An animated and impassioned Kamala Harris made a last-minute trip to Nashville on Friday, where she condemned Republicans for their “cowardice” in refusing to allow a gun control debate, and urged young people to stand up for what they believe in.
Harris traveled to the Tennessee capital after two black Democratic state representatives were evicted Thursday for organizing a protest in the House of Representatives demanding more gun control.
A white female Democratic legislator who joined the protest kept her job, leading to allegations of racism.
Their protest came three days after the March 27 shooting at a Nashville school that killed six people, including three children.
Harris slammed the lectern, telling a crowd at Fisk University — a historically black school — that more needed to be done to end school shootings.
“Each generation has its calling,” she told them. And so especially to all the young leaders here, this issue is going to need your leadership. We need you.’
Kamala Harris hugs Rep. Justin Pearson, a Democrat representing Memphis, before speaking Friday at Fisk University
Harris hugs Pearson, a Democrat representing Memphis who was ousted from the state legislature on Thursday
Harris is seen with her fist clenched as she gave a fiery speech
The 58-year-old vice president whipped up the crowd, urging them to have courage in their beliefs.
“The issue, coming back to these three, is that we need leaders who have the courage to act in state houses and in Washington, D.C., in the United States Congress,” she said.
“Have the courage to act instead of the cowardice not to allow debate.”
She said the “Tennessee Three” acted to protect students.
“Let’s understand that the underlying issue is about fighting for the safety of our children,” she thundered.
In a rising voice, she declared, “It’s been years now since they learned to read and write—and hide in a closet and be quiet when there’s a mass shooter in their school; where our children, who have God’s ability to learn and lead, who go to school with fear.”
Harris was animated as she addressed the Nashville audience on Thursday
Representatives Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson are seen with fists raised in a show of defiance after Harris’ speech
She spoke with feeling, calling for background checks, red flag laws and restrictions on assault rifles.
“Let’s not fall for the false choice — either you’re for the Second Amendment or you want reasonable gun safety laws,” Harris said.
“We can and must do both.”
Her comments were greeted with wild applause and several standing ovations.
Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, the two who were suspended Thursday, were quickly styled as folk heroes.
Gloria Johnson, the third member of the legislature to protest on March 30, was not expelled: Johnson, 60, who is white, said they disapproved because of the color of her skin.
Harris said Jones and Pearson were silenced and repressed for standing up for the lives of schoolchildren.
She met privately with Jones, Pearson, and Johnson, as well as other elected officials and youth advocating for stricter gun control laws.
Gloria Johnson, 60, is seen with 27-year-old Justin Pearson and Justin Jones. All three took part in a demonstration on March 30: the two black men were sent away
Prior to the event, students and others lined up in a row, hoping to enter the school’s Memorial Chapel.
Inside, several young black women wore sweaters with the initials of Alpha Kappa Alpha, a black sorority to which Harris belonged.
“It’s exciting to see someone from my organization doing amazing and amazing things,” said one of them, Jasmyn Thrash.
Nashville metro councilman Zulfat Suara addressed the crowd before Harris arrived and said the evictions “tell us exactly what we need to know about how the state sees young black men” who stand up for what they believe.
She recalled the city’s civil rights history and said, “Just as John Lewis and Diane Nash did many years ago, we too will resist.”
Pearson, Johnson and Jones entered the packed chapel to a standing ovation.
President Joe Biden called their evictions “shocking, undemocratic and unprecedented.”
“Instead of debating the merits of the issue[of gun control]these Republican lawmakers have chosen to punish, silence and expel duly elected representatives of the people of Tennessee,” Biden said in a statement on Thursday.
The White House also said Friday afternoon that Biden spoke to Jones, Pearson and Johnson via conference call, thanking them “for their leadership in trying to ban assault weapons and stand up for our Democratic values.”
The impeachment of Jones and Pearson led to accusations of racism.
The Republican leadership denied that race was a factor.
GOP leaders said Thursday’s actions — used only a handful of times since the Civil War — were necessary to avoid setting a precedent for lawmakers to tolerate disruptions to House proceedings through protest.
Republican Rep. Gino Bulso said the three Democrats “actually committed a mutiny.”
Most state legislatures retain the power to evict members, but it is generally a rarely used punishment for legislators charged with serious misconduct.