Jason, we're being tested.
What the world witnessed last night in Tennessee is a Republican legislative supermajority expel two Black members of the minority party because they didn't like the way they peacefully protested the murders of young children.
It's an unbelievable, anti-democratic maneuver — and that's the point. They're pushing the boundaries to see just how far they can go, to find out just how much power they have to silence dissent. Shame on every single one of them.
How we respond in this moment matters. If we get mad for a few minutes then let it fade into the rest of the chaos of the news cycle, Tennessee Republicans will receive the message: They'll know they can get away with behavior like this, and it'll only be a matter of time before they do it again, or worse.
But if we collectively do something to push back, to show we won't let authoritarianism creep into our politics, they'll hear that message, too.
Here's what I propose: The two leaders who were stripped of their seats — Rep. Justin Jones and Rep. Justin Pearson — are eligible to run again and win back their positions in the legislature. I suspect that's a powerful message that will be heard loud and clear.
Join me and let's spilt a donation with Reps. Pearson and Jones today — help them win back their seats through the power of democracy.
Thank you,
Amy
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