Denouncing lack of representation
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Denouncing lack of representation
How protests in Tennessee are a symptom of not addressing culminating issues
Protests in Tennessee have recently captured attention due to the conflict between entrenched conservatism and demonstrators demanding change. Protestors advocate not only for stricter gun control legislation but also for increased representation within political institutions.
However, let's take a step back and put the events of the past few weeks into context.
As discussed in a previous post, gun violence has become a recurring tragedy in the US, and demands for stricter gun control legislation have fueled a persistent protest movement over the past year.
These movements often intersect with other pressing issues that are being addressed simultaneously.
Examining protest movements in Tennessee more closely, we can see how demonstrations against police forces took place before the recent protests.
Analyzing media coverage of those "Police forces" protest events offers critical context for understanding the subsequent developments. In early January, Tyre Nichols was pulled over for allegedly reckless driving (which was later disproven). A forceful arrest ensued, followed by a chase that ended tragically when Nichols died from his injuries.
Massive protest events took place afterwards. Here’s a sample of articles that covered them:
20230115 - Police forces - Tennessee, United States - Tyre Nichols investigation: family protests in police-involved death - Family members of Tyre Nichols are fighting for answers in the 29-year-old’s death.
20230129 - Police forces - Tennessee, United States - Memphis disbands police unit in fatal beating; more protests expected - The specialized police unit that included at least some of the Memphis officers involved in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols was disbanded on Saturday, the police department announced, as more protests were planned in u.s. cities a day after harrowing video of the attack was released. in a statement, the department said it was permanently deactivating the scorpion unit after the police chief spoke with members of Nichols' family, community leaders and other officers.
20230130 - Police forces - Shelby County, Tennessee, United States - after a weekend of protests against police brutality, Memphis officials note that investigation into Tyre Nichols' death is not over
As American civil rights and social justice activist Al Sharpton pointed out:
“Let’s not forget right there in Tennessee we’re not only dealing with the energy from them dealing with this gun legislation, we’re still dealing with the whole Tyre Nichols case of a man beat to death on tape in the same state”
Protests against gun violence should be seen as a culmination of events that underscore social issues not directly addressed by political institutions.
The crux of the matter is that legislators seem more preoccupied with preserving institutional protocol rather than addressing their constituents' concerns.
The situation in Tennessee exemplifies the delicate balance between maintaining the integrity of democratic institutions and the risk of their democratic erosion due to rigidity. While protest movements can sometimes instill the political will to reform these institutions, their relevance may be called into question if they become completely vulnerable to the issues raised on the streets.