Rep. Bobby Rush Kicked Off House Floor For Wearing Hoodie For Trayvon | Sojourners

Rep. Bobby Rush Kicked Off House Floor For Wearing Hoodie For Trayvon

Think Progress reports that Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL) was today removed from the floor of the House during an impassioned speech against the murder of Trayvon Martin. The reason for his removal?

Think Progress’s Alex Seitz-Wald reports:

As Rush spoke about the murder and racial profiling, he removed his suit jacket to reveal a grey hoodie, while saying, “just because someone wears a hoodie, [it] does not make them a hoodlum.” Rush flipped up the hood, put on a pair of sunglasses, and began reciting Bible verses, prompting Rep. Gregg Harper (R-MS), acting as speaker, to bang his gavel and demand that Rush stop speaking. “The member is out of order,” Harper scolded. “The member is no longer recognized.”

The act was one of solidarity for Trayvon and his family, an act which has been replicated up and down the country by thousands of people in the past week.

During his speech, Rep. Rush quoted Micah 6:6-8 and Jesus’ words from Luke 4 as he spoke against racial profiling.

"With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God?Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:6-8

“'The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.' Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him." Luke 4:18-20