Just Short Of Two Grand
Posted on January 27, 2009 at 8:45 amThat was all the money that Nashville English First raised that wasn’t from a national activist group:
Nashville English First raised $84,467.76 for its campaign, according to a disclosure being released today.
Of that, ProEnglish of Arlington, Va., contributed $82,500, Davidson County Election Administrator Ray Barrett told The Tennessean this morning after Metro Law Director Sue Cain authorized him to release the disclosure.
SEE ALSO:
Enclave demands and explanation.
Pajamas Media
Belcher
permalink | Comment on this post
New York Times Issues Correction On Crafton Claim
Posted on January 18, 2009 at 3:26 pmThe Nashville Scene tells us that the Gray Lady has redacted the assertion made by Councilman Eric Crafton in its pages that California legislators have relied on translators to conduct business.
Of course, we already knew that the assertion was false because Braisted told us almost a week ago.
Living In An ‘Enlightened’ Bubble
Posted on January 16, 2009 at 10:29 amSean Braisted hates to break it to his liberal friends but, in all likelihood, the English Only charter amendment is going to pass:
Last night I made a few phone calls for the cause and ended up calling 50-60 year old people in Hermitage and Joelton. Any guesses on how they’ll likely be voting? Yeah, “tolerance” isn’t exactly a selling point.
In addition, a lot of people are focusing on the early voting turnout in the presumed white liberal areas of the city. Which is all sunshine and rainbows, except those are the districts closest to the Howard School building. When you get to election day, you’ll have a whole host of voters who vote in every election, regardless of the cause, and they are less likely to have sat down and weighed the pros and cons of the two charter amendments. We are in America, and we speak English in American…nuff said.
This isn’t to say that its impossible to stop this measure, anything is possible, but if anyone out there is confident this amendment will fail, you really need a reality check, post haste. Step out the bubble.
SEE ALSO: English Only Comes Down to PR Battle
Are Ya Yella?
Posted on at 10:20 amNathan Moore cannot believe there is no citizen of Nashville willing to go toe to toe with David Briley on public television to defend the English Only charter amendment:
Surely, some commenter on this blog, or from one of the message boards at The Tennessean, The City Paper, or Post Politics, could stand behind that podium tonight and make the case for this amendment.
Or maybe, they can’t.
Nashville English First May Dodge Financial Disclosure Filing Deadline
Posted on January 15, 2009 at 8:50 amNate Rau reports:
In fact, according to Davidson County Election Commission employees, a representative from Nashville English First inquired about what the penalty would be if the committee missed the filing deadline.
Although Bellevue Councilman Eric Crafton and other leaders of Nashville English First have been extremely accessible to local media throughout the English Only process, multiple phone calls were left unreturned on the issue of meeting today’s disclosure deadline. Crafton told The City Paper he was merely the spokesman for Nashville English First and not responsible for issues like disclosing campaign contributions and expenditures.
Jon Crisp, former chairman of the Davidson County Republican Party and fellow leader of the English Only movement, failed to return multiple phone calls for this story.
The group filed a committee formation document with the Election Commission last year. The filing listed Lewis Lampley as the group’s treasurer. When reached by The City Paper Wednesday, Lampley said he had no comment on the “rumor” that Nashville English First intended not to file.
Last year, Crafton acknowledged Nashville English First had been supported by the advocacy group Pro English. The group was founded by Dr. John Tanton, who is allegedly tied to hate groups according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
SEE ALSO:
Moore Thoughts
The Scene
Enclave
Nativists Like To Sleep In
Posted on September 24, 2008 at 11:44 amOnly five protesters showed up at Jimmy Kelly’s this morning to show the flag for English First:
None of those who attended the protest outside a political fundraiser on Wednesday morning would take credit for organizing the event.
Elizabeth Ann Jeffers, who brought doughnuts and protest signs, said she did not know why the group calling itself “Friends of English First” had targeted a fundraising breakfast for state Sen. Joe Haynes.
The Goodlettsville Democrat has made no comment about the measure and has no role in city government.
SEE ALSO:
Tiny Cat Pants
We The People Want The Rest Of We To Speak English
Posted on September 23, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Eric Crafton turns in his sigs for the next round of English First:
“It took about two days to get back the required number [of 2,475 signatures],” Crafton said, calling the petition drive a “victory for ‘We the People.’”
permalink | Comment on this post
Guilt By Association
Posted on at 8:34 amThe Byrdman of Salemtown explores the links between Eric Crafton’s English First and the white nationalist movement.
Three Amigos Fiesta
Posted on September 22, 2008 at 1:12 pmA protest by English-Only supporters will take place in on Wednesday in Nashville:
It’s labeled a “surprise,” but there’s a web site up, and fliers were being passed out at the Titans game yesterday, disturbing some critics of the English-only effort.
Second Verse Same As The First — In English
Posted on September 16, 2008 at 7:23 amNate Rau on the regrouping effort by Eric Crafton’s English First to force a special election:
Nashville English First, the local group pushing the effort, has started a fund-raising drive in support of its second attempt at amending Metro’s charter to make English the official language.
The new proposed charter amendment allows for health and public safety exceptions, which the first proposal did not.
