Mark your calendars. The day before Valentine’s Day, Saturday, Feb 13, 2016, a massive group of citizens will be gathering again in Raleigh, North Carolina, to highlight issues affecting not just the people of NC—but all of us.
The Rev. Dr. William Barber, president of the North Carolina NAACP and architect of Moral Mondays and Historic Thousands on Jones Street (HKonJ) has often repeated the refrain of "This is a movement, not a moment." Moral Mondays—Forward Together is a fusion movement involving people from all walks of life. Voter registration, GOTV and voting rights, education, economic and legal justice, health care, the environment, police reform, women’s and LBGT rights are all on its agenda.
The upcoming march is a celebration of the 10th anniversary of a movement many of you may never have read about in the major media. As right-wing politicians travel across the nation spouting hate, and groups gather talking sedition—followed relentlessly by national television news media—the peaceful fusion coalition of people of all colors being forged in North Carolina is not going to be in your headlines. In stark contrast to hateful speech, this movement speaks to “love and justice.”
Ask yourself—why has the major media shown such little interest?
In the last few weeks I’ve had conversations with friends, associates, and colleagues across the U.S., people who are politically active in their own spheres, in which I’ve mentioned Moral Mondays and Dr. Barber. I am always surprised (though I shouldn’t be) that they don’t know anything about this movement.
Yes, the Traditional Media covered Occupy Wall Street and is now covering Black Lives Matter protests, though it seems to me that their primary focus has been on coverage of every utterance by racist bigot Donald Trump, and the activities of armed seditionists in Oregon. They haven’t bothered to cover what is happening in North Carolina, and I believe it is specifically because this movement is inclusive of people, who cross many of the usual boundaries and barriers of race, class, and gender.
When the civil rights movement is highlighted—and during Black History Month there will be a plethora of retrospectives, as if the struggle for justice somehow ended. Don’t believe the lie—our civil rights and human rights movement continues. To quote Rev. Barber, we are in the period of a “third reconstruction”:
Daily Kos will continue to cover the Moral Mondays movement and Rev. William Barber.
In September of 2015, Daily Kos staff and North Carolina activists met with Rev. Barber and other NAACP members in Asheville to forge stronger ties.
While many of us on the left are absorbed with the upcoming primaries which will decide who will be running for the U.S. presidency, it’s important to understand the need for movements which operate outside of partisanship, seeking to apply pressure on elected officials across party lines, and organize citizens to make their voices heard.
The Movement is asking for your help:
If you believe that an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, if you understand that what happens in North Carolina has implications for the future of the nation, if you believe that we can build a moral movement together to save the soul of our state and country, then join us as we tell Governor McCrory and the North Carolina General Assembly, "Forward Together, Not One Step Back!" We are calling on all people of conscience and concern to join us as we stand against the extreme and regressive agenda being pushed in North Carolina. This agenda is a reflection of what is happening across the United States.
Can’t get to North Carolina? You can support the HKonJ People's Assembly Coalition, and the NC NAACP with your contributions, and by sharing this information via your social media networks. Like them on Facebook. Check out their YouTube channel.
Spread the word, support the movement, and if you can—show up and join thousands of activists for the march. Forward together, not one step back!