An Arkansas judiciary committee met this week to debate a proposed amendment to the state’s self defense laws, which would have eliminated a citizen’s duty to retreat in favor of so-called “stand your ground laws.” These laws allow for a person to act with lethal force against threats or perceived threats, such as the defense in the shooting of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teen who was killed in Florida in 2012.
State Senator Stephanie Flowers, who represents Pine Bluff in the 25th district of Arkansas, was not entertaining any argument for stand-your-ground laws however, as seen in the above footage from the contentious meeting that apparently stretched hours into Wednesday evening.
“I’ll be as quick as I can, as quick as it takes to kill somebody,” Flowers began, addressing the eight-member committee. “It doesn’t take much to look on the local news every night and see how many Black kids, Black boys, Black men, are being killed with these stand-your-ground defenses.”
She then pointed out as the only person of color on the committee, she is also a mother and fears for the well being of her son:
“I care for my son as much as y’alls care for y’alls. But my son doesn’t walk the same path as yours do, so this debate deserves more time. Now I’m in Pine Bluff. We have killings regularly down there … I can tell you, for a long time since I’ve been back in Arkansas, I have feared for my son’s life! Now he’s 27, he’s out of Arkansas, and I thank god he is when you’re bringing up crap like this up — it offends me.”
As Flowers continued, Sen. Alan Clark (R-Lonsdale) attempted to interject, telling her, “Senator, you need to stop.” “No the hell I don’t,” she fired back. “What are you going to do, shoot me?”
According to Arkansas Online, Flowers later walked out of the meeting to smoke a cigarette with her colleague. The bill was eventually voted down 4-3 by the three Democrats and one Republican on the committee. Eventually Flowers’ emotionally charged testimony made its way to NowThis News, which tweeted out the clip on Friday morning, where it quickly went viral.
State Sen. Stephanie Flowers had a powerful and emotional response to a white lawmaker trying to silence her in a debate on Arkansas' ‘stand your ground’ gun laws pic.twitter.com/aZ1OQg2mOs
— NowThis Impact (@nowthisimpact) March 8, 2019
It seems fitting for the clip to go viral on International Women’s Day, of all days, as others voiced support and admiration for Flowers not backing down to those attempting to silence her.
https://twitter.com/kharyp/status/1103899287149142019
Thank you for this, Stephanie Flowers. #FightLikeAMother #NoRA #InternationalWomensDay https://t.co/JRJZuEJaa6
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) March 8, 2019
Arkansas State Senator Stephanie Flowers stood her ground! This is the kind of mama bear I want to be. https://t.co/LieBfiY8Iy
— Michelle Singletary (@SingletaryM) March 8, 2019
Arkansas State Senator Stephanie Flowers is a NATIONAL HERO. 🇺🇸 #EndGunViolence https://t.co/pf3Eq1Sucq
— Power to the People ☭🕊 (@ProudSocialist) March 8, 2019
Whew. Chills. I felt State Senstor Stéphanie Flowers in my soul. She was the ONLY Black person or person of color there. https://t.co/Zi0rxeaU8x
— Reagan Gomez (@ReaganGomez) March 8, 2019
WATCH THIS. Sen. Stephanie Flowers’ face should be on money. HERO https://t.co/Ocl66ej7ZI
— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) March 8, 2019
https://twitter.com/Ms_AfiaB/status/1103998501850177537
just when you may be feeling blue about the dismal situation of US democracy, here comes an astonishing / courageous individual like Stephanie Flowers, Arkansas State Senator. & you realize that things can't be so bad, if Ms. Flowers exists.
thank you, Senator Flowers! https://t.co/W7QpE4A8Mz— Joyce Carol Oates (@JoyceCarolOates) March 8, 2019
Arkansas state senator Stephanie Flowers goes ALL THE WAY IN about ‘Stand Your Ground’ legislation with the passion only a Black mother could muster against racist laws that allow white men to kill their Black sons and get away with it.#StopGunViolence https://t.co/EEWgHw8XGj
— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) March 8, 2019
There was only one Black lawmaker on the committee this week to review a Stand Your Ground bill in Arkansas. Thank God it was state Senator Stephanie Flowers. The bill failed in committee 4-3. #arleg pic.twitter.com/oP2q7vJkOC
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 8, 2019
“I’m talking about my sons life. And I’m talking about the life of other Black kids.”
Watch this. So much respect for Senator Stephanie Flowers @SenatorFlowers. #Arkansas https://t.co/xOJzZHqRgL h/t @DNAtv
— Mona Eltahawy (@monaeltahawy) March 8, 2019
This is a state legislator, a star, in Little Rock. She doesn’t go to DC; she fights for Arkansans in the state capital. Know who your state reps are. Get one like Stephanie Flowers. 💪🇺🇸💙 https://t.co/CPqnG85FX0
— @melissacwalker.bsky.social 🇺🇸 (@melissacwalker) March 8, 2019
NowThis also points out how states that have stand-your-ground laws have more gun deaths, and that white people who kill Black people in those states are 250 percent more likely to go free.