Sarah Freeman (Tennessee)

I am a college history professor and lived in the same neighborhood in Germantown, TN since 1998. I specialize in U.S. southern, women's, and political history. Like many historians, I see the on-going attacks on our democratic institutions and principles and appeals to racism as dangerous and absolutely un-American.

As a native southerner, born in Virginia, I cannot stand by and simply watch as people in the places I love are used as dupes to vote against their own best interests. There are real needs in West TN that can be addressed using the powers and the purse of the federal government. Many of the public schools are in very bad condition and their funding is threatened by the Republican super-majority in the state legislature. These Republicans are bound and determined to shift public funds away from public schools and into private schools. The federal government built public schools, libraries, hospitals, etc. across the South during the Great Depression of the 1930s--not to mention the Tennessee Valley Authority that continues to provide power today. When state governments are hijacked by MAGAites, only federal and local governments are left to serve the true interests of the people.

If elected, I will fight to improve our public schools, make quality healthcare affordable and accessible, codify Roe, support our military, veterans, and allies, institute common sense gun laws, raise the minimum wage, protect workers', voting, LGBTQ+ rights and Social Security.

• Roe must be codified. The passage of the Equal Rights Amendment is long overdue. We have seen over the last two years what the horrific consequences are for women and their families when women are denied critical reproductive healthcare. Congress has the authority and responsibility to censure and impeach U.S. Supreme Court justices. Alito and Thomas, in my opinion, are corrupt and unfit to serve. The peoples' faith in SCOTUS needs to be restored and women's rights to bodily autonomy need to be restored. Many of our basic human rights are on the ballot in 2024. The current incumbent has embraced Trump and MAGA and has no interest in protecting reproductive and contraceptive rights of Americans. These issues are inextricably linked.
• Common sense gun laws must be instated. My family lived through the Westside Middle school shootings of March 1998. I became vocal about the problems of bullying in schools and gun control. Do we love our guns more than we love our children? That question was not appreciated by members of the school board. We moved to TN that summer when it was clear that my activism would make it difficult for my family, especially my kids. We need to ban assault weapons, pass stricter background check laws and get rid of gun sale loopholes. We DO NOT need laws that allow teachers to carry guns in schools. That law in TN is a clear example of why the federal government, Congress, needs to get smart, tough, and reasonable about gun rights/safety.
• I deeply respect and will protect human rights. People of all races, creeds, sexual identity/orientation, ethnicity, class, sex, and gender should be treated equally under the law. And many have earned rights, protections, and benefits through their service to our country. My brother, Pfc. David Hunter Wilkerson, was killed in Vietnam at the age of nineteen. The rights of young people, military and veterans are very close to my heart. Social Security shall be protected. The current incumbent is on one House committee, Ways and Means. He has stated for years that SS is too expensive and should be done away with. He is doing nothing to protect our SS trust funds. I will sunset the Trump tax give away and use the funds to protect SS.

Reproductive rights, human rights, public education and healthcare, the rights of our military, veterans, workers, common sense gun laws, voting rights, equal treatment under the law, the rule of law, and the preservation of democracy. My passions are those of a liberal feminist Democrat that has watched the consistent demise of the Republican Party into a dark, cold, angry, cynical, and un-American place. I will support NATO and our allies, but no one gets a blank check and unconditional support anymore than we would expect that kind of support from our allies.

Susan B. Anthony and Rosa Parks both had the courage of their convictions and pursued freedom and justice with dignity.

