While Dolly Parton is grateful for the Tennessee legislature’s consideration of a bill to install a statue of her on the Capitol grounds but doesn’t think this is an appropriate time to do so.
Dolly Parton went on to Twitter to express her gratitude and her opinion on the bill, indicating that she had asked the leaders of the state legislature to remove the bill. A House committee passed the bill on Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021.
“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,” Parton said on Twitter.
She added, “Given all that is going on in the world, I don’t think putting me on a pedestal is appropriate at this time. 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.”
State Rep. John Mark Windle, a Democrat, introduced a bill last month to honor Parton. He cited her contributions to the state and said that the statute would have been funded through private donations.
Parton’s philanthropy includes longtime efforts to improve childhood literacy and, more recently, a large donation to Vanderbilt University to develop a Covid-19 vaccine.
Earlier this month, Parton told NBC’s Today that she twice turned down the Medal of Freedom when it was offered by then-President Donald Trump.
“I couldn’t accept it because my husband was ill, and then they asked me again about it, and I wouldn’t travel because of the COVID,” Parton said. She said that she was unsure if she would accept it if offered by President Joe Biden.
