'Gen Z don’t play': AOC says Tennessee’s ‘fascism’ is firing up young people
Gideon Rubin
April 06, 2023
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) on MSNBC (screengrab)
Tennessee Republican lawmakers plunged the Volunteer State into controversy Thursday when the House expelled two Democrats who protested gun violence on the chamber floor last week.
Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, who are both Black, were among three lawmakers who protested gun violence in the aftermath of a mass shooting at a small Nashville Christian school that killed six, including three 9-year-old children. A third lawmaker, Gloria Johnson, survived her expulsion vote.
The expulsions over rules violations are the first in Tennessee House history.
But if the intent of the expulsions was to tamp down opposition to an agenda that in recent years has included loosening gun laws and banning drag shows, Tennessee House Republicans likely failed in spectacular fashion, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said.
“Republicans may think they won today in Tennessee, but their fascism is only further radicalizing and awakening an earthquake of young people, both in the South and across the nation. If you thought youth organizing was strong, just wait for what’s coming,”the progressive Democrat from New York tweeted Thursday.
“Gen Z don’t play.”
Gideon Rubin
April 06, 2023
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) on MSNBC (screengrab)
Tennessee Republican lawmakers plunged the Volunteer State into controversy Thursday when the House expelled two Democrats who protested gun violence on the chamber floor last week.
Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, who are both Black, were among three lawmakers who protested gun violence in the aftermath of a mass shooting at a small Nashville Christian school that killed six, including three 9-year-old children. A third lawmaker, Gloria Johnson, survived her expulsion vote.
The expulsions over rules violations are the first in Tennessee House history.
But if the intent of the expulsions was to tamp down opposition to an agenda that in recent years has included loosening gun laws and banning drag shows, Tennessee House Republicans likely failed in spectacular fashion, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said.
“Republicans may think they won today in Tennessee, but their fascism is only further radicalizing and awakening an earthquake of young people, both in the South and across the nation. If you thought youth organizing was strong, just wait for what’s coming,”the progressive Democrat from New York tweeted Thursday.
“Gen Z don’t play.”
Jake Johnson, Common Dreams
April 07, 2023
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (Shutterstock)
Progressives in the U.S. Congress reacted with outrage Thursday after the Republican-dominated Tennessee House voted to expel two lawmakers who joined protesters in demanding gun control legislation during a demonstration inside the state Capitol last week.
"This is fascism," said Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.). "Expelling your political opponents for demanding action on gun violence when children are dying is disgusting."
Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) similarly called the expulsion of state Democratic Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson "straight-up fascism in its ugliest, most racist form." Jones and Pearson are both Black; a vote to expel their colleague Rep. Gloria Johnson, who is white, fell short.
"There is no justification for ousting two legislators who were protesting with and for their constituents," Lee said in a statement. "That two Black men were expelled for standing up against the murder of children—but not their white counterpart—says it all. People are dying because Republicans want to put politics over the lives of the people they represent. They ask for safety for themselves, but not for school children, and they'll sacrifice the lives of our loved ones for their lobbyists."
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"Now is not the time to be on the sidelines," Lee added. "We better fight back before it's too late."
Thursday's expulsion votes, held as furious demonstrators gathered inside the Capitol to protest the move, came less than two weeks after a mass shooting at a school in Nashville left three young children and three adults dead.
The expulsion resolutions were led by Republican Reps. Bud Hulsey, Gino Bulso, and Andrew Farmer, fervent opponents of gun control. Hulsey and Farmer have voted to further weaken Tennessee's firearm regulations on a number of occasions in recent years, earning them high marks from the National Rifle Association.
"This is fascism, full stop," Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) tweeted following Thursday's votes. "MAGA Republicans are no longer content with inaction on gun violence—instead of thoughts and prayers, they want to silence and expel politicians who speak up to protect children. I vehemently condemn this racist, undemocratic assault on freedom of speech."
"Republicans may think they won today in Tennessee, but their fascism is only further radicalizing and awakening an earthquake of young people."
Tennessee Republicans—who likened the peaceful Capitol protests in the wake of the shooting to an "insurrection"—justified the removal of Jones and Pearson as a defense of decorum. Last week, Jones, Pearson, and Johnson took to the podium on the state House floor without recognition to show solidarity with those demanding legislative action in response to the massacre in Nashville—the 129th mass shooting in the U.S. this year.
April 07, 2023
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (Shutterstock)
Progressives in the U.S. Congress reacted with outrage Thursday after the Republican-dominated Tennessee House voted to expel two lawmakers who joined protesters in demanding gun control legislation during a demonstration inside the state Capitol last week.
"This is fascism," said Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.). "Expelling your political opponents for demanding action on gun violence when children are dying is disgusting."
Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) similarly called the expulsion of state Democratic Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson "straight-up fascism in its ugliest, most racist form." Jones and Pearson are both Black; a vote to expel their colleague Rep. Gloria Johnson, who is white, fell short.
"There is no justification for ousting two legislators who were protesting with and for their constituents," Lee said in a statement. "That two Black men were expelled for standing up against the murder of children—but not their white counterpart—says it all. People are dying because Republicans want to put politics over the lives of the people they represent. They ask for safety for themselves, but not for school children, and they'll sacrifice the lives of our loved ones for their lobbyists."
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"Now is not the time to be on the sidelines," Lee added. "We better fight back before it's too late."
Thursday's expulsion votes, held as furious demonstrators gathered inside the Capitol to protest the move, came less than two weeks after a mass shooting at a school in Nashville left three young children and three adults dead.
The expulsion resolutions were led by Republican Reps. Bud Hulsey, Gino Bulso, and Andrew Farmer, fervent opponents of gun control. Hulsey and Farmer have voted to further weaken Tennessee's firearm regulations on a number of occasions in recent years, earning them high marks from the National Rifle Association.
"This is fascism, full stop," Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) tweeted following Thursday's votes. "MAGA Republicans are no longer content with inaction on gun violence—instead of thoughts and prayers, they want to silence and expel politicians who speak up to protect children. I vehemently condemn this racist, undemocratic assault on freedom of speech."
"Republicans may think they won today in Tennessee, but their fascism is only further radicalizing and awakening an earthquake of young people."
Tennessee Republicans—who likened the peaceful Capitol protests in the wake of the shooting to an "insurrection"—justified the removal of Jones and Pearson as a defense of decorum. Last week, Jones, Pearson, and Johnson took to the podium on the state House floor without recognition to show solidarity with those demanding legislative action in response to the massacre in Nashville—the 129th mass shooting in the U.S. this year.
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