Walking tall and carrying a big ol' stick made of BS

Imagine having the last name "Pusser." Bad enough, eh? But to look at your newborn baby and give him the name "Buford," seems like a recipe for disaster. Either little Buford Pusser is going to be bullied and/or he's going to grow up to be a bully, a meanie, a bad ol' boy.

But back in the early 1970's, American culture bought into the bullshit that a good ol' small-town vigilante sheriff carrying a big ol' stick to beat up on the bootleggers, pimps, and gamblers in his crime-ridden Tennessee county was jus' Walking Tall. Which was the name of the first of several ludicrous movies dedicated to the legend of Buford Pusser.

I don't recall seeing Walking Tall in a movie theater. It was released in 1973, when I was spending a goodly chunk of the year backpacking around Europe. The one movie I saw during our traipse was The Last Tango in Paris, viewed appropriately enough in a Paris cinéma. I wasn't a big fan of the movie, but most what I remember is that there was an attendant dressed like stewardess who accompanied us to the seats she chose for us. There were very few people in the theater and we were all clumped together.

If I didn't see Walking Tall in the theater, I've seen it (or at least snippets of it). And I've certainly made plenty of fun of the bludgeon-wielding Buford Pusser over the years. (That name alone. Talk about MAGA before its time! And, yes, I am a terrible snob, especially when it comes to those who actually are deplorables.)

Pusser, the cop-judge-jury in his anti-corruption campaign, became something of a hero, a legend, especially in the small town he hailed (heiled?) from. 

There's a Buford Pusser Museum in Adamsville, TN that's dedicated to good ol' Buford in particular and law enforcement in general. The museum has a shop that sells a lot of Buford commemorative wares, including replicas of his hickory walking tall walking and bludgeoning stick. (Still available for $30.) They run an annual spring carnival weekend with rides, entertainment (of course, there's an Elvis impersonator!), praise worship, and wrestling. Something for (almost) everyone, and all thanks to "the man who became the target of many assassination attempts – one of which took the life of his wife and left him emotionally and physically scarred."

I'm quite sure that Buford was emotionally and physically scarred, but it now appears that he was also a murderer. Of his wife. 

In late August: 

Mark Davidson, District Attorney for the 25th Judicial District, said the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has “produced evidence sufficient to create probable cause.” That means that “more likely than not,” if Buford Pusser were alive today, an indictment could be presented to the McNairy County Grand Jury for their consideration against him for the murder of his wife.

More than likely, Davidson explained, Pauline Mullins Pusser was shot outside the vehicle then brought into the vehicle. Davidson said there is probable cause that her death was “not an accident,” and instead an “act of intimate, deliberate violence.”

“It’s been said that the dead cannot cry out for justice, it is the duty of the living to do so,” Davidson said. “In this case, that duty’s been carried out 58 years later.”

TBI Director David Rausch spoke to key elements learned throughout the renewed investigation: inconsistencies in Buford Pusser’s story, recent statements provided by those associated with the investigation, Pauline Mullins Pusser’s autopsy and evidence examined by TBI personnel.

The agency had also received a tip about a possible murder weapon in 2023, although they would not disclose whether that tip connected them to the weapon during Friday’s press conference. (Source: WKRN)

Holy - or not so holy - moly! Talk about a cold case. Pauline Mullins Pusser was killed in 1967. 

Among other findings, Pauline was a battered wife. And the oh-so-righteous Buford shot himself at close range so that it would look like he was the target of an assassin who killed Pauline by mistake and only managed to wound Buford. 

The Pussers' granddaughter - their only child is dead - has said that her family's been through a lot, and she doesn't see the need to re-open old wounds and besmirch the memory of her before-here-time dead grandfather, who's no longer around to defend himself. Can't blame her.

On the other hand, Pauline Mullins Pusser's brother is happy to have those old wounds re-opened so that her family can get closure. Can't blame him.

Meanwhile, the folks in Adamsville are grappling with what to do, what to do. The town:

...will carefully review the implications of these findings and determine the appropriate course of action with respect to the Buford Pusser Museum and other related matters. This review will occur in a public study session, followed by a public meeting, in order to ensure that all decisions are made openly and with full accountability.

...While the legacy of Buford Pusser has been a part of our identity, Adamsville is defined by much more. We are a resilient and united community that prioritizes the well-being of our residents, the future of our children, and the continued growth and progress of our city.”

Not that I won't forget all about until and unless it pops up again in the news, but it would be interesting to see what happens there. Maybe they'll have to rename the museum and festival. Maybe they'll incorporate the not-so-good news into the museum. And for the festival, this being America the home of the most vulgar and crass imaginale, I can see a Buford Pusser Wild Ride. Maybe the museum and festival will go out of business, and Adamsville will be out one source of tourism.

Anyway, justice delayed is apparently not always justice denied. So let's end this with the words of the immor(t)al Buford Pusser:

"What's right is right and what's wrong is wrong. It doesn't matter who you are." - Buford.

Buford, we hardly new ya!

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