Representative Bobby Rush (Ill-D) was kicked off the house floor for wearing a hoodie during his speech on the Treyvon Martin case. Rush was starting to talk about the case saying, “The death of Trayvon Martin is indeed an American tragedy. Too often this violent act which resulted in the murder of Trayvon Martin is repeated in the streets of our nation. I applaud the young people all across the land who are making a statement about hoodies, about the real hoodlums in this nation, particularly those who tread on our laws wearing official or quasi-official clothes. Racial profiling has to stop, Mr. Speaker.” He went on to add while putting his hoodie on, “Just because someone wears a hoodie does not make them a hoodlum. The Bible teaches us, Mr. Speaker, and — Micah 6:8…” Speaker Pro Tempore stopped him and had him escorted out by the Sergent at Arms for disobeying House decorum rules. What makes this interesting is Rep Rush is from the Chicago area which has black murder victims daily, yet he is ready to jump to conclusions on a case from Florida that is over a month old. He should get his own house in order before grandstanding for votes and wasting the time of Congress. It is clear this little episode is for TV back home in Chicago to garner more votes, and is offering nothing positive to the debate at hand.
But he was not the only Representative using the death of Trayvon Martin for votes. Rep. Frederica Wilson (Fla-D) went to the floor and claimed this was simply a case of “racial profiling,” and said he was a child hunted down like a dog. “Trayvon Martin murderer is still at large. 31 days and no arrest. Trayvon Martin died because of racial profiling.” “I want America to see this sweet young boy who was hunted down like a dog, shot in the street, and his killer is still at large.”
And then there was Representative Hank Johnson (Ga.-D) who is famous for worrying out loud during a congressional speech that Guam the island might tip over if to much weight was on one side of it. He added fuel to the Trayvon Martin case by saying, “He was executed for ‘WWB’ in a ‘GC.'” He translates this saying it means, “Walking While Black in a Gated Community.”
It is good to see the black congressional caucuses working so hard to tell the truth, and promote the facts.