Tennessee Discusses Reinstating Ousted Lawmakers While Nation Reels from Another Shooting

Another mass shooting has taken place in Louisville, Kentucky, as politicians in Tennessee gather to discuss restoring two Democratic congressmen who were elected out because of their protest over gun regulation. There have been 5 fatalities and 6 individuals brought to the hospital with injuries.

Representatives Justin Pearson and Justin Jones of Tennessee, along with Representative Gloria Johnson, were disciplined for their participation in a gun safety demonstration on the House floor. The fatal incident at The Covenant School in Green Hills, a suburb of Nashville, on March 27, 2023, inspired them to take action. On that tragic Monday morning, six people, including three children and three adults, plus the shooter, were killed.

According to Republican leaders in the Tennessee House of Representatives, Pearson, Jones, and Johnson sullied the proceedings and the dignity of the chamber. Pearson and Jones lost their seats in a vote because they refused to stop protesting over gun legislation, but Johnson kept hers.

Pearson and Jones, both of whom are African-American, are the two youngest members of the House; Johnson, on the other hand, is white. The GOP disagrees, claiming a lack of order and respect for the process of government, while the Tennessee Three, as they are now known, argue that race was the key issue in the outcome of the vote.

The Metropolitan Council of Nashville has scheduled more sessions to discuss whether or not to reinstate Representative Jones to his position in the House of Representatives. Similarly, the Pearson situation will soon be up for discussion before the Memphis Board of Commissioners. Both Pearson and Jones have promised to win back their House seats.

The most recent incident involving gunfire in Louisville happened at Old National Bank. Andy Beshear, the governor of Kentucky, has asked for prayers for Louisville, where at least three of the fatalities are known to him personally.