Wow, Tennessee GOP, a Trifecta of Racism, Fascism, and Anti-Democracy

The Tennessee House boots out two Black men and keeps the white woman

Warning: I am going completely off the rails here. I am going to rant, rave, and swear. This is no intellectual piece. This no educational piece. This is me damn mad, needing to vent some damn rage, and damn well ready to make some damn good trouble.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

The Tennessee House Republicans expelled two Black men, democratically elected Black men, out of their legislature. The crime? They spoke up because they were angry. What were they angry about?

Dead bodies in a school, gunned down by a weapon that has no business being in the hands of anybody.

Actually, the chant from the mass of protestors at the Tennessee capitol sums up the anger better:

YOU BAN BOOKS, YOU BAN DRAG, KIDS ARE STILL IN BODY BAGS!

Three members of the Democratic party were mad about that, you see. They were also mad that they had been silenced and not allowed to speak during “welcoming and honoring,” to acknowledge the presence of the protestors and “welcome and honor them.” The Republicans would not allow them to do that. Then, when these Democrats tried to speak anyway, they had their microphone cut off.

Finally, they decided enough was enough.

So, the three of them, Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, and Rep. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis followed in the footsteps of the late John Lewis to make good trouble. They took out a bullhorn to compensate for their microphone being cut off by the fascist MAGA Republican House leader Cameron Sexton.

They peacefully protested, using only their voices, standing their ground to be heard, and exercising their 1st Amendment right to speak.

That was the crime. Cameron Sexton says it was arguably worse than January 6th. Really? Cameron Sexton is a smirking and smug Trumpster-dumpster idiot. By the way, for the record, these three Democrats did not beat cops with flag poles, did not pepper spray cops, and did not defecate on the floor of the House like those lovely “patriots” of Jan 6th.

They just stood there and spoke. How dare they? A couple of uppity Blacks and a woman who doesn’t know her place.

So, the Tennessee Republicans flipped them the middle finger (and wagged a finger at those young uppity Black men who didn’t understand their job was to sit down and shut up). Republicans railroaded them without due process, giving them no information in advance about even how things were going to proceed before their kangaroo court. Republicans showed a video as “evidence” even though it is against their House rules for a member to have taken such footage, but oh well, it was probably a respectable (i.e. white male) Republican who took the footage, so that is okay for that rule to be broken.

Of course, also, these Republicans are southern gentlemen, so they only told the Black men to take a hike and get lost, but told the white lady she could stay.

I am so furious, I am shaking. I probably should not be here writing right now. I should not be writing from a place of pure white hot fury. But I have to.

This has gone way too far. Call it what it is.

Fascism. Democracy overthrown. First Amendment in the dumpster.

Above all, RACISM!

The scary young Black guys (who didn’t get the memo they are supposed to speak softly and say yes sir, sorry sir, I’ll be quiet sir) are booted out the door, but the little old white lady can stay?! I call bullshit!

Tennessee Republicans, the whole country — the whole world — was watching you proudly declare your racism! What the f — k?! Are you that dumb, that insane, that sure of yourself that no one was going to call you out for racism that obvious?!

Tennessee, the birthplace of the KKK. So, did some of the GOP members forget to leave their pointed white hats in the cloakroom or what?! You decided to wear them on live TV?! What the f — k is wrong with you?!

Guess what GOP, putting on a blatant display of racism, anti-democracy, and fascism ain’t gonna go over well. You just brought down on your head some seriously good trouble headed your way in the days, weeks, and months to come.

This isn’t just Tennessee. This kind of Republican fascist retribution BS is happening elsewhere, too. However, all of America saw it in Tennessee, plain as day, in living color on their TV screens. Other Republicans in other states are playing these fascist games as well, but the Tennessee Republicans just happened to be the ones so brain-dead bone-head stupid as to put the truth on full and open display!

What truth is that? Simple: MAGA Republicans are fascists. MAGA Republicans are authoritarians who flip their middle finger at voters and elected representatives they don’t like. MAGA Republicans are racists.

Don’t argue that point with me! Not anymore. Don’t give me that line about “it had nothing to do with their race.” You CAN’T hide it this time. You brought kangaroo court charges against THREE people who all did exactly the same thing. You booted out the Black ones and kept the white one. That is called RACISM!

Sorry for the swearing and shouting folks, but this s — t just got very real.

Everyone make good trouble everywhere. It is time. Engage in peaceful protests and civil disobedience.