Tag: Tennessee Stands

Tennessee-Based Nurse Freedom Network Hosting ‘Healthcare Homecoming’ Featuring Dr. Peter McCullough

Laura Baigert

The Tennessee-based Nurse Freedom Network is hosting a Healthcare Homecoming Saturday and Sunday, June 11 and June 12 that will focus in restoring patients’ rights and truth in medicine and will feature the world-renowned Dr. Peter McCullough.

The free event, held Saturday from 3 to 8 p.m. at The Shed, located at the Factory in Franklin, Tennessee and will include around two dozen speakers and entertain. A fundraising dinner with Dr. Peter McCullough that will support the Nurse Freedom Network will be held Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Historic Maple Lawn in Brentwood.

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Gary Humble of Tennessee Stands Talks Background, Owning a Small Business, and Why He’s Challenging 16-Year Republican Incumbent Jack Johnson

Julie Carr
"Yes, we're open" sign

Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Tennessee Stands Gary Humble to the newsmaker line to discuss his small business background, time in ministry, and why he’s challenging State Senator Jack Johnson.

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Tennessee Stands Executive Director Gary Humble Announces Run Against Tennessee Senate Republican Leader Jack Johnson in Primary

Aaron Gulbransen
Gary Humble and Jack Johnson

Tennessee Stands executive director Gary Humble officially announced his run against Tennessee Senate Republican Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) in a primary for SD27.

Humble told The Tennessee Star that he is challenging Johnson because that he is running because of what he says is a lack of true constituent representation and deferral to special interests. “Leadership – I just don’t feel that, in general in our legislature that we have strong leadership representing the people.” he said. What I see in our legislature is there too many bills that are championed by special interests and lobbyists. What I find is rare are legislators that stand up for the people and champion things that are simply in their interest.”

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Tennessee Stands’ Gary Humble May Be Gearing Up to Challenge State Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson in a Primary

Aaron Gulbransen
Gary Humble and Jack Johnson

Gary Humble of Tennessee Stands may be gearing up to take on Senate Republican Leader Jack Johnson in a primary for SD27.

Humble’s name is listed by the Williamson County Election Commission as collecting petitions for the GOP primary in the Twenty-Seventh district. Tennessee Stands is notable for their opposition to COVID mandates and advocacy for patient’s rights.

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Tennessee Stands’ Gary Humble Recaps Tuesday Night Shutdown of Patient Rights Act by General Assembly

Julie Carr

Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Gary Humble of Tennessee Stands to explain and recap Tuesday nights Tennessee General Assembly miss on a hearing for the Patient’s Rights Act bill in the House.

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New Tennessee Bill to Secure Religious Exemptions Does the Reverse, Conservative Group Warns

Chris Butler

Members of the Williamson County-based Tennessee Stands are warning the public that a new bill making its way through the Tennessee General Assembly that purports to protect religious liberty does the opposite. Legislators say that the bill, HB 1867, and its companion legislation, SB 1823, will secure religious exemptions for healthcare workers. The Tennessee General Assembly’s website lists Representative Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville) as the house sponsor. The website also lists Senator and Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) as the senate sponsor.

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Tennessee Stands CEO Gary Humble on State Budget: ‘We Make More Money, We Spend More Money’

Julie Carr

Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Gary Humble of Tennessee Stands to the newsmakers line to talk state budget disappointment and his mission for 2022.

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Tennessee Stands Says State Residents Need to Focus on 12 General Assembly Bills

Chris Butler
Tennessee Senate Chamber

The Williamson County-based Tennessee Stands this week published its top four priorities for the 2022 session of the Tennessee General Assembly. Tennessee Stands, according to its website, calls on state and local officials “to restore our constitutional republic.”

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Tennessee Stands Says New COVID-19 Law Not Being Followed, Urges Bill Lee to Act

Chris Butler

The Williamson County-based Tennessee Stands published an online column on their website Sunday that called on Governor Bill Lee and the Tennessee Department of Health to enforce an already-existing state law enacted late last year. Gary Humble, of Tennessee Stands, referenced House Bill 9077 and its equivalent Senate Bill 9014.

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Gary Humble of Tennessee Stands Talks Upcoming Freedom Tour and the Need for Paper Ballot Trails

Julie Carr

Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Gary Humble of Tennessee Stands to discuss the upcoming Freedom Matters Tour and election integrity.

