Race and Politics

Rep. Al Green was escorted out of the State of the Union after standing near the president with a sign reading "BLACK PEOPLE AREN’T APES," prompting physical confrontations with GOP members who tried to block or seize the sign; Green likened his action to civil‑rights protest, tied it to a now‑deleted "Lion King" spoof and objections to proposed cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security, and said he would do it again. Republicans are split over a second censure — Rep. Mike Rulli has circulated a draft resolution citing Green’s second removal in less than a year, but Speaker Mike Johnson and other GOP leaders express reluctance, pointing to prior censure in March 2025, concerns about tit‑for‑tat politics, and Green’s competitive primary that could limit his time in Congress.