Who's Afraid of a Little Old Organizing

“The loser persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the loser.”

Simon Leys

We frequently discuss the outsized influence of NGOs like Stand Up Nashville, TIRRC, and the CCP-linked Southern Movement Committee on Nashville politics. Specifically, that the lion’s share of their funding comes from international organizations with dubious connections and questionable agendas.

It’s important to understand that in a city where only 20 percent of registered voters turn out for Metro elections, these lavishly funded NGOs wield an outsized influence.

And they appear to just be getting started. To take a cursory glance at this, look at the 990s of almost every organization that showed up en masse to the public comment period for this year’s budget. If you do, you’ll see a revenue graph going up and to the right since the beginning of the COVID pandemic.

There’s a concept in political science called the 3.5 percent rule, which suggests that movements can achieve significant social or political change when they involve approximately 3.5 percent of a population. In Nashville, that comes out to around 18,000 people. 

With midterms next year, the prospect of a shrinking council in Nashville in 2027, and political allegiances continuing to shake out as Trump implements his agenda, the next two years could get dicey. And in such an environment, where uncertainty reigns supreme and alliances fall apart and reform with every new headline, it is the organized who will come out on top.

Relevant to us in Tennessee, the new DNC chair, Ken Martin, is making it a priority to target Southern states – specifically, Middle Tennessee. Both District 7 – recently vacated by Mark Green – and District 5 – currently occupied by Andy Ogles – are on the strike list. “This is the new slogan at the DNC: When you organize everywhere, you can win anywhere,” Martin told the Nashville Banner yesterday.

Last week, California Governor Gavin Newsom stopped through town to visit the East Nashtivists. During the visit, he encouraged lawless resistance to the Trump administration. Over the weekend, Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar (who married her brother to gain legal status) spoke at an Antioch high school alongside state Rep. Justin Jones.

It’s clear that Democrats are organizing. That’s what they do well. And it’s clear that they’re coming for Middle Tennessee. Meanwhile, the mere mention of the word "organizing" in right-of-center circles is bound to get you dirty looks. You’ll get called a Communist. “Right-wingers have jobs, that’s why we don’t organize. That’s for losers.”

In a past life, when I was gainfully employed in the productive economy, I would unblinkingly agree with this sentiment. And until recently, I might’ve offered some caveats, but not protested against your argument much at all. But that’s changed in the past six months as it’s become abundantly clear that, in a low-turnout state like Tennessee, organizers can wield such an outsized influence that I better rethink my priors.

What makes all the anti-organizing talk so much more curious is that the founding of this nation – the Revolutionary War and all that prologued it – is the story of effective organization.

In America, we don’t have the great artistic legacy of France, the antiquity of the Mediterranean, or the grand Cathedrals that dot continental Europe. What we have above all else is a displayed affinity for political genius. And at the root of that political genius is the ability to effectively organize against powers that threaten to encroach on us. DAVIS HUNT

🖋️ Edited by Megan Podsiedlik.

🏠 Private Property Surcharge: Homeless Removal During last week’s Homelessness Planning Council meeting, Office of Homeless Services Director April Calvin suggested that businesses and property owners who request the removal of encampments should help pay for it. When asked whether Metro would consider the proposal, Mayor O’Connell didn’t write it off.

“I don't think that's a documented policy, but I do think at every turn we're looking to ensure that we offer secure and stable housing and reliable services to as many people in encampments as possible,” he said during Friday’s media roundtable. “I know in some cases, we have had property owners participate in that support and I think that's totally reasonable. I don't know that that's a policy yet.”

🗳️ D7 Ballot Grows The Democratic side of the ticket in the race for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District is starting to stack up. State Representatives Aftyn Behn, Vincent Dixie, and Bo Mitchell have all announced their campaigns to replace Mark Green.

Green, who will officially step away from his seat on July 20, threw his weight behind former state General Services Commissioner Matt Van Epps on Monday. "I see in Matt Van Epps the same spirit of Duty, Honor, and Country that was instilled in me at West Point and sharpened with the Night Stalkers," said the U.S. Representative in his endorsement.

Meanwhile, all seven Republican mayors in Williamson County endorsed state Representative Lee Reeves. In a press release this morning, Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson, Franklin Mayor Dr. Ken Moore, Brentwood Mayor Nelson Andrews, Fairview Mayor Lisa Anderson, Nolensville Mayor Halie Gallik, Spring Hill Mayor Matt Fitterer, and Thompson’s Station Mayor Brian Stover came out in support of Reeves alongside every city within the county.

🌈 International Drag Day Tonight, Metro Council will vote on a resolution recognizing July 16 as International Drag Day in Nashville and Davidson County. “International Drag Day celebrates the resilience, creativity, and empowerment of drag artists while recognizing their significant impact on the LGBTQ+ movement,” reads the document. “Drag performance is an art form rooted in self-expression and performance and serves as a beacon of creativity and a symbol of community pride.” It continues by highlighting the bravery of drag artists who perform in the face of discrimination, and “shine despite state laws that attempt to limit their ability to perform and express themselves.”

✹ WHERE THE GUNS GET STOLEN FROM

One of the more publicized criminal concerns in Nashville is gun theft, especially from cars. To shed some light on where these thefts most frequently occur, MNPD released a map showing incidents over the past two years broken out into guns stolen from a vehicle, a person, or a building. (More Info)

DEVELOPMENT

• Gulch Chinese restaurant Choy to close after one year in business (Post)
• Gulch hotel plan remains viable (Post)
• Berry Hill property sells following early-year foreclosure (Post)
• Status still unclear for once-considered Music Row project (Post)

✹ WEEK IN STREAMING: SPECIAL EDITION

In 2017, Steven Rogers earned a Writers Guild Award nomination for Margot Robbie’s breakout movie I, Tonya. But without a childhood steeped in community theatre, Rogers may have never discovered the love of drama that led to his 30+ year Hollywood career. After penning some of the 90s and 2000s most high-profile dramas and romcoms from Hope Floats and Stepmon to Kate & Leopold, Rogers decided to mine his own theatre kid past with his latest project, Everything’s Going to Be Great. 

Starring Bryan Cranston and I, Tonya Oscar winner Allison Janney, the film follows the Smarts, a vagabond family of community theatre entrepreneurs who spend the 80s traversing the Midwest for their big break with their sons. Told primarily through the lens of preteen drama junkie Lester Smart (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth), the film oscillates between capturing the childlike wonder of discovering a place in the arts and the grim reality of making a living while pursuing one’s passion.

THINGS TO DO

View our calendar for the week here and our weekly film rundown here.

📅 Visit our On The Radar list to find upcoming events around Nashville.

🎧 On Spotify: Pamphleteer's Picks, a playlist of our favorite bands in town this week.

👨🏻‍🌾 Check out our Nashville farmer's market guide.

TONIGHT

🪕 East Nash Grass + AJ Lee & Blue Summit @ Ryman Auditorium, 7:30p, $31+, Info

🎸 Brent Cobb @ The Blue Room, 7p, $45.50, Info

🪕 David Harvey Music Crew @ Station Inn, 8p, $20, Info

🪕 Vickie Vaughn @ Dee's Lounge, 9p, $5, Info

🎸 Honky Tonk Tuesday @ Eastside Bowl, 8p, $10, Info‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌
+ two-step lessons @ 7p, The Cowpokes @ 8p

📰 Check out the full newsletter archive here.

Today's newsletter is brought to you by Megan Podsiedlik (Nashville), Edward Landstreet (Local Noise), and Davis Hunt (everything else).