In recent weeks, the nation has witnessed yet another troubling example of democracy under threat, as Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, two advocates for gun violence prevention, were expelled from the state capital in Tennessee for their vocal calls for change. The incident is a stark reminder of how those in power will go to great lengths to silence dissent and maintain the status quo, even at the expense of the democratic process.
This latest episode also indicates a more significant problem within the Democratic Party, which has long struggled to effectively organize and mobilize rural areas and communities of color. As Martin Luther King Jr. pointed out in his 1967 book, Where Do We Go From Here, "The weakness of the Democratic Party in the South is the result of its failure to organize and to give full and vigorous expression to the hopes and aspirations of the Negro people."
But this failure is not limited to the South alone, as Dr. Carol Anderson's book, White Rage, demonstrates. Anderson argues that throughout American history, whenever people of color have made strides toward equality, white Americans have responded with a coordinated effort to push back against those gains.
This kind of white backlash is not new. We can look to historical examples of elected officials being expelled from their positions for speaking out against injustice. Henry McNeal Turner, a Black legislator in Georgia, was expelled from the state legislature in 1868 for his vocal opposition to the state's restrictive Black Codes. And in 1966, the Georgia legislature refused to seat Julian Bond for his public criticism of the Vietnam War.
These incidents underscore how the disenfranchisement of voters is not limited to outright suppression tactics like gerrymandering and voter ID laws. Instead, it can also take the form of subtle yet insidious efforts to silence dissenting voices.
One such tactic is the notion of "decorum," often used as a tool of white aggression veiled in passive-aggressive expectation. When politicians call for "civility" or "respectful discourse," they often mean they want to maintain the status quo and prevent any challenge to their power.
So what can be done in the face of such systemic oppression and suppression? One solution lies in the power of grassroots organizing, which has the potential to mobilize communities and effect real change. But this cannot be done by the Democratic Party alone. As King pointed out, "the movement must go beyond the political parties" and become a collective effort by all those who seek justice and equality.
Individuals can also catalyze change by speaking out against injustice and holding those in power accountable. As Anderson writes, "Change is made by those who speak up, who stand up, who march, who sit-in, who write, who organize, who vote."
The struggle for democracy and equality is ongoing, and incidents like the expulsion of Jones and Pearson serve as a stark reminder of the obstacles that lie ahead. But as long as individuals and communities are willing to stand up and demand change, there is hope for a brighter future.
Marie R. Mott