Southern Progressives

Moving to the left one post at a time

Bill Freeman
February 04, 2025

National News:

Email sent to both my senators, feel free to copy and paste and send to them as well…

I’m writing to you concerning your upcoming vote on the nominees Kash Patel, Robert Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard. Explain to me if you will, how voting for these nominees comes even close to making America great again. Government is supposed to work for us, and I would like some answers to my questions. I await your response.

Email Me

www.blackburn.senate.gov/email-me

Email Bill - Senator Bill Hagerty

www.hagerty.senate.gov/email-me

Make the Senate Listen

Don’t be afraid to call or write your senators before they vote on the Kash Patel nomination, along with those of Robert Kennedy, Jr., and Tulsi Gabbard.

open.substack.com/pub/joycevance/p/make-the-senate-listen?r=2cuzj&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

Don’t Give Up on the Truth

Striking out against injustice is always right; it always matters.

www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2024/11/america-trump-different-now/680637/?gift=kv3__FYls2fxmm4Mh6G3fYDP_W4rvtTUec9ra_E11dY&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share

What is USAID? Explaining the US foreign aid agency and why Trump and Musk want to end it

In its first two weeks, President Donald Trump’s administration has made significant changes to the U.S. Agency for International Development.

apnews.com/article/usaid-foreign-aid-freeze-trump-peter-marocco-8253d7dda766df89e10390c1645e78aa?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=share

State News:

Stockard on the Stump: Tennessee lawmakers want immigration, voucher bills to go to court • Tennessee Lookout

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee's private school voucher plan intends to exclude undocumented immigrant kids, going against Plyler v. Doe.

tennesseelookout.com/2025/02/03/stockard-on-the-stump-tennessee-lawmakers-want-immigration-voucher-bills-to-go-to-court

Local News & Arts:

The Athens Area Council for the Arts (AACA) is proud to showcase two exhibitions celebrating regional Black artists: "I Am Her and She Is Me" by Dominique Pruitt and "No Boundaries" by Calvin Walton. The exhibits will be open to the public from February 10 to March 14, 2025, at The Arts Center, with an Artist Reception on Thursday, February 13, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, featuring a poetry reading by Dominique Pruitt. "I Am Her and She Is Me" by Chattanooga artist Dominique Pruitt is an exploration of femininity and self-acceptance. Pruitt, a mixed-media artist and mental health advocate, captures the strength, beauty, and diversity of women through her abstract works. Her paintings, featuring universal skin tones, encourage viewers to see themselves in the art.

"No Boundaries" by Athens-born artist Calvin Walton showcases a diverse range of subjects, from nature and music to the human experience. Using acrylic on wood, mixed media, and resin finishes, Walton creates vivid, expressive pieces that highlight the interplay of color and texture. Now based in Stone Mountain, Georgia, Walton continues to develop his unique artistic voice. Both exhibits are free and open to the public during regular business hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Pruitt’s work will be displayed in the Willson Exhibit Room and Hallway Gallery, while Walton’s will be on the Gallery Wall in the Peggy Dow Performance Center. For more information, visit athensartscouncil.org/exhibitions.