Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Reuters/Library of Congress
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On Thursday, two Black members of the Tennessee House of Representatives, Justin Jones of Nashville and Justin Pearson of Memphis, were expelled after they participated in protests at the State Capitol. A third representative, Gloria Johnson, who is white and also participated in the protest, was not expelled. The protests were centered around calling for more gun control after the deadly mass shooting at Nashville’s Covenant School.
The politicians’ expulsion has drawn national attention—even former President Barack Obama who is typically fairly muted on daily political issues stated, “What happened in Tennessee is the latest example of a broader erosion of civility and democratic norms. Silencing those who disagree with us is a sign of weakness, not strength, and it won’t lead to progress.”