Cookeville Council Supports Inclusion Resolution

The Cookeville City Council unanimously approved a resolution to support inclusion Thursday night.

“The City of Cookeville would like to recognize that Black Lives Matter,” Council Member Mark Miller said. “Our community will continue to promote diversity and inclusion in order to make Cookeville a safe place for families regardless of race, to grow, learn and succeed.”

Council Member Eric Walker said the resolution will not solve the entrenched racism in our community and across the nation.

“It is my hope that it will be a small step forward to engage in a meaningful conversation,” Walker said.

Mayor Ricky Shelton said it was important that all minority communities know Cookeville was a place they can call home.

Saying that silence represents complicity with the plight of the African American community, Miller said he witness judicial injustice during his time as a law-enforcement officer. Miller called out the judicial system for its handling of Kevin Pullum Tuesday night. The Buffalo Valley man was charged with aggravated assault for attacking a protester during a rally at the County Corthouse.

“He appeared to choke an individual exercising their first amendment rights,” Miller said.

Miller said Pullum’s $7,500 bond represented systematic injustice.

“But due to his economic status, he was out of jail probably before the officer even was able to complete their report,” Miller said. “There are people sitting in jails throughout our great nation right now with lesser offenses and lower bonds, but due to their economic status, they have to remain in jail. And that’s not right.”