Tennessee Republicans hung on tooth and nail to preserve a bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest—slave trader, Confederate general responsible for the massacre of Black soldiers at Fort Pillow in 1864, and Klan leader—in the State House in Nashville, but rushed to expel two Black legislators for standing up for the victims of gun violence in the very same building.
Am I wrong? [The comments are open.]
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No you are not wrong. I think both events, and others happening elsewhere in the country but primarily across the south, are an outcome of the fact that we failed as a culture too decisively and conclusively end the Civil War. We ended it on the battlefield with a decisive defeat of those in rebellion but we never ended it politically, economically and culturally.
We did not go back to the pre-war status quo but we invented a post-war status-quo that let the country ignore the reasons the war happened and ignore post-war events that should never have been ignored (things like Jim Crow, lynchings, riots). Now, I think triggered largely by shifts in the country's demographic make up we are finally trying to deal with these issues and it is turning out to be just as difficult as we were afraid it would be in 1865. I think we are moving in the right direction but to paraphrase several people; the the moral arc of history is long and generally bends in the right direction
I agree with your assessment, the fact is the South was allowed to push an alternate universe Narrative of being the victims of Northern aggression and rewrite history almost immediately after the Civil war. And the political will simply wasn't there to keep fighting for a mini deemed as a cause of freedom of African americans. Obviously the cultural war was lost because up until 1965 African-Americans still maintain a basic second class citizenship as Jim Crow still existed culturally in both northern and southern states after the Civil war.
As you know, civil wars tend to lead to unintended consequences and are rarely concluded with everything settled. Our civil war certainly falls into this category.
Hard to choose which of the appropriate adjectives should be the anchoring noun to describe The R supermajority: authoritarian, racist, cowardly or stupid. Bouncing them during Holy Week was particularly dumb - the comparisons create themselves.
Gosh, those Rs are sure scared of the voices of a bunch of kids ...
I really wish I could say, "You are wrong, Kevin," and not choke on my words as I typed them. I really do wish that. But it is obvious that this is a very poorly-disguised dog-whistle. Shame on them; shame on them all.
They were protesting the murder of three nine year olds and three adults at a Nashville private school on March 27.
“After the vote that allowed Johnson to remain in the House, reporters asked why she thought she was spared after Jones was ousted. Johnson, who is White, responded: ‘It might have to do with the color of our skin.’ Jones is of Black and Filipino descent, and Pearson is Black.” I’m glad she called them out! Article gifted, should open for everyone. https://wapo.st/3UxUpC9
I’m so, so angry about this on so many levels. My last ten years as an educator were spent as the librarian of a high poverty K-5 public school in N.C., starting in 2007. On December 14, 2012, we started getting texts from teachers and friends, “Something bad is happening at a school called Sandy Hook” “Pray for Sandy Hook”, so for the last five years we added active shooter drills to fire and tornado drills. Imagine keeping the littlest ones quiet without scaring them to death, then trying to give library instruction to all grades the rest of the day. The kids were pretty sure there was no fire or tornado, based on their experiences. They weren’t sure there was no shooter, especially in our neighborhood.
Please forgive me, Kevin, et.al. I’m just so damned tired of the GOP. IT’S THE GUNS, DAMNIT
You are spot on. I couldn’t have ever imagined such action. These people show why I traced the politics of religion and race to the present day. They have no honor.
Yet Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs, etc etc etc are still in Congress despite their involvement in an actual violent insurrection on our Capitol. Something is very wrong with this country.
They didn't expel the Republican indicted for campaign violations, or the one accused of sexual misconduct, or censure the virulently anti-gay GOP lieutenant governor who seems to spend a lot of time "liking" gay porn on social media. But violations of "decorum" cost two black majority cities their representation? No. You're not wrong.
No, you are not wrong. They care more about dead racists than the representation of their constituents, especially when those constituents are represented by Black people.
Truth. Elie Mystal: "Tennessee has now given the entire country an object lesson in critical race theory better than any AP history course ever could.”
Unless some justification can be shown as to why three people were all involved in the same activity of protest but only two of them- the two Black men- were kicked out of the Tennessee statehouse while the other one- the White woman- was not, I'm calling this blatant racism and discrimination.
By the way, I don't think there is any justification. So I think it is racism.
That’s what Rep. Gloria Johnson said. ““After the vote that allowed Johnson to remain in the House, reporters asked why she thought she was spared after Jones was ousted. Johnson, who is White, responded: ‘It might have to do with the color of our skin.’ Jones is of Black and Filipino descent, and Pearson is Black.” https://wapo.st/3UxUpC9
You're not wrong. What's happening in Tennessee is no surprise. Is it disappointing? Yes. Is it to be unexpected. Not really. The fact is, those who saved the bust and expelled the legislators were elected by Tennesseans. The root issue, I believe, is how few people elected them to office. I would love to see voting participation rates in the most recent election cycle in Tennessee. #localelectionsmatter
Not wrong at all. The GOP is exactly what they seem. Out of touch white supremacists
No you are not wrong. I think both events, and others happening elsewhere in the country but primarily across the south, are an outcome of the fact that we failed as a culture too decisively and conclusively end the Civil War. We ended it on the battlefield with a decisive defeat of those in rebellion but we never ended it politically, economically and culturally.
