I’m not sure if folks were paying attention to the news this week, but GOP officials in Tennessee took the profoundly undemocratic and unprecedented step today of expelling two Democratic State Representatives from office for simply engaging in peaceful protest in response to a recent mass shooting at a school in Nashville. Three Representatives, including Rep. Gloria Johnson, Rep. Justin Jones and Rep. Justin Pearson all faced expulsion but it was ultimately just Jones and Pearson who were expelled (a move that Johnson attributes to racism, as she is white and the other Reps are Black, and represent majority Black cities). While it is genuinely a scary moment for democracy in Tennessee and the US, one could also witness an incredible level of support shown by protesting students who filled the chambers and halls of the congressional building. In addition, there were a number of powerful speeches given by all three Reps. that I strongly encourage folks to check out. Here are links to some of them:
Wow: Tennessee state Rep. Justin Jones, one of the Dems that the GOP is trying to expel from state legislature to protesting gun violence, calls out his colleagues on the floor
‘For years, one of your colleagues, an admitted child molester, sat in this chamber – no expulsion’ pic.twitter.com/KNDrhX3gl1
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) April 6, 2023
Rep. @Justinjpearson: “You all heard that. How many of you would want to be spoken to that way?”
Pearson responds to Rep. Farmer’s belittling, disrespectful rant. #TennesseeThree pic.twitter.com/5uWznU7atq
— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) April 6, 2023
Justin Pearson is a powerful orator pic.twitter.com/jKkgZJ8KHI
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 7, 2023