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Tennessee Stands Schedules Freedom Matters Event, Featuring Alan Keyes, Near Chattanooga

Chris Butler

Tennessee Stands members have announced that they will bring back their Freedom Matters Tour later this month in the Chattanooga area. Organizers have scheduled the event from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET, January 18, at The Vineyard at Howe Farms, located at 7600 Runyan Road in Georgetown, Tennessee.

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Gary Humble of Tennessee Stands Talks Election Integrity in the State and What Conservative Tennesseans Want

Julie Carr

Friday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Gary Humble of Tennessee Stands to the newsmakers line to discuss the importance of election integrity in Tennessee and what conservative Tennesseans want from their state.

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory Employees Say They Received No Help from Gov. Bill Lee or Legislators When They Were Punished for Declining COVID-19 Shot

Chris Butler

Three Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) employees have come forward to say they will not take the COVID-19 shot, and, subsequently, their employer has forced them into unpaid leave. The ORNL employees have taken the matter to federal court.

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Stand for Tennessee PAC Fundraising Kick-Off Features Conservative Political Office Holders and Candidates

Laura Baigert

THOMPSON’S STATION, Tennessee — The kick-off fundraising event for the Stand for Tennessee Political Action Committee (PAC), held Tuesday evening at the Homestead Manor in Thompson’s Station, featured constitutional conservative political office holders and candidates.

Chairman of the PAC, Gary Humble told The Tennessee Star that approximately 325 people attended the event, which included a taco bar dinner, dessert and refreshments as well as live entertainment by Ben Calhoun.

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Gary Humble of Tennessee Stands Grades Tennessee’s General Assembly Special Session

Julie Carr

Tuesday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Tennessee Stands, Gary Humble to the newsmakers line to discuss the Omnibus legislation from last weeks special session.

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Gary Humble of Tennessee Stands Reveals Breaking News, Tennessee General Assembly Stops Short of Special Session Promises

Julie Carr
Tennessee Senate Chamber

Friday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Gary Humble of Tennessee Stands to the newsmakers line to deliver breaking news surrounding the Tennessee General Assembly’s special session.

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Tennessee Stands Releases Priorities for Special Legislative Session

Chris Butler

Members of the Williamson County-based Tennessee Stands on Sunday published their priorities for a presumed special session of the state’s general assembly, and certain priorities address government overreach in the age of COVID-19. “There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed ranging from mandates to education to elections, immigration and the list goes on. But we have to be realistic,” said Tennessee Stands spokesman Gary Humble, in an email to supporters.

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Inside Monday Night’s Nomination of Pfizer VP Josh Brown to Williamson County School Board

Julie Carr

Tuesday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Tennessee Stand’s Gary Humble to the newsmaker line to give a first-hand report on Monday nights confirmation of Josh Brown to the Willamson County School Board.

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Gary Humble of Tennessee Stands Discusses Pfizer’s VP Josh Brown Temporary Appointment to Williamson County School Board

Julie Carr

Monday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Gary Humble of Tennessee Stands to the newsmakers line to weigh in on the recent appointment of Pfizer’s Josh Brown to District Four WCSB.

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Tennessee Stands Warns Federal Judges Encroaching on Basic Liberties Regarding COVID-19 Mandates

Chris Butler

Members of the Williamson County-based Tennessee Stands said rulings coming down from U.S. District Courts regarding what they call unlawful mandates, particularly those coming from Tennessee, prove “that reasoning has lost and politics wins the day.” Federal courts have cited the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in saying that Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s Executive Order 84 that gives parents the right to opt out of school mask mandates is unlawful. The courts say the mandate prevents schools from providing reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities.

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The Flu Places More Children in Jeopardy Than COVID-19, Tennessee Department of Health Data Suggests

Chris Butler
Back to School

Data available on the Tennessee Department of Health’s (TDOH) website suggests the flu endangers more children in the state versus the effects of COVID-19. One recent flu epidemic claimed the lives of about 10 Tennessee children. TDOH’s most recent data says COVID-19 has claimed the life of only one child in the state.

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Tennessee Stand’s Gary Humble Explains Middle Tennessee State University Nursing Student Avery Garfield’s Removal from Class by Campus Police

Julie Carr
Torso of a nurse with a white gown on and stethoscope

Friday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Tennessee Stands founder Gary Humble to the newsmakers line to detail the arrest of MTSU nursing student Avery Garfield Thursday morning.

