Much ado has been made over the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol. Some people wonder if “insurrection” is the proper term for the violent storming of the nation’s Capitol; others, namely the Republican National Committee, argue that the attack was “legitimate political discourse.”
As of this writing, two of seven promised hearings on the event have concluded. Some citizens wonder why all the hullabaloo, why the first hearing was aired on prime time. Others seem to agree that it would be a good idea to understand what happened and why. Those who don’t understand the attempted violent overthrow of the government by a militant political minority are doomed to repeat it, as the saying goes.
But I can’t bring myself to spill more ink over this subject. Feeling obligated to do so, I gave it my best shot. I typed out a sincere column about the difference between political discourse and political violence, and I wrote a satirical column about more or less the same thing. Neither attempt felt right to me, and I would rather start over a third time than publish something I’m not proud of.
So, with a deadline looming, I’ll use this space to preview this week’s excellent issue of the Flyer.
Our cover story, “Sun Shine,” is about the promise and potential for solar energy in Memphis and Tennessee. It’s a complement to our “Sun Block” story, in which we outlined many of the challenges and shortcomings related to that issue. Toby Sells, who wrote both pieces, has spent a great deal of time considering the subject of solar power, and you, dear reader, get to be the beneficiary of his hard work. You’re welcome!
Sells also wrangled the Fly-By section. This week we have stories about the Tom Lee Park renovation project, a dancing baby man, and Tennessee governor Bill Lee’s plans for school safety.
In “Bogus Is as Bogus Does,” our politics correspondent, Jackson Baker, writes about yet another phony ballot. These fraudulent lists of candidates purportedly endorsed by a local branch of a political party have become something of a frequent occurrence here in Memphis, and Mr. Baker has covered the issue diligently over the years. Read his most recent report on page 8.
In both our Steppin’ Out section and Last Word columns, we discuss the Juneteenth national holiday, albeit from different perspectives. In Steppin’ Out, Abigail Morici writes about Juneteenth festivities happening this week, while in the Last Word, TONE’s Victoria Jones considers the holiday as a chance to celebrate the successes and sacrifices of previous generations of Black Americans, while also paving the way for future generations. It’s a beautiful column, and I’m proud to feature it in the Flyer.
Our music editor Alex Greene pays tribute to the late Alan Hayes, an electronic music pioneer and producer who helped many young artists discover their sound. Hayes was involved in the production of a variety of styles of music, which stands as a testament to his versatility and open-mindedness. Greene’s writing is a touching tribute, handled with the care and kindness I’ve come to expect from our resident music historian.
Fitting, considering the upcoming release of Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic, our food and party columnist Michael Donahue interviews Mario Torres, the senior food and beverage director at The Guest House at Graceland. Torres has a great story, which will come as no surprise to any devotees of Donahue’s column.
In this week’s film column, Chris McCoy takes on the newest installment in the Jurassic Park series, Jurassic World: Dominion. McCoy is always especially entertaining when he doesn’t love the movie he’s reviewing, and this week is no exception. I won’t spoil it any more than I already have, except to say that if you like actor Jeff Goldblum, this one is definitely worth your time.
That takes us through this week’s issue of Memphis’ only free print alt-weekly. I hope you’ll continue to pick up this paper on newsstands and read our new stories (posted daily) on the web.
As always, thank you for reading.