Heather Cox Richardson's letters, essays, and podcasts are very much along the lines of my own thinking as we are both U.S. historians and trained to see how various forces are intertwined and how important the checks and balances of our system of government are to the everyday lives of citizens. Rachel Maddow's work also recognizes the history of political factions and movements that are important to understanding the weaknesses in our government and national psyche--the divisions that exist to be exploited by those who do not believe in or care to continue our democratic system of self-government. The work of Mark Twain and Zora Neale Hurston have long been favorites of mine. Upton Sinclair's The Jungle and Oil!, that the film "There Will Be Blood" was based on, are pretty amazing exposes of certain economic and political forces that are ingrained in American life. Harriet Jacobs' Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is a classic that requires readers to try to understand what enslaved women experienced. Angelina Grimke's Appeal to Christian Women of the South (1836) sums up the hypocrisy that continues to exist today as the religious right is still a bastion of intolerance and maintains an immoral disregard of the rights of those who seek to be free--to exercise their basic human rights to exist and hold beliefs that differ from theirs. Much of this intolerance and anger is rooted in the racism and history of human slavery. Grimke, a pioneer abolitionist and feminist, exposed the monstrous criminality of human slavery and called upon women of conscience to stand up to powerful men, their husbands, fathers, and sons, and influence them to see the wrong in their desire to own and control enslaved women. The men she wanted to change are not-so-distant cousins of the angry white men of today who resent the freedoms of those they once dominated.

Intelligence, compassion, courage, and honesty. Elected officials must believe, first and foremost, that they are public servants and in office to represent and serve the needs of their constituents and the nation. They must know their region/district and their constituents and respect and appreciate the diversity of backgrounds, cultures, religions, classes, ethnicities, etc. They must be keenly aware of the needs of local communities and have the wherewithal and imagination to find answers to difficult problems using their relationships with their communities and the levers of power afforded to Congress. They must be equipped to work for and achieve a sustainable vision for a strong, prosperous, responsible, and equitable future for the people of their district and the nation. They must be able to work with a variety of people and political colleagues.

They must understand, respect, cherish, and protect democratic institutions. This is a nation of laws to be applied to all without fear or favor. The principles enshrined in the 14th Amendment in particular are essential to achieving a just and reliable legal system based on due process of law. The equal treatment of citizens regardless of race, class, gender, religion, ethnicity should be a core principle. Those in Congress must be diligent in their oversight duties. Elected officials must protect government and the people from forces, foreign and domestic, that seek to undermine U.S. democracy and the rule of law. They must possess an unwavering dedication to the Constitution, the separation of powers, and anti-authoritarianism. They must be selfless and hold themselves and others in office to a high ethical standard. They must be humanitarians and care for those most in need. They must be futurists and recognize that they serve future generations and therefore protect and preserve the environment for all. They must respect our military and veterans who have served and sacrificed so much for their country.

I understand that my job is to represent the people and not to bring glory and financial benefit to myself. Public service is a sacrifice, and I am willing to do what I can, to the best of my ability, to improve the lives of people in West Tennessee no matter their political affiliation, race, class, gender, ethnicity, religion or any other aspect of personal identity. I understand that a great deal of divisiveness is more apparent than real, that most of us want good schools, safe neighborhoods, quality and affordable healthcare, a clean and healthy environment, prosperity, comfort in our old age, and to believe in self-government, the justice system, and democratic institutions. My background as a U.S. history professor, with specialties in southern, women's, and political history, has required me to study government, social movements, legislation, government programs, corruption, the history of racism and the subsequent failures of public policies and programs, especially education. As someone who lost a brother in Vietnam, a war that was badly handled and in which leaders deliberately mislead the people, I know that government decisions that require the use of our military are the most serious of all duties of elected officials. That perspective gives me a characteristic of humility as I acknowledge the depth of sacrifice that others are willing to make for their country. I can generally work with just about anyone, with some exceptions, and do not care for waste.

Each congressperson is elected to represent their constituents at the federal level and to serve the best interests of the nation. Crafting legislation and funding federal programs to provide critical services that local and state governments have a hard time providing is essential to the work of Congress. Protecting the rights and freedoms of citizens, especially when these are nullified and revoked by state and local officials, is a core responsibility. In the case of state revocation of reproductive and contraceptive rights, Congress should attempt to codification these rights through federal legislation and, if overturned by SCOTUS, pursue the passage and ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. Congress has the duty to be fiscally responsible and level the playing field to prevent the rise of a dangerously over-powerful aristocracy of wealth. Congress is to provide for the common defense and the common good of the nation which requires the reining in of corporate abuse. The taxing power (and the power to collect duties, imposts, and excises) is critical to funding our government and military, assisting our allies, paying our debts, and preserving against unhealthy economic entities. Those responsibilities change with every generation, and Congress must be diligent, thoughtful, and ethical in redressing abuses and imbalances that threaten the general welfare. Government oversight is one of Congress' most important duties, but it should not be deployed for political gain or purpose as the abuse of this power undermines democracy and the faith of the American people in its government. Conducting investigations, holding hearings, and possibly censuring or impeaching government officials are duties that Congress must fulfill honestly no matter whose ox is gored. Congress has to work with the Senate and the President to make the federal government work for the people and continue the American experiment of rule by self-governance based on democratic principles.

