OpenPen Media was founded February 18, 2009 by a group of volunteers that met in Johnson City, Tennessee during the Obama presidential campaign. We were overwhelmed by the areas lack of understanding of political issues, the rampant levels of poverty, cultural isolationism and racism and wanted to address the issues confronting this area. Historically the area has been governed by a culture that at its fundamental core is fear driven and a carryover of a time long since relegated to history as bleak and heavy handed.
Eastern Tennessee remains a cultural misfit in a world that has moved on from the socio-conservative, isolationist, hate wielding ,fear mongering ideology that once defined our nation, and yet, still defines this area.
All members of OpenPen and its authors are volunteers and are of all political,social and religious persuasions.
It is a good looking blog. It is East Tennessee's answer to the Huffington Post. Check out today's post by Snad, Tennessee's Proposed Adoption Ban: Ugly Is As Ugly Does.
Make sure you add Open Pen to your blogroll!
Speaking of the adoption ban, thanks to the Johnson City Press for publishing my letter to the editor today.
Hey yo, what am I chopped liver? I write for them too gosh darn it. Or don't I count since I don't go to your fancy oooo la la church? :)
ReplyDeleteI did mention you as one of the other ne'er-do-wells.
ReplyDeleteAll right, dammit. I'll mention you when you write something for it.
Unless you did already. Then I'll find it and link to it!
Holy crap, you did write something.
ReplyDeleteSteve the monkey's article
Go read his thing now, everyone, so he won't attack my church with his monkey breath.
Please keep the monkey breath out of my office. I just dusted.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, John - your letter, the online comments from the Kingsport T-N and your post about the ban were my [obvious?] inspiration for the commentary on Open Pen.
ReplyDeleteThis is SUCH a big deal. We cannot let Ugly win over Love. No more.
You had some of the same arguments and information, but you wrote it in your insightful Snaderiffic fashion.
ReplyDeleteBTW folks, here is an excellent resource regarding adoption recommended by Chris Sanders of TEP.