Editor’s notebook: Tennessee needs state political leaders to denounce violence

GREEN ISLE, MINNESOTA – JUNE 15: Law enforcement stage in a neighborhood on June 15, 2025 in Green Isle, Minnesota during a search for for the suspect in the killing of Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, who were shot at their home. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

As many Americans did, I awoke the morning of June 14 to horrific news from Minnesota: a man dressed as a police officer had murdered state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband and shot state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife multiple times, critically injuring them. 

After a two-day manhunt, the alleged killer, Vance Boelter was arrested. Based on his own notes and statements from friends, Boelter was a political conservative who had a “hit list” of Minnesota Democrats  — at the state and federal levels — and had been to the homes of two other officials the same night he shot the Hortmans and the Hoffmans.

Officials from other states began to respond almost immediately. 

South Dakota’s House Speaker and leaders of both the majority and minority parties signed off on a joint statement expressing their sorrow for the shootings. New Mexico lawmakers began to review security plans with law enforcement, and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham publicly denounced the Minnesota violence. 

In North Dakota, legislative staff wiped lawmakers’ home addresses from state websites on Saturday. Pennsylvania legislative leaders — both Republicans and Democrats — publicly expressed condolences to the people of Minnesota, and House Speaker Joanna McClinton held a moment of silence mid-House session.

In Tennessee? If you were depending on our state officials to say, well, anything, and particularly anything dignified, you were out of luck. 

On Saturday, the House Democratic Caucus issued a statement on behalf of Chair John Ray Clemmons of Nashville. 

“We extend our love and sincere condolences to our fellow state legislators in Minnesota who were violently attacked, as well as their families and colleagues. We join them in their grief following today’s tragic events.”

“While we lack all the facts of these attacks, this incident should serve as a reminder of our duty, as public officials, not to abuse the power bestowed upon us or use our respective platforms to spread mis/disinformation and ignite divisive, dangerous political rhetoric. Such irresponsible conduct benefits no one and threatens all,” read the statement.

But from either the House or Senate Republican Caucus or the Senate Democrat Caucus, nothing. Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton? Only the sound of silence. And Gov. Bill Lee? Crickets. 

Senator, your woke agenda comes from some proper mental health issues.

The shooter is you, your mentality, desire, political affiliation, and passion. https://t.co/FXxVR1jTIk

— Jeremy Faison (@RepFaison) June 14, 2025

Apparently, state lawmakers preferred to do most of their talking on social media — a medium not known for tamping down public discourse but for fanning the flames of discord. 

Democratic Sen. Heidi Campbell of Nashville posted an ABC News clip on X the morning of the Minnesota shootings, with the comment: “This is where MAGA hate has brought us.” 

House Republican Caucus Chair Jeremy Faison of Cosby responded by accusing Campbell of being mentally ill. 

“Senator, your woke agenda comes from some proper mental health issues,” Faison wrote. “The shooter is you, your mentality, desire, political affiliation, and passion.”

Deputy House Speaker Jason Zachary, a Knoxville Republican, posted, “Senator, it is unfortunate that you would choose to politicize such a terrible tragedy without any facts. In fact, the suspect is a @GovTimWalz appointee. You both need to step back.”

“Prayers for the victims and families. No place for this in our country.”

House Majority Leader William Lamberth declined to jump into the fray, sticking to retweeting his members’ posts. 

A couple of Democratic senators — Nashville’s Jeff Yarbro posted on X, “Whatever is happening right now in this country must stop. And we have to do everything in our power to stop it,” while Charlane Oliver, also of Nashville, posted on Threads — offered condolences and criticized the current political tenor in the U.S. 

Politicians have always chosen fighting words for public speeches, using phrases like “putting a target” on someone or even “kicking a**.”

But there’s no question that political rhetoric inciting violence is, if not at an all-time high, at least at a high mark for the last 60 years or so, and President Donald Trump has been a chief instigator, suggesting hecklers at rallies be “roughed up,” calling Democrats the “enemy within,” saying they are more dangerous than foreign adversaries and defending the violent insurrectionists who rioted at the U.S. Capitol in January 2021. 

There are many Americans who shrug at these comments, and whether they are meant literally or figuratively is beside the point, for it’s clear people like Boelter take incitement to violence to heart. 

Man arrested, charged with stalking Memphis Mayor Paul Young

Just Wednesday, a man was arrested in Memphis and charged with stalking and criminal trespassing after jumping a wall at Memphis Mayor Paul Young’s subdivision. The man had a taser, rope and duct tape when he was apprehended and told police he was “angry” at Young. 

We may never know if political rhetoric played a role: in May, FBI Director Kash Patel called Memphis the “homicide capital of the world” and state lawmakers have used denigrating terms to describe Memphis and its institutions. 

Thank God Young and his family are safe and that Memphis didn’t make headlines for another unspeakable tragedy like the one in Minnesota. 

Thus far, I’ve seen no snarky comments on social media about the Memphis incident, but neither have I seen expressions of alarm or public pronouncements from state lawmakers. 

It’s not enough to just not be snarky. In the wake of the shooting and murders in Minnesota, Tennessee cries for leaders who will speak and act boldly to throw water on the flames of hateful speech; mere talk of “civility” isn’t enough, either. Addressing what is clearly a serious issue is incumbent on both Republican and Democratic leaders.

Or, one day, Tennessee could find ourselves mourning the way Minnesotans are this week. And by then, action will be too late.