Wave Bye-Bye

The sit-in protests (Opposing cuts to TennCare with actual potential victims! Smart PR.) going on in Governor Phil Bredesen's office (read here and follow the links for more) have attracted a lot of groups to Nashville, including the Nashville Peace and Justice Center. Now, the Memphis chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference is going to join them on Monday.

So the obvious question -- at least to me -- is: Where's the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center? They are the sister chapter to the NPJC, which is spearheading this and it seems like they'd be there pitching in, right? Shoulder-to-shoulder against The Man, yes?

Well, no. Check their website and you'll see that the "Save TENNCARE" ACTION ALERTS link is dead; it's not even a hyperlink. Check out their blog and you'll see that the protests haven't been mentioned at all.

That seemed pretty odd, so I went ahead and emailed them to ask what was going on. Here's the response I got:

Well Mike,

To answer briefly we have been doing something. The MSPJC has been working
with SCLC and the Baptist Ministerial Assoc. To organize the rally's and
events in Memphis about the TENNcare crisis. We are very short staffed right
now and busy with all the rest of the programs and campaigns we have
undertaken.

Given more funding we would hire many more staff to tackle many issues. So
if you want there is a Donate link on the website, with your help we can
stop doing the behind the scenes organizing and start leading the charge.

In Peace,
Jacob Flowers
Director,
Mid-South Peace and Justice Center

OK then! "Staff?" What about, ohh... I don't know... volunteers? Rallies in Memphis? I don't recall any, but that may just be me. I mean, I'm just a regular Midtown Joe, not your average militant activist caring person.

And hitting me up for money? Sheesh.... All I did was ask a question, and you didn't even ask me to volunteer first.

Go back to the blog and the MSPJC website. What's the Big Issue for them, sucking up all their resources? The Downing Street Memos. It's like that past five years haven't happened and they're still fighting to undo the "Selection, Not Election." Hey guys, free clue: Two more years. It's time, as they say, to Move On.

These guys were at the forefront, such as it was, of the anti-war protests here in Memphis back in 2003 (two years ago). But if this is the quality and caliber of the anti-war / pro-Socialist Left in Memphis today, I think we can safely stand back and just watch as they rush for the cliff.

Wave bye-bye.