Stand With Tennessee Students! Defend Democracy or Lose It

Latest

A crowd of mostly students chant and hold up signs calling for stricter gun laws in the rotunda of the Tennessee Capitol. Marta W. Aldrich / Chalkbeat

Updated on April 9, 2023

Students are afraid of dying in their schools!

After the March 27 Nashville school shooting, the 17th school shooting this year in the U.S,. students walked out of classes nationwide in protest, demanding a ban on assault weapons. As an organizer for Students Demand Action stated, “We’re determined to be the last school shooting generation.”

Holding signs saying, “Do your Job,” and “Kids > Guns,” protesters filled the Tennessee State Capitol March 30 where they were joined by three representatives —Justin Jones (D)-Nashville, Justin J. Pearson (D)-Memphis, and Gloria Johnson (D)-Knoxville, who took to the podium in the chamber, leading protesters in chants.

Now in a racist attack on democracy, the two Black representatives were expelled by the majority corporate funded legislative gang, claiming that the legislators led a disruption in the legislature by joining the school kids protests for gun control.

One of the expelled, former Rep. Justin Jones, told reporters, “I was voted out for being ‘an uppity Negro’ . . . what we did was act in our responsibility as legislators to serve and give voice to the grievances of people who have been silenced . . . This is a very hostile environment, but more importantly, it’s hostile to democracy.” The expelled former Rep. Justin Pearson said, “We are losing our democracy to white supremacy. . . to patriarchy . . .to people who want to keep a status quo that is damning to the rest of us.” The third legislator that was threatened with explulsion, Rep. Gloria Johnson, was censored but not expelled. She said, “They’re going with the NRA and Tennessee Firearms Association instead of listening to the people of Tennessee. They are allowing children to die while doing nothing.” She also said she was spoken to in a different manner than how the two Black representatives were spoken to, though as a woman and talked down to. She called on her constituents” to do everything they can to fight for those two young men.”

People are fully aware that this is NOT what democracy looks like! In a state where the radical right is banning books, drag shows, abortion, even in cases of child rape, and the teaching of Black history in schools, more people are standing up and saying, “Enough is Enough!”

We all need to stand up to these fascist attacks on democracy. If they can expel elected representatives over a minor violation, what else can they do? Void our elections if their “side” loses? This is what happened in Michigan when the people voted in a referendum to repeal the corporate-led Emergency Manager Law which allowed non-elected governor-appointed “officials” to take over public resources and bypass the will of the people.

We cannot allow one more attack on our fragile democracy. Stand with the students. Stand with the officials who support them.

+ Articles by this author

Cathy Talbott is a former telephone operator, a job lost to automation. She was a homeless mother of two and fights for welfare rights.  A former co-host of a weekly community radio program out of Carbondale, IL, “Occupy the Airwaves,” Cathy is the Environmental Desk for the People’s Tribune.

Free to republish but please credit the People's Tribune. Visit us at www.peoplestribune.org, email peoplestribune@gmail.com, or call 773-486-3551.

The People’s Tribune brings you articles written by individuals or organizations, along with our own reporting. Bylined articles reflect the views of the authors. Unsigned articles reflect the views of the editorial board. Please credit the source when sharing: ©2024 peoplestribune.org. Please donate to help us keep bringing you voices of the movement. Click here. We’re all volunteer, no paid staff.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Featured

Winners and Losers in Trump’s ‘Ugly Bill’

Winners and losers: The bill represents the greatest upward transfer of wealth in U.S. history. It cut health care, food subsidies, raised cost of other necessities to give massive tax breaks to billionaires.

Resistance Against Mass Deportations Webinar Scheduled July 17

The Zooming to the Resistance Against Mass Deportations Coalition is planning the second in a series of webinars exploring how people across the country are fighting mass deportations. During the webinar, scheduled July 17 at 4 p.m. Pacific, a panel of fighters from California cities and the East Coast will share their experience resisting the cruel ICE raids.

Mamdani’s NY Campaign Electrifies Those Seeking a Better Life

Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, has struck a nerve by voicing the demands of those who are struggling to survive as the cost of living continues to rise.

Another Big Beautiful Betrayal for Rural America

You slash Medicaid, you’re swinging an axe at the heart of our rural hospitals, community clinics, doctors and nurses — and every family that depends on a job for a living. It’s not too late to raise hell.

ICE Terror Campaign Threatens Us All

Several recent Facebook reels show how ICE is ramping up its campaign of terror against immigrants, citizens and protestors alike as the effort to create a police state continues and resistance grows. One creator speaks to the significance of Haitians now being targeted.

More from the People's Tribune