According to various conservative media outlets, left-wing activists and legislators in Tennessee perpetrated their own version of the January 6 attack last week in Nashville. Fox News reported that "lawmakers joined anti-gun protestors in storming the Capitol last week." The Daily Mail
Maybe this is just the start of nonviolent protests led by schoolchildren and their parents to stop gun worship in this country. Enough is enough. We, the people, demand to be heard by our so-called representatives. We will require that our votes be fairly counted and that legislation reflect what the majority wants.
Tennessee Republicans must feel mighty comfy in their voter suppressed, gerrymandered seats to put the fascism and love for an armed citizenry on such open display. But maybe they should be careful what they wish for, nothing lasts forever.
43 state legislatures are controlled by Republicans. They all could become Tennessee, Texas, Florida Missouri, etc, etc. It is very frightening to see what has happened while the silent majority has been asleep.
Elected officials that are for the people and by the people, can be tossed out on their cans. I am told by a concerned relative the Wisconsin Supreme Court electee from last night can be impeached if one more Repub is elected to the state senate, making a 2/3rds majority. Unreal.
Democracy may not win the battle, but we must try.
This is what happens when the Republican Party of today has unfettered control of government. They become ideologues, advocating for everything they preach against. They support religious freedom as long as it’s their chosen religion. They support free speech as long as they agree with what is spoken. They support the constitution, as long as they can interpret it. It’s scary and disturbing. The bigger question is how and when does it end? They own the courts, thirty state legislatures, the US House of Representatives and they are no longer hiding their white supremest, bigoted, anti-gay agenda. It’s minority rule and it never ends well. True governance take a coalition representing those who are being governed. Remember Lincoln said “Democracy is a rule of the people, for the people, by the people.” It won’t work any other way.
Just a factual note: The TN legislator accused in 2019 of sexually assaulting minors when serving as a basketball coach was Rep. David Byrd (R-Waynesboro). He retired in 2022.
So a couple Black men and a woman break the rules by speaking out of turn, and too loudly? That's a good reason to deprive Tennessee citizens of their duly elected representatives? Getting post-Reconstruction vibes
As discouraging as this is, I take some hope from the election results in Wisconsin. Many of those students protesting in Tennessee will be eligible to vote in 2024 and essentially all of them by 2028. Very few of them or their generation will ever vote for a Republican. A change is gonna come.
This is a level of corruption that Citizens United was designed to do...and the Crime Syndicate aka RNC has to cling to the NRA in order to maintain their money laundering operations for foreign donations from Russia, the Saudis, etc.
as usual, another example of the GQP's fascist attempts to suppress free-speech - they're terrified of dissenting opinion and criticism from people who are not NRA puppets and Con artists like them #votebluetosaveamerica
For many years I attended Arrowmont Crafts School in Gatlinburg TN. Haven't gone since 2018. Now I'm on the fence.
As much as I want to spend a week among other artists, between the lax gun laws, the lousy response to covid, and this incident, I wonder if by attending I am complicit in the state's turn to fascism, not to mention putting myself at risk of being gunned down by a crazy person who thinks artists are all communists. I would love to hear what others think. Should I go? Would you?
Maybe this is just the start of nonviolent protests led by schoolchildren and their parents to stop gun worship in this country. Enough is enough. We, the people, demand to be heard by our so-called representatives. We will require that our votes be fairly counted and that legislation reflect what the majority wants.
Tennessee Republicans must feel mighty comfy in their voter suppressed, gerrymandered seats to put the fascism and love for an armed citizenry on such open display. But maybe they should be careful what they wish for, nothing lasts forever.
So they are expelling two black men and a woman? How very southern of them. Are they planning on wearing the white robes to the vote?
Tennessee, racing Mississippi and Texas to the bottom.
43 state legislatures are controlled by Republicans. They all could become Tennessee, Texas, Florida Missouri, etc, etc. It is very frightening to see what has happened while the silent majority has been asleep.
Elected officials that are for the people and by the people, can be tossed out on their cans. I am told by a concerned relative the Wisconsin Supreme Court electee from last night can be impeached if one more Repub is elected to the state senate, making a 2/3rds majority. Unreal.
Democracy may not win the battle, but we must try.
This is what happens when the Republican Party of today has unfettered control of government. They become ideologues, advocating for everything they preach against. They support religious freedom as long as it’s their chosen religion. They support free speech as long as they agree with what is spoken. They support the constitution, as long as they can interpret it. It’s scary and disturbing. The bigger question is how and when does it end? They own the courts, thirty state legislatures, the US House of Representatives and they are no longer hiding their white supremest, bigoted, anti-gay agenda. It’s minority rule and it never ends well. True governance take a coalition representing those who are being governed. Remember Lincoln said “Democracy is a rule of the people, for the people, by the people.” It won’t work any other way.
Unbelievable! What idiot would want to make it easy for a child to obtain a weapon?
I mean, yes you are "technically" an adult and can vote at 18, but voting can't immediately damage or possibly end a life can it?
It boggles the mind. Think of the worst 18 year olds you ever knew. Now imagine them armed.
Just a factual note: The TN legislator accused in 2019 of sexually assaulting minors when serving as a basketball coach was Rep. David Byrd (R-Waynesboro). He retired in 2022.
So a couple Black men and a woman break the rules by speaking out of turn, and too loudly? That's a good reason to deprive Tennessee citizens of their duly elected representatives? Getting post-Reconstruction vibes
It's about being drunk on power and utterly unable to abide disagreement. "My way or the highway."
As discouraging as this is, I take some hope from the election results in Wisconsin. Many of those students protesting in Tennessee will be eligible to vote in 2024 and essentially all of them by 2028. Very few of them or their generation will ever vote for a Republican. A change is gonna come.
What is their recourse? Is that where it ends for democracy in TN?
This is a level of corruption that Citizens United was designed to do...and the Crime Syndicate aka RNC has to cling to the NRA in order to maintain their money laundering operations for foreign donations from Russia, the Saudis, etc.
Does this expulsion action violate these lawmakers' First Amendment rights? ACLU to the rescue?? Lawsuits???
as usual, another example of the GQP's fascist attempts to suppress free-speech - they're terrified of dissenting opinion and criticism from people who are not NRA puppets and Con artists like them #votebluetosaveamerica
For many years I attended Arrowmont Crafts School in Gatlinburg TN. Haven't gone since 2018. Now I'm on the fence.
As much as I want to spend a week among other artists, between the lax gun laws, the lousy response to covid, and this incident, I wonder if by attending I am complicit in the state's turn to fascism, not to mention putting myself at risk of being gunned down by a crazy person who thinks artists are all communists. I would love to hear what others think. Should I go? Would you?