From Nashville to a city council near you

Re “Tennessee House expels two Democrats,” April 7

While the expulsion of two members of the Tennessee state House may seem far removed from California, we should pay very close attention. Republicans in Tennessee have found another method of gerrymandering: Expel the representatives you don’t like via a twisted application of their rules of conduct. Three duly elected representatives, who are members of the Democratic Party, were targeted for removal because they peacefully demonstrated for common-sense gun legislation on the House floor, and two were actually thrown out.

Effectively, the tens of thousands of constituents in these two districts have been disenfranchised — not because of an election, but after administrative monkey business by small-minded people with power.

What’s going on in your legislature? School board? City council? Board of supervisors?

Jeanne Brown

San Juan Capistrano

Perhaps one answer to gun violence would be not only to shame Tennessee but also to shun it.

Large companies with headquarters in Tennessee include FedEx and Dollar General. By doing some research, we can all know where our dollars are going. I will tell everyone I see about these companies and will discourage all travelers from planning trips to Tennessee.

Sorry, Nashville, but your joy and beauty are no match for the ugly representative body of your state.

Janice Tully

Seal Beach

Hearing of the expulsions, I wondered if I lived in a democracy anymore.

Three Democratic state representatives joined a gun control protest after a school shooting in Nashville, and Republican state Rep. Gino Bulso was quoted saying that the three “effectively conducted a mutiny.”

A mutiny is what happened on Jan. 6, 2021. A peaceful protest in favor of gun control is hardly equivalent.

What does it say about our democracy that two of the three were expelled from their seats because they took part in this demonstration? Is it safe to ask questions or act on one’s beliefs in our country anymore?

There is clearly confusion here, and lines need to be drawn. Participating in a protest is not the same as sexual misconduct or misuse of public funds. What were those who voted for removal thinking?

It is especially painful to see two African American legislators silenced. What have we failed to learn? What are we doomed to repeat?

S.A. Epstein

Glendale

Expelled Tennessee state Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson made “good trouble.” The late John Lewis would be proud.

Maria Alicia Martinez

San Pedro

Being too noisy in the House chamber is an outrage, and it will not be tolerated in Tennessee.

But shooting three schoolchildren and three staff members to death seems to be OK, as Republican lawmakers in Tennessee will do nothing about that.

Bruce Janger

Santa Monica

No reference to Tennessee on Friday’s front page? Not even a photo to signal an outrage has occurred that intersects gun control, racism, gerrymandering and the threats to democracy that keep piling up?

Holly Wiland

Venice