Some thoughts on @LeeChatfield stripping Rep. Cynthia Johnson of her committee assignments for warning Trump supporters to stop threatening her with lynching for doing her job.

A thread...

1/whoknows because when I rant, I rant

For starters... ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

This BLACK WOMAN is getting death threats because Chatfield and Hall and their caucus are LYING to the American people. DEATH THREATS.

How do I know she is?

2/gazillions

Because she shared them publicly! We heard them. And when she did, one of her colleagues (Rep. WHITEford) criticized HER for rocking the boat...

How else do I know?

3/this might be awhile

Because I have been getting them too. Yes. Death threats. By email, by phone, by US mail, etc... I've gotten pizzas, dildos, poop mailed to me, glitterbombs, weird pictures, nooses etc..

and I'm a very privileged White dude.

What I've gone through is nothing like

4/still going

what women and POC in public life have to endure EVERY day.

ARMED nutjobs have been rioting outside MI SOS @JocelynBenson's house.... Did Chatfield condemn that?

When another WHITE MALE GOP State Rep

5/lots more

posted pictures of ammo and said he was stocking up to prepare for dealing with liberals - real post and this is the pic- was he stripped of his committee assignments?

If you said 'yes,' you'd be white wrong...

How about when

6/not even close to done

Donald Trump told White Nationalist militias to 'stand by' did Chatfield distance himself from those comments and condemn Trump?

NOPE. He went to a Trump rally the next week and stood (maskless) in the front row.

Let this be clear...

7/4,000,345

A. Chatfield and Hall and the GOP are CAUSING and contributing to this violent rhetoric.

How? Well, for starters, they never condemn it when Trump or anyone on their side does it.

Second, they and their friends love to use military and hunting analogies when

8/more

talking about politics.

Third, they are giving airtime to and providing political cover to a completely meritless and unnecessary attack on American Democracy.

If the GOP didn't call the Wayne County Board of Canvassers and tell them to baselessly disenfranchise

9/lots

250,000 largely Black voters in Detroit, you wouldn't know my name and the Right - I know it's the Right because frequently they SAY SO in their messages- wouldn't have doxxed me and threatened my family.

If Chatfield and Shirkey hadn't

10/gazillions

gone to meet with Trump about overturning the election for no valid reasons, this would have ended weeks ago.

If Hall hadn't brought Giuliani in to do the most ridiculous circus of flatulence and conspiracy theories and Covid an make a mockery

11/only like 10 more

of the entire Michigan Legislature to the point where SNL's cold opening was nowhere near as comical as the real thing, Rep Johnson wouldn't be getting threats of being LYNCHED in 2020....IN 2020.

And, their response?

12/keep reading

These good old boys are circling the wagons (good analogy @beyond_process ) and wait for it... attacking her.

That's right. She told Trumpers who are threatening to Lynch her to back off and be careful and the Michigan GOP is literally

13/almost

attacking HER.

B. This is the perfect example of institutional racism... The White power structure and leaders keep their mouths shut and stand idly by or actively encourage violent rhetoric and threats against POC and when the victims have the nerve to defend

14/15 or 16

themselves, they are called 'uppity' or 'troublemaking' and told to just grin and bear it or face punishment.

Well, guess what? I don't know Rep Johnson, but from what little I've seen... that shit isn't gonna play with her.

As I told lots of the White, suburban GOP

15/

poll challengers harassing election workers in Detroit at TCF:

NO. NO MORE. You can't come into Detroit with that tired old racist BS and think it's gonna work anymore.

We're done. And, when I say 'WE," I mean we privileged WHITE dudes. We created the institutional

16/17

racism. We perpetuate it. And we're not going to play that anymore. Not in Detroit. Not while I'm standing here.

WE are going to stand with our friends and neighbors and allies like Rep. Johnson.

We are not going to let you bully or threaten them anymore...

17/18 OK I lied

I'll turn this into an OpEd later. But for now, just know... NOT THIS TIME.

Attacks on Rep Johnson need to stop NOW.

18/18

Hey @threadreaderapp can you do that unroll thing, pls