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Far-right Republican Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn has drawn the internet's ire after comments she made in an interview calling for protesters to be arrested.
Seemingly unaware the First Amendment exists or how a democracy works, Blackburn told far-right propaganda network Newsmax people peacefully protesting the Supreme Court's potential overturn of reproductive rights should be arrested for "trying to change the outcome of a SCOTUS decision."
Since that's literally how free speech works, her comments naturally drew a wave of people online eager to inform Blackburn of what the Constitution she claims to hold so dear actually says.
See her comments below.
Marsha Blackburn says protesters outside Justices\u2019 houses should all be arrested: \u201cThey should haul all these people down to police HQs, they should book them .. They\u2019re trying to change the outcome of a SCOTUS decision, and they\u2019re doing it by showing force and intimidation.\u201dpic.twitter.com/aXnxQ3We1N— Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1652229813
Blackburn was commenting upon the ongoing protests outside the home of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, the author of the leaked majority opinion showing the Court's intentions to overturn reproductive rights.
By all accounts the protests have been not only peaceful, but downright cordial. Stories have abounded of protesters and Alito's neighbors serving each other wine and cheese, charcuterie and pie and even sharing their snacks with the assembled media.
But to hear Blackburn tell it, you'd think the protesters were throwing Molotov cocktails at Justice Alito's house.
She told Newsmax's Chris Salcedo:
"They’re trying to change the outcome of a SCOTUS decision, and they’re doing it by showing force and intimidation."
"They should haul all these people down to police headquarters, they should book them."
Thankfully, that is not how things work in the United States at the moment.
Even if it were, though, this is an interesting tack for Blackburn to take, since she has repeatedly defended the violent protesters who stormed the Capitol on January 6, resulting in five deaths and over 100 injuries to law enforcement and millions of dollars in damages.
Blackburn also signed her name to a joint statement with fellow Tennessee Senator Bill Hagerty refusing to accept the results of the 2020 election, which she and most Republicans maintain was fraudulent.
That statement read in part:
"American democracy relies on the consent of the governed."
Suffice to say the reproductive-rights activists outside Alito's home do not consent to be governed in the way that will result from the Supreme Court's proposed decision should it be adopted.
On Twitter, Blackburn's comments drew no shortage of angry pushback from people eager to give her a lesson in civics.
Hey #Marsha, the purpose of protesting is to bring about change. The right to peacefully protest is protected in the 1st Amendment. And, its not a crime to try to influence the Court\u2019s decisions. Refer to the Constitution you swore to protect and defend.\n#FreshWords\n#RoeVsWade— Southern Sister Resister - Wordsmith #IAmTheStorm (@Southern Sister Resister - Wordsmith #IAmTheStorm) 1652274708
Why are we required to adhere to the majority opinion of the Supreme Court of the United States when the Supreme Court of the United States is not required to adhere to the majority opinion of the people?— \ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0aTheOracle\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a (@\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0aTheOracle\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a) 1652230211
The SCOTUS has upheld:\n- Westboro Baptist Church protests at soldiers\u2019 funerals\n- Protests outside the homes of abortion clinic employees\n- Removal of buffer zones in front of abortion clinics\n\nEither free speech is absolute or it\u2019s not.— \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\udf3bJosh Perkins \u2693\ufe0f(he/him) #Ally \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f (@\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\udf3bJosh Perkins \u2693\ufe0f(he/him) #Ally \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f) 1652230465
These are the same folks who believe the 2nd amendment allows them to take up arms against their own govt. How can they believe that any protest, violent or otherwise, is wrong?— vinao (@vinao) 1652246894
Alito's neighbors are passing around cheese plates "intimidating" protestors. Cheese plates.https://twitter.com/PaulCogan/status/1524161962833289219?s=20&t=aP4qqyXdYWDdji0Y-XNkGw\u00a0\u2026— DBdant (@DBdant) 1652238901
Her degree is in home economics, not law.— Kevin \u2615\ufe0f\ud83c\udfb6 (@Kevin \u2615\ufe0f\ud83c\udfb6) 1652234373
Sen. Marsha Blackburn demanded that SCOTUS protestors be "hauled off and arrested." By a unanimous vote, Congress has asked FEMA to intervene on behalf of Marsha's hair and extract all the families and livestock trapped inside itpic.twitter.com/EapeyXv1GC— Paul Rudnick (@Paul Rudnick) 1652274646
A pox on Marsha Blackburn.— Barbara Malmet (@Barbara Malmet) 1652232435
Yet, Marsha supported the freedumb truckers harassing people at their homes and businesses.https://twitter.com/marshablackburn/status/1491874984247152640\u00a0\u2026— Maureen Schroeder \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Maureen Schroeder \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1652271486
In addition to supporting the January 6 insurrection, Blackburn has also outspokenly supported the "trucker convoy" protests in Canada, which held several cities across the country hostage for weeks and resulted in several incidents of harassment against residents at the hands of the protestors.
Sounds like Blackburn just doesn't like protests that are not led by Republicans.