There’s a lot of talk these days about “standing on business” but what if “standing” meant you had to sleep? Sleep in a chair. Sleep on the floor. Sleep on a couch. Standing on business isn’t just about being resolute in your stance, it’s about sacrificing for what you believe in. Rep. Nicole Collier from the great state of Texas is doing just that.
BOSSIP previously reported on Rep. Collier’s refusal to sign Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows’ mandated “permission slip” in order to leave the House floor while accompanied by a police officer. According to NBCDFW, the state representative spent a second night sleeping in the House chambers as part of her protest against the racial biased gerrymandering being proposed by Republicans. The “permission slip” is a childish and petty move by Burrows but Collier knows that something more insidious is also afoot…
“I didn’t feel like I should be obligated to sign a piece of paper to be able to leave the floor, because we’re all adults here. It’s a show of power over people, and that’s what they’re doing now. They’re showing that they have power over us, and that’s why they’re using the force of law enforcement,” Collier said.
Collier’s Democrat colleagues have not joined her in sleeping on the House floor, but several of them have joined in solidarity by “ripping the slip,” tearing up the document that they signed in compliance with Burrows’ inflammatory order.
Texas Rep. Cassandra Garcia Hernandez stood alongside her Democratic constituents in protest of Collier’s confinement.
Voters like the woman in black pictured above, Ruth (she did not feel comfortable giving her last name and who can blame her?) have also taken up space at the Texas Capitol building to protest the way that Collier and her colleagues are being treated.
Rep. Collier also received a surprising phone call from former Vice President Kamala Harris to give encouragement that the sacrifice is being seen, felt, and appreciated.
“When you’re in those rooms, and it feels like you’re the only one there, we are all in that room with you,” said VP Harris.
The fight against the MAGA agenda will take a concerted effort from all of us but especially those who we have elected to represent our interests.
