NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?
SUMMARY
On Thursday, March 6, the House voted to censure Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, for disrupting President Donald Trump's address to Congress with 10 Democrats joining Republican members in passing the resolution. Green defended his protest, saying that Trump's incivility has to be met with righteous indignation.
Timestamp: Watch from the START of the video above to 1m:28s for a report on the censure.
Then, watch this Instagram video from Lisa Desjardins on what it means to censure a lawmaker.
View the transcript of the story. News alternative: Check out recent segments from the News Hour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
Key terms
censure — to express strong criticism or disapproval
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- Who is Rep. Al Green?
- Why did Green disrupt Trump's address to Congress on Tuesday night?
- What happens when someone is censured in the House of Representatives?
- Who was Green joined by in the well of the House after being censured?
- How many members of the House have been censured this century?
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Why do you think Green felt that it was necessary to interrupt Trump's address to get his point across?
What are other forms of protest that lawmakers have carried out? Discuss with a classmate and share your thoughts on their effectiveness.
Media literacy: Ten Democrats joined House Republicans on Thursday in voting for Green's censure. You can see a record of how all House members voted here. How did your representative vote?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
Read the full story of Green's censure and watch the video of Thursday's House proceedings here.
Read this story and watch the video of President Biden being heckled by Representatives Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene at the State of the Union address in 2022. Boebert and Greene were not censured for their disruptions. What do you think the difference was between their actions and Representative Al Green's?
After Rep. Al Green's censure, he was joined by fellow Democrats in singing "We Shall Overcome." Learn the history behind the famous Civil Rights era song here.
Written by Gianfranco Beran, PBS News Hour Classroom's production assistant, and News Hour's Victoria Pasquantonio.
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