Editorial by April Lieberman: A message for Representative Darby
Repr. Darby,
If you felt that strongly about the actions of your colleagues, a vote for censure would have sufficed. But to vote to oust three duly elected representatives because you disagree with their political views? Or is it you don’t appreciate young Black men who are magnificent orators, passionately representing their districts, all in the name of trying to find a way toward common sense gun reform? Or do you not care for a career educator trying desperately to find common ground on gun reform, to try to stop the massacres?
Their offense was attempting to save children’s lives. You protected your former colleague who had abused his position as a basketball coach, admitting to sexually assaulting his high school players. All recorded on tape. You are the father of daughters, talented basketball players, yet you effectively saved an abuser from any disciplinary action because there was an R next to his name.
You protected him because your party bosses told you to. Who are you really representing? Where are your values, that you deemed that predator worthy to roam those halls, yet voted to expel colleagues whose only offense was trying to PROTECT children?
You voted to expel three representatives who committed no crime, no unethical conduct, simply because of their views, their passion, their skin color, and gender. Today you voted for totalitarianism, for autocracy, and one-party rule. You voted to disenfranchise 200,000 Tennesseans. You have violated both the Tennessee and U.S. Constitutions in unprecedented ways.
What you did today is an embarrassment to Weakley County and to the State of Tennessee. This brazen, racist power grab will be taught in Tennessee History books to our grandchildren’s grandchildren. You are on the wrong side of history.
–April Lieberman, Dresden, TN
Opinions and letters published in The Weakley County Press are not necessarily the views of the Editor or Publisher.
Thank you for your editorial. It was right on target.
Thank you, Candace.
April, you’re a flaming liberal who loves drag queens, sexualizing children, and loves violent protest. Do you think one Republican in this world cares about anything you have to say? Definitely not.
Only the ones I’m related to.
Thank you for speaking Truth when so many choose to speak Lies! Stay strong!
Thank you, Dee.
It was not racially motivated. It was all about proper adult conduct.
Period. The media turned it into racism. Get over it and grow up
And do you think that we all swallow you MAGA propaganda Sir? Apparently so.
Racism has nothing to do with it they messed up they got punished as any congressperson would have.
Hi Ronny,
That’s just it. They were not treated like other legislators, for whom a disciplinary action for breach of decorum might involve la committee assignment, reprimand, or censure. Before last Thursday, only two Representatives had been expelled since the Civil War, and that for criminal conduct. The Republican majority protected a sitting member of their party who was an admitted child molester. They voted out the young Black men, sparing the White woman, for exactly the same conduct. This double standard is a racist infringement of their Free Speech rights and disenfranchisement of their voters, who are primarily brown and Black. It was a shameful day in our history.
Good job April!
Thank you.
It was not racially motivated. It was all about proper adult conduct.
Period. The media turned it into racism. Get over it and grow up
The normal disciplinary action for a breach of decorum might involve a committee assignment, reprimand, or censure. Before last Thursday, only two Representatives had been expelled from the House since the Civil War, and that for criminal conduct.
The Republican majority protected a sitting member of their party who was an admitted child molester. They’ve protected felons, embezzlers, and their well known colleagues who regularly sexually harass or assault interns, staffers, and lobbyists.
The Republican supermajority voted out the young Black men, sparing the White woman who engaged in exactly the same conduct. This double standard is a racist infringement of their Free Speech rights and disenfranchisement of their voters, who are primarily brown and Black. It was a shameful day in our history.
Good people must speak up when others are wronged if we hope to have a functioning, fully representative democracy.
It’s obvious the author is very disconnected to reality. The leader of this attempt to incite (Jones) is a 12 time arrested activist, with charges from vandalism, obstruction, and assault on an officer. He led a premeditated effort to incite and disrupt. He intentionally took a bullhorn to the floor & planned for his self-serving interest. He won District 52 with 1900 votes & beat another liberal who only received 1600 votes. He was unopposed and his district has a population of 72 thousand. He’s a child in a grown-up’s world & utilizes his Vandy indoctrination to lead others who can’t make up their mind on which bathroom to use. Hopefully, the other side can field an adult & get him in the next general election. He’s never ever attempted to propose legislation. Sadly, too many like our local liberals are so far out of reality, they live in their own head. Good job Rep. Darby. Keep up the good work.
And thats why he is a threat to your vision of one party authoritarian right wing rule. Did you notice the thousands across the country who now have his back. The thousands of young people who are working to stand up to fascism that you endorse? Take notice Sir.
Exactly right. Thank you, Jack.
All your doing is reading a script off the Tucker Carlson Show. Skewed allegations and slander. Mr.Jones engaged in acts of proteest and was never charged. He has more courage than the entire gop membership of the house put together
Tandy’s vote was for ALL 3 to be removed. How is that racist?
In addition, those 3 democrats that are SUPPOSEDLY so passionate about protecting our children voted AGAINST having resource officers in the schools????
Thank you for your comments. And now we find that the Speaker has been milking the government for thousands of dollars for travel expenses to a place where he doesn’t live. That’s theft. Perhaps he should be ousted. Oh, right. Won’t happen because he has R after his name.
Agreed. It is shameful and illegal. Sexton should be arrested for fraud and be made to reimburse the state for the bogus per diem reimbursements.
Perhaps Sexton will be arrested for fraud and theft. A commissioner in Clarksville was arrested recently for the same offense.
This editorial is almost as fake as converting to Judaism to receive an inheritance. If we’re going to be frauds online, let’s all be democrats.
Thanks for proving the authors point by your smirking antisemitism
Thank you for speaking for those of us who he is supposed to represent, but whom he chooses to ignore.
Thank you, Amy.
Spot on, April!! It was absolutely about racism. It was a cohesive act of the TN Republican legislators to put these people in their place. They knew where the votes would fall before the expulsion vote occurred. They voted the young men out because they were two black men acting “uppity” and they let the white woman stay by one vote as if to shoot a warning shot over her head. The message to her was clear, “Fall in line or the same will happen to you.”
I think we’ll find out soon enough. Looks like the DOJ may investigate.
Absolutely. All that has come out in just the past week confirms their motivations. It is disgusting.
I expressed my views publicly and under my own name. I believe in the free exchange of ideas in the public square. I may learn from you, just as you may learn from me.
Many of you who disagree with my editorial are not doing me the same courtesy, hiding behind made up names. It is cowardly. Deep down, you must know that your beliefs are bigoted, or sexist, or anti-Semitic. I’m not impressed.
Weakley County Press, is this an appropriate standard for public discourse?