"I am honored and humbled by their intention but I have asked the leaders of the state legislature to remove the bill from any and all consideration," she said in a statement.
World-renowned country music icon and undisputed national treasure, Dolly Parton, has humbly said no to yet another accolade. The singer-songwriter, who was recently revealed to have turned down the Presidential Medal of Freedom twice, has now asked lawmakers from her home state of Tennessee not to consider a bill that proposed erecting a statue of the celeb at the state' Capitol. "I want to thank the Tennessee legislature for their consideration of a bill to erect a statue of me on the Capitol grounds," Parton said in a statement shared on her social media profiles. "I am honored and humbled by their intention but I have asked the leaders of the state legislature to remove the bill from any and all consideration."
Dolly Parton says not to put her on a pedestal — at least not yet. https://t.co/iyn1QfEVAU
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) February 19, 2021
According to CBS News, the bill — introduced by State Representative John Mark Windle — was passed by a state House committee on February 9. Although the statue was intended "to recognize [Parton] for all that she has contributed to this state," the 75-year-old explained in her statement why she didn't feel it would be right at this point in time. "Given all that is going on in the world, I don't think putting me on a pedestal is appropriate at this time," she said.
Dolly Parton asked Tennessee lawmakers not to erect a statue of her at the State Capitol in Nashville. Her statement drew plaudits from fans and fellow musicians, making some even more confident that the singer was deserving of such a tribute. https://t.co/RsH06PjAzd pic.twitter.com/rrcJwN8P18
— The New York Times (@nytimes) February 18, 2021
"I hope, though, that somewhere down the road several years from now or perhaps after I'm gone if you still feel I deserve it, then I'm certain I will stand proud in our great State Capitol as a grateful Tennessean," Parton added. "In the meantime, I'll continue to try to do good work to make this great state proud." The bill was introduced after an online petition — signed by over 25k netizens — last year urged the Tennessee State House to replace Confederate statues in the state with statues of Parton.
In Opinion
— The New York Times (@nytimes) February 16, 2021
"In at least one respect," writes Margaret Renkl, "the Tennessee General Assembly is in lock step with the rest of us: We love Dolly Parton, and our lawmakers love her, too." https://t.co/5fIA4p6dqt
"Tennessee is littered with statues memorializing Confederate officers. History should not be forgotten, but we need not glamorize those who do not deserve our praise. Instead, let us honor a true Tennessee hero, Dolly Parton," the petition stated. "Aside from her beautiful music, which has touched the hearts and lives of millions of Americans, Dolly Parton's philanthropic heart has unquestionably changed the world for the better. From the Dollywood foundation that has provided books and scholarships to millions of American children, to the millions of dollars she has donated to dozens of organizations such as the Red Cross and COVID-19 research centers, Dolly Parton has given more to this country and this state than those Confederate officers could ever have hoped to take away."
Dolly Parton asks Tennessee lawmakers not to erect statue of her on Capitol grounds. https://t.co/KPjvRDEkis
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) February 18, 2021
"Let's replace the statues of men who sought to tear this country apart with a monument to the woman who has worked her entire life to bring us closer together," it added. While Parton has done a lot for her home state, as well as for those in other parts of the country and overseas, she has never been one to revel in accolades. During an appearance on NBC's TODAY earlier this month, Parton explained that she was unable to accept the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Donald Trump despite being offered twice and that for that reason, she was unsure about accepting the honor from President Joe Biden.
"I got offered the Freedom award from the Trump administration. I couldn't accept it because my husband was ill. Then they asked me again about it and I wouldn't travel because of the COVID," Parton revealed. "So now I feel like if I take it, I'll be doing politics so I'm not sure. I don't work for those awards. It'd be nice but I'm not sure that I even deserve it. But it's a nice compliment for people to think that I might deserve it."
The simple fact that she says she’s not sure she even deserves the honor shows you how much she does. Giving Dolly Parton the MOF just might restore the honor and dignity to the award. https://t.co/pXZ4f0ywh8
— #BLM (Steve Whiteley) (@whiteley) February 3, 2021