We did not go back to the pre-war status quo but we invented a post-war status-quo that let the country ignore the reasons the war happened and ignore post-war events that should never have been ignored (things like Jim Crow, lynchings, riots). Now, I think triggered largely by shifts in the country's demographic make up we are finally trying to deal with these issues and it is turning out to be just as difficult as we were afraid it would be in 1865. I think we are moving in the right direction but to paraphrase several people; the the moral arc of history is long and generally bends in the right direction
I agree with your assessment, the fact is the South was allowed to push an alternate universe Narrative of being the victims of Northern aggression and rewrite history almost immediately after the Civil war. And the political will simply wasn't there to keep fighting for a mini deemed as a cause of freedom of African americans. Obviously the cultural war was lost because up until 1965 African-Americans still maintain a basic second class citizenship as Jim Crow still existed culturally in both northern and southern states after the Civil war.
As you know, civil wars tend to lead to unintended consequences and are rarely concluded with everything settled. Our civil war certainly falls into this category.
Hard to choose which of the appropriate adjectives should be the anchoring noun to describe The R supermajority: authoritarian, racist, cowardly or stupid. Bouncing them during Holy Week was particularly dumb - the comparisons create themselves.
Gosh, those Rs are sure scared of the voices of a bunch of kids ...
I really wish I could say, "You are wrong, Kevin," and not choke on my words as I typed them. I really do wish that. But it is obvious that this is a very poorly-disguised dog-whistle. Shame on them; shame on them all.
You’re absolutely right. And look how fast it happened.
Remember, these legislators supported high school students who assembled at the Capitol on April 3 to demand that lawmakers pass stricter gun laws. “‘We all want to live through high school,’ said 17-year-old Amy Goetzinger, one of the earliest students to arrive at Monday’s rally, ‘and that’s why we’re here today.’” https://tn.chalkbeat.org/2023/4/3/23668031/nashville-school-shooting-walkout-march-lives-capitol-protest-gun-safety
They were protesting the murder of three nine year olds and three adults at a Nashville private school on March 27.
“After the vote that allowed Johnson to remain in the House, reporters asked why she thought she was spared after Jones was ousted. Johnson, who is White, responded: ‘It might have to do with the color of our skin.’ Jones is of Black and Filipino descent, and Pearson is Black.” I’m glad she called them out! Article gifted, should open for everyone. https://wapo.st/3UxUpC9
I’m so, so angry about this on so many levels. My last ten years as an educator were spent as the librarian of a high poverty K-5 public school in N.C., starting in 2007. On December 14, 2012, we started getting texts from teachers and friends, “Something bad is happening at a school called Sandy Hook” “Pray for Sandy Hook”, so for the last five years we added active shooter drills to fire and tornado drills. Imagine keeping the littlest ones quiet without scaring them to death, then trying to give library instruction to all grades the rest of the day. The kids were pretty sure there was no fire or tornado, based on their experiences. They weren’t sure there was no shooter, especially in our neighborhood.
Please forgive me, Kevin, et.al. I’m just so damned tired of the GOP. IT’S THE GUNS, DAMNIT
Kevin,
You are spot on. I couldn’t have ever imagined such action. These people show why I traced the politics of religion and race to the present day. They have no honor.
Thanks for the discussion.
Be safe,
Steve
Shameful behavior in Tn politics
Yet Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs, etc etc etc are still in Congress despite their involvement in an actual violent insurrection on our Capitol. Something is very wrong with this country.
They didn't expel the Republican indicted for campaign violations, or the one accused of sexual misconduct, or censure the virulently anti-gay GOP lieutenant governor who seems to spend a lot of time "liking" gay porn on social media. But violations of "decorum" cost two black majority cities their representation? No. You're not wrong.
No, you are not wrong. They care more about dead racists than the representation of their constituents, especially when those constituents are represented by Black people.
Shows that Republicans can parse out “insurrection “ for vocal black people but not for Jan 6 white capitol invaders. Hypocrisy in action.
Excellent point
You are not wrong.
Turns out the R in (R-TN) stands for the Redeemer Party.
Texas wit is being served very cold this afternoon ...
Yep.
If no one knew what’s CRT was before, they should understand it now.
Truth. Elie Mystal: "Tennessee has now given the entire country an object lesson in critical race theory better than any AP history course ever could.”
https://twitter.com/msnbc/status/1644140681252708352?s=61&t=Ciqcgsn7NFRG6o9MZDqA2A
Unless some justification can be shown as to why three people were all involved in the same activity of protest but only two of them- the two Black men- were kicked out of the Tennessee statehouse while the other one- the White woman- was not, I'm calling this blatant racism and discrimination.
By the way, I don't think there is any justification. So I think it is racism.
That’s what Rep. Gloria Johnson said. ““After the vote that allowed Johnson to remain in the House, reporters asked why she thought she was spared after Jones was ousted. Johnson, who is White, responded: ‘It might have to do with the color of our skin.’ Jones is of Black and Filipino descent, and Pearson is Black.” https://wapo.st/3UxUpC9
I’m glad she called them out!
I still don't understand how you expel someone, and then the seat remains vacant? Who appoints a replacement?
Is it just a simple majority that can decide to expel? It's crazy.
County and city-level officials will select replacements to serve until the next regularly scheduled election in August 2024
I understand Jones and Pearson may be named as replacements to their own vacant seats.
sure hope so. last I heard, the Nashville Council was holding an emergency meeting on this topic.
No, not wrong. I'm with Lisa. Got to get it at the roots.
You're not wrong. What's happening in Tennessee is no surprise. Is it disappointing? Yes. Is it to be unexpected. Not really. The fact is, those who saved the bust and expelled the legislators were elected by Tennesseans. The root issue, I believe, is how few people elected them to office. I would love to see voting participation rates in the most recent election cycle in Tennessee. #localelectionsmatter
Nope, not wrong.