Voices: GOP’s banning of Zephyr amplified her voice

Andrea Davis

Rep. Zooey Zephyr embodies the bravery we all embrace in the pursuit of freedom. The actions taken to silence Zooey's voice did not work.

Rather, those actions elevated her voice, her message and her willingness to stand up for what is right. As a constituent in her district, I voted to send Rep. Zephyr to Helena, and I am one of the 11,000 Montanans for whom she can no longer provide a voice on the House Floor in these final important days of the legislative session.

The hasty removal of her voice from the legislative process undermines our democratic principles; the ability to hear all voices and grapple with challenging issues is both necessary and essential to a democracy.

Her censure is a travesty to the democratic process we respect and hold sacred. Today, she showed up and worked from a public bench outside of the chamber because she won’t be silenced. Her light is on and she is ready to speak.

Thank you, Representative Zephyr.

-- Andrea Davis, candidate for Mayor of Missoula