Greg Cravens About Jackson Baker’s post, “Haslam Caves, Signs Legislation Nullifying Local Option on Guns in Parks” … Jeff, I wonder how those of us too frail (say over 70 and harmlessly gardening in the front yard) or in a hurry (those of us attempting to protect ourselves from an abusive ex-paramour) or any number […]
Posted inEditorial, Opinion
Koch Fight
As the Flyer reported back in February, members of the Tennessee General Assembly who had expressed either support for or open-mindedness toward Governor Bill Haslam’s “Insure Tennessee” proposal for Medicaid expansion were being targeted in their home districts by savage attack ads sponsored by a group calling itself Americans for Prosperity (AFP). During the special session called […]
Posted inEditorial, Opinion
Hope and Change in Nashville?
Over the course of time — and quite a lot recently — we have had much to say about the Tennessee General Assembly’s annual legislative value judgments (if that’s not too oxymoronic a term). More than once, we have characterized them in cartoons as hillbillies (and that was if we were feeling kindly.) That kind […]
Posted inLetters To The Editor, Opinion
What They Said (April 30, 2015) …
Greg Cravens About Toby Sells’ cover story, “All About That Bass!” … Nice article. I think the big miss is the absence of the trolley/street car to cart visitors from Bass Pro around downtown. Sorry, trolley buses (like Showboat buses) are just a sad and inexcusable replacement. The street cars could have been a perfect […]
Posted inLetters To The Editor, Opinion
What They Said (April 23, 2015) …
Greg Cravens About Bruce VanWyngarden’s editor’s note, “NRA Foreplay in Nashville” … Tennessee has far more vehicle deaths than firearm-related deaths. None of you want to outlaw texting/talking on the phone or enforce stricter DUI laws. Some people will have accidents with their firearms. Just like so many people have accidents in cars or playing […]
Posted inEditorial, Opinion
Compromise Returns
Once in a while, even the most stiff-necked and tunnel-minded of people can somehow reach a compromise with people of another mind altogether. The phenomenon, which is increasingly rare in the political realm, actually occurred twice in the past week — once in the United States Congress, and another time in the Tennessee legislature. The […]
Posted inLetters To The Editor, Opinion
What They Said (April 16, 2015)
Greg Cravens About Bianca Phillips’ post, “Tennessee Senate, House Committees Approve Bill to Make Bible Official State Book” … I hope this is but the first step. Next we should have the State Bible Verse, the State Hymn, the State Church, the State Tongue in Which to Speak, and, finally, the State Serpent for Handling. […]
Posted inEditorial, Opinion
The Firing Line
As we all surely know by now, there has been an outbreak of violence in the past couple of weeks, and the common denominator of it all was guns. There was the case, here in Memphis, of the two children — one sleeping “safely” in bed, another engaging in harmless play — who were killed […]
Posted inLetters To The Editor, Opinion
What They Said (April 9, 2015) …
Greg Cravens About the Flyer‘s cover story, “Godless in Memphis” … I’m severely disappointed that the super cool Memphis Atheists knitting circle didn’t get mentioned! You’ll talk about the Dungeons & Dragons group but not the knitting circle? Misogyny! Whitney Wood There are a bunch of us out here that are humanist and do not […]
Posted inOpinion, The BruceV Blog
Hockey Hair Forever
Though it doesn’t much matter down here in the land of hoops and SEC football, around much of the country, people are excited that the National Hockey League playoffs are about to start. As a former denizen of Yankeeland and a diehard fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins, I post this photo, the ultimate example of […]
Posted inEditorial, Opinion
Veto the Guns-in-Parks Bill, Governor
Little by little, Governor Bill Haslam is getting used to asserting himself vis-à-vis the Tennessee General Assembly. That’s the clear lesson of Haslam’s second term, which began auspiciously at the turn of the year with a proposal to accept Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) — a consummation (worth some $1 billion in […]
Posted inLetters To The Editor, Opinion
What They Said (April 2, 2015) …
Greg Cravens About the Flyer’s cover story, ”Spring Brews” … Local craft beer is one of those rare issues that Memphians, regardless of political affiliation, can come together on. Right now, a David-versus-Goliath fight is brewing in Washington between two competing beer bills. The big guys are pushing the Small Brew Act, which essentially benefits […]