'Could there have been a worse response?' U.S. readers blast Tennessee House expulsion

Editor’s note: Hundreds of readers continue to weigh in on the expulsion hearings of the “Tennessee Three” – the state House lawmakers who were accused of “disorderly behavior” for encouraging gun law reform protesters from the chamber’s floor. The vast majority of letter writers have condemned the Tennessee General Assembly’s action, including readers from throughout the world. The actions last week resulted in the ousting of Justin Jones, D-Nashville, and Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, and the near removal of Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, and there were also some readers who supported this outcome. In this collection of letters, we present representative points of view from those outside of Tennessee.

Tennessee expulsion recalls Chicago Eight trial of 1969

When the Tennessee Legislature expelled state Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, two of the Tennessee Three, it revived memories of Judge Julius Hoffman ordering Black Panther leader Bobby Seale bound and gagged at his Chicago Eight trial in 1969. Back then, powerful forces moved to silence protesters trying to save America’s sons and daughters from the killing fields in Vietnam. Today, powerful forces are trying to silence protesters fighting to save America’s sons and daughters from the killing fields of the USA. It’s disturbing, but not surprising, that those who would allow our children to be sacrificed on the altar of gun-industry profits would attack those fighting to keep our kids from falling victim to gun violence. The lawmakers' patently undemocratic action is another frightening sign of the country’s descent toward authoritarianism, where the rich and powerful choke off the voices of the common people. Sadly, but perhaps fittingly, the state leading the way is where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., that noble champion for peace and goodwill, was assassinated nearly 55 years to the day.

Brad Brown, Vallejo, CA

Native Southerner astounded by Tennessee today

Born in Savannah, Georgia in 1949, I am appalled that Tennessee legislators are apparently flagrantly practicing racism, bigotry and suppression. That they apparently have rules to suppress the First Amendment astounds me. Let's go forward, not backwards.

Chris Roesel, Roeland Park, KS

Bigotry explains comparing peaceful protest to Jan. 6

Bigotry is still alive and thriving in Tennessee, as evident in comparing a basically peaceful protest in the legislative meeting to the insurrection on Jan. 6, where people were killed and injured. No more visits to Nashville, a lively/lovely city with great music and food.

Margaret Munson, Penn Valley, CA

Check the polls: Americans seek a path forward

Justin Jones and Justin Pearson outshone many of their peers this week. They are bright, articulate and heads above some of their Republican opponents. The long, poorly delivered diatribe by the Speaker of the House was shameful. The Speaker, full of vitriol, and his equally weak cohorts should be voted out and the young potential voters will be the ones to do it. It is a sad commentary that there is so much cowardice among Republicans on the subject of guns. National polls consistently show that Americans nationwide want background checks and a ban on automatic assault weapons designed for the military. The Republican Party just doesn't get it. When I travel internationally, I am always queried about guns and asked: what is wrong with your government? Good question.

Rose Cycler, Bowling Green, OH

I vow not to support Tennessee

I love to see the state showing who they really are. None of my money will ever go to your state.

Joseph Maciorowski, Sebastopol, CA

My home state is a national embarrassment

I am a native Tennessean who moved from the state in the ‘90s. I have some family who still live there. Tennessee has become a national embarrassment, more so in recent years, and the actions by the Tennessee GOP reinforce that sentiment. Furthermore, the optics are horrible. Race is not a factor? Please, that bust of the KKK Wizard was just removed. Welcome to Tennessee 1960.

Tim Will, Baltimore MD

The past lives on in Tennessee

It looks like Jim Crow is alive and well in Tennessee.

Vaughn Rees, San Ysidro, CA

Worried more about drag queens than children’s lives

I am writing to express my disdain for your political stance in Tennessee. To see democracy stomped on like your Republicans did is a very sad day for America. Soon we will be a banana republic and will lose our standing in the world. The only thing an out-of-state person can do is never come to Tennessee and never spend one penny in your state. You are sick to not want to care for your children's lives but scared s------- over a drag queen. You people really are just rednecks!

Paul Moultroup, Davisburg MI

My new heroes live in Tennessee

I gained three new heroes last week. And 72 new villains.

Janet R Goff, Cardiff By The Sea, CA

Sadly, you’ll never see me at Graceland

All my life I have had a goal to visit Graceland, but with the resent disgraceful behavior of your state legislators you would never see me step one foot into your bigoted, ignorant and pathetic state. Shameful.

Jerry Bunn, Beaverton, OR

‘Tyranny of leadership’ causes TN to lose sight of what’s important

I live in Connecticut where 10 years ago, 26 people, including 20 6- and 7-year-olds, were gunned down at the Sandy Hook School. It remains an incomprehensible tragedy. As I watched the Tennessee legislature disgrace itself before an international audience, I could only think what a shame it is that three representatives who tried to focus on a similar tragedy would be so punished for seeking to speak their views. Apparently, there is a tyranny of leadership that prevents political discourse and, in the process, lost sight of the fact that six beautiful people will never see the sun on Easter morning. Surely, something is very wrong in Nashville.

Claudia Weicker, Old Lyme, CT

Give legislators credit: They did remove KKK bust

I just returned from Athens, Greece, the birthplace of democracy, where upon arriving home I learned of the expulsion of two young Black lawmakers who had been ousted from the Tennessee legislature for what the late Civil Rights Icon John Lewis would have described as “good trouble.” The Republicans in the Tennessee State House need a review of what democracy is all about, if they ever learned it to begin with. One does have to wonder about those in the Tennessee legislature. After all, one actually suggested that hanging from a tree should be a form of capital punishment in the great state of Tennessee. One can't make this stuff up. The vote to expel the Tennessee Three took place in a building built by enslaved people, and where in 1866 it expelled members who tried to block citizenship of former slaves. However, let’s give credit where credit is due. After all, they did remove from the State House a bust of an early Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard: in 2021.

