©2019 Sterling Studios, Gavin Anderson, photo of Memphis used by permission

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                                                Manifesto…

This writing has arisen in opposition to the refusal of the Memphis City Council to consider the merits of a resolution (link below) that I submitted establishing an annual Memphis Founders Day.

Instead of consideration, the explanation I received from the Council Chair, Kemp Conrad, is as follows:  

“The city’s branding of the anniversary, as captured with the slogan, “A New Century of Soul” emphasizes the future. Ultimately, it was decided that the Council would move in a different direction from a Founders Day resolution”.

So, Mr. Conrad says the “Council” decided that a PR slogan “branding” the “anniversary” refers to the future…. and Mr. Conrad further says that slogan should be adopted…. as opposed to our city having an annual Memphis Founders Day. What level of intelligence is that decision? 

By email, thrice, I sought an explanation from Chairman Conrad and, twice, from Councilwoman Gerrie Conrad. No response, except the muddled email quoted above.-             

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          IMPORTANT >> Did you know that the Memphis City Council.....

1. answers to no one (save to the people only every four years at election time), and
2. there is no type of appeal whatever to council actions (or non-actions)! Therefore, it is not a democratic body, as everyone thinks. Between  elections. the 13 council members function as independent autocrats, entirely devoid of oversight !!             ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I ask you to consider that, for 200 years, the founding date of our city has not been recognized.  Only this year, 2019, has May 22 become accepted by the public as the date the Town of Memphis began.  And for the past three years, I have been the main person active in this regard.  That is why I am seeking to resolve this issue.

As it stands, May 22 will be referred to only as our city’s anniversary or birthday. Those terms are synonyms…. but neither term has a beginning event, as does the founding on May 22, 1819.

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1. If you wish to say something about establishing an official Memphis Founders Day, a link to each of the 13 council members is here:     https://memphistn.gov/government/city_council/contact_information
2. ALSO, whatever your opinion, I ask you to share this Manifesto with your friends.

A sincere thank you from
Don Hassell
Citizen of Memphis

www.DonMemphis.com
(Proposed resolution, in full)