Yet another school shooting took place at a private elementary school in Tennessee. However, the hope for change has again fallen, as there has been little action in response to the shooting. Two Democratic Tennessee Representatives face charges after protesting this recent event alongside a colleague. The protection of their First Amendment rights is up for question, in addition to the justification for the reasoning of their removal.
The Representatives who are in the process of being expelled, Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, describe why they felt they needed to use their voices to protest. They hoped to “amplify the voices of protesters and their constituents” and to use their power and position in government to start the drive for change. Furthermore, the representatives and their supporters argue that this expulsion would represent a loss of democracy in Tennessee. While an additional representative was present at this protest, she has not faced expulsion. CBS shares Representative Gloria Johnson's opinion as to why Justin Pearson and Justin Jones were expelled, stating, “I think it’s pretty clear: I’m a 60-year-old White woman. And they are two young Black men.” Additionally, President Biden has spoken out against the expulsion, claiming it was “...shocking, undemocratic, and without precedent…” further supporting the argument that this violated a First Amendment right.
The Tennessee Constitution, Article 2, Section 12 permits the House to “punish its members for disorderly behavior.” What is considered “disorderly behavior?” Is exercising your constitutional right to protest disorderly? In 2016, a State Representative, Jermey Durham, was expelled for “disorderly behavior” as he faced allegations of sexual misconduct. It is difficult to identify what falls under the “disorderly behavior” category as these are two very contrasting issues. Regardless of this decision, there seems to be a lack of urgency and desire for change from the State of Tennessee when it comes to gun control reforms.
The Tennessee House and Senate are Republican-led; however, not all Republicans support loose gun restrictions. Regardless of party affiliation, members have been encouraged to collaborate and work together to de-escalate this issue. While some individuals such as Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson have actively advocated for change, it is evident that their viewpoints are being resisted as seen through their recent and unjustified expulsion.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/29/us/politics/nashville-shooting-gop-action.html
https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/11/politics/tennessee-gun-laws-governor-bill-lee/index.html
https://www.npr.org/2023/04/06/1168363992/tennessee-expel-3-democrats-house-vote
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tennessee-expulsion-house-democrats-expelled-what-happens-now/
4 comments:
It was unjustified for these representatives to be voted out. Thankfully this was understood by the city councils of their respective districts and were reinstated. What happened in Tennessee was undemocratize and because the representatives were only removed for a very short period of time, they are not setting an example that other states will follow.
This law saying people can be punished for "disorderly behavior" is vague in such a way that it would allow anyone to call any action they disagreed with "disorderly" and then vote them out. Protests especially, which are protected by the First Amendment, should not be considered enough to remove someone from their position. And just by taking a pure moral look at this situation, is it right to punish people because they believe laws aren't protecting children from getting shot at school? Is it so much a political debate over the right to guns or rather a debate over the safety of citizens?
The fact that state representatives are faced with legal charges delineates a story that with the expectations for people voting the right candidates, the local and state policies can be improved upon and serve the righteous purpose for the people. However, this story has been disrupted and at Tennessee, I believe there isn't much to do for those living outside of that state, but rather to re-form the policies for electing and background checking.
I think the expulsion of these representatives is completely unwarranted and unjustified. Aside from the fact that the right to protest is certainly protected by the first amendment, I don't understand why this can't apply to state representatives. I see this expulsion more as a sort of resistance and intolerance against beliefs that don't coincide with the conservative Tennesse agenda. Additionally, the role of representatives is to represent all of their state's constituents, not just the majority.
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