The Great Smoky Mountain Journal
Tuesday, January 01, 2019 02:50 PM
Tennessee Lawmaker Calls On Memphis To Secede From State After Removal Of Two Confederate Statues
Representative Antonio Parkinson said, "We are in what I consider an abusive relationship with the state of Tennessee."
"Maybe it's time for a conversation about secession, create a new state, maybe West Tennessee."
Parkinson wasn't the only lawmaker to consider the idea, CBS affiliate WREG reported.
"We have been referenced as the redheaded step child of the state," said Council Chairman Berlin Boyd. "Been doing some research on it. We have to go and take it out as a referendum a one."
The process would be lengthy and complicated, Steve Mulroy, a law professor at the University of Memphis, told WREG.
Memphis would have to get the state to sign off, which could be hard since Memphis is the state's largest tax contributor, according to WREG. Mulroy said if that happened, "the part that is broken off, in order to become a state, would have to get congress to act."
Nothing is official yet, WREG said, but the topic is causing controversy.
"Maybe if the conversation is being had, maybe it'll wake those individuals up who have been taking Davidson and Shelby County for granted," said Parkinson.
Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell said he didn't think secession was the right course of action, but said the recent decision by state legislators to punish Memphis for local decisions was "a little bit of a stick in the eye."
"We are different in many ways from the rest of the state, and I say that in a very positive way," he said, "and I think that we've just got to resolve to continue going forward and push the message that we are a very progressive, very growing, very vibrant community that needs the state's help."
