as “Great Outdoors Month” in Tennessee.

“From Mountain City to Memphis, Tennessee is blessed with an abundance of beauty & rich natural resources. I’m proud to proclaim this June “Great Outdoors Month” & celebrate our commitment to preserving Tennessee’s outdoor heritage for future generations,” Lee said on Twitter.

 

The proclamation says in part:

WHEREAS, Tennessee is home to 57 state parks, hundreds of waterfalls, and thousands of miles of lakes, rivers, and streams, and;

WHEREAS, Tennessee is home to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the United States and a World Heritage site, and;

WHEREAS, Tennessee’s state parks attract millions of visitors per year, creating more than $2 billion in impact in Tennessee and directly employing nearly 1,500 Tennesseeans, and in 2022 alone, Tennessee’s State and National Parks hosted more than 40 million visitors from around the world, and;

WHEREAS, enjoyment of our Great Outdoors allows us to celebrate the commitment of our state to conserve and protect our air, water, wildlife and lands, and;

WHEREAS, the state of Tennessee, in partnership with the General Assembly, is committed to ensuring a brighter future for Tennesseeans by investing nearly $370 million to support the creation and expansion of our state’s parks, forests, natural areas, forests and trails, and;

WHEREAS, engaging in the Great Outdoors helps build strong communities, protecting natural, cultural and scenic resources and providing opportunities for exploration, recreation and restoration;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Governor Bill Lee of the State of Tennessee, do hereby proclaim June 2023 as Great Outdoors Month in Tennessee and encourage all citizens to join me in this worthy observance.

Across the nation, June has been usurped by the LGBT community as “Pride Month.”

Some commenters accused Lee of trying to draw attention away from the LGBT community.

“So we skip Black History Month and now we are trying to draw attention away from Pride month. Do you have someone who is paid to think of ways to hurt humans. You are such a homophobic, racist, thing. You, [Gov. Lee] are an international embarrassment,” one commenter said.

“Where’s your proclamation for PRIDE MONTH?” another said.

A third posted a rainbow graphic reading “happy pride month.”

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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter.
Photo “Bill Lee” by Gov. Bill Lee. Background Photo “Tennessee” by Emmy Gaddy.

 

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