This true story, often called "The War in Athens, Tennessee", describes the actions of the citizens of a small town, in this case mostly GI's recently returned from the battlefields of WWII, as they armed themselves to insure a fair election against a heavily armed and provenly corrupt town police force and political party which had gone as far as the murder of innocent civilians to insure their power. We at this podcast, by telling this story, want to make it clear that we do not condone violence in any way, shape, or form, as a means to achieve political change. You are left to decide who the heroes are in this story, and you have the obligation in this country to get involved in local, state, and government politics, and do your best to support candidates who are level-headed, moral, and seek a fair outcome for all the people. A letter from Eleanor Roosevelt to the town of Athens is included in our audio at the end of our story. Timeline: The Daily Post Athenian The Battle of Athens, Lone Seiber, American Heritage Magazine 1990 Interview with Bill White, Kurt Pheiler & Brandi Wilson, Veterans Oral History project, University of Tennessee (2000) Eleanor Roosevelt's letter to Athens (1946)
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