ales of the “Tennessee Three” have been splashed across headlines over the last couple of weeks as the controversy unfolded following a horrific shooting in Nashville, which sparked a large protest against gun violence and calling for gun control. Three Tennessee legislators, two black men (Justin Jones and Justin Pearson) and one white woman (Gloria Johnson), joined in the protest while on the house floor, which is allegedly a violation of house rules, speaking out of turn and holding up the assembly. For this violation, the two men were permanently expelled from their seats (Note: we’ve since been seeing some resolution to the situation).
This reaction by Republicans in the house was not only an over-reaction, but also an attack on democracy; by expelling said individuals, they effectively moved to silence the voices of the people who elected those individuals.
Since the situation unfolded, we’ve heard plenty of takes from activists, politicians, and reporters… but what about unions? Specifically, how have union leaders been reacting to this situation?
Here is what Dr. Everett Kelley, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) said on Twitter:
“The partisan expulsion of two black representatives, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, for protesting on the floor of the Tennessee house, for protesting the lack of action following the deadly shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, is inexcusable and a dangerous precedent. In a clear racial double standard, the partisan majority delivered a disparate harsh treatment to the two black representatives and the white representative who participated in the same protest. Although let’s be clear, no lawmaker of any race should be punished for standing up for their principles. When majorities like those in the Tennessee house become tyrannical, using their power to stifle free expression, punish those who express unpopular opinions, and trample on the rights of the minority, these same lawmakers threaten our democracy. As we condemn these actions in the strongest possible terms, our hearts remain with the Nashville community, still reeling from the recent tragedy.”
Kelley’s outcry was joined by others in the union movement, including the AFL-CIO, who decried the expulsion as an “affront to our democracy, to our American values, and a disturbing reminder of an all-to-familiar brand of oppression on display in our nation since reconstruction.” For some additional thoughts and quotes from other leaders in the union movement, watch the full clip on YouTube: