Lee Erwin Reporting
lerwin@clarksvillenow.com
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Clarksville-Montgomery County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, (NAACP) held a rally in front of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Public Library Monday, August 25 to kick-off Tennessee NAACP Moral Week.
There are week-long activities planned around the state to increase awareness for issues like affordable health care, affordable housing, quality education and incarceration of minorities. Members from the Montgomery County NAACP will join other groups at a number of cities to gather support for these and other issues.
Jimmie Garland, President of the Clarksville-Montgomery County branch of the NAACP commented on issues and then talked about lawmakers. “There has been some resistance from the legislators. We have some legislators now that really don’t have the heart of the people in mind. We’re talking about down in Nashville,” said Garland.
Reading from a press release Garland added that the NAACP supports a “Call to Action” for public and law enforcement officials, policy makers and NAACP members to provide a framework and implement an agenda to financially prioritize investments in education, over incarcerations and advance public safety strategies that effectively increase healthy development in communities.
Garland mentioned the recent incident at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Clarksville with the burning of a cross. He said that could have catapulted the local community to end up like what is happening in Ferguson, Missouri. He said it was handled differently here and an effort was made to better the situation by finding the person responsible instead of focusing on the negativity.