Commentary
-
Our commentary partners will help you reach your own conclusions on complex topics.
Okay, let me talk about the massive assault on democracy in the United States of America. Now, you don’t have to agree with the politics of a particular person or ideology of a political party, but you should agree, if you are in this country, you should agree that all of our voices are important, even when those voices are contrary to your political belief.
Three Democrats in Tennessee, decided to protest the inaction of the Tennessee State Legislature as it relates to gun violence in their state. So what did they do? They violated a policy and office policy. And for that, two of those three Democrats were expelled. Well, they have both been reinstated. So let’s go down the list here.
So you have state Representative, Justin Pearson — he has now been reinstated by a vote from Shelby County. You also have Justin Jones reinstated from a similar vote in his jurisdiction locally. Representative Gloria Johnson, the white female, who also broke the same policies, violated the same rule, well, she survived and was not expelled. You see, this was not a suspension, this was a firing. They said you can no longer work here. They simply — I’m talking about Republicans — they simply did not disenfranchise those lawmakers.
What they did is disenfranchise the 78,000 people who voted for them in each district. You cannot tell this story without the massive elephant in the room. Two young Black male lawmakers, they lose their jobs. The white female lawmaker who engaged in the very same activity kept hers. Both have been reinstated. This is a massive waste of time. It is a waste of taxpayer money, because now that they are reinstated by their local jurisdiction — because they were expelled — they have to run for election to fill their own term. That is money the local jurisdiction has to pay. So here’s the thing. Democracy is about conflict, political debate, you wrestle with these ideas. You are a passionate proclaimer of what you believe. We are sinking fast when we’re okay with things like this happening.
This is not simply an attack on Black lawmakers, or the majority African American district who elected them. Not simply an attack on them alone. It’s an attack on you. It’s an attack on me. You see, democracy is fundamental to the operation of our country. It should be sacred. You see, there’s nothing really sacred about these political jobs. There’s nothing sacred about political positions. There is something sacred about the vote. There’s something very sacred about an actual democracy where people, everyday people like you and me, we get to make decisions as to who governs us.
Now let’s talk about the reality of what they did. They decided to speak up, stand with young people in that state who were speaking up that day. And they disrupted normative business operations for that chamber. That is all. To be as heavy handed as to say they can no longer represent the constituents who elected them was too much. I think this is going to backfire on Republicans. It has created a spark, especially in young communities throughout the country. The unfairness is evident. Even some conservatives have now stepped outside of their tribalism and they have criticized the actions of Tennessee lawmakers, who are Republicans, who did this. You see we should all agree that democracy should not be touched. And what these individuals did, maybe there’s a different path for, I don’t know, punishment. Sanction them. You can write a resolution condemning the action, but to expel them, well, it was heavy-handed. And that kind of heavy-handedness typically has a response. You are seeing that response now.
-
Americans deserve younger candidates, better ideas
On March 7, President Joe Biden delivered a well-received State of the Union address, speaking clearly and in detail about the challenges that the nation must confront. Less than four months later, on June 28, a very different-looking president took the stage to debate Donald Trump. In both speech and physical appearance, this Biden suddenly… -
Time for Christian evangelicals to part ways with Trump
As former President Trump vies for another shot at the White House, one loyal demographic he is counting on is white Christian evangelicals. More than 80% of evangelicals backed Trump in the 2020 election, and after endorsing a Louisiana law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms, he’s gearing up for… -
Democracy is on the ballot this November
Donald Trump has talked casually of making himself a dictator if he gains power again this November. While that has alarmed many liberals, a significant number of Republicans actually support Trump’s aspirations. Seventy-four percent of GOP voters say that they would support Trump seizing dictatorial powers for at least one day, and pro-Trump organizations have… -
It is insane to let convicted felons run for president
U.S. state and federal laws often restrict the roles that convicted felons can play in American society. States prohibit felons from voting in elections, for instance, and felons are also prohibited from serving in the United States Armed Forces without an explicit waiver. Donald Trump, now a convicted felon, is nonetheless campaigning to become both… -
To reform police, end qualified immunity
Public debates on police reform have often tackled the issue of qualified immunity, a policy that protects police officers from lawsuits filed by victims or citizens. A recent ruling in Mississippi even raised concerns that this policy of qualified immunity might be unconstitutional. Watch the video above as Straight Arrow News contributor Dr. Rashad Richey…
Popular Opinions
-
In addition to the facts, we believe it’s vital to hear perspectives from all sides of the political spectrum.