Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs' Weekly Update.

Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs tells us about the week that was for May 18, 2020 - May 22, 2020.

Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs' Weekly Update.

TRANSCRIPT:

It’s Friday. Time for another weekly update.

This coming Tuesday, Knox County will move into Phase 2 of the City-County reopening plan. In Phase 2, more types of businesses will be allowed to open operations back up and restrictions on certain businesses such as restaurants and retail will be eased. Please visit the Health Department’s website for more information.

As for Knox County government, we will be opening splashpads at our parks on Tuesday and plan to have a limited number of libraries open on Friday. Please keep in mind, there will still be restrictions in place so please observe those and be patient with our employees as we all work through this process.

Throughout this crisis, I have said that while COVID-19 is a threat that we must be deal with, we must do so in a manner which keeps our economy intact and does not threaten our liberties. Although Tennessee has not gone nearly as far as other states with lockdowns and draconian measures, we have still seen economic and social fallout.

Tennessee unemployment rate is higher now than it has ever been before. Since this all began, over half a million of Tennesseans have lost their jobs and filed for unemployment.

As has been well reported, here in Knox County, we’ve seen a significant increase in suicide deaths as well as deaths by overdose over the past couple of months. Granted, some of this would have most likely happened anyway, but I do believe by taking a more nuanced, laser-like approach, much of this collateral damage could have been avoided.

My main concern, however, is what happens during the next emergency now that government has taken these radical, unprecedented actions?

What does that mean for our system of government and our freedom?

Now, I have been accused of blustering about freedom during this crisis as if our freedom is not important, so let me tell you why I think it is so vitally important, especially this time of year.

Around the world, there are sacred plots of land. The soil there isn’t different than the surrounding areas. In fact, in general, the only thing that sets them apart is that they are well manicured and lined with rows of simple white stone markers. Each of these markers, headstones, represent the final resting place of an American serviceman or servicewoman. Many of these Americans died while in service to our country.

This Monday, Memorial Day, we honor them.

As human beings, we tend to abstract things. We forget that each of these Americans was a living breathing human being; someone with a future that they were looking forward to. All of them were a son or daughter, and some of them were parents.

Why would anyone make that kind of sacrifice?

I think we can look to our national ethos. We are a country founded on the ideas of freedom and liberty. We talk about being a nation with liberty and justice for all.

One of our most famous landmarks sits as a beacon to the rest of the world as who we are, what America is; the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave.

Those are more than words, they are the foundation of this country and literally millions of our brothers and sisters have died to protect that foundation, so that another generation may enjoy what relatively few people have had throughout history, freedom.

So as we are grilling out this Memorial Day, and as we debate whether governments are doing the right thing, I suggest that we remember the best way to honor those who have died to keep liberty alive is to cherish it and pass it on to our children.

Until next Friday, I hope everyone has a great week.