Tennesseans are independent, not from each other, but as to our belief in liberty. We don’t consider ourselves better than our fellow man, understanding that each one has their own destiny and purposes. The Tennessee Walking horse is an illustration, elegant, trained, distinctive and unique. In Shelbyville the National Tennessee walking Horse Celebration is held each year. In past years unscrupulous trainers cheated to win by harmful “soring” methods. Unfortunately, outsiders used this bad situation and representatives of the Federal government to take control of our Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration. 

Today, it is time to reassert the Sovereign Authority of the state of Tennessee as clearly stipulated in the U.S. Constitution. “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” The Department of Agriculture and any foreign animal rights groups have no jurisdiction or authority in the State of Tennessee.  The Federal Horse Protection Act of 1976, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1821–1831, relies upon the Commerce clause addressing the transfer between states of horses “sored”, in order to assert its authority. In Re Tennessee Walking Horse Forfeiture Litigation, W2016-01000-COA-R3-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. 2017), the authority of the Tennessee Supreme Court is upheld in the forfeiture of sored horses. Clearly, the Tennessee courts have ruled on these matters under their authority. It is time to declare the horse protection act unconstitutional and regulate these Tennessee matters under the authority given to this State and it’s people. 

How can we hope to regulate the wicked practice of abortion, killing babies, in the state of Tennessee, when we have subjected our rightful authority under the Constitution regarding soring of horses? It is irrelevant whether the horses come into the state or permanently reside here – it is our authority. This state must stand up against the unlawful overreach of the Federal government. Before 1976 and the Horse Protection Act, we knew and had ability and laws to protect horses from harm. Outside animal rights groups used inappropriate means to assert their will, even though the protection of horses was right. They were inappropriately given jurisdiction in a matter that was not theirs. In the case of abortion in Tennessee, we the people, as represented in the Tennessee legislature and Courts have established laws and requirements to regulate (not eliminate) abortion and these have been set aside by the Federal Supreme Court which has no jurisdiction over any matter not provided for in the Constitution. 

Certain states have not hesitated to legalize marijuana or refuse to support constitutional laws against illegal immigration. Even now, we see the Federal government willing to cede unjust authority to the CDC over evictions. In order to properly and justly govern Tennessee we must begin by reasserting our just constitutional state authority over the protection of horses. Once we reestablish our state authority, we can correct any other injustice perpetrated upon the people from outside our State. Moreover, we will be in a just position to address future attacks on our freedoms guaranteed under the constitution such as, the right to bear arms, the right to personal medical decisions, the right of parents to make decisions regarding their children, and many others that are now threaten to be decided by others, rather than Tennesseans. One grain of sand starts an avalanche.