Political Prisoner Rep. Nicole Collier Defies Republicans
Texas Political Prisoner Rep. Nicole Collier Defies Republican Lawlessness
Apparently, Texas House Republicans didn’t know that State Rep. Nicole Collier is a freeborn Black woman who doesn’t need their permission to move freely. The Fort Worth legislator refused to accept the Republican version of freedom papers after Democratic lawmakers successfully broke the quorum.
Texas Democratic lawmakers have been using every available means to deny state Republicans and the president’s racist maps that would disenfranchise Black and brown communities in the state. According to reports, the Democratic legislators would only be allowed to leave the House floor if they signed a permission slip and agreed to being monitored by a law enforcement officer.
But when presented with the “choice” of signing away her freedom or remaining on the House floor, Collier refused to comply with the unjust action. She said that her constituents sent her to the state’s Capitol to protect their voices and rights.
“I refuse to sign away my dignity as a duly elected representative just so Republicans can control my movements and monitor me with police escorts,” Collier said in a statement Monday. “When I press that button to vote, I know these maps will harm my constituents — I won’t just go along quietly with their intimidation or their discrimination.”
The move follows countless measures by Republican lawmakers to obstruct public access to the racist redistricting plan. Texas House Democrats denounced her detention, calling her a “political prisoner.”
“The permission slip requirement is the latest Republican tactic to monitor and control Democratic lawmakers following their successful quorum break that stalled Governor Abbott’s discriminatory redistricting plan and sparked a national moment,” read the statement. “Texas House Democrats are supporting Rep. Collier’s right to protest and call on Republican leadership to immediately cease this unprecedented detention of a sitting legislator and reopen the galleries to restore public access and transparency to legislative proceedings.”
In a statement, the Texas Black Caucus called the Republican escalation against Collier “a dangerous pattern by Texas Republicans to punish those who protest racist redistricting.”
First elected in 2013, Collier became the first woman to represent Texas House District 95, a majority non-white district covering a large portion of Fort Worth. Efforts to paint her representation of her District as lawless and restrict her right to free movement are in many ways reminiscent of the freedom papers Black people were required to carry pre-emancipation.
Despite how badly they want to drag us back before emancipation, we will not yield. In many ways, Collier’s refusal also reminds us that we cannot normalize attempts to deny our freedom and restrict our rights.
As I wrote three years ago for the Forum, Texas’ wannabee overseers have a long history of disregarding the so-called rule of law. While upsetting, it’s no surprise that a state that lied to Black people about emancipation is back on its 19th-century white supremacy. Similar to after the issuance of General Order No. 3, plantation owners refused to acknowledge Black independence and self-determination.
The Lone Star state has a deep history as a “stronghold of Southern intransigence,” even among other former Confederate states. Over the past 160 years the white vigilantism may have moderated in its appearance, but it is still very alive and present. Texas Republicans, political descendants of a white settlers’ republic, continue to fear full political participation and self-determination of Black communities.
Like many Black women before her, Collier stands at the vanguard of the fight to protect Black self-determination and a truly representative democracy. She follows a long line of Black women from Texas and across the country, who tirelessly fought for Black political participation. Her detention also came on the 105th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote.
An Instagram video late Tuesday morning showed Collier still at the Capitol. Supporters could be seen outside the House chambers.
Brianna Brown, co-executive director of the Texas Organizing Project, said no one should accept the attack on Black communities, their leaders, and the right to fair representation.
“Forcing her to accept a police escort to leave the chamber is about intimidation, surveillance, and silencing — and Black communities across Texas know exactly what that looks like,” she said in a statement late Monday night. “Now Republicans are using the same heavy-handed tactics, recycled from segregationists’ playbook, against a Black elected official who dared to resist. Black leaders shouldn’t be treated like political prisoners. Police escorts for elected officials = surveillance and intimidation.”
SEE ALSO:
Texas Rep. Nicole Collier Being Held Hostage At State House
Texas Democrats Will Return To State After Special Session Ends
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Gov. Greg Abbott Orders Arrest Of Texas Democrats
Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom Counters Texas Redistricting Effort
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Sues To Remove Democratic Rep In Redistricting Fight
Texas Creates 5 New House Seats In Areas Trump Won In 2024
Texas Dems Fight Redistricting Effort Through Filibusters
Texas State Dems Break Quorum To Prevent Redistricting Vote
US Senator John Cornyn, FBI Team Up To Hunt Texas Democrats
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Texas Political Prisoner Rep. Nicole Collier Defies Republican Lawlessness was originally published on newsone.com
