I've waited until Good Friday morning to add this update, though it was known last night. Forget for a moment that no one in the history of Tennessee's statehood has ever been expelled (for speech) from the legislature there. Ask yourself: there were three Democrats who spoke against gun violence (and for sensible gun control measures a la "well-regulated" above) after three kids not yet a decade old were gunned down with an AR-15 inside their school. Yet only two were voted expelled by the GOP.
The GOP apparently doesn't care -- or in fact wants intentionally to send a (white hooded) message: only the two young Black men who spoke have been expelled. The older whyte woman is still a sitting member of their body this morning. It likely won't matter much, as the young men will be voted back in by their constituents, shortly -- but this impotent show of whyte rage -- in favor of the gun lobbyists, by the GOP in Tennessee. . . harkens back to the end of Reconstruction there. The GOP may now take great pride in carrying on the work of Nathan Bedford Forrest in the 21st Century. "Tennessee. . . goddamn." End update.
Please listen -- all you GOP legislators of Tennessee. Your fellow three Democratic members have an unequivocal first amendment right (which comes prior in time, and right, to the second amendment for a reason), especially on the chamber floor -- where for two centuries an absolute right to speak has prevailed.
No one in Tennessee has ever been expelled for speech (not even during abolitionist speeches of 170 years past). . . but this time, it seems the speech cuts into / threatens the GOP's gun lobby payment-streams (see masthead below). Listen to Ms. Simone.
She is 100% right:
Just. . . damn.
नमस्ते
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