Rep. Al Green
Republicans showed their intolerance for dissenting viewpoints once again, this time during President Donald Trump’s primetime speech broadcast across the world.
Speaker Mike Johnson had Democratic Rep. Al Green of Texas removed from Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night after Green dared to object to Trump as he began to speak.
Green stood up as Trump began, asserting that Trump had “no mandate” for several of his recent actions—seconds after Trump claimed that his small electoral victory was a “mandate” for sweeping changes.
Johnson angrily banged his gavel and ordered Green to “take your seat.” He then called in the sergeant at arms to forcibly eject the Democratic congressman.
The move was unusual and serves as further evidence of Republicans using political power to silence dissenting views. When Republican Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina infamously yelled “You lie!” during former President Barack Obama’s speech in the same room in 2009, Wilson was notably allowed to stay.
This wasn’t even the first moment of the night when Republicans refused to tolerate dissent of any kind.
Earlier in the evening, as Trump entered the room, Republican Rep. Lance Gooden of Texas ripped a sign reading “This is NOT normal” out of the hands of Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico.
Republicans only value one kind of speech: their own.
Reprinted with permission from Alternet.
