(WASHINGTON, D.C., 4/7/2023) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned the expulsion of two Black Tennessee state lawmakers as an “unjustified and racially-charged” act that would only serve to embolden activists in that state.
Republican lawmakers in Tennessee are being accused of racism after they voted to expel the two Black Democrats from the state legislature for their role in a peaceful protest over a recent deadly school shooting in Nashville. A white lawmaker who also took part in the protest was not expelled. She told reporters that the expulsion of her Black colleagues “may have to do with the color of our skin.”
SEE: Tennessee Republicans Accused of Racism After Expelling Two Black Lawmakers
In a statement, CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:
“Tennessee Republicans’ vindictive over-reaction to a peaceful protest in support of gun control following the Nashville school massacre carries the stench of white supremacy. We condemn this unjustified and racially-charged vote, and we expect it to only embolden activists and voters to become more involved in the political process.”
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, [email protected]; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected], CAIR National Communications Coordinator Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected]