Well, there it was. On live television. For the whole world to see.
American racism at its most blatant worst.
The Republican-controlled Tennessee House of Representatives expelled two Black male Democrats from its ranks on Thursday for a violation of chamber "decorum" when they approached the well without being recognized to vocally support gun control demonstrators in the gallery and in the halls. A third representative, Gloria Johnson of Knoxville, a white female, was spared expulsion by a single vote, even though she was standing along side colleagues Justin Jones of Nashville and Justin Pearson of Memphis.
But the incredibly arrogant and mostly white GOP supermajority booted the two Black guys without due process and possibly in violation of their First Amendment right to free speech for their few minutes of vocal protest. The body contains 75 seats of Republicans and only 23 Democrats. In order to expel a member, at least 66 votes – two-thirds of the legislature – were needed for removal in each instance. Jones was ousted with a 72-25 vote and Pearson was removed by a 69-26 count. Johnson kept her seat with a 65-30 vote, falling short of the required 66.
That certainly doesn't look good.
But the appearance of racism goes deeper than the expulsion of two duly elected Black members of the chamber. Jones and Pearson represent mostly black and brown districts in their respective cities and now those citizens are without representation, so the racism reaches an even broader level. Talk about suppressing the vote...
It's possible that both Jones and Pearson could be reinstated by their local governing bodies in their districts – as early as today – and then be eligible for an upcoming special election to fill their vacancies. Now wouldn't that be ironic? And correct.
What is astounding to me is how blatantly racist this whole process became, and how public it was. Republicans, especially those in supermajorities, don't even try to hide their bullying and hypocrisy any more. And guess what? There are now supermajorities in Wisconsin and North Carolina (thanks to a legislator in North Carolina who last week switched her affiliation from Democrat to Republican, thus betraying those who elected her to her seat).
It's a dangerous moment for democracy. It goes to the heart of gerrymandering districts for the political control of one party. It's why we have ideological judges in the courts making rulings that go against the majority of the people (like nullifying Roe v. Wade). It's why a single judge can make a ruling affecting the entire country (see Texas judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who ignored the science and invalidated a 23-year-old FDA approval of the drug Mifepristone). It's why a 70-30 issue like gun control can't get anywhere in congress, so more children are massacred in their schools. Almost daily, it seems.
It's minority rule. I'm pretty sure this isn't what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they were trying to put together a county of, by and for the people. What we have now in most red states are nothing more than gangs in the legislatures.
Stay tuned.
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