Re: Add your name: Tennessee tells us our democracy is in danger

Friend, on April 7, Tennessee House Republicans ousted Democratic Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson for protesting alongside students and teachers about the need for gun reform. Now, both Rep. Jones and Pearson have been reappointed as interim representatives after votes from their local jurisdictions. But neither representative should have been expelled to begin with, particularly when you consider that the other lawmaker involved in protesting alongside Pearson and Jones who are both Black, is a white woman who’s expulsion vote failed. [Sign the petition: Denounce fascism in state governments.]( [SIGN THE PETITION]( Children are dying in classrooms, and when Democratic legislators make any attempt to change that, they’re silenced or risk expulsion. For example, members of the Shelby County Commission had concerns the Tennessee Republicans would [pull funding]( for local projects if the Commission voted to re-appoint Pearson. Pennsylvania U.S. Rep. Summer 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." She added. "We better fight back before it's too late.” [Sign the petition: Denounce fascism in state governments.]( [SIGN THE PETITION]( Keep fighting, Jayleen Alvarado, Daily Kos P.S. You can find an earlier email below: --------------------------------------------------------------- Friend, Tennessee Republicans have [expelled]( two Democratic members of the state House for protesting for gun reform following the Nashville school shooting. While three Democratic legislators participated in the protest, the Tennessee legislature only expelled Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, the two members who are Black, while the motion to expel Rep. Gloria Johnson, a white woman, failed. [Sign the petition: Denounce fascism in state governments.]( [SIGN THE PETITION]( Expelling lawmakers from state legislatures is rare. As Rep. Gloria Johnson noted, the Tennessee legislature has allowed literal child molesters on the floor without being expelled. But that hasn’t stopped GOP lawmakers from trying to spin the narrative, comparing the event to the Jan. 6 attack, despite the fact that the Tennessee protests did not result in any injuries or property damage and the protestors entered the state Capitol legally. The ostracization and demonization of racial and ethnic minorities and vulnerable groups and the altering of the truth are core components of fascist and authoritarian regimes used to obtain and keep power. [Sign the petition: Denounce fascism in state governments.]( [SIGN THE PETITION]( From Tennessee and Oklahoma to Florida and Ohio, Republicans are making states and localities laboratories for fascism and autocracy. What Tennessee just did is send a signal to the nation that under GOP control democracy is dead in the state. It’s dangerous to the people of Tennessee and a red herring to the rest of the country witnessing a Republican party willing to do anything to silence their enemies and force Democrats into submission. Recently expelled member of the Tennessee House [warned]( before the vote, “It will signal to the nation that if it can happen here in Tennessee, it’s coming to your state next.” [Sign the petition: Denounce fascism in state governments.]( [SIGN THE PETITION]( Keep fighting, Jayleen Alvarado, Daily Kos Daily Kos needs you now more than ever We are falling behind our projections for two of our three major revenue streams: advertising and list building. This means that at this moment, we need to rely more and more on donations from the Daily Kos community to make ends meet. Can you chip in $5 right now to help Daily Kos keep fighting? [Donate $5]( If you wish to donate by mail instead, please send a check to Daily Kos, PO Box 70036, Oakland, CA, 94612. Contributions to Daily Kos are not tax deductible. Sent via [ActionNetwork.org](. To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from Daily Kos, please [click here](.