Tennessee Republicans - Democracy CANCELLED

Actual photo of Tennessee Republican Legislators voting to expel elected black Representatives.

Yesterday, this country’s King of cancel-culture was undoubtedly Kid Rock due to his effort to cancel Bud Light. It seems Kid Rock’s rapid ascension through the ranks of cancel warriors did not sit well with Tennessee Republicans. Their response - “Hold my beer.” Thereafter, those lawmakers did, in fact, set aside their beers and proceed to cancel democracy in Tennessee by cancelling/expelling two elected Democratic lawmakers. They chose three democrats to consider for cancelation, two black and one white. In an effort to be sure that they could out-caricature Kid Rock, they opted to cancel only the black lawmakers, Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson. Rep. Gloria Johnson was spared cancellation, un-coincidentally Rep. Johnson is white.

Last night the Tennessee state legislature voted to expel Democratic elected Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson. What awful crime did Reps. Jones and Pearson commit to justify Tennessee Republicans overriding the citizens of Tennessee and expelling them from the state legislature? Were the credibly accused of sexual misconduct (see: Brett Kavanaugh, Roy Moore, Donald Trump, Clarence Thomas)? No? Did they misuse public funds or accept unethical gifts from Republican donors (see: Clarence Thomas, Tom Price, David Shulkin, Scott Pruitt)? No? Not that either? Did they post to social media threats of violence against members of the opposing party (see: Marjorie Taylor-Greene , Paul Gosar)? They did not do that either? Did they completely fabricate their family background, education, and work experience in order to defraud voters (see: George Santos)? They did not even do that.

Wow, so if it was none of that, whatever Reps. Jones and Pearson did must have been especially heinous. - They led protest chants in support of gun control within the state chamber. They violated a rule…. of decorum. Yowza…. that was… anticlimatic.

Just days ago more children fell victim to a mass shooter. Reps. Jones, Pearson and Johnson and their constituents were, understandably, angry that children continue to die while our elected officials wring their hands and send thoughts and prayers. Reps. Jones, Pearson and Johnson exercised their First Amendment rights of free speech and protest on an issue of paramount importance.

In response, the NRA-owned Tennessee Republican party moved to expel them from the state legislature. Such a move is without precedent and without justification. Republicans overruled the citizens of Tennessee and removed elected officials for exercising their free speech rights in an indecorous manner. While Tennessee Republicans violated the rights of the electorate, they probably made their bosses at the NRA very happy.,

Expelling elected officials for violating a rule of decorum is ridiculous and shameful enough. But, apparently, not ridiculous and shameful enough for Tennessee Republicans, they needed to also act with blatant racism. Of the three Democrats up for expulsion only one was white. Guess which was spared?

So, congratulations Tennessee Republicans! You unquestionably outdid Kid Rock. He merely sought to cancel a gigantic corporation. For Tennessee Republicans that is small potatoes. They are here to cancel democracy.

I write jokes here because its better to laugh than cry. But what happened in Tennessee is not even remotely funny. It is blatantly racist. It is lowbrow pandering to the NRA and gun supporters. But above all, it is deeply and profoundly undemocratic.