‘The Moral High Ground’: Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL) Ejected from House Floor for Wearing Hoodie in Solidarity with Slain Teen Trayvon Martin

A US congressman was thrown off the House floor for donning a hoodie in support of slain Florida teen Trayvon Martin.

Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL) took to the House floor on Wednesday to denounce racial profiling, which many believe led to the shooting death of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin by Sanford, Florida neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman on February 26.

Rush was wearing a sweatshirt beneath his suit. As he began his speech, he removed the suit jacket and pulled the sweatshirt’s hood over his head and replaced his eyeglasses with a pair of dark sunglasses.

“Racial profiling has to stop, Mr. Speaker,” Rush, who represents Illinois’ First Congressional District, began.

“Just because someone wears a hoodie does not make them a hoodlum.”

Rush attempted to continue.  ”The Bible teaches us…” he began, but was interrupted by a gavel-slapping Rep. Gregg Harper (R-MS), who attempted to silence Rush while referring to House rules prohibiting hats in the chamber. But Rush kept on talking, raising his voice as he quoted Biblical passages about acting “justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

“May God bless Trayvon Martin’s soul, his family,” Rush shouted as the Sergeant-at-Arms removes him from the House floor.

“Clause 5 of Rule 17 prohibits the wearing of hats in the chamber when the House is in session,” Rep. Harper then explained. “The chair finds that the donning of a hood is not consistent with this rule. Members need to remove their hoods or leave the floor.”

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Rep. Rush lost a son of his own to a shooting in 1999 and has been a staunch advocate for victims of gun violence.

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