‘Bust’ing out to protest vote booting Admiral from Capitol — minus 1
Briggs: ‘almost an insult to ET,’ as Joslin, Chambers organize protest on bust removal vote
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Protestors against the removal of Adm. David Glasgow Farragut’s bust from the State Capitol in Nashville gathered Saturday morning, July 11, in front of the famed Civil War hero’s statue in Adm. Farragut Plaza. - Alan Sloan
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Protestor Charles Doty, left, a retired Vietnam Veteran combat pilot who, among his other numerous accomplishments, helped train the first U.S. astronauts, is interviewed by Jeff Joslin, protest co-organizer. - Alan Sloan
Having learned the way state politics works in Nashville in recent years, state Sen. Dr. Richard Briggs (R-District 7) didn’t hold back when pondering why the bust of Civil War Union hero Adm. David Glasgow Farragut was voted to be removed from the State Capitol.
“I almost consider it an insult to East Tennessee,” said Briggs, adding Adm. Farragut “was not a racist” in response to the vote taken by Tennessee State Capital Commission, by a 9-2 count Thursday July 9, to remove the bust of Adm. Farragut along with the busts of Confederate Lt. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest — the target of protest groups saying he was among the founders of the Ku Klux Klan — and Adm. Albert Gleaves, who served during the Spanish American War and World War I.
State Comptroller Justin Wilson made the motion to include the relocation of the Admirals along with Nathan Bedford Forrest “for the purposes of creating an exhibit at the Tennessee State Museum to honor military heroes,” stated John Dunn, director of communications for the Comptroller’s office, in a press release.
Briggs said Confederate sympathies in Middle Tennessee, though somewhat underground in the current political climate, remain strong.
“I think them removing the Farragut (bust) was nothing but revenge because Nathan Bedford Forrest got moved and, ‘by golly, we removed the Confederate general, so we’re going to get you by removing that Union Admiral,’” he said.
In the 1970s, “The reason (the Forrest’ bust) was put there in the first place is because there was a Union flag officer there, and this was to balance it,” the state senator added.
Tennessee State Historical Commission — currently not scheduled to meet until October — could confirm or override any or all of last week’s bust removal votes.
Town Hall protest
A protest late Saturday morning, July 11, co-organized by Farragut High School graduates Jeff Joslin and Tissie Chambers, drew about 25 to the Admiral Farragut Plaza next to Town Hall.
To be lumped in with Nathan Bedford Forrest “tarnishes (Adm. Farragut’s) reputation,” Chambers said. “He has no bad reputation.
“... I understand the controversy of Nathan Bedford Forrest, even though in the later years of his life he tried to amend what all he did.”
About the protest, “I wanted to get some Farragut people out here behind Adm. Farragut,” Joslin said.
Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Charles Doty of Farragut, 89, who among many accomplishments flew several bombing missions during the Vietnam Conflict, played a major role in training the first U.S. astronauts and did groundbreaking work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory on how to measure uranium, also showed up to support keeping Adm. Farragut’s bust in the Capitol.
Historical review
Malcolm Shell, highly respected local historian and FHS graduate, said he doesn’t know of any controversies involving Adm. Farragut versus African-Americans or any other people of color.
While pointing out the Civil War hero’s Hispanic heritage, “He was commissioned at 9 years old and spent his whole life in the Navy,” Shell added.
