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This past March, in a now-infamous moment, Tennessee House of Representative members Rep. Justin Jones and Rep. Justin Pearson were expelled for participating in protests against gun violence and assault weapons after the murder of six people at the Covenant Christian School in Nashville.
Gordon Goodwin, Senior Director of Race Forward’s Government Alliance on Race and Equity, reflects on the events of that day which has been referred to by The Washington Post as a “historic act of partisan retaliation”.
“The expulsions of Rep. Jones and Rep. Pearson, both of whom are Black men under the age of 30 and possess community organizing experience, occurred after they, along with Rep. Gloria Johnson, a white female legislator who was not expelled, led a gun control protest on the chamber floor. Rep. Johnson's actions, while seen as wholly complicit, were viewed as being less disruptive and not deserving of official sanction. When asked why she was not sanctioned, she responded, ‘It might have to do with the color of my skin.’
“Limiting freedom and reducing the influence of Black representation is what this is about. The “supermajority” in both houses of the Tennessee State Legislature is a direct result of Republican lawmakers redrawing precincts and districts in ways that make it more difficult for democratic and independent candidates to be elected. The expulsion of these lawmakers is about reminding communities of color they do not matter when it comes to electing their representatives. Also, the passage of voting laws intended to invalidate, intimidate, and suppress voter turnout further reduces the likelihood of electing candidates who represent communities of color.
“Let us be thankful for the pathways of redress that are built into our government structures. Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson have both returned to their legislative posts by actions that were bravely undertaken by local elected officials using government process. We should not be surprised if we see those pathways of redress be legislatively suppressed soon, as they worked to right a wrong this time. If the rules don’t preserve the status quo - then the rules will be changed. Those of us that believe America includes all of us, will still be here – testing the limits and changing the game.
“The powerful lesson for us is that yet again, power concedes nothing without a demand. Organizing for change requires that those of us working within government work with and to support the people we serve. It also requires we hold government at all levels (local, state, and federal) accountable to live up to its commitment to respect and serve all of us — and especially those communities that have been historically excluded. The path to a multiracial democracy begins here; with the effort to create a racially equitable government.”
This work requires all of us. We invite you to join our racial equity work by taking part in our Racial Justice Training series, a collection of interactive sessions for those who wish to sharpen their skills and strategies to understand and address structural racism and advance racial equity.
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