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— George
This week gun safety was in the news across the country.
We return first to Nashville, Tennessee where protests have continued to bring attention to inaction by the state legislature on gun violence. Thousands of folks from Voices for a Safer Tennessee—as high as 9,000–linked arms to form a human chain to the state Capitol.
People power in action!
watch video here
The “Tennessee Three” whom the GOP majority sought but failed to expel permanently from the House are getting recognized for their stance by the White House:
watch video here
Meanwhile, in a development that can only be described as karmic, the national attention the Tennessee GOP brought upon itself came back to bite Republican Speaker Cameron Sexton.
Popular.info dug into Sexton a bit deeper and apparently the Speaker has been lying about his residency—claiming a home in a rural district while buying and living in a house in Nashville—all contrary to state law.
Democratic state Representative Justin Jones—one of the expelled House members—made good use of his reinstatement:
watch video here
Kansas City, Missouri is grappling with the shooting of 16-year old Ralph Yarl—a Black teenager whose only mistake was to ring the wrong doorbell when he went to pick up his younger twin brothers.
Students in his high school marched out of their classrooms in support of him.
They chanted “We love you, Ralph!” as they led a protest against the shooting.
watch video here
Yarl miraculously survived being shot twice—once in the head—and is expected after a “positive” prognosis to recover. His path back to his full self may be long and difficult, however.
So his aunt set up a gofundme in his name to aid in his recovery.
It has raised over $3.2 million dollars from over 45,000 supporters from around the country.
Tennessee was also in the news for its hateful anti-trans and anti-drag laws.
In a winning response to those bills, Tennessee resident Zachary Stamper is using TikTok to raise money for billboards highlighting the hypocrisy of Republican Governor Bill Lee.
The billboards depict Lee in drag back when he was a student.
watch video here
The amount raised so far?
$100,000 in one month.
In Michigan, an important piece of gun safety legislation establishing the state’s first red-flag laws passed out of the legislature and is on its way for signature by the governor.
Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis came after Disney again by threatening to send state safety monitors to inspect the rides there and to build a state prison next to the theme park in Orlando.
Disney’s next move announcing its first ever LGBTQ+ Pride Nite was a win in our books, though!
Fun fact:
Ron DeSantis actually got married at Disney World in 2009. We guess he’s forgotten how magical the magic kingdom really is.
Speaking of bullies, over in the House of Representatives, GOP Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene was deemed out of order when she insulted the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas.
In fact, she was so out of line that the Chair of the Homeland Security Committee, Republican Representative Mark Green of Tennessee, struck her words and then even agreed she had forfeited the right to further speak.
It was a beautiful moment to take in.
watch video here
Here’s a story that warmed our hearts.
A dad, who grew up in poverty in West Virginia as the youngest of four kids to a single mom, finally got to meet his hero, President Joe Biden in the White House. The video of the moment gave us all the feels.
The look on his face was hard to forget.
watch video here
And in very big Star Trek news, drum roll please…
Oscar-award winning actress Michelle Yeoh will be starring in a special Star Trek movie event called Section 31.
Take our money now!
And if you need one image to describe pure joy, it’s this hero doing a cartwheel on her way to first base at her very first tee ball game.
watch video here
You go girl!
Happy belated birthday Uncle George! 🎉🎂
All great stories! The one I want to comment on is those high school students walking out of class to support their fellow student, and other students who protested across Florida about DeSantis forcing the "don't say gay" ban up through 12th grade. Do the Republicans not realize they are creating an entire generation of activist teens? These kids will be able to vote in 1-2-3 years. Does the GOP really think this is the way to win their votes? Or does the GOP think they can find ways to suppress ALL those votes?