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Tennessee Legislators Must Convene Special Session to Address Urgent Issues, Williamson County-Based Group Says

Chris Butler

Members of the Williamson County-based Tennessee Stands have said members of the Tennessee General Assembly should still hold a special session. Tennessee Stands Executive Director Gary Humble said in an emailed message to his supporters that Tennesseans and a majority of members of the Tennessee House of Representatives want a special session. This, Humble said, “to address a host of issues currently plaguing our state.”

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Tennessee Law Puts Up Several Barriers to Keep Tennesseans from Recalling Their Local School Board Member

Chris Butler
Board Meeting

If you live in Tennessee and you’re so upset with your local school board member that you want to recall him or her then you’re not going to like what state law has to say about the subject. One of Tennessee’s largest cities will apparently permit you to recall your local school board members, but the state’s vast other regions will not.

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Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s New COVID-19 Executive Orders Threaten Liberty, Observers Warn

Chris Butler

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed an executive order late last week regarding the state’s continued response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but some people worry it infringes upon basic liberties. Among other things, Lee’s executive order permits more flexibility in behavioral health care to relieve capacity strain and allows medical laboratory directors to monitor facilities remotely. But the order also gives the state government discretion to use the National Guard in connection with certain health care and emergency services operations.

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Tennessee Stands’ Gary Humble: Our Constitution Gives Us a Duty to Resist Arbitrary Power

Laura Baigert

LOUDON, Tennessee – Tennessee Stands Executive Director Gary Humble told a group of at least 300 attendees at a Tellico Village Conservative Club meeting Wednesday that the state’s constitution gives Tennesseans the duty to resist arbitrary power.

Humble was referring to the doctrine of nonresistance contained within the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the State of Tennessee, which reads in Article I, Section 2:

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Tennessee Stands Will Soon Launch Statewide Tour to Promote Liberty

Chris Butler

Members of the Williamson County-based Tennessee Stands announced Sunday they will soon launch a statewide tour to promote individual liberty, and their first stop is in northeast Tennessee. “There is a growing movement across the state of Tennessee for those who understand the state and nation’s Constitution. These people are no longer willing to allow their rights to be eroded or infringed upon. With these rights and values in mind, Tennessee Stands is launching the Freedom Matters Tour to promote constitutional values and to encourage Tennesseans to STAND UP for their personal liberties,” according to an email that members of the group sent to their followers Sunday.

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Bill Lee Does Not Enforce a Conservative Refugee Policy, Tennessee Stands Warns

Chris Butler

Members of Tennessee Stands told supporters in a newsletter this week that Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee is weak on immigration and refugee resettlement issues. “We have a crisis at the border and it’s undeniable. And while there are many areas we could point to regarding the Lee administration where things are not always what they seem, one of the most glaring for most of his time in office has been immigration and refugee resettlement. Lee is weak on enforcing a conservative immigration policy and has a propensity to use the guise of Christianity to support refugees pouring into our state,” according to the newsletter.

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Williamson County Schools Rescinds Mask Mandate After Saying Judge Didn’t Rule Against Their Authority to Impose It

Corinne Murdock

Williamson County Schools (WCS) announced Friday they’re ending their mask mandate, several weeks after a judge opined they lacked legal authority to continue imposing it. After the spring semester lets out, WCS won’t require masks any longer. In a voicemail obtained by The Tennessee Star, WCS Communications Director Carol Birdsong announced to parents that WCS was ending their mask mandate.

“Hello Williamson County Schools families, this is Carol Birdsong calling. Superintendent Jason Golden announced at last night’s school board work session that the district’s indoor mask requirement will come to an end once school has been dismissed and campuses have been cleared on Friday, May 21. The district will continue to recommend and encourage masks this summer for those who are not fully vaccinated – but they will not be required. More information is included in the email that is accompanying this phone call.”

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Tennessee Legislature Moves to Ban Critical Race Theory from K-12 Schools

Corinne Murdock
State Representative John Ragan

Critical race theory (CRT) should be banned from Tennessee’s schools, according to an amended bill pending a final hearing in the Senate. Although the words “critical race theory” don’t appear in the amendment, it does address CRT tenets at length.

The bill now prohibits schools from using curriculum or any supplemental materials that promote conclusions of hierarchies or prejudices based on race or sex, or depict the United States as “fundamentally or irredeemably racist or sexist” and therefore worthy of overthrow. If any school violates these provisions, the Education Commissioner may withhold any amount of state funding from that school. These provisions appear at the tail end of the 14-page bill.

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Williamson County School System Officials Deny They Are Pushing Critical Race Theory, Critics Call it Marxist

Chris Butler

Staff at the Williamson County School System say on their official website that they are not implementing Critical Race Theory (CRT) into their curriculum, although other people insist that, yes, it has infested the schools.

And those same people who want the alleged Critical Race Theory removed said WCS officials must withdraw from it immediately.

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Williamson County School Superintendent Jason Golden Is ‘The Enemy,’ Tennessee Stands Says in Tuesday Remarks

Chris Butler

Williamson County School Superintendent Jason Golden this week cancelled a previously scheduled speaking engagement with the Williamson County Republican Party, and members of his staff did not return messages seeking comment as to why. Several sources informed The Tennessee Star last week that Golden would have a question and answer session with members of the Williamson County GOP Wednesday evening. Those same sources said they and several other people intended to ask Golden about the Williamson County School Board hiring, as reported in February, a consulting firm to stamp out what they call a pattern of racism within the school district. The name of that firm is Fostering Healthy Solutions.

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Tennessee Stands Gary Humble Describes His Visits to the Tennessee Capitol Hill as a Grassroots Activist

Julie Carr

Thursday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Tennessee Stands Gary Humble to the studio to outline what it’s like being a grassroots activist visiting Tennessee’s State Capitol and talking with legislators.

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Group Says Amendment Passed by State Senate Committee to Afford Religious Exemptions to Vaccines in Pandemic Has Been Watered Down

Corinne Murdock

Tennessee lawmakers are keeping their options open when it comes to mandatory vaccinations during a current or imminent pandemic. Although community members and advocacy groups have been fighting for their right to choose when it comes to their medical decisions during government-declared emergencies, most lawmakers haven’t been responsive. 

At the time of press, the amendment hasn’t been uploaded to the General Assembly website. However, The Tennessee Star obtained a copy of the amendment, included below:

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Community Rallies to Support Vaccine Exemption Bill Ahead of Hearing; Senate Committee Recommends Passage

Corinne Murdock

The Tennessee Senate Health and Welfare Committee recommended for passage an amendment to a bill allowing for religious or conscientious vaccine exemptions. As The Tennessee Star reported, this amendment was originally a bill killed in the House Health Subcommittee early last month.

Prior the committee hearing, Tennessee Stands gathered in a “We the People” rally to show community support for the amendment. Tennessee Stands Executive Director and founder Gary Humble led the event, with speeches from State Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon), State Representative Bruce Griffey (R-Paris), and a prerecorded statement from the bill sponsor, State Senator Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma).

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Knox County Commission Eliminates Powers of Its Health Board

Corinne Murdock

The Knox County Commission finalized its vote to eliminate the Knox County Board of Health’s powers on Monday, effectively rendering it an advisory body. The final vote in favor of the measure, 8-3, wasn’t as close as the previous vote. The final vote was originally scheduled for the end of April, as The Tennessee Star reported in January, but the commission voted during last week’s meeting to vote on this measure during Monday’s meeting.

The Star inquired with Chairman Larsen Jay about the commission’s decision-making. Specifically, we inquired what caused the shift within the commission to be more supportive of the measure. Jay didn’t respond by press time. He voted “no” alongside Commissioners Dasha Lundy and Courtney Durrett. 

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Tennessee Stands Holding Rally to Support Religious Exemptions for Vaccines

Corinne Murdock

Nonprofit social advocacy organization Tennessee Stands will rally in support of an amendment for vaccine religious exemptions on Wednesday. The Senate Health and Welfare Committee will be reviewing the bill carrying the amendment that day, which seeks to prohibit government-mandated COVID-19 vaccines. 

In an interview with The Tennessee Star, Tennessee Stands founder Gary Humble explained that this rally would allow Tennessee lawmakers to see the support this bill has among their constituents. 

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Founder of the X For Boys, King Randall Talks About His Inspiration and Mission to Help Boys Out of the Juvenile Justice System Gain Confidence Through Faith

Julie Carr

Wednesday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed the founder of The ‘X’ For Boys initiative King Randall to talk about what motivated him to help juveniles out of the justice system and mission.

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Bill Allowing Religious Exemptions to Vaccines Regardless of a Public Health Emergency Lives on as Potential Amendment in a Senate Bill

Corinne Murdock

Through amendment, another legislator is seeking to revive a bill affording religious or conscientious exemptions for vaccines during a public health emergency. As The Tennessee Star reported, the original bill seeking to provide those protections was killed by the House Health Subcommittee earlier this month.

