In a candidate survey completed by all but two contestants running for Nashville mayor, State Senator Heidi Campbell (D-Nashville) laid out a far-left plan of action that she says she will implement should she be elected.
Campbell (pictured above) said that gun control is one of her top priorities.
“Our gun problem in America is a public health crisis. Firearms are now the leading cause of death for our children,” she said. “And while this problem understandably gets a lot of attention in the wake of tragedies like Covenant, we need to realize that it is a problem that plagues our city every single day, with a disproportionate impact on communities of color.”
Some argue that abortion, not gun violence, is the leading cause of death among children.
Campbell said she will also address the city’s opioid crisis, which is dramatically rising like in most American cities.
But she won’t address the problem with stiffer penalties for drug-related offenses. Instead, she plans to support the habits of drug addicts.
“Increasing Narcan Kit availability in Metro facilities, partnering with community organizations to promote recovery options, and quickening response times to overdose calls through Smart City Technology are just a few of the ways my administration will work to address this issue,” she said.
As for the city’s increasing issue with homeless encampments, Campbell offered a utopian solution that has failed in cities like Los Angeles.
“It’s true that safety concerns can arise with homeless encampments, but over-policing of them only exacerbates the issue,” she said, criticizing a Tennessee bill recently passed into law that she said “criminalizes homelessness.”
“My administration will work with our outstanding medical providers to give our unhoused citizens the resources they need, especially in the area of mental health,” she said. “Additionally, I will expand and build relationships with community organizations like Oasis and Open Table to ensure that our efforts are community-led and prioritize transition opportunities.”
That claim of “criminalizing homelessness” is one-sided.
In fact, the bill’s goal, when compared with Campbell’s plan, is strikingly similar.
The bill’s sponsor, State Senator Paul Bailey (R-District 15), said the bill is about dignity and safety.
“This bill focuses on public safety and human dignity. Allowing individuals to sleep under bridges and near roadways is not compassionate,” he said upon the bill’s passage. “It is unsafe. Through this bill we will give local governments the ability to protect public safety and connect homeless populations with the resources they need to restore their dignity and improve their living situations.”
The bill also allows a 45-day window after a homelessness arrest for the Metro Homeless Impact Division (MHIP) to “connect with our community partners and organizations to assist in finding them an alternative living situation to avoid facing a felony for their homeless experience.”
In the survey, Campbell also managed to demonize police, saying that Nasvhillians don’t trust the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD).
“One of the most critical aspects of law enforcement’s relationship with a community is trust, and countless studies and reports have revealed what many of us have known for a while now: A large percentage of Nashvillians don’t feel like they can trust the MNPD,” she said. “With the elimination of the community oversight board, this problem will only worsen, which is why we need to look for innovative solutions to rebuild law enforcement officers’ relationships with the community.”
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter.
Photo “Senator Heidi Campbell” by Tennessee General Assembly. Background Photo “Davidson County Courthouse” by Luckiewiki. CC BY-SA 4.0.