I would like to be an effective leader who got things done, things that eased the burdens of my constituents and made their lives better. I would like to preserve the rule of law and protect government from fraud and corruption. I would like to have assisted in achieving peace and avoiding war. I would like to be known for fighting bigotry and securing a better future for our children through improvements in public education and healthcare. I would like to be known codifying Roe and passing the Equal Rights Amendment.

The assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963 occurred just before my seventh birthday.

Babysitting and for a couple of summers.

"At last, my love has come along . . . ."

The two-year terms require representatives to constantly be aware of the needs and interests of their constituents. Its oversight, investigative, and financial powers make it an important line of offense and defense in the nation's interests.

Yes, it is helpful but not imperative as real world experience from members provide perspectives that broaden the range of ideas and solutions that a strictly political body many not consider.

Preserving democracy and basic freedoms (including reproductive rights, voting rights, LGBTQ+ rights, workers' rights), overcoming race and gender discrimination, solving the immigration crisis, reducing greenhouse gases and other pollutants, passing common sense gun legislation, assisting young people so they can buy homes and have full and prosperous lives (forgiving student loan debt is a start), supporting NAT0 and our allies, continuing a strong economy, saving Social Security, protecting and supporting our military and veterans

Yes.

I am beginning to believe that SCOTUS should have age limits, perhaps about seventy. Two terms for the President is enough. The Senate and Congress are a bit difficult to limit as the balance between political parties should be left to the people. If individuals want to limit their own terms in office, they certainly have that right.

Jamie Raskin (!) and Nancy Pelosi.

Stories I hear about the poor state of rural schools in West Tennessee are heartbreaking. Also, the closing of rural hospitals in the district and elsewhere in Tennessee have generated a number of stories about how hard it is for many to access healthcare, driving hours to hospitals and having to stay in hotels and bear other expenses that make it extremely difficult to take care of older relatives in particular.

Compromise is both necessary and desirable. Our system is designed to require cooperation and consensus in order to govern amicably and towards common goals, against common enemies, and to solve common problems.

The Trump tax give away should expire. The trillions this would return to the coffers could be used to save Social Security and fund grants to improve public schools that cannot be supported by local funding mechanisms and support rural hospitals that cannot be sustained through local funding. Infrastructure money to build new, quality, and energy saving public schools and funding for vocational programs are sure investments. When Congress spends money it is also investing in the nation's future. Sunsetting the massive tax cut for the wealthy could also help pay down the national debt.

Certain U.S. Supreme Court justices need to be investigated for what appears to be influence peddling. Congress may censure and/or impeach such officials.

I am in a primary so many organizations cannot "endorse" me yet. I am supported by Moms Demand Action (for Common Sense Gun Laws) and Shelby County Young Democrats. I am seeking endorsements from education organizations, labor, community organizations, NAACP, and women's groups. Stalwarts in human rights activism in West Tennessee support my campaign.

Finance, Ways and Means, Judiciary, Education Instruction, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Foreign Affairs

I have fought hard at the local level and had some success in getting officials to open meetings to the public (which law requires) and used the state Open Records laws to examine thousands of pages of financial statements, emails, reports, etc. These efforts resulted in some public officials returning funds they should not have received and surrendering whole life policies that were "off," shall we say. All levels of government should be wholly accountable to the people and that is possible only if all business is carried on in the open. Congress has the responsibility of government oversight. Congress must also be accountable by making theft and fraud in government programs and agencies difficult to accomplish.