FAST FACTS:
Central Gardens is one of the neighborhoods ripe with pride this holiday. Kids wear costumes and the colors red, white and blue are prominent throughout the neighborhood.
From people dressed up as Abe Lincoln to Martha Washington to Ms. America, the gang and all their barking best friends are decked out for the neighborhood's annual Independence Day parade on Carr Avenue.
"We get busy caught up in all the materialistic things and we forget what's really important. So, this is a day to bring your kids out and just celebrate," said neighbor, Tonia Jackson.
The 4th of July arrives at the pinnacle of the campaign season for those running in the August 5th elections. Working the crowd at the various neighborhood celebrations, you'll find candidates. They greet as many potential voters as possible and pass out literature.
U.S. Congressman Steve Cohen is the guest speaker at the Central Gardens parade. He's well aware of the political season and wasn't surprised when we showed him some of the literature being circulated in his district. They say Cohen and other Jews believe Trinity worshipping Christians are crazy. They say his opponent Willie Herenton is rising again, and is a Christian of color.
Cohen said, "The first amendment is wonderful. It allows people no matter how deranged to print and say what they want to but these kind of Anti-Semitic racist type of literature has no place in our country."
Cohen isn't sure who is circulating these flyers but says a Murfressboro preacher circulated similar material in past elections.
"We're not totally beyond race, no question about it, but Barack Obama is president, a third of the congressional black caucus represent majority white districts. So, America has changed and the 9th district is leading it," said Cohen.
Cohen believes most Americans want to move past the things that divide us and work for the future of a country they can be proud of everyday.
- Independence celebrations ripe with pride and politics
- Congressman Cohen responds to Anti-Semitic flyers
- Cohen says race and Anti-Semitism has no role in elections
Central Gardens is one of the neighborhoods ripe with pride this holiday. Kids wear costumes and the colors red, white and blue are prominent throughout the neighborhood.
From people dressed up as Abe Lincoln to Martha Washington to Ms. America, the gang and all their barking best friends are decked out for the neighborhood's annual Independence Day parade on Carr Avenue.
"We get busy caught up in all the materialistic things and we forget what's really important. So, this is a day to bring your kids out and just celebrate," said neighbor, Tonia Jackson.
The 4th of July arrives at the pinnacle of the campaign season for those running in the August 5th elections. Working the crowd at the various neighborhood celebrations, you'll find candidates. They greet as many potential voters as possible and pass out literature.
U.S. Congressman Steve Cohen is the guest speaker at the Central Gardens parade. He's well aware of the political season and wasn't surprised when we showed him some of the literature being circulated in his district. They say Cohen and other Jews believe Trinity worshipping Christians are crazy. They say his opponent Willie Herenton is rising again, and is a Christian of color.
Cohen said, "The first amendment is wonderful. It allows people no matter how deranged to print and say what they want to but these kind of Anti-Semitic racist type of literature has no place in our country."
Cohen isn't sure who is circulating these flyers but says a Murfressboro preacher circulated similar material in past elections.
"We're not totally beyond race, no question about it, but Barack Obama is president, a third of the congressional black caucus represent majority white districts. So, America has changed and the 9th district is leading it," said Cohen.
Cohen believes most Americans want to move past the things that divide us and work for the future of a country they can be proud of everyday.
