State Representative John Mark Windle, who represents Overton, Jackson, and part of Fentress county in East Tennessee, has proposed that a statue be erected on the grounds of the state capitol in Nashville honoring Dolly Parton. That statue would be built with private funds and face the Ryman Auditorium where Ms Parton has performed many, many times over her long career.
Considering some of the odious people “honored” at the Tennessee state capitol a monument to Ms Parton would be most welcome. Her rise from poverty, her considerable talent, and her putting her faith into action helping the people of Tennessee are well known and well documented. She has never been one to brag about what she has done but she is a person who I see as doing her best to live the Gospels and is way more deserving of honor than someone like Nathan Bedford Forrest. As other have suggested here previously I certainly hope Ms Parton will be honored by President Biden for all she has done to help people.
Rep. Windle is a Democrat from Livingston, Tennessee which is where my maternal grandparents lived. He has represented the area since 1994 and was a close neighbor to my great-uncle and often helped with his yard work toward the end of my great-uncle’s life. Rep. Windle is not someone who would be welcomed with open arms here at DK but he has managed to hold onto the seat for may years as the area has sunk into the trumpite swamp.