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The petition to name BNA after Dolly Partonis well intentioned, and the sentiment from laypersons is wholesome and clear. However, the support from our political leaders is performative and self-serving: Per this newspaper's own estimates, it costs around $10 million to rename an airportin entirety. Parton’s legacy was one of eschewing personal aggrandizement in favor of funneling money into humanitarian causes.
In a time when humanitarian programs are increasingly being cut and bled dry, is it really “honoring” Parton to spend
frivolous money on a feel good vanity project?
It is morally easy and unnecessarily expensive to change a name. It is far harder to be a humanitarian builder like Dolly, and our leaders – like Bill Lee – would better honor her by directing funds to the charities she held dear.
Dolly’s name on the airport is hollow if children can’t read it. Spend the money on the Imagination Library instead.
Alexandra Pugh, Hendersonville 37075
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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Spending millions to rename BNA contradicts Dolly's legacy | Letters