“We expect it to take a couple of weeks,” Crafton said of the latest petition drive, which began last week. “We’re already getting some signatures back in.”
The first English Only effort was ruled ineligible for the Nov. 4 ballot by the Davidson County Election Commission following a recommendation from Metro Director of Law Sue Cain
UPDATE: Southcomm Hive Mind!!
Too Crafty By Half?
Posted on August 18, 2008 at 11:36 amNate Rau reports that some downtown lawyers are trying to hang up Eric Crafton’s English First charter amendment on legal technicality:
According to the charter, a petition-driven amendment proposal, like English Only, may only be submitted once every two years.
“The council shall not adopt a resolution proposing amendments to this charter more often than twice during the term of office of members of said council,” the charter reads, “nor shall any such amendment or amendments be submitted by petition more often than once in each two years.”
In 2006, Davidson County passed a petition-driven charter amendment, giving voters the power to approve property tax increases. The amendment passed on Nov. 7, 2006.
The English Only charter amendment proposal would be up for approval at the federal election on Nov. 4.
permalink | Comment on this post
The Enlightened Stay Home?
Posted on at 5:58 amS-Town Mike seems to believe that most reliable voters are nativist:
Once this appears on the ballot, Crafton doesn’t have to mobilize a majority of Davidson County voters to win. He only has to mobilize a majority of the 20-30% of eligible voters who turn out for general elections. English Only is probably going to win with the votes of only a small fraction of the County’s total adult population and with the help of mostly tainted outsider money, which Eric Crafton couldn’t raise at home. It’s going to be a minority exercising mob rule over everyone else.
permalink | Comment on this post
Talking On Your Cell Phone Is Not Mobilization
Posted on August 6, 2008 at 12:47 pmMike Byrd doesn’t think local Democrats have what its gonna take to insure Eric Crafton’s English First does not become law in Metro Nashville:
Unless the Democrats are making themselves useful by organizing block-by-block to GOTV or finding money to throw into the fight, their paper opposition won’t amount to much, and it may serve as fodder to mobilize the opposition.
You have got to come with more than words if you want to win this. You’ve got to come with mobilized numbers and money. That’s what Crafton’s got. That’s why he’s going to win. And the Democratic Party will have let us down once again.
Ronnie Steine Steps Up Against English First
Posted on July 28, 2008 at 12:14 pmFrom Michael Cass:
The Metro Council could go on record next week against a proposal to make English Nashville’s official language.
A memorializing resolution introduced by Councilman Ronnie Steine would have the council ask voters to reject the English-only push led by Councilman Eric Crafton, who is trying to gather enough voters’ signatures to place the idea on the ballot in November. Under Steine’s non-binding resolution, the council would urge voters not to sign the petition cards Crafton has been sending out.
permalink | Comment on this post
Turning Down Free Money On Principle
Posted on June 17, 2008 at 12:16 pmMike Byrd wonders if Councilman Eric “English First” Crafton will have the minerals to stand on principle and fight against accepting a grant from the State of Tennessee to pay for interpreters for indigents:
We’ll see if he chooses to fight this bill even though it requires no matching funds from Metro. It’s free money. But according to Crafton, his fight is on principle and patriotism; so, if he is as authentic as he claims to be about English, then he should fight this resolution tonight.
permalink | Comment on this post
The Highest Common Denominator
Posted on June 16, 2008 at 8:50 amChris Sanders notes Gail Kerr’s strident editorial against Eric Crafton’s English First:
Here’s the truth, y’all. Crafton is appealing to the lowest common denominator to get his name in the paper. If anyone thinks this referendum is going to stop illegal border crossings, he or she is truly naive.
This law is not necessary. It is cruel. It is unconstitutional. And it is racist.
Sanders mentions that Kerr does not “mince words” in the column. Certainly true. But might she thought about it? I understand elite opinion in Nashville hardly blinked an eye while reading this column and I realize a column is different that a news article or even an editorial but would as dismissive a column appear in the Tennessean over any other issue about any other politician?
“Councilman Crapton”? Again, I’m sure those words have been spoken but what was the point of printing them? The column reads more like a furiously written blog post than a carefully considered, edited and vetted column, does it not?
We can certainly argue about what kind of fear and ignorance motivate folks to wish that there government only dealt with folks in English but if one wants to see an example of hate one seems like they would only have to read Gail Kerr’s column on Eric Crafton.
SEE ALSO:
Grand Divisions
The City Paper editorial
And Don’t Ya Come Back Here Lest You Come Correct
Posted on June 13, 2008 at 12:23 pmThe NashvillePost.com staff gives Eric Crafton a bit of an English lesson.
Recent Comments
a medal is well deserved …
A medal is not net neccessary, mega kudos will do
This is proof that there is occasionally a glimmer of hope in the Republicans.
I knew Cooper was too smart and compassionate to vote No on...
9, Begin. Please. I am more than happy to be educated on how...
Isn’t this a little late?
I predicted Cooper would jump in Nancy’s lap and do as she bid....
The...
Mikey, Do you get the reference? Goldni, The last accusations...
Oh, and apparently, the 218th vote was Bill Owens of NY-23....