Injustice in Nashville

A fight for the future of democracy

Democratic Reps. Justin Jones (Lower, L) of Nashville and Justin Pearson (C) of Memphis gesture to supporters during the vote in which they were expelled from the Tennessee General Assembly. (Photo by Seth Herald/Getty Images)

In the 1950s and '60s, the forces that stood against a growing tide of civil rights were emboldened with a misguided belief that they represented the true America. They were bolstered by the living legacies of racism and white supremacy. They were empowered by the law and by tradition. They were invigorated by their own shamelessness. 

They believed they could act with impunity. They assumed that most Americans identified with their bigotry and cruelty. They concluded that the status quo that sustained them would continue indefinitely. 

They were wrong. They are now the villains in our history books. 

It was tempting to believe that America had moved irrevocably beyond a world of such entrenched and pervasive injustice. We knew we had a long way to go on issues of race and equality. But to go backward? After all the sacrifice expended by so many to achieve progress? 

And yet, here we are.

The expulsion yesterday of two young Black men from the Tennessee General Assembly echoes the old news footage of blocked schoolhouses and fire hoses and dogs set against young peaceful protesters 60 years ago. Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson had been duly and lawfully elected. Their crime was having the temerity to challenge their fellow representatives on doing nothing about gun violence in the wake of mass murder at a Nashville elementary school. 

That the white colleague who had joined Jones and Pearson in their protest on the Assembly floor was not expelled tells you all you need to know about the role race played in the decision-making process. 

The Republicans who voted to expel Jones and Pearson would obviously claim that their decision wasn’t racially motivated. They argue that these two men disrupted the business of the government when they joined protesters and brought bullhorns to the Assembly floor. But the historical rarity of expulsion and the array of other sanctioning tools available show that this is ultimately about the same currents that have driven this nation’s uneven path toward greater justice since its founding — who has the power and who has the audacity to question an unjust status quo. 

Tennessee is a Republican state, but it is also heavily gerrymandered. It is a place where Republicans have complete control of the government and have used that control to silence voices of dissent. 

This is different from the racism of the 1960s in some important ways. Those who seethed at Jones and Pearson would almost certainly welcome Black conservatives with open arms. One might safely assume that they are big fans of Justice Clarence Thomas. 

But just because this situation is a bit more nuanced does not make it any less dangerous. This is about people being told they should know their place. This is about politicians who are so fragile that they can’t handle dissent. And make no mistake, this is also generational. It is not a coincidence that Jones and Pearson are in their twenties. 

There seems to be a new era of protest and political involvement underway among the youth of America. They are overwhelmingly progressive, driven by issues such as gun violence, reproductive autonomy, protection of the environment, LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, and preserving our democracy. They have energy and organization. And they are, by definition, the future. 

That makes them a threat to those who are desperately clinging to some of the worst aspects of America’s past. 

After being expelled, Jones and Pearson reacted with steadfast determination and calm. They spoke compellingly about what they hope to accomplish. They were reasoned and focused. They understand the long game. 

In the 1960s, increased news coverage of the civil rights movement cast a bright spotlight on Jim Crow. The outrage that eventually ensued led to major changes. A similar spotlight now is on places like Nashville. And we are all forced to reckon with whether this is the America that we want for ourselves and our children. 

The expulsion of Jones and Pearson is part of a larger trend. There are anti-democratic measures taking place in other states. Books are being banned. History classes are being whitewashed. Voting rights are being curtailed. 

These are not the actions of people who are confident. These are people trying to entrench whatever power they can by whatever means necessary. 

They are desperate measures from desperate people who fear they have already lost the future. 

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