The bill carrying this amendment originally only sought to prohibit state or local governments from mandating COVID-19 vaccinations. State Senator Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma) announced the amendment during the Senate Health and Welfare Committee hearing on Wednesday.

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Dave Ramsey Endorses Medical Non-Discrimination Business & Consumer Act

Corinne Murdock

Famed financial guru Dave Ramsey endorsed a bill that would prohibit discrimination against consumers for not having masks or the COVID-19 vaccine. The bill covers more – it also would shield customers from discrimination based on the use of a medical device or having received any sort of medical treatment. 

Tennessee Stands, a local grassroots nonprofit social advocacy organization, produced the legislation. The organization has also produced the Religious Exemption Protection Act, which died in subcommittee on Tuesday, and a resolution proposing a constitutional amendment addressing emergencies.

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Executive Director Gary Humble of Tennessee Stands Discusses Their Mission and Pending Lawsuits

Julie Carr

Monday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Tennessee Stands Executive Director Gary Humble to the newsmakers line to talk about his mission, pending lawsuits, and what motivated the creation of the 501 (c)(4).

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State Senator Pody Introduces Constitutional Amendment to Limit Government Overreach During Emergencies

Corinne Murdock

State Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) proposed a constitutional amendment to limit governmental power during emergencies. Tennessee Stands, a nonprofit social advocacy organization, instigated the proposal of this amendment. 

“No declaration of emergency by the federal government, the governor of this state, or any agent or political subdivision of this state shall be construed to lessen or abridge the rights and privileges of the citizens of this state guaranteed by this Constitution or lessen or diminish the controlling authority of this Constitution,” read the amendment. “In all circumstances, the departments of the government shall be bound to and shall not exceed or delegate, their respective duties and powers as defined in this Constitution.” 

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Tennessee State Senator Wants Schools to Screen Students’ Mental and Behavioral Health Issues After COVID-19

Chris Butler

Members of the Tennessee General Assembly will consider a bill that mandates public school and charter school officials screen students to evaluate how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their mental and behavioral health patterns. This, according to legislation that State Sen. Katrina Robinson (D-Memphis) filed last month.

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Tennessee Stands Petitions Tennessee Attorney General to Act Against Big Tech

Corinne Murdock

Tennessee Stands petitioned Tennessee’s Attorney General Herbert Slattery to take legal action against social media censorship. The nonprofit social advocacy organization submitted the letter, authored by their legal representation, on Wednesday. The letter cited previous President Donald Trump’s executive order pertaining to online censorship, issued last May, as an example. 

“Tennessee Stands respectfully asks that your office demonstrate similar courage in taking a national leadership role in the investigation and civil prosecution of companies like Facebook when their false advertising and viewpoint-based censorship and interruption of service of its members runs afoul of the protections afforded the citizens of our state,” stated the letter.

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Tennessee Nonprofit Warns Gov. Bill Lee to Focus on Best Interests of Students, Not Budgets, During Special Session

Chris Butler

Members of Tennessee Stands said this week that Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and members of the state legislature should prioritize students — and not school district budgets — during the upcoming special session on education. Tennessee Stands is a nonprofit based out of Williamson County.

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Tennessee Stands Says Gov. Bill Lee Displays ‘Complete Lack of Leadership’ on COVID-19

Chris Butler

Tennessee Stands, based out of Williamson County, on Monday, said Tennessee residents “didn’t elect Bill Lee to have him cancel Christmas and stomp the Constitution.” Tennessee Stands spokesman Gary Humble said this in an emailed newsletter, addressing Gov. Bill Lee’s Sunday announcement that the state will ban indoor public gatherings of more than 10 people in response to COVID-19.

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Governor Lee Bans Gatherings of More Than 10 People

Peter D'Abrosca

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (R) announced in a five-minute address Sunday evening that the state will ban indoor public gatherings of more than 10 people in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’m signing an order that will limit indoor public gatherings to 10 people,” Lee said in a televised message to Tennesseans.

“We now have around 10,000 Tennesseans getting sick every day,” he said, adding that Tennessee was “ground zero” for the COVID-19 pandemic, and that cases have surged in the state since Thanksgiving.

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Tennessee Stands Rallies Against Knox County Health Board Mandate

Peter D'Abrosca

A group promoting individual liberty rallied Saturday afternoon to strip the Knox County Board of Health of its mandate powers. 

“No elected politician, or in this case an appointed board, should have the right to decide whether your business is valuable,” Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles told The Tennessee Star. 

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