NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Chattanooga, TN, July 8, 2026 — A part-time conductor at Chattanooga’s historic Incline Railway, part of the 131-year-old attraction that carries visitors up Lookout Mountain, was fired after a Fourth of July welcome announcement to passengers went viral on social media, drawing criticism as xenophobic and prompting an apology from the transit agency.
The incident occurred on July 4 aboard the Incline Railway, one of Chattanooga’s most popular tourist attractions. In a video that quickly spread on TikTok and other social media platforms, conductor Jack Peterson welcomed passengers by saying:
“To the very, very few Americans in here, Happy Independence Day. To the rest of you, welcome to the greatest country on the face of the planet, and if you disagree, you can leave.”
A passenger can then be heard shouting, “Shut up,” before the video ends. The clip, posted by tourist Nathan Scherer, garnered hundreds of thousands of views and generated widespread criticism online.
The Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA), which operates the Incline Railway, said it reviewed the incident and terminated Peterson’s employment the same day.
“I want to apologize directly to the passengers who experienced this, and to everyone who has seen the video and felt its sting. It should never have happened,” CARTA Chief of Staff Scott Wilson said in a statement.
Wilson said the agency has “zero tolerance for language that demeans or excludes anyone” and emphasized that the Incline Railway has welcomed visitors from around the world for more than a century.
Peterson defended his remarks in interviews with local media, saying they were intended as a patriotic message marking Independence Day rather than an attack on foreign visitors.
He said he believes the United States is “the greatest country on earth” and argued that his comments reflected freedom of speech rather than prejudice. Peterson maintained that he did not view his statement as racist or xenophobic.
The incident has divided public opinion. Critics said the remarks singled out international visitors and conveyed that they were less welcome at a public tourist attraction. Many argued that employees representing public agencies have a responsibility to ensure all visitors feel welcome, regardless of nationality.
Others defended Peterson, saying he was simply expressing patriotic pride on Independence Day and that terminating his employment amounted to an excessive response.
@natescherer Had an interesting train operator on The Incline in TN today #lookoutmountain #racism #xenophobia #theincline #tennessee ♬ original sound – Nathan Scherer
Cover photo courtesy: Visit Chattanooga website/inset Nathan Scherer/TikTok.
