The story behind MTG's 'Say her name' shirt at State of the Union, and the slogan it appropriated
President Joe Biden delivered the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress and Republican members of the House used the speech.
Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-GA) wore a shirt with the phrase "say her name" and a pin with the photo of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student killed by a person federal authorities said entered the country without authorization.
The shirt is an appropriation of the Black Lives Matter movement's chant that is intended to give voice to women who had been killed by police.
Biden spoke to Riley's family during the address and used their presence to advocate for the bipartisan border deal passed by the Senate.
"We can fight about fixing the border or we can fix it," Biden said. "I'm ready to fix it."
Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, one of former President Donald Trump's most outspoken supporters on Capitol Hill, is wearing a T-shirt sporting Trump's booking photo with the caption "NEVER SURRENDER" along with a bowtie with an American flag pattern.
Greene has a history of political stunts at the State of the Union, heckling President Biden at the 2023 speech.
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What is 'Say her name?'
The phrase "say her name" was tied to social justice causes after the 2015 deaths of Sandra Bland, who was found dead in a Texas jail cell, and the killing that same year of 50-year-old Michelle Cusseaux by police in Phoenix.
“Black girls as young as 7 and Black women in their 90s have been killed by the police, and for a long time nobody was talking about it,” Kimberlé Crenshaw, co-founder and executive director of the African American Policy Forum (AAPF) and creator of the #SayHerName campaign told USA TODAY in 2021. “Anti-Black racism is experienced in gendered ways. Elevating this message is important to give a holistic view and expose that Black women and girls are not exempt from abusive policing practices.”
The phrase was launched into the spotlight after the killing of Breonna Taylor in 2020.
Who is Laken Riley?
Riley, was reported missing by a roommate in Feburary after she didn't return from a morning run.
She was found dead later the same day in a wooded area.
Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, was arrested on murder and assault charges, and federal authorities said he entered the U.S. illegally in 2022 and was arrested at least once before.
Gov. Brian Kemp and former President Donald Trump have both laid the blame on the current president, accusing "failed policies" of allowing violent crime to persist in the country.
Their claims tie unlawful immigration to an increase of violent crimes, despite studies that suggest native-born U.S. residents are more likely to be arrested for violent crimes than undocumented immigrants.
Contributing: Ken Tran
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Marjorie Taylor-Greene's 'say her name' shirt at State of the Union
