It is hard not to question the wisdom of the Tennessee legislators enacting such an extreme, divisive and ultimately futile punishment. Tennessee’s Republican Governor Bill Lee, however, opted to remain silent on the move. Meanwhile, the Tennessee GOP has been widely condemned by Democrats, and some prominent Republicans, including the state’s congressional delegation. After all, both expelled legislators were promptly reappointed to their seats by their districts and have now become rising national figures, speaking with President Joe Biden and meeting Vice President Kamala Harris, who made a surprise and impassioned appearance in Nashville. Moreover, many recognised the political stunt as a blunder and an own goal. The removal of these two young Black men, coupled with the failure to punish their older white female colleague for the same action, has also been labelled “racist” and an echo of the state’s sordid past. Some called the expulsions “anti-democratic” while others went further to characterise them as “fascistic”. The recent move by Tennessee Republicans to expel two young, Black Democratic state legislators for engaging in a peaceful protest for gun control following a horrible mass shooting at a Nashville Christian school has been described in many different ways.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |