Date: 2007/02/13 Tue AM 08:35:00 EST
Subject: TnRIP Alert - Calls needed


As expected, Nashville Mayor, Bill Purcell, has vetoed the English First bill passed last week by the Metro Council (story http://www.tnrip.org/News/021307EnglishFirstVetoed.htm ). He is apparently listening to those who support and encourage this invasion such as the Hispanic lobby as well as those who profit from directly from it (the Chamber of Commerce members) instead of listening to what the voters are demanding. The mere "threat" of a lawsuit has effectively forced Purcell's surrender rather than, as happened with the Hazelton, PA mayor, Lou Barletta, stregthened his resovlve to protect his city from these illegal invaders!!

Here is the breakdown on the final vote of the Metro Nashville City Council:

Here's how Metro Council members voted on the proposal to make English the city's official language:

YES
Carolyn Baldwin Tucker, Walter Hunt, Michael Craddock, Pam Murray, Jason Hart, Rip Ryman, Feller Brown, Jim Gotto, Harold White, J.B. Loring, Ludye Wallace, Billy Joe Walls, Edward Whitmore, Eric Crafton, Emily Evans, John Summers, Greg Adkins, Randy Foster, Jason Alexander, Vivian Wilhoite, Sam Coleman, Robert Duvall, Charlie Tygard

NO
Buck Dozier, Adam Dread, Brenda Gilmore, Jamie Isabel, Mike Jameson, Erik Cole, Jim Forkum, Carl Burch, Anna Page, Ginger Hausser, Jim Shulman, Jim Hodge, Parker Toler, Lynn Williams

ABSENT
Diane Neighbors, David Briley, Ronnie Greer

FINAL TALLY
23 in favor
14 against
3 absent

Contact Information for the Entire Metro Council may be found at the following link:
http://www.nashville.gov/council/council_roster.htm

We would like to encourage everyone to spend a few minutes contacting the council members (either via phone or email) to POLITIELY demand that they do whatever is necessary to override the Mayor's veto. Their options are as follow:

There are two ways to get a charter amendment proposal on the ballot:

? By a two-thirds vote ? at least 27 of 40 members approving ? the Metro Council could put it there.

? Otherwise, Crafton and his supporters would have to submit a petition with signatures equaling 10 percent of the number of registered voters in Davidson County who voted in the last general election.

According to state records, 178,043 registered voters from the county participated in the election in November. So 17,804 signatures would be required to take the issue to the ballot.

A simple majority of voters would decide whether the proposal became part of the charter.


Getting this bill passed is of UTMOST importance in our State as other cities and towns will be following Nashville's lead. If this bill can be passed in Nashville, other cities will be sure to follow much more quickly than if they end up having to be the first one to pass measures.
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We receieved the following message from a Tennessean reporter who asked for our help with a story she is writing. Please respond to her directly if you are interested:


Hello, my name is Anita Wadhwani, religion reporter at the The Tennessean.

I'm interested in writing about illegal immigration from the perspective of people of faith.

I'm interested in talking with individuals - regular church goers or not - who would describe themselves as a person of faith about how he/she feels about current immigration policies, Nashville's English-only ordinance and whether one's faith can provide some guidance on this controversial issue.

Given Nashville Catholic Bishop Choby's stance on the Nashville English-only ordinance, I'm also interested in speaking with Catholics who might hold different views.

Best,

Anita Wadhwani
awadhwani@tennessean.com
(615) 259-8821

Theresa Harmon
Tennesseans for Responsible Immigration Policies
www.TnRIP.org