Rep. Justin Jones Lays Into Tennessee Republicans After Florida Shooting

Tennessee State Rep. Justin Jones (D) this week urged Republicans to take action against white supremacy after a racist gunman killed three Black people in Jacksonville, Florida.

Jones spoke about the Jacksonville shooting on Monday as he was honoring the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington.

"Because the truth be told, White supremacy is not a mental health issue," Jones said on the House floor. "It is about terrorism, and the shooting that happened in Jacksonville, Florida, was not quote-unquote racially motivated. It was racial terrorism, and until we acknowledge that fact, until we act on that fact, it will continue to happen."

Jones wondered what it would take to address the "crisis... of white supremacy in this nation."

"Perhaps the mental health issue is doing nothing when you see tragedy happening," he added. "I'm not going to call for a moment of silence because we've had too much silence in this body. I'm a call for a moment of action. Let's protect these Black lives."

Later in the session, GOP lawmakers voted to silence Jones and two other Democrats who were members of the so-called Tennessee Three.

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