In our blog, read about the political and cultural issues affecting Tennesseans written from a conservative perspective. Commentaries are typically written by David Fowler, an attorney who served in the Tennessee state Senate for 12 years before joining FACT as President.
How Do You Picture Yourself and the World You Live in
May 25, 2023 by David Fowler
Last weekend I gave the commencement address for over 100 home-educated high school graduates in Chattanooga. I told them what I wished someone had told me when I was their age that has now revolutionized my life: How you can have the world by the ta...
How to Argue Against Madmen and Avoid Judicial Politics
May 16, 2023 by David Fowler
“Judicial politics” is the law of those who G.K. Chesterton would have called “madmen.” His description of madmen (below) is perfect! But what do you do when the world, including most of your Christian friends, think you are t...
The Abolition of Parental Rights by Christian Legal Advocates
May 11, 2023 by David Fowler
At some point the lack of candor about the nature of law for the sake of playing judicial politics catches up with you. That day may soon be upon us. As I read the A.C.L.U.’s lawsuit asserting that Tennessee’s law on “transgender ca...
DOJ’s Lawsuit Against Tennessee Transgender Law Is Worse Than You Think
May 4, 2023
Last week the U.S. Department of Justice sued the state of Tennessee over its new law regarding “gender affirming care” for minors on the ground that it violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. Its legal theory r...
Why the Special Session Is Not Likely to be Special
Apr 26, 2023 by David Fowler
Last week’s commentary—highly applicable to the anticipated special session on access to guns—generated a helpful comment from dear friend: “I’ve read this latest piece and am sharing it on Facebook. But I hope you wil...
What Gun Control and Anti-Transgenderism Laws Have in Common
Apr 18, 2023 by David Fowler
I have come to believe that the clamor for more gun control laws and the push for laws suppressing drag shows and transgender procedures for minors share a certain worldview. That worldview, one I shared and operated under for two decades, explains w...
Drag Shows Are Not Protected Free Speech
Apr 14, 2023 by David Fowler
I have watched with great interest and a bit of amusement the controversy over drag queen shows, first in some of our cities and more recently in our state legislature. A federal district court has already prevented enforcement of the new state law r...
A Terrible Monday Meets A Terrible Friday
Apr 7, 2023 by David Fowler
The shooting that took place last Monday at Covenant School was terrible on multiple levels. In response, boisterous crowds gathered at the Capitol to demand gun control. Ted Cruz wanted to know if the FBI was going to label the shooting a hate crime...
Please, Rev. Graham, Don’t “Agree 100%” with Richard Dawkins
Mar 31, 2023 by David Fowler
Last week Richard Dawkins, an avowed atheist and evolutionary scientist, said “there are two sexes, and that’s all there is to it” and that those going after Harry Potter author, J.K. Rowling, over gender identity were &ld...
What Is Political Conservatism and Is It Worth Conserving?
Mar 24, 2023 by David Fowler
This week the confluence of three things caused me to ask the question posed in the heading. Based on my evaluation of the conservatism that appears to have been expressed by the state Senate this week in relation to a major controversy, my answer is...
Commentary