Tom Scorby, St. Charles, Illinois

Why I canceled my vacation to Tennessee

To Governor Lee and Speaker Sexton,I am traveling solo around the southeast region of the USA and was planning to visit Tennessee on my return trip to Massachusetts. I canceled this part of my trip. Why? The appalling anti-democratic expulsion of duly-elected representatives, for acts that could have been resolved by censure. It’s absolutely mortifying and a fascist abuse of power. To add insult to injury, TN House members expelled two young black men and failed to expel the white woman, who rightly stated it’s probably about the color of their skin. Your mostly white Republican legislators are essentially telling black people in your state, “Sit down and shut up or we’ll find a way to shut you up.” The problem was never about misbehaving Democrats flouting rules at the State House. At issue was the repeated bloody murders of children and educators, and you just turned it into the more obvious reason for abusing your power – that you care more about power and demographic change than children and families in Tennessee. The top priority on Governor Lee’s website is “School Safety” and that appears to be a lie.

Laryssa W Rod, Somerville, MA

We can see the truth

We're embarrassed for you, Tennessee. The optics of these expulsions speak much louder than the lies of denial of these redneck Republicans. They never expelled David Byrd and others accused of much more serious crimes. The transparent racism is disgusting and contemptible. Rest assured the world is watching your bumbling power grab.

Linda Albers, R.N., Kailua-Kona, HI

Gun lobby is today’s 30 pieces of silver

It's a mockery that the Tennessee Legislature is more offended by Constitutionally protected lawful protest than it is the spilled blood of children. For a party intent on ramming abortion restrictions down the throats of every citizen of this nation, the Republicans — frankly — do not care that children are dying elsewhere on their classroom floors. They do not care that every teacher and student fears the day that the active shooter alert is no longer a practice drill. That gun lobbyist money in their pockets is their 30 pieces of silver. This should've been an opportunity for both parties to come together to protect our children. People of one party did try and ended up ousted for their efforts. Sickening.

Randy Dale, Marianna, Florida

You’re afraid of the wrong thing

The bullies seem to be unhappy, putting the Tennessee Three in a corner didn't have the desired effect. The world watched as your inner Bull Connor was on full display, live and in color. What a despicable herd mentality. Listen to all people, hear and understand. Having your head blown off is not polite nor pretty. Fear the gun, not the three messengers.

Anne Needles, Bethlehem, PA

Could there have been a worse response?

Feel sad for the children and young adults watching all the Tennessee lawmakers. It seems like a chapter from some future High School history book titled: “The worst possible way to react after a mass shooting.”

John Webster, Tempe, AZ

I work for a Speaker and this would not stand

Yesterday was an embarrassment for our country and for your state in particular. I worked for the Speaker of the House in our state and I would have walked out if this were to happen. It also reeks of racial injustice and I happen to be white even though I shouldn’t have to declare my color to make a point. I am enraged that your state wasted precious time on this travesty rather than focusing on ideas to keep our kids safe. We will make sure I never visit.

Joseph & Carol Atkinson, Gig Harbor, WA

Punished for expressing outrage about children’s deaths

When two young, minority, Democratic, elected leaders are expelled from the Tennessee House of Representatives for expressing outrage for the continued deaths of our young children, it confirms to the world why the aging, white, Republican party will soon only exist in our history books. It's sad that in Tennessee, Republican leaders continue to support sacrificing our young children so they can keep AR-15s. How many more kids have to die?

John O'Brien, Buena Vista, CO

I won’t be visiting Pigeon Forge this year

I am appalled about the expulsion of the lawmakers who protested in favor of gun control. I have often vacationed in Pigeon Forge, but I will not this year.

Jake Williams, Birmingham, AL

Calling for a boycott of Tennessee from Idaho

I am a 70-year old woman living in rural Idaho. The Tennessee vote to expel two young representatives for voicing their outrage at the murders of children by assault weapons will go down in history as yet another desperate power grab by the GOP. Throw them out and, in the meantime, boycott everything that they hold dear.

Laurie Morehead, Hammett, ID

I discovered there are legislators worse than Utah’s

Through personal experience, I think of Utah’s legislators as the most uncompassionate in the nation, challenged perhaps only by those in Idaho. Now I have to add some of Tennessee’s legislators to the list. It’s so easy to believe we have a fundamental right to something based on a vaguely-worded sentence written by men who couldn’t envision a flush toilet let alone a gun that could shoot more than two bullets per minute. But it’s not about guns. It’s about the people who are killed by guns.

Martin Neunzert, Ogden, UT

We’ve canceled our trip to Nashville, will vacation in another state

Dear residents of Tennessee,I’m writing to let you know that due to the recent activity of your state’s legislature, my husband and I have decided to cancel our long-awaited trip to Nashville and spend our tourist dollars elsewhere. We will choose a city and state where duly elected representatives are allowed to stand with their constituents and exercise their First Amendment right to free speech. I am saddened and disgusted by the behavior of the officials who voted to oust two elected representatives, therefore disenfranchising thousands of citizens. The blatant racism goes beyond anything that a civilized, democratic society would practice. I stand with the Tennessee Three.

Leslie Roussan, Haines, AK

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: 'Tennessee three' expulsion prompts call for boycott from U.S. readers