Chattanooga has a crown jewel, our Tennessee Aquarium. In the years before it opened in 1992, it was a privilege to be in on early discussions about this aquatic anchor project with two waterfront visionaries, my uncle Bob Caldwell and his lifelong friend and principal Aquarium benefactor, Jack Lupton. At the time, I advocated it be designated the "National Freshwater Aquarium" to set it apart from the other planed regional aquariums. The Southeast now has many aquarium entries, most notably the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta which opened in 2005, but our local Aquarium still ranks in the top 15-20 nationwide, depending on what survey you read.
Supporting this gem over the last 30 years has been a pleasure. But that support ended this week after I received an official flyer sent out by the Aquarium's "Director of Inclusion, Equity & Diversity," Mara-Lynne Payne, about Aquarium sponsorship for the "Chattanooga Pride" parade and events this Saturday. I did not know aquatic animals needed such advocacy.
Okay, you thought June was LGBT (ad nauseam) pride month, but apparently they also needed a full week of activities in October.
The Aquarium promotion noted, "We are excited that the Tennessee Aquarium is an Official Sponsor of Chattanooga Pride this year! The sponsorship includes a spot in the parade, a booth at the Chattanooga Convention Center for the festival, and sponsor logo on the Chattanooga Pride website."
Not sure what all that cost but the pride group lists a "rainbow sponsor" at $15,000.
Payne's promotion solicited employees to "Help work our Booth at the Festival," and noted that Aquarium "employees working the booth will be paid for their time at their normal pay rate." It noted further: "We would love to show out with a big group for our first Pride!" The Aquarium-supported activities "include crafts, trivia/prize wheel, sticker give aways, and Queer Animal Facts! Help pass out candy and goodies during the parade."
No shout out for your "show out" and effort to draw in those kids.
For the record, what folks do and who they do it with in their private relationships is their business. But when the Tennessee Aquarium uses donor funds ostensibly sent to support its educational programs, and instead allocates those funds and your brand name to support a controversial social agenda, it becomes the business of all your supporters. Some Aquarium donors and board members will have no problem with this while others may object, but the question is, why drag the Aquarium into this gender-confusion mess?
The Aquarium's mission "is to connect people with nature and empower them to make informed decisions about water and wildlife." Maybe supporting this event falls under the "wildlife" mandate?
To be clear, Chattanooga Pride is a front name for Tennessee Valley Pride, Inc. Though there is no listing on their websites regarding their board members and staff, Noah Corbin, a local marketer for children's playground equipment, is its president. This is the same organization that promoted drag queen events for children at local bars last October. At the time, Corbin defended that disgraceful nonsense insisting objections are "rooted in hate" by "hate groups." Typical of leftists, if you disagree with their agenda, you are labeled a "hater," a dog whistle for their emotionally incontinent constituency.
Corbin's group mission is primarily "education". "Education is the greatest tool we have to help overcome the prejudices many members of our community face. We actively teach ourselves, our community, and our allies about the diverse identities that are part of the LGBTQ+ rainbow." In other words, their mission is re-education promoting gender devolution.
And a paid Aquarium administrator is using donor support to promote that mission with paid staff? There is no intersectional aspect of these two organizations' mission statements, other than perhaps the Aquarium has a "queer animal facts" expert.
Footnote: Last year during the controversy regarding children in bars being entertained by drag queens, Chattanooga's police chief posed in her official uniform for photos with drag queens - she said to show "unity." I wonder, given the current crime stats in Chattanooga, if she has time to show up in uniform this year to show unity.
Mark Caldwell
Lookout Mountain
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After reading opinions I can’t believe Mark Caldwell had the guts to write what the majority want to say but it’s not politically correct. I do not know Mr. Caldwell or his status in the community. All I have to say to him is, Yea!!
Gary Hughes
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I have read your post multiple times. This is not an airline you do not have to announce your departure. All minorities as well as the LGBTQIA+ community want to be treated the same as you that should not be an issue. But, since you have stopped being a patron of a company that is trying to treat humans you know like humans I have made you a list for reference. This list supports the community also:
PAYPAL
COKE
MICROSOFT
WALMART
STARBUCKS
AMAZON
SONY
PFIZER
TARGET... just to name a few
I hope you search inside yourself and understand everyone is not the same. Diversity is what makes America what it is. Furthermore, I doubt the Aquarium will miss your $42.50.
Christopher L. Cooper
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They must have learned that move at the Bud Light School of marketing strategy.
Jeff Davis
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Mara-Lynne Payne, the Aquarium’s Director of Inclusion, Equity & Diversity, is misguided in her effort to openly promote and endorse LGBTQIA as normal wholesome family pursuit. It would be okay were she a politician looking for votes. It would be a rational (though risky) tack if she represented a business or corporation trying to attract customers. But the Aquarium is not looking for votes or to sell goods. The Aquarium needs supporters to come pay to visit the Aquarium and to give tax deductible contributions.
What Ms. Payne has done is well-intended but it’s poorly conceived. That’s evident by Mr. Caldwell’s letter announcing withdrawal of his support. Ms. Payne could use the same rationale and affiliate with the KKK in the name of inclusion. I hope that statement underscores her folly.
No one is saying this woman’s job is easy, but attempting to attract supporters by alienating other supporters is unnecessary and a wrong way to go. Will this attract more supporters than it drives away? Will it attract more supporters than it offends? Those are now valid questions. But it’s a high stakes gamble there’s no sense in taking. Why exchange middle fingers with Mr. Caldwell and others who feel as he does in a self righteous hope for a net gain in support? In my view it’s very obvious that it’s not the way her job is pursued successfully.
The way that job is done successfully is by winning the endorsement of everyone and offending no one. Aquarium management, whoever that is, should have realized this and provided guidance.
David Saluk
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I see they did not list Disney and Bud Light. Both lost billions in value. I am a little surprised that Target is listed since it has lost billions also. I am sure there are others.
These companies should be apolitical; they raise their prices to give away money. They should use the money to both lower prices for their customers and raise what they pay their employees. Then the customers and employees (as members of the "community" could support whatever causes they wish to support.
This is what freedom is all about - not having big corporations and the government take our money and use it to support causes that not everyone desires or wants and are truly not a government issue. We need to vote with our pocket book. I do not claim that my withdrawal also as a customer by itself will make a difference, but as Bud Light a lot of customers of like mind do.
James Taylor
Cleveland, Tn.