"The original 1973 movie depicted a renegade Southern sheriff willing to meet the violence of the criminal with the violence of the lawman. He carries a large bat throughout the film, with which he brutally beats evildoers and smashes beer joints. The movie, which was not filmed in McNairy County, where the events depicted took place, was, according to the director, "60 percent true.""
"Pusser was a proto-Trumpian cop, publicizing himself loudly and carrying a big stick. Indeed, three of Trump's favorite present-day sheriffs-Joe Arpaio, David Clarke, and Mark Lamb, the latter now running for office in Arizona-have won the Buford Pusser award, a ceremonial Pusser-autographed bat presented in May during the annual Sheriff Buford Pusser Festival, which takes place, of course, here in Adamsville."
Oct. 27 Adamsville, southwest Tennessee, faced a town meeting about its identity. Adamsville functions as a living shrine to Buford Pusser, a former sheriff whose legend varies by generation. Pusser's story was immortalized by the 1973 film Walking Tall, sequels, a made-for-TV movie, and a 2004 remake. The 1973 film showed a renegade sheriff wielding a large bat to beat evildoers and smash beer joints; the director called it "60 percent true." Pusser became a proto‑Trumpian figure; sheriffs Joe Arpaio, David Clarke, and Mark Lamb received a Buford Pusser award. The town of 2,000 hosts a Pusser museum, fairgrounds, a water tower image, and the Buford Pusser Highway.
Read at Slate Magazine
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