The Tennessee House of Representatives has finally ousted two Democratic members, Rep. Justin Jones and Rep. Justin Pearson for leading the gun control demonstrations, and only made way for more ire to be directed at Republicans for their controversial stance on the Covenant School Shooting that claimed the lives of three children. As more raise their voice to support the expelled members, many can’t help but question Republicans’ hypocrisy by remembering how differently they treated controversial former Rep. David Byrd after he was accused of sexually abusing underage girls.
Byrd represented the 71st district of the Tennessee House of Representatives from 2015 to 2023, leaving behind his career as the basketball coach at Wayne County High School. In 2018, three women came forward to accuse Byrd of inappropriate sexual conduct (via Tennessean) when he was the high school basketball coach of the women’s team. At the time, he was asked to resign by House Speaker Beth Harwell following the allegations but was instead made chair of the House Education Administration Subcommittee.
Initially, Byrd didn’t refute any of the allegations, but when one of the women who made the accusations against him, recorded her conversation with him apologizing about something without specifying what he is sorry for, he issued a statement questioning the “motives” of his accusers. Soon after he was re-elected in 2018. In 2019, amidst demands for his expulsion, he promised that given Governor Bill Lee’s request, he will not seek re-election in 2020 but he went back on his word, filed for re-election, and won in 2020 again.
The fact that Jones and Pearson have been removed from the Tennessee House for fighting for a just cause hasn’t been sitting well with the masses. Many have labeled it a blatant injustice and couldn’t help but recall how Byrd was accepted with open arms by the House while comparing it to Jones and Pearson’s expulsion for actually caring about the lives of children.
It definitely didn’t lend Republicans any credibility when Rep. Gloria Johnson, who was also a part of their demonstrations but was not ousted, shared with CNN the reason she was not expelled: “I am a 60-year-old White woman, and they are two young Black men.”
The outrage stemming from Rep. Justin Jones and Rep. Justin Pearson’s expulsion has kicked up a storm and is currently ongoing, with many demanding their re-appointment. It remains to be seen whether the overwhelming support in their favor will make a dent in the decision taken by the Tennessee House of Representatives.
Published: Apr 8, 2023 02:51 pm