If you want to understand why the Justins are so hated, click here. You will see the back-and-forth exchange with Republican John Raglan and Justin Jones. You will see Pearson’s retort as well. For a much shorter version featuring just Jones, see below:
Transcript:
John Ragan (R): “My belief is in God. I settle other things with facts and data. The fact of the matter is, sir, this bill is not racist. It is not unconstitutional.
Justin Jones (D): “You keep bringing up God. but God says in Isaiah 10: ‘Woe to those who pass unjust laws that hurt the poor and robbed them of their rights. And so stop using God to justify your bigotry. Stop using God to justify hatred and racism.”
Cameron Sexton (R): “You are out of order!”
Sadly, Ragan’s bill to limit teaching “divisive concepts” in social justice, racial inequality, political science, psychology, and other fields in college courses passed. It stemmed from last year’s manufactured outrage over “critical race theory,” which later evolved into any teaching about race in U.S. history
The national attention on Tennessee has been a blessing for these two men and for us. They now have a national platform, and Democrats have two new fiery spokesmen for righteous causes. The Democrats in the state are energized, and voting rights groups are coming to Nashville. Yet, for the Tennessee GOP, the spotlight has not been as welcoming.
The national press has already discovered that the House speaker, Cameron Sexton, who led the charge to expel, secretly bought a $600,000 home through an anonymous trust far from his district where he claimed to be living. Under Article II, Section 5a of the Tennessee Constitution, he isn’t a “qualified voter” from the district he represents and thus should be expelled. Not only did he go to great lengths to obscure his purchase, but also billed taxpayers for $92,071 in per diem expenses for his fake commute from Crossville.
RELATED STORY: Tennessee state House speaker owns house outside his district, stiffs taxpayers on 236-mile commute
Unsurprisingly, the Tennessee Republicans are rushing to end this year’s session in the hopes that the national press will leave so they can return to their bizarre antics, bigotry, and corruption in peace. Sadly for them, I think that ship has already sailed.
