"We are on the verge of one of the most historically significant weeks in American history"

Earlier this week Nashville Past And Present spoke with local political commentator Pat Nolan regarding Nashville’s English Only Referendum.

“I think we are on the verge of one of the most historically significant weeks in American history. It begins Monday, January 19 with the now annual holiday observance of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday.When that holiday was first established back in the mid-1980s, I remember how so many people remarked how wonderful it was that they would live to see the day when a national holiday honored a person of color. And as the years have gone by, you can see how people continue to embrace the holiday as a time to bring us all together, to see our unity in our diversity. Now on Tuesday, January 20, another barrier will tumble as we celebrate the inauguration of Barack Obama, as President of the United States”.

“Then comes the Nashville connection, two days later on January 22, when voters here go to the polls to consider the English Only charter amendment. Will we as a city continue to move ahead in working together as a welcoming community to bring unity out of our diversity? Or will we turn our backs on that, voting our fears and biases, rather than our hopes and dreams? Rarely are the challenges and choices we face, and the achievements we have accomplished as a nation and a city, so compactly contained in a just a few short days in a single week.”

Pat Nolan, News Channel 5 Political Commentator,
January 15th, 2009