Several members of the Tennessee General Assembly provided comments to The Tennessee Star in support of the Tennessee National Guard members who are about to be fired due to their refusal to comply with the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
State Senator Ferrell Haile (R-SD18) was the first to provide The Star with a comment. Haile exclaimed, “I do not support the firing because of refusal to be vaccinated by TN National Guard!”
The Star previously reported Tennessee Senate Republican Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) issued a strong statement on Friday in support of Tennessee National Guard members who are scheduled to be fired on June 30:
It is a travesty that the Biden Administration is prepared to fire brave men and women who faithfully serve our state and nation in the TN National Guard because of their COVID-19 vaccine status. I have spoken with the Governor’s office and encouraged them to do everything they can to protect these Guard members. We should celebrate those who are willing to serve their fellow citizens in uniform, not penalize them because of a personal medical decision. I call on President Biden to immediately intervene and allow our brave National Guard members to do their job without fear of reprisal due to their vaccine status.
State Representative Greg Martin (R-Iron Gate) said of the firings, “I believe medical decisions should be made by citizens according to the dictates of their own conscience.:
State Representative Todd Warner (R-Lewisburg) gave a detailed response to The Star’s inquiry. He called on Governor Bill Lee to take action and expressed his disappointment if Lee did not do anything.
“If it is indeed true that these Guardsmen will be in fact fired for not taking the vaccine then yes, Governor Lee should intervene and require the Guardsmen to be hired back. No one should be forced to take a vaccine or take any other action forced by the government,” Warner said.
On whether Lee should help the National Guard members, he said, “Yes, and I will be disappointed if he does not.”
“I oppose the guardsman firing and any other Tennessean from being terminated for refusing the vaccine. The right to make decisions based on what an individual believes is best for themselves and their families should be protected at all costs,” Warner continued.
“The men and women who serve in our military are heroes and I have their back 100% for these folks to risk their lives on a daily basis to make sure that we are protected. The very least we can do is stand up for the freedoms they fight to protect,” he said.
State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver (R-HD40) gave a statement in support of the rights of Tennessee’s National Guard soldiers:
In regard to forcing our Tennessee National Guard to relinquish their rights in refusing to take COVID 19 vaccinations, is nothing short of an assault against the very liberties these men and woman give an oath to protect!
I have two cases of constituents in my district who have experienced 1) open hostility and discrimination because of her choosing not to be injected with an experimental vaccination. Another of those cases is a young man right out of high school who always wanted to join the guard. After joining he was told to take the jab or be dishonorably discharged for his choosing not to be vaxed. He chose the latter, liberty. Unfortunately, medical and religious exemptions are being ignored!
There is and will be an even greater exodus of our men and women in uniform. Weakening and shrinking the moral of our service men and woman is not wisdom. We need our Tennessee guard to show up in strength during civil unrest or natural disasters. Having to make decisions between “life and career” is simply not right no matter what service or employment any Tennessean occupies.
Weaver strongly encouraged Lee to take action in support of the National Guard members and had an even stronger message for Attorney General Herb Slatery III.
I encourage Governor Lee to step up to the plate and lead by showing support to Tennessee National Guard, and declare In Tennessee you do have a choice to vax or not, without retribution.
I believe it is appropriate that the Attorney General do his job and defend these Tennesseans who serve our state. After all, is he not the “people’s defender? File those papers Mr. Slatery. The Tennessee National Guard needs your defense.
I oppose vehemently firing any National Guard Members and or any Tennessean for that matter, due to coercing and mandating COVID 19 vaccinations. PERIOD!
More than one candidate for public office weighed in as well.
Jody Barrett, a State House District 69 candidate, said, “At a time of unrest and turmoil around the globe, and heightened threats here at home due to President Biden’s incompetent border policy and devastating economic policy, we can ill afford to have weak leadership on this issue here in Tennessee.”
“I would urge Governor Lee and AG Slatery to step in and protect these brave and noble Tennesseans from this improper and baseless mandate,” added the John Rich-endorsed candidate said.
Gary Humble, who is running against Johnson in the GOP primary for Senate District 27, said, “Recently, the fight for an individual’s right to make their own medical decisions especially concerning vaccines has been an ongoing saga in Tennessee. Republican leadership in this state can’t seem to grasp the rights that individuals have secured by the Constitution that would protect them from the coercion of others.”
“Even healthcare workers can’t seem to be afforded the right to make their own medical decisions. And now our Guardsmen. Well, I stand with the men and women of the Guard. Governor Bill Lee has the power to intercede here. And it is his duty to do so,” Humble added.
Lee and Slatery have continued to refuse to comment on the situation as of press time.
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Aaron Gulbransen is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected]. Follow Aaron on GETTR, Twitter, Truth Social, and Parler.
Photo “Tennessee National Guard” by Tennessee National Guard.
If these brave men and women are fighting for ‘our freedoms,’ why would that not include personal and medical freedom? These last two years have been a complete and utter failure from both the legal and medical